The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is one of the most famous fighter aircraft in aviation history and also the one with the longest service life: its history began in the late 1950s and ended for some air forces in the mid-2000s. Its unique airframe, with its slender fuselage and small wing area, made this aircraft the ideal interceptor. Thanks to the thrust of its General Electric J79-GE-11A turbocharged afterburning engine, it could reach a speed of Mach 2.2 and had an excellent rate of climb. However, it was not very manoeuvrable and was difficult to fly. The F-104G Starfighter was produced under licence by several European airlines. From the mid-1960s, it became the standard interceptor for many NATO countries, including Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Greece and Turkey. Armament was essentially the same as previous versions, with a 20 mm Vulcan cannon and the option of mounting air-to-air missiles, bombs or additional fuel tanks under the wings to increase the aircraft’s range. Over time, the traditional interceptor service was expanded to include reconnaissance missions. The F-104G was therefore equipped with a special external reconnaissance pod “Orpheus”, which provided excellent results.

Caution. Not suitable for children under 36 months.

• Scale: 1:32
• Age recommendation: from 14 years
• Contents: Detailed plastic model kit