Watch more videos of this event or by other airshows on the following playlists of my channel below. 🙂 Pratica di Mare Airshow 2023: ua-cam.com/play/PL_kDcX2_3upoOPcXu2fz5jejtujQZfJOY.html Airshows: ua-cam.com/play/PL_kDcX2_3upoftlBOhtnzEPE_eiDNejG-.html F-104 Starfighter: ua-cam.com/play/PL_kDcX2_3uppahKPMWn4uJ1IqS7cFZ0MO.html Jets: ua-cam.com/play/PL_kDcX2_3upqqnKNHmGngQddPAaTBomeg.html
I still think that this is one of the most aesthetically beautiful planes ever produced...the lines, the proportions, the sound...it's such a 'hot rod'. Love it.
I grew up 4 km south west of Lagerlechfeld Luftwaffe base in Germany, and the F 104's turned right after take off straight over our town. I just loved watching the planes, for some reason the other towns people complained about noise. I thought it was the greatest thing ever.
@@theypeedonmyrug Richtig! Und wenn den Dingern nachgeschaut hast, konntest sehen, wie die beschleunigten und dann den Knall abwarten. War richtig krass!
I grew up and still live in Decimomannu (1st Air Weapons Training Installation - AWTI) Sardegna. I'm 53 now and for all of my life I loved to see each type of aircraft and try to guess which plane was approaching to the base only by engine sound ! For 80% of times I won :) The most recognizable sound anyway was the J79's scream of the F104, absolutely unique !
"spillone" will be always our hero, no matter if other say it's good or bad. The 104 do the job required from italy: scramble fast, climb fast, intercept, faster than newer warbird.
It takes a lot of you-know-whats to fly an F-104, and that team is obviously well-trained and knows what they're doing! One of my best airshow moments was as a junior enlisted airman in survival school at Fairchild AFB, WA. I had the weekend off (before being tortured in E&E training) and sat out on the lawn in front of the barracks watching from a slight distance, and a CF-104 was doing a demo and he screamed right over the top of me at about 100' AGL in full burner and I could see the pilot's eyes. It was almost better than... um that other thing that's really great. I was just shouting as loud as I could and pumping my fist in the air. That was 1982, I was 19, that's how much I remember it.
@@manfredrauber4402 Ah yes, I'm sure that translates to "widow maker" which is what it was called in the USAF as well. Coincidently, when I was in the USAF I got to watch the Luftwaffe F-104s flying in and out of Decimomannu AB in Sardinia.
The sound of a J-79 is one of the most incredible sounds humanity has ever created. There's nothing like it. If God has ears, then one of these engines howling is like humanity screaming "we are here" in
Wow, was für ein Highlight. Super, das Du vor Ort gewesen bist und diese klasse Aufnahmen machen konntest. Besonders gut gefällt mir der Formationsflug. Daumen hoch! Gruss inselvideo.
Thinking back now, to when I was last standing fairly close to a parked F-104 Starfighter at the RAF Alconbury airshow, while the pilot was running up the J79. This video aptly demonstrates what I was listening to at the time, and I wasn't wearing any ear protection. When I left the area a little later, I could hardly hear anything at all for quite a while afterwards. Great sound though, was well worth that deafening experience. Absolutely fabulous, great video, brings back some great memories. Easily one of the best Lockheed Century Series, interceptor jet fighters ever👍😎
Good Morning, in yearly 2001, I saw for the very time flying these TF-104 in Sicily ( Trapani ). it was amazing 👌👌😇Thank you for making this video ( that engine noise, drag chute !!! ) Cheers 🍻
The 'Howl' drowned out everything!. Its fantastic. I used to stand at the coast at Alberese and listen to them approach Grosetto from the sea.... The 'Howl'... it was beautifully haunting...
Thx for posting. Such an iconic aircraft with so much history. The 2 seat variant doesn't destroy the 104's beautiful lines. Glad to see it airborne again - a legend from the golden age of the Kelly Johnson era of innovation, pushing the envelope of aerodynamics, and how we achieve high performance flight characteristics. How much fun would it have been to work for Lockheed back in those days?! 🙂
I can remember flying to Pratica some 35 years ago. When approaching, the TWR did not answer our initial calls - unless our CDR adressed him with "Spaghetti Tower" - immediately we heard "a donta calla me Spaghetti..." I loved working with my Italian comreades, really! Always nice guys and great hosts!
