| HOBBY MASTER COLLECTOR |
| Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series (Jet Powered) HA1001 - USAF F-104C "Really George", FG 891, 479th TFW, Pilot: Wing Commander Col. George Laven Jr |
HOBBY MASTER HA1001
F-104C “Really George”
Hobby Master has soared to
new heights with this particular
F-104C. It was the first to be
delivered to the Tactical Air
Command (TAC) and
appropriately it is the first
release in Hobby Master’s F-
104 series. The rocket like
shape, the short wingspan with
its razor sharp leading edge and
the vivid colors have been
masterfully reproduced in this
model.
It wasn’t long before the plane
fell out of favor with TAC so its
stay in USAF inventory was
short 1958–67. A heavily
modified version was sold to
other countries and even flew
with the Italian AF until 2004. It
was fast, could be hard to
handle and on occasion would
fly itself into the ground earning
many less than favorable
nicknames.
From the very tip of the plane to
its exhaust, Hobby Master has
captured the colors and subtle
shapes that helped make this
plane such an icon of flight.
Don't let this model do a "fly by"
of your collection, make sure
you clear a landing spot for this
great show piece.
F-104C “Really George”
Hobby Master has soared to
new heights with this particular
F-104C. It was the first to be
delivered to the Tactical Air
Command (TAC) and
appropriately it is the first
release in Hobby Master’s F-
104 series. The rocket like
shape, the short wingspan with
its razor sharp leading edge and
the vivid colors have been
masterfully reproduced in this
model.
It wasn’t long before the plane
fell out of favor with TAC so its
stay in USAF inventory was
short 1958–67. A heavily
modified version was sold to
other countries and even flew
with the Italian AF until 2004. It
was fast, could be hard to
handle and on occasion would
fly itself into the ground earning
many less than favorable
nicknames.
From the very tip of the plane to
its exhaust, Hobby Master has
captured the colors and subtle
shapes that helped make this
plane such an icon of flight.
Don't let this model do a "fly by"
of your collection, make sure
you clear a landing spot for this
great show piece.
USAF F-104C FG-891
The first F-104C took off on its maiden flight on July 24, 1958. The “C” was the tactical strike version of the
Starfighter. March 2, 1956, an initial contract was awarded for 56 F-104Cs, in December 1956 an additional 21
aircraft were ordered for a total of 77.
The first C-model accepted by Tactical Air Command took place at the annual fighter weapons meet at Nellis AFB in
Las Vegas, Nevada, on 15 October 1958. This aircraft was named “Really George” because its home base would
be the 479th TFW at George AFB, California. Secondly it would be the plane flown by Wing Commander Col.
George Laven Jr. who was a WWII P-38 ace with 5 victories. The paint schemes on some of the planes from this
era, “Really George” being one of them, were quite elaborate especially the Europeans.
The USAF became unhappy with the aircraft's range, load-carrying ability, and equipment so it began to phase the
F-104 out of its inventory in 1967. A heavily modified version of the Starfighter sold well abroad, especially to the air
forces of Germany, Canada, Japan, Turkey, Taiwan, Spain, Pakistan and Italy, where high-speed fighter-bomber
versions continued in service until the mid 1980s (and, in the case of the Italian Air Force, until 2004). Starfighters
were a well-equipped plane for air-to-air interception, or air to ground light bombing. It also could be armed with
several different guns depending on the country, with the most common being the 6 barrel M61 Vulcan 20mm
cannon. The F-104 could carry 2 wingtip AIM-9B Sidewinder short-range missiles or carry a 170 US gallon drop tank
at each wingtip. It also could carry AIM-7 Sparrow medium range missiles, and or up to 4000lbs of ordnance on its 9
hard-points at the wingtips, under wing, and under the fuselage. The F-104C was a real killer in the sky if and when
it was called upon. The upgraded fighter-bomber version of the 104 saw limited action in Vietnam, one with the
476th TFS escorting F-105 Thunderchiefs. Even though the Starfighter never scored a kill in Vietnam it was a great
deterrent against Mig interceptors. A total of 9 F-104s were lost during this war.
The extreme shape of the Starfighter earned it the first nickname of "The Missile With a Man in it" and some USAF
pilots also called it “Zipper” or “Zipper 104” because of it’s tremendous speed. After it proved to be challenging to
fly, with high fatal accident rates, particularly in German service the plane was given many more nicknames because
of its high speed and ability to occassionally fly itself into the ground. In Germany they referred to it as
Witwenmacher ("widowmaker"), fliegender Sarg ("flying coffin") or Erdnagel ("ground nail", the official military term
for a tent peg). Others were, Pakistan Badmash “Hooligan”, Italy because of it’s spiked nose Spillone “Hatpin” and
bara volante “Flying Coffin”, Canada “Lawn Dart”.
