KLu F-104G nose sensor

[bar side]

Hi

 

Looking for some advice as to the sensor under the nose seen on Dutch Starfighters in the early 80s.  This example below shows it.  It seems to be black & cylindrical, but no idea what it is.  Any help appreciated!

 

 

[Rob de Bie]

That's an ECM antenna, only the Volkel-based 104s had them. There's another one next to it, plus one under the tail. Here's my 1/72 Esci RF-104G under construction:

 

 

More details here: https://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/models/rf104.htm

Rob

[Andrew]

I think that these lumps/bumps are part of a radar warning system applied to Dutch Starfighters late in their career [Thanks to Rob for his information that only Volkel-based jets received them]. It's not just the one fairing; there's two under the nose and one aft under the fuselage.

 

There are photos of the forward fairings in the walkaround images on this page - look about one-third of the way down the page (for the walkaround of D-8061. "...This particular aircraft has small fairings below the nose and tail for ECM antennas. Photographed July 2013 by Meindert de Vreeze (C) Copyright IPMS Nederland") and for pictures 81 & 83 in particular, which show the two forward fairings. I couldn't see one of the aft fairing.

 

Rob's already posted a link to his build and added better information than mine (I'm so slow to type these posts...).

 

Edit: Daco Productions also include these bits on one of their upgrade / improvement sprues in 1/48. Here's a cropped image from the Daco website with the ECM bits circled:

 

Daco F104sprue3C1g

 

Daco list these four pieces as 'ECM Holland' parts, which reminded me that the external evidence of the ECM kit wasn't just the fairings; an NACA-style intake on left-hand side of forward fuselage must have been part of this upgrade too. Check out photo 48 in the walkaround linked above.

Edited May 4, 2021 by Andrew
Additional information - Daco set sprue

[bar side]

Thank you very much @Rob de Bie and @Andrew that’s great.  Looks like I need to scratch the front ‘lumps’ and carve in a small duct.  Still trying to see where that scoop will fit but I will have a good look at that walk around.  Mine is a 1/48 ESCI going to be 8062 so will need them fitted.

[Hook]

The ECM was indeed added only to the Volkel based 311 / 312 Squadron strike / attack and 306 Squadron recce birds, not to the air defence roled 322 / 323 Squadron ones at Leeuwarden.

 

The NACA intake that was added with the ECM updates was located behind the cockpit on the strike / attack jets, and lower on the fuselage on what used to be the cannon cover on 306's RF-104G's.

 

No TF-104G's received the ECM.

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

[Rob de Bie]

5 hours ago, bar side said:

Thank you very much @Rob de Bie and @Andrew that’s great.  Looks like I need to scratch the front ‘lumps’ and carve in a small duct.  Still trying to see where that scoop will fit but I will have a good look at that walk around.  Mine is a 1/48 ESCI going to be 8062 so will need them fitted.

 

Long time ago I measured all these antennas. I will try to dig the sketches up.

 

Rob

[Hook]

There are some nice pics of the Dutch ECM setup in the DACO book, as well as the Lockheed F-104G Starfighter in Nederland volume.

 

Cheers,

 

Andre 

Edited May 5, 2021 by Hook

[vangos]

You will find some useful photos here.

[bar side]

Thanks guys.  That walk around site is good.  Found this which must be the rear sensor

 

 

might have a go at that one too, although it’s tricky to know if they all carried it.  Not a frequently photographed view!

[Rob de Bie]

Yes, they all had that antenna under the tail. Here's mine on the Esci kit.

 

 

Rob

[bar side]

Thanks Rob.  I will have a rummage through the spares box to see if I can find something similar.

I have added some front lumps today.  The smaller one needs sanding down a bit but they are a start