Unbelievable wing loading. I understand it has the highest wing loading of all fighters at 722 kg/m2 and a stall speed of over 170 kts. Makes the little C152 I used to fly seem a little, um... docile! Great footage and many thanks. The F104 has long been favourite of mine and it's wonderful to see one still flying! Cheers from Sydney, Aust - Dave
but one should not forget, that the long fuselage contributes to the lifting area quite a bit. The Center of Gravety is way beyond the leading edge of the wing...
My ground school instructor back in the day was a retired F104 pilot. I remember he brought his ‘Mach 2’ card given to him by Lockheed to prove he was a twice the seed of sound man to class one day. Pretty cool!
Thank you for showing this extraordinary plane. 55 years ago it was normal to see starfighters and purtroppo it was normal to read about accidents in the newspaper. Very well done this job. It is more than 10 times of work at the ground to keep this wingrocket flying one time.
From 79 to 83 i got trained to fix this Beauty.....soon after it went out of Services in Germany... Here you see the 2 seat Trainer....very seldom. But just one guy in the Cockpit.......what a waste. Even the run up war nice....
Beautiful Aircraft. A 104 was the first aircraft I recovered while helping enroute in the USAF way back in 1981 when one came down from Canada to Wurtsmith. Not sure the guy with the hat should be wearing it around a running aircraft, but hey...
ABout 15 years ago when living in Oregon, I was fortunate to have a friend who belonged to a warbird club as he invited me to the monthly meetings...... One meeting was at Hillsboro Airport at someones hangar.... The guy had 4 F104's he was rebuilding... One was a two place trainer..... Thought I had gone to heaven....
Great job by the pilot- like others have commented heard this plane could be a handful on landing and aggressive maneuvers... he made that loop look easy and spot on landing. Two seats on that beast - sign me up!
Thank you. The fighter which I maintained more than 15 years. The unique metallic sound that I thought to never anymore have that I hear it remembers the active play times.
In my youth i could often hear them howling in the distance but no sight of them. I will never forget that. You did not see them but you knew they were there...
The 104's fly out of Kennedy Space Center regularly, there's a small group that has a several of them restored. They have a hanger at the Shuttle landing Facility, I meet one of the pilots standing in line for lunch a few years ago. If memory serves, he said they take up high end clientele for rides....
I investigated via the internet, a little further....it turns out they have a training school there for the 104....So, if you happen to pick one up at the local police auction....or curb side on Wednesdays' trash day...lol.
I loooove seeing old model fighters brought back to life and flown again. The one I wish I had the money to buy and restore would be a F-105. Best looking aircraft ever produced to me personally, but sadly I believe there are none in flying condition present day.
Ah yes, "The Widow Maker", The Missile with the Man inside", The Lawn Dart", no matter what you call this jet. The aircraft design was decades ahead of it's time!! Kelly Johnson was an aeronautical engineering genius!!!
Just adding my kudos to those from the rest of the choir here--congratulations to the Starfighters team for maintaining several of these magnificent and highly capable aircraft airworthy for advanced experimental test activity and an occasional airshow...
My Dad was in the RCAF and was an aero engine tech, I was in Marville France and Lahr Germany, and then again in Cold Lake and I fell asleep at night to the howl of those engines while testing them.
A few people who dig the F-104 may not know about a film short featuring the Starfighter Search for _High Flight_ There are a few examples to choose from on YT
Great video..!! By chance does Piercarlo Ciacchi's video with the public continue even after time 18.05? Maybe I appear taking a selfie with him... I'd like to see it..!!!
This was my favorite plane, as a kid having built a model in the early 60s. It's interesting to see that smokey J-79 engine in comparison to the other jets. The F-4 Phantom had two J-79s and the smoke trails from those engines was a disadvantage for the pilot in air ops over Vietnam.
