Sad sight on the Venice Lido

I always remember the finale was a slow pass by 3, which held your attention, and then the fourth would come over as fast as he was allowed which would make everyone jump somewhat!

Yes, me too.

They eventually refined that to the stage where the slow three were in a vic, with the wingmen about 10 metres lower than the leader, then the fastmover would ‘undertake’ them by flying through the ‘arch’ the others made. But he didn’t take a run at it, he accelerated from the same speed within the length of the crowd line. (RIAT anyway)

Moggy

I couldn’t help remembering the four-ship displays I’ve seen in the past. 🙁

Moggy

I always remember the finale was a slow pass by 3, which held your attention, and then the fourth would come over as fast as he was allowed which would make everyone jump somewhat!
I am sure that at St Athen in the late ’70s the fourth actually did his run over the crowd line, as well as a Hercules taking off across the runway towards the crowd.
Those Halcyon days before airshow safety…….

Somewhere on the internet (I cant find I but I do have a copy I can upload if anyone is interested) is a short clip of a drag race between the then-current Ferrari 126CK forumla one car driven by the late Gilles Villeneuve and an Italian airforce F-104, at Istrana airbase (Treviso).

At about the same time, the Italian Air Force presented Enzo Ferrari with an F104S, painted Ferrari red and carrying a prancing horse badge! It currently sits, looking a bit faded in the garden just inside the gates to the Ferrari test track at Fiorano.

Sadly though I didn’t get a photo, was too distracted by noisy red cars at the time!

Theres at least 2 here in town 🙂

The album was re released on cd in 1988, it occasionally pops up on e bay and Amazon.

and comes complete with that hip number ‘catch a falling starfighter’…

The album was re released on cd in 1988, it occasionally pops up on e bay and Amazon.

Arthur, if thats 10% of all built 104s, as opposed to 10% of those that survived their service careers

In the case of the Luftwaffe I suggest that 10% of those that were built surviving their service career would be an extremely optimistic estimate.

Remember the old German saying.

“How does a German get his own Starfighter? Buy a hectare of land, then wait.” 😮

Moggy

Built?

The F-104 is actually one of the most preserved aircraft around. A survey was held by the Zipper society a few years ago, and they found out almost 10% of all 104s built are preserved in one state or another around the world.

I do miss their noise…

Arthur, if thats 10% of all built 104s, as opposed to 10% of those that survived their service careers, thats impressive.

.. and an Italian airforce F-104, at Istrana airbase (Treviso).

Just about 20 miles from where this 104 now rots.

Moggy

Somewhere on the internet (I cant find I but I do have a copy I can upload if anyone is interested) is a short clip of a drag race between the then-current Ferrari 126CK forumla one car driven by the late Gilles Villeneuve and an Italian airforce F-104, at Istrana airbase (Treviso).

No explanation.

No signage other than a ‘Keep Off In Italian’ which nobody paid any attention to.

Moggy

Why is it there? Always liked to see these display at Mildenhall, always rivallry between the Canadians and the Luftwaffe.
Have been to a few modern shows like RIAT in recent years and there have been Starfighters there but they never fly in the displays.
A few years ago, pre 9/11, I went to a craft fair at Lakenheath and 2 Italian Starfighters were parked on the ramp next to the hangar being used for the fair.
On the way out I asked the 2 heavily armed guards why they were there but was not allowed to ask or photograph, they didn’t even know what they were, sad.

And the memories of bunking round the Scottish Aviation hangars at Prestwick to see the massed ranks of RCAF ones in storage…

I do miss their noise…

The only way I can describe it is “tearing metal” once heard,never forgotten 😎

The F-104 is actually one of the most preserved aircraft around. A survey was held by the Zipper society a few years ago, and they found out almost 10% of all 104s built are preserved in one state or another around the world.

I do miss their noise…

So true Moggy, 30 years ago (& 30 before that was the end of WWII ! ) at the IAT at Greenham Common it was, oh no not another F-104 (or F-100 ) display, let alone how many from how many different airforces in the static line ups. A great aircraft looking in a similar sad state to the one at Lasham.