Lockheed F-104G Starfighter – 20+62, JG.32 Bavaria, Luftwaffe 1983

Hobby Master 1/72 scale HA1035: Lockheed F-104G Starfighter 20+62, JG.32 “Bavaria”, Luftwaffe, July 1983. Low production run of only 250 models.

Length 9.25 inches      Wingspan 3.75 inches

Lockheed F-104G Starfighter 20+62 c/n 683-2072 was flight tested and airlifted to Germany on June 19, 1962. Re-assembled and flight tested again on July 5, 1962. In August 1962 the aircraft was delivered to JaboG 33 at Buchel AB. In late 1976 the aircraft made an brief exchange with the Dutch Air Force 312 Squadron at Vokel AB. In August 1982 20+62 was assigned to JaboG 32 and several months later was given a special paint scheme and marked “Bavaria” in honor of the 25th Anniversary of JaboG 32.

The F-104 Starfighter was a revolutionary design with short razor-sharp wings. It was the first aircraft to be able to maintain Mach 2 not just in short bursts. The Starfighter shattered speed and rate of climb records that still are impressive today. This extremely high speed earned the plane the nickname “The Missile With A Man In It”. Because of financial considerations 15 or more countries purchased the F-104. The Starfighter flew with the USAF in 1958 and the last airplane was decommissioned in Italy in 2004