Indian Mig 29s had the same problem in the 1999 Kargil war with Pakistan. The solution they came up with was to always be on afterburner when in visual range, the afterburner finishes burning the soot particles resulting in a clean exhaust
Watch more videos of this event or by other airshows on the following playlists of my channel below. 🙂
Pratica di Mare Airshow 2023: ua-cam.com/play/PL_kDcX2_3upoOPcXu2fz5jejtujQZfJOY.html
Airshows: ua-cam.com/play/PL_kDcX2_3upoftlBOhtnzEPE_eiDNejG-.html
F-104 Starfighter: ua-cam.com/play/PL_kDcX2_3uppahKPMWn4uJ1IqS7cFZ0MO.html
Jets: ua-cam.com/play/PL_kDcX2_3upqqnKNHmGngQddPAaTBomeg.html
Thank you for the 104 footage.
Any details about all the problems during the weekend?
Amazing how much dirtier the old F-104 engine burns eh! LOL
Love the F104 - what does this one still have an N number? Still a US aircraft?
Thanks man I felt like small kid again beautiful
I still think that this is one of the most aesthetically beautiful planes ever produced...the lines, the proportions, the sound...it's such a 'hot rod'. Love it.
F4 Phantom II screams 60's muscle!
Loved flying it.
G'day ,I agree and dont Forget the Blackburn Buccaneer!!
@@ChuckHadenHow much of it's howling sounds came through during flight?
@@randyboisa6367 copy that!! F-104 = Camaro/ F-4"s = Chevelle!!!
I grew up 4 km south west of Lagerlechfeld Luftwaffe base in Germany, and the F 104's turned right after take off straight over our town. I just loved watching the planes, for some reason the other towns people complained about noise. I thought it was the greatest thing ever.
Genauso war's, und wenn's dann den Überschallknall gab, war der Sonntag gerettet.
I grew up in Sippersfeld next to Sembach, my god did my grandmother use to swear at them with their sonic booms, I loved it.
@@theypeedonmyrug Richtig! Und wenn den Dingern nachgeschaut hast, konntest sehen, wie die beschleunigten und dann den Knall abwarten. War richtig krass!
sound of freedom !!!
I grew up and still live in Decimomannu (1st Air Weapons Training Installation - AWTI) Sardegna. I'm 53 now and for all of my life I loved to see each type of aircraft and try to guess which plane was approaching to the base only by engine sound ! For 80% of times I won :) The most recognizable sound anyway was the J79's scream of the F104, absolutely unique !
Used to see these when on detachment to Decimomannu in Sardinia on APC brill days. Saw them on the gunnery range at cape de frasca.
Decimomannu sardegna, Itália conosco molto bene
"spillone" will be always our hero, no matter if other say it's good or bad. The 104 do the job required from italy: scramble fast, climb fast, intercept, faster than newer warbird.
Thanks to everyone who made the Starfighter fly again. Great to see one back in the air again.
For a 50+ year old plane, that is impressive and the fact that they are now being civilian owned and flown is absolutely astonishing!
Its amazing to watch a 1950./60/70/80 (last built) star fighter flying with 21th century larger F22,Typoon jet fighters.
@@amuxpatch2798 F-35
@@amuxpatch2798 That is an F-35 in the vid.
4/3/ 1954-4/3/2024 70 years
F-104 (AKA widowmaker)
I grew up to the sound of F-86s, but I miss this sound the most! Thanks!!
It takes a lot of you-know-whats to fly an F-104, and that team is obviously well-trained and knows what they're doing! One of my best airshow moments was as a junior enlisted airman in survival school at Fairchild AFB, WA. I had the weekend off (before being tortured in E&E training) and sat out on the lawn in front of the barracks watching from a slight distance, and a CF-104 was doing a demo and he screamed right over the top of me at about 100' AGL in full burner and I could see the pilot's eyes. It was almost better than... um that other thing that's really great. I was just shouting as loud as I could and pumping my fist in the air. That was 1982, I was 19, that's how much I remember it.
IT is really true and amaising to see such an oldtimer in the air !
This airplane was called
WITWENMACHER !
SO many of them were
broken down in air ! Pilots hat died!
@@manfredrauber4402 Ah yes, I'm sure that translates to "widow maker" which is what it was called in the USAF as well. Coincidently, when I was in the USAF I got to watch the Luftwaffe F-104s flying in and out of Decimomannu AB in Sardinia.
