Aeritalia / Lockheed F-104S Starfighter — Aeroplane Manuals Collection

A curated archival collection of primary-source technical documents covering the Aeritalia / Lockheed F-104S Starfighter and its Italian Air Force variants — the ultimate evolution of Kelly Johnson's legendary Mach 2 interceptor, produced under licence by Aeritalia and continuously upgraded through the ASA and ASA/M programmes to serve the Aeronautica Militare for over four decades.

Note on the Collection: Aeritalia produced the F-104S under licence from Lockheed and was responsible for the Italian service life extension programmes ASA and ASA/M. The TF-104G and other F-104G-series aircraft were produced within the NATO multinational F-104G programme, involving Lockheed and several European consortium manufacturers. Each manual entry identifies the correct variant and manufacturer according to the original production or licence-build responsibility.

Collection Overview

Total Unique Manuals: 31
Variants covered: S · G/M

Variant S — 29 Manuals

F.104 S Armament

• F-104 S/ASAM Maintenance Instructions — Armament and Armament Electronic Systems, Istruzioni per la Manutenzione — Armamento ed Impianti Elettronici di Armamento (English and Italian Language)
• F-104S/ASA Checklist — Conventional Ammunition Loading — AIM-9B Air-to-Air Missile, Caricamento delle Munizioni Convenzionali (Italian Language)
• F-104S/ASA Checklist — Conventional Ammunition Loading — MK82, MK83, MK84, M117 Free Fall Bombs, Caricamento delle Munizioni: Bombe a Caduta Libera (Italian Language)
• Aeritalia F-104S/ASA Checklist — Conventional Ammunition Loading — MK82 Snakeye Retarded Bomb, Caricamento delle Munizioni: Bomba Frenata (Italian Language)
• F-104S/ASA Checklist — Conventional Ammunition Loading — BLU Series Incendiary Bombs, Caricamento delle Munizioni: Bombe (Italian Language)
• F-104S/ASA Checklist — Conventional Ammunition Loading — BL755 Cluster Bomb, Caricamento delle Munizioni: Bomba Cluster BL755 (Italian Language)
• F-104S/ASA Checklist — Conventional Ammunition Loading — AL-25-50A Rocket Launcher, Caricamento delle Munizioni: Lanciarazzi AL-25-50A (Italian Language)
• F-104S/ASA Checklist — Conventional Ammunition Loading — LAU-10/A Zuni Rocket Launcher, Lanciarazzi LAU-10/A Zuni (Italian Language)
• F-104S/ASAM Functional Check Flight Checklist, Lista di Controllo per Volo di Controllo (English Language)
• F-104S/ASAM Checklist — Conventional Ammunition Loading — AIM-7E Aspide-1A Air-to-Air Missile, Missile Aria/Aria AIM-7E Aspide-1A (Italian Language)
• F-104S/ASAM Checklist — Conventional Ammunition Loading — AIM-9L Air-to-Air Missile, Missile Aria/Aria AIM-9L (Italian Language)

F.104 S Flight Manual

• F-104S/ASAM Flight Manual 1996 (English Language)
• F-104S/ASA Flight Manual Supplement 1987, Supplemento al Manuale di Volo (English Language)
• F-104S/ASA Flight Manual 1987, Manuale di Volo (English and Italian Language)

F.104 S Operating and Maintenance

• F-104S/ASAM Ground Support Equipment Manual, Manuale delle Attrezzature ed Equipaggiamenti di Assistenza a Terra (AGE) (English and Italian Language)
• F-104S/ASAM Periodic Inspection Handbook, Prontuario delle Ispezioni Periodiche (English and Italian Language)
• F-104S/ASAM Crew Chief Check List, Lista dei Controlli del Capo Velivolo (English and Italian Language)
• F-104S/ASAM General Information Manual, Informazioni Generali (English and Italian Language)
• F-104S/ASAM Maintenance Instructions — Ground Handling and Servicing — Airframe and Various Systems, Istruzioni per la Manutenzione — Impiego a Terra Rifornimenti — Cellula e Impianti Vari (English and Italian Language)
• F-104S/ASAM Maintenance Instructions — Power Plant, Istruzioni per la Manutenzione — Gruppo Motopropulsore (English and Italian Language)
• F-104S/ASAM Maintenance Instructions — Flight Controls, Istruzioni per la Manutenzione — Comandi di Volo (English and Italian Language)

F.104 S Spare Parts List

• F.104 S Aircraft Illustrated Parts Catalog Manual 1974, Catalogo Nomenclatore (English and Italian Language)

F.104 S Systems

• F-104 S/TAF Organizational Maintenance Manual — Power Plant, Istruzioni per la Manutenzione — Gruppo Motopropulsore (English Language)
• F-104 S/ASAM Maintenance Instructions — Hydraulic System, Impianto Idraulico (English and Italian Language)
• F-104 S/ASAM Maintenance Instructions — Pneumatic System, Istruzioni per la Manutenzione — Impianto Pneumatico (English and Italian Language)
• F-104 S/ASAM Maintenance Instructions — Fuel System, Impianto Combustibile (English and Italian Language)
• F-104 S/ASAM Maintenance Instructions — Landing Gear, Carrello di Atterraggio (English and Italian Language)
• F-104 S/ASAM Maintenance Instructions — Instruments, Strumenti (English and Italian Language)
• F-104S/ASAM Maintenance Instructions — Electrical Power and Lighting System, Istruzioni per la Manutenzione — Impianto Alimentazione Elettrica ed Illuminazione (English and Italian Language)

Variant G/M — 2 Manuals

F.104 G/M Flight Manual

• TF-104 G-M Flight Manual 1996, Manuale di Volo (English Language)
• F/RF/TF-104G Consortium/MAP Flight Manual, Manuale di Volo (English Language)

About the Aeritalia / Lockheed F-104S Starfighter

Historical Background

Designed by Clarence "Kelly" Johnson at Lockheed's Skunk Works and first flown in 1954, the F-104 Starfighter entered service as a Mach 2 interceptor of radical design — ultra-thin razor wings, a powerful General Electric J79 turbojet, and a fuselage so sleek it earned the nickname "the missile with a man in it." Italy became one of the most significant operators: Aeritalia produced the F-104S under licence from Lockheed, introducing it in 1969 with enhanced radar, AIM-7 Sparrow and later ASPIDE missile capability, and the more powerful J79-GE-19 engine. The subsequent ASA (Aggiornamento Sistema d'Arma) and ASA/M upgrades incorporated modern avionics and electronic warfare systems, keeping the Starfighter operationally relevant well into the 1990s. The Aeronautica Militare flew the F-104 from 1963 until final retirement in 2004 — over four decades of continuous service, making Italy one of the last nations to operate the type.

Current Status

The F-104S/ASAM is retired from active service. No active Type Certificate applies to military variants; no active Service Bulletins or Airworthiness Directives are in force. Surviving airframes are preserved as static displays in Italian aviation museums and as gate guardians at former Aeronautica Militare bases.

⚠️ Regulatory Notice: Under FAA 14 CFR § 43.13 and EASA Part-M, any mechanic performing maintenance on an active aircraft must use current, manufacturer-approved revision-controlled data. This archival document does not satisfy that requirement.

This is an archival, static-copy edition fixed at its original publication date. Intended for historical reference, flight simulation, museum restoration, and educational use only. Not approved for active airworthiness maintenance under FAA 14 CFR § 43.13, EASA Part-M, or equivalent international regulations. Operators of active aircraft must use current, revision-controlled publications from the Type Certificate holder