bar side Posted May 4, 2021 Share Posted May 4, 2021 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob de Bie Posted May 4, 2021 Share Posted May 4, 2021 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 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted May 4, 2021 Share Posted May 4, 2021 (edited) 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 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted May 5, 2021 Author Share Posted May 5, 2021 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook Posted May 5, 2021 Share Posted May 5, 2021 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 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob de Bie Posted May 5, 2021 Share Posted May 5, 2021 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook Posted May 5, 2021 Share Posted May 5, 2021 (edited) 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 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vangos Posted May 5, 2021 Share Posted May 5, 2021 You will find some useful photos here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted May 5, 2021 Author Share Posted May 5, 2021 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob de Bie Posted May 5, 2021 Share Posted May 5, 2021 Yes, they all had that antenna under the tail. Here's mine on the Esci kit. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted May 5, 2021 Author Share Posted May 5, 2021 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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