That characteristic howl of those GE J-79s is unmistakable. The later engine variants were smokeless. What a gorgeous aircraft. BRAVO \m/
Later variants were smokeless? J-79’s are smokeless with the burners on
4 me it was the most beautiful airplane that ever flue, with an incredible howling sound!
The sound of a J-79 is one of the most incredible sounds humanity has ever created. There's nothing like it. If God has ears, then one of these engines howling is like humanity screaming "we are here" in
@@CanadianGrenadian nothing like the sound of J-79's!!
Eternal love for the F 104!
Well filmed!
The Starfighter STILL looks futuristic.
Agree -- and apply named "Starfighter"!
this is the italian "style" refurbhished version, it is part of AVIOLANCIO project
@@edwardgarner1299
In Germany it was nicknamed widow maker. The Bundeswehr bought more than 900 of them about 120 crashed
Apart from the black exhaust fumes.phantom was the same. Could see it from miles away!
Super sexy🙌😎‼️
truely amazing just awesome to see her fly again an the paint theme is awesome
Best and fastest interceptor! I love it! And the howl, amazing!!!👍
In my view the most beautiful fighter jet ever made.
Fantastic video. I see the Italians have a fine appreciation of American air-power, maybe not our cars or art. Cheers from Texas
Thank you for your comment! 😊👋 ua-cam.com/video/UwBuAa3oNIk/v-deo.html
Wonderful!!! Love the F104, so to stumble across this video of one that is still airworthy is incredible. Thankyou 👍👍😃
It's one of several flying in Florida, this one in Europe this summer.
@@andrewwaller5913we have one here in Norway, but it's no flying, due to seat issues. Martin Baker is playing high and mighty.
I always loved the Starfighter, but the fuselage and tail art is pretty cool. The overall paint scheme is awesome.
I remember Starfighters and Fiat G91 flying along side Rimini Beach during vacation in summer 1980 - nice to see, that this jet is airworthy!
This is nice! We can't get enough of this one-o-four.
Wow, was für ein Highlight. Super, das Du vor Ort gewesen bist und diese klasse Aufnahmen machen konntest. Besonders gut gefällt mir der Formationsflug. Daumen hoch! Gruss inselvideo.
What a plane. What a pilot. Awesome video👍🏻
Thinking back now, to when I was last standing fairly close to a parked F-104 Starfighter at the RAF Alconbury airshow, while the pilot was running up the J79. This video aptly demonstrates what I was listening to at the time, and I wasn't wearing any ear protection. When I left the area a little later, I could hardly hear anything at all for quite a while afterwards. Great sound though, was well worth that deafening experience. Absolutely fabulous, great video, brings back some great memories. Easily one of the best Lockheed Century Series, interceptor jet fighters ever👍😎
Thank you for your comment! :)
Never seen a Starfighter with arresting gear before, very cool! Nice flight, excellent post!
They all have/had arresting gear. It is used when there is some kind of failure of the hydraulic system that prevents steering and/or braking.
It is properly called field arresting gear. It’s for emergency use in case of system failures such as greaks or hydraulic problems
Good Morning, in yearly 2001, I saw for the very time flying these TF-104 in Sicily ( Trapani ). it was amazing 👌👌😇Thank you for making this video ( that engine noise, drag chute !!! ) Cheers 🍻
I love this plane, I had a master mechanic and a run up license in den 1964 - 1973 by the German Air Force.
Absolutely fabulous thank you so much for your superb camera work ❤
This unique sound of the J79. Unforgettable and at its best with the F-104.
I love this plane since I was a child...and still do it now
The 'Howl' drowned out everything!. Its fantastic. I used to stand at the coast at Alberese and listen to them approach Grosetto from the sea.... The 'Howl'... it was beautifully haunting...
The F-104 is simply superb!
Thx for posting. Such an iconic aircraft with so much history. The 2 seat variant doesn't destroy the 104's beautiful lines. Glad to see it airborne again - a legend from the golden age of the Kelly Johnson era of innovation, pushing the envelope of aerodynamics, and how we achieve high performance flight characteristics.
How much fun would it have been to work for Lockheed back in those days?! 🙂
The opening sequence brings me back to when I was a teen and wanted above all else to watch in cinemas " The right stuff".
I can remember flying to Pratica some 35 years ago. When approaching, the TWR did not answer our initial calls - unless our CDR adressed him with "Spaghetti Tower" - immediately we heard "a donta calla me Spaghetti..."
I loved working with my Italian comreades, really! Always nice guys and great hosts!
Unbelievable wing loading. I understand it has the highest wing loading of all fighters at 722 kg/m2 and a stall speed of over 170 kts. Makes the little C152 I used to fly seem a little, um... docile! Great footage and many thanks. The F104 has long been favourite of mine and it's wonderful to see one still flying! Cheers from Sydney, Aust - Dave
Thanks for watching! :)
but one should not forget, that the long fuselage contributes to the lifting area quite a bit. The Center of Gravety is way beyond the leading edge of the wing...
Plus you could shave with them...
So awesome to see and hear such a beauty fly again! 😍
My ground school instructor back in the day was a retired F104 pilot. I remember he brought his ‘Mach 2’ card given to him by Lockheed to prove he was a twice the seed of sound man to class one day. Pretty cool!
What a rare and beautiful bird! One of my all time favorites
This was the "starship" of my childhood. What an amazing thing to see it fly again. Thank you, Italians!
What a beautiful, historic moment it is! I do hope we can see this marvellous Starfighter some time in the future in Hungary as well.
Yeeeeeeessssssssssssss!!!! Bravo !!!!!!!!.......From GREECE with Love.....tears!!!!!
Watched many fly from Diyarbakir, Turkey where our UH-60's were temporarily based in April-June 1991.
Indémodable , les 2 plus beaux avions des années 60 ..70 ,le Mirage IlI et le F104 .Merci 👍
Wonderful video. The pilot and citizens are just as wonderful as that Cold War aircraft.
Thank you! :)
Thank you for showing this extraordinary plane. 55 years ago it was normal to see starfighters and purtroppo it was normal to read about accidents in the newspaper. Very well done this job. It is more than 10 times of work at the ground to keep this wingrocket flying one time.
From 79 to 83 i got trained to fix this Beauty.....soon after it went out of Services in Germany...
Here you see the 2 seat Trainer....very seldom. But just one guy in the Cockpit.......what a waste.
Even the run up war nice....
So beautiful plane, I saw it close and it's perfect and very smooth job on the fuselage
The best video yet of Black Beauty at LIRE 100th anni airshow!
Beautiful Aircraft. A 104 was the first aircraft I recovered while helping enroute in the USAF way back in 1981 when one came down from Canada to Wurtsmith. Not sure the guy with the hat should be wearing it around a running aircraft, but hey...
Beautiful aircraft....
bellissimo :)
the formation flying was a fantastic tribute to this great bird :)
thank you.
ABout 15 years ago when living in Oregon, I was fortunate to have a friend who belonged to a warbird club as he invited me to the monthly meetings...... One meeting was at Hillsboro Airport at someones hangar.... The guy had 4 F104's he was rebuilding... One was a two place trainer..... Thought I had gone to heaven....
Missle with a man in it. Beatiful aircraft. Nice work gentlemen.
Beautiful performance. The F-104 was in the Air Force the same time I was. Great memories.
Great job by the pilot- like others have commented heard this plane could be a handful on landing and aggressive maneuvers... he made that loop look easy and spot on landing. Two seats on that beast - sign me up!
Love that howling sound unique to the Starfighter.
This must have been quite a logistical challenge to get it from Florida over the big pond to Italy!
Awesome aircraft great to see this era of military jet flying.
Очень красивая машина!! Изящная,в полёте прекрасно смотрится!!
Thank you.
The fighter which I maintained more than 15 years.
The unique metallic sound that I thought to never anymore have that I hear it remembers the active play times.
Wow the f104 makes so much more noise than any of them. Great filming
Gotta love the way that J79-GE-11A Engine howls . There’s no sound like it ❤
Thanks! Compliments to the pilot and maintainers
In my youth i could often hear them howling in the distance but no sight of them. I will never forget that. You did not see them but you knew they were there...
Hi, I am the guy above the ladder who is working on the tail of the plane. Thank you for the beautiful video. Peace from Italy
The 104's fly out of Kennedy Space Center regularly, there's a small group that has a several of them restored. They have a hanger at the Shuttle landing Facility, I meet one of the pilots standing in line for lunch a few years ago. If memory serves, he said they take up high end clientele for rides....