Primarily powered by a single 15 800 lb thrust General Electric J79-GE11A turbojet engine, equipped with
afterburner, it was capable of high speeds (just under 1300 mph) and high rates of climb. On December 14, 1959,
an F-104C set a world altitude record of 103,395 ft (31.5 km). The Starfighter was the first aircraft to hold
simultaneous official world records for speed, altitude, and time-to-climb.
The first F-104C took off on its maiden flight on July 24, 1958. The “C” was the tactical strike version of the
Starfighter. March 2, 1956, an initial contract was awarded for 56 F-104Cs, in December 1956 an additional 21
aircraft were ordered for a total of 77.
The first C-model accepted by Tactical Air Command took place at the annual fighter weapons meet at Nellis AFB in
Las Vegas, Nevada, on 15 October 1958. This aircraft was named “Really George” because its home base would
be the 479th TFW at George AFB, California. Secondly it would be the plane flown by Wing Commander Col.
George Laven Jr. who was a WWII P-38 ace with 5 victories. The paint schemes on some of the planes from this
era, “Really George” being one of them, were quite elaborate especially the Europeans.
The USAF became unhappy with the aircraft's range, load-carrying ability, and equipment so it began to phase the
F-104 out of its inventory in 1967. A heavily modified version of the Starfighter sold well abroad, especially to the air
forces of Germany, Canada, Japan, Turkey, Taiwan, Spain, Pakistan and Italy, where high-speed fighter-bomber
versions continued in service until the mid 1980s (and, in the case of the Italian Air Force, until 2004). Starfighters
were a well-equipped plane for air-to-air interception, or air to ground light bombing. It also could be armed with
several different guns depending on the country, with the most common being the 6 barrel M61 Vulcan 20mm
cannon. The F-104 could carry 2 wingtip AIM-9B Sidewinder short-range missiles or carry a 170 US gallon drop tank
at each wingtip. It also could carry AIM-7 Sparrow medium range missiles, and or up to 4000lbs of ordnance on its 9
hard-points at the wingtips, under wing, and under the fuselage. The F-104C was a real killer in the sky if and when
it was called upon. The upgraded fighter-bomber version of the 104 saw limited action in Vietnam, one with the
476th TFS escorting F-105 Thunderchiefs. Even though the Starfighter never scored a kill in Vietnam it was a great
deterrent against Mig interceptors. A total of 9 F-104s were lost during this war.
The extreme shape of the Starfighter earned it the first nickname of "The Missile With a Man in it" and some USAF
pilots also called it “Zipper” or “Zipper 104” because of it’s tremendous speed. After it proved to be challenging to
fly, with high fatal accident rates, particularly in German service the plane was given many more nicknames because
of its high speed and ability to occassionally fly itself into the ground. In Germany they referred to it as
Witwenmacher ("widowmaker"), fliegender Sarg ("flying coffin") or Erdnagel ("ground nail", the official military term
for a tent peg). Others were, Pakistan Badmash “Hooligan”, Italy because of it’s spiked nose Spillone “Hatpin” and
bara volante “Flying Coffin”, Canada “Lawn Dart”.
Primarily powered by a single 15 800 lb thrust General Electric J79-GE11A turbojet engine, equipped with
afterburner, it was capable of high speeds (just under 1300 mph) and high rates of climb. On December 14, 1959,
an F-104C set a world altitude record of 103,395 ft (31.5 km). The Starfighter was the first aircraft to hold
simultaneous official world records for speed, altitude, and time-to-climb.
SPECIFICATIONS
Span: 21 ft. 11 in.
Length: 54 ft. 10 in.
Height: 13 ft. 6 in.
Weight: 27,853 lbs. max.
Armament: One M-61 20mm
cannon, two air-to-air missiles:
nuclear or conventional bombs
Engine: One General Electric J-
79 of 15,800 lbs. thrust with
afterburner
Crew: One
Cost: $1,471,000 (1950 & early
60’s dollars)
NORMAL PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 1,320 mph.
cruising Speed: 575 mph.
Range: 1,250 miles
Service Ceiling: 58,000 ft.
Span: 21 ft. 11 in.
Length: 54 ft. 10 in.
Height: 13 ft. 6 in.
Weight: 27,853 lbs. max.
Armament: One M-61 20mm
cannon, two air-to-air missiles:
nuclear or conventional bombs
Engine: One General Electric J-
79 of 15,800 lbs. thrust with
afterburner
Crew: One
Cost: $1,471,000 (1950 & early
60’s dollars)
NORMAL PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 1,320 mph.
cruising Speed: 575 mph.
Range: 1,250 miles
Service Ceiling: 58,000 ft.
