Lockheed NF-104A

[archipeppe]

At least the Starfighter found out its rocket engine...

 

[foiling]

Thank you!

 

[Stargazer]

Splendid, as usual!

 

[SAustin16]

Archipeppe,


You have done it again....beautiful work.


Now THAT is the way to fly...J79 plus rocket power. What a wonderful aircraft.

 

[archipeppe]

Many thanks to all for the word of appreciation... ;D

 

[topspeed3]

Awesome !

How did the F-104A go to 103 000 + ft did it also have rockets ?

 

[Steve Pace]

Awesome !

How did the F-104A go to 103 000 + ft did it also have rockets ?

Yes - one tail-mounted rocket motor - as the beautiful drawings above illustrate. -SP

 

[mz]

Typo in the picture, the RCS also used H2O2, not "H2O4".

 

[Bill Walker]

Just for the record, the RCAF took a totally stock F-104A over 100,000 feet in 1967. The aircraft never flew again after this flight, having exceeded many limits along the way (including reaching 1,800 mph in a dive before the zoom climb). See the story here. I also recall a USAF F-104C breaking 100,000 feet at Edwards.

I think the main intention of the NF-104A was not to just operate at higher altitude, but to train future space plane pilots in the use of things like rocket boosters and reaction controls.

 

[topspeed3]

Awesome !

How did the F-104A go to 103 000 + ft did it also have rockets ?

Yes - one tail-mounted rocket motor - as the beautiful drawings above illustrate. -SP

But that was not even invented when the flight took place ?

 

[Arjen]

Awesome !

How did the F-104A go to 103 000 + ft did it also have rockets ?

Yes - one tail-mounted rocket motor - as the beautiful drawings above illustrate. -SP

But that was not even invented when the flight took place ?

F-104s were able to reach 100,000 ft + without being equipped with the NF-104A's tail-mounted rocket motor. Bill Walker has already mentioned this, he also links to the story of a Canadian CF-104 that reached 100,110 ft.

Starting at an altitude of 45,000 feet, and flying along the jet stream, W/C White dove to about 32.000 feet to gain speed before he started the climb to his [Canadian] altitude record.

Your question:
"How did the F-104A go to 103 000 + ft did it also have rockets ?" - I take it you refer to this:

1959 December 14
First flight over 100.000 ft to 31,513 m (103,389 ft) world altitude record by Capt "Joe" B. Jordan in F-104C serial number 56-0885 at Edwards AFB.

Found here: http://www.916-starfighter.de/F-104_chronology.htm
Joe Jordan's F-104C s/n 56-0885 was not fitted with a rocket motor. As far as I know, NASA's NF-104As were the only rocket-equipped F-104s.

As Bill Walker has already stated:

I think the main intention of the NF-104A was not to just operate at higher altitude, but to train future space plane pilots in the use of things like rocket boosters and reaction controls.

 

[topspeed3]

http://www.916-starfighter.de/F-104_chronology.htm
Joe Jordan's F-104C s/n 56-0885 was not fitted with a rocket motor. As far as I know, NASA's NF-104As were the only rocket-equipped F-104s.

But did it use H2O2 to boost the main engine beyond military power ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_peroxide

Read you link ( thanks )...apparently not ?!

http://www.916-starfighter.de/916starfighter/graphics/f104_roll.gif