I investigated via the internet, a little further....it turns out they have a training school there for the 104....So, if you happen to pick one up at the local police auction....or curb side on Wednesdays' trash day...lol.
To fly a Kelly Johnson creation: Priceless
I loooove seeing old model fighters brought back to life and flown again. The one I wish I had the money to buy and restore would be a F-105. Best looking aircraft ever produced to me personally, but sadly I believe there are none in flying condition present day.
Ah yes, "The Widow Maker", The Missile with the Man inside", The Lawn Dart", no matter what you call this jet.
The aircraft design was decades ahead of it's time!! Kelly Johnson was an aeronautical engineering genius!!!
Impressive that the Starfighter made the trip all the way from Florida! Bravo!
Why did it have Italian markings on the tail?
@@phaecops This year marks the Italian Air Force's centennial. 1923 - 2023. Some of Starfighters Aerospace's aircraft are former Italian Air Force.
LOVE IT !!! I remember the F104 whistle from Webb AFB in Big Spring Texas in the early 1960's !!!
Bellissimo, l'ho visto decollare un sacco di volte al 36° stormo di Gioia del colle ed è stato fantastico rivederlo💪👏👏👏
Just adding my kudos to those from the rest of the choir here--congratulations to the Starfighters team for maintaining several of these magnificent and highly capable aircraft airworthy for advanced experimental test activity and an occasional airshow...
The F104 will still leave the others in its wake.
Awwwwwwwe, that J79 spool up, sounds like angels singing from Heaven!
Great stuff, goosebumps!
Great video knight flight video, amazing aircraft, have always loved it from being a little boy, unmistakable howl, iconic aircraft 👌👍😀
Wow fantastic and that howl magnificant 👍👍. Thanks for the post Olli 👌
AMAZING aircraft.
A nice return for newer generations to enjoy.
My Dad was in the RCAF and was an aero engine tech, I was in Marville France and Lahr Germany, and then again in Cold Lake and I fell asleep at night to the howl of those engines while testing them.
From WC USA, this was my favorite jet fighter, I used to love seeing them fly low over our radar site in Germany, the sound was terrifying though!
An absolute favourite of mine - I had the fortune to be around these aircraft while serving in Germany during the early 80's.
A few people who dig the F-104 may not know about a film short featuring the Starfighter
Search for _High Flight_
There are a few examples to choose from on YT
Its a shame once the bomber threat was gone that sign-off film was just about the only thing the 104 A's and C's were good for.
Great video..!! By chance does Piercarlo Ciacchi's video with the public continue even after time 18.05? Maybe I appear taking a selfie with him... I'd like to see it..!!!
The pinnacle of cool! 👍🏻🍺❤️😎
still the same fabulous engine sound!!!😍
My dad would love this. Worked with GAF on these for many years. Aufklärungsgeschwader 51 "Immelmann" based at Ingolstadt
The pinnical of the art of turning money in to noise. Love it
Bella Pier))) Sempre TOP
What a great sound and machine!!! Wow
Piercarlo is a good pilot that loves his job. His UA-cam channel is excellent.
Wonderful the Return of a Legend
Hey Ridley...you got any BEEMANS®?🧑🚀
This was my favorite plane, as a kid having built a model in the early 60s. It's interesting to see that smokey J-79 engine in comparison to the other jets.
The F-4 Phantom had two J-79s and the smoke trails from those engines was a disadvantage for the pilot in air ops over Vietnam.
Indian Mig 29s had the same problem in the 1999 Kargil war with Pakistan. The solution they came up with was to always be on afterburner when in visual range, the afterburner finishes burning the soot particles resulting in a clean exhaust
So just imagine a B-58 Hustler.....
Ich bin Bj 59 und liebte den Sound der F104 in 70er Jahren,wenn sie übers Dorf in der Nähe von Nörvenich geflogen sind.😊
Wie cool ist das denn?!🤩 Der Sound aus meiner Kindheit!🤩🤩🤩
This plane HAS to come to the next AirPower in Austria! What a beauty!
j79 Sound at its best. Thanks for the great video. Cult!❣
Wonderfull I love the Starfighter. Awesome jet.