Italeri 1/72 F-104 G “Recce” Kit

The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is one of the most famous fighters in the history of aviation and also one with the longest operational life: its history began at the end of the 50s and ended, for some air forces, in mid-2000s. Its unique airframe, with a slender fuselage and very little wing surface, made this aircraft ideal as an interceptor. Thanks to the thrust of its General Electric J79-GE-11A afterburning turbojet engine, it could exceed Mach 2,2 with an excellent rate of climb. But it wasn't very maneuverable and difficult to pilot. The F-104G Starfighter was produced on license by several European aviation industries. From the mid-60s, it became the standard interceptor for many NATO countries including Italy, Germany, Holland, Greece, and Turkey. The armament was basically the same found on previous versions, with a 20mm Vulcan cannon and the option to fit under the wings air-to-air missiles, bombs, or additional fuel tanks to increase the airplane's range. With time, reconnaissance duties were added to the traditional interceptor service. The F-104G was therefore fitted with a dedicated “Orpheus” reconnaissance external pod that gave excellent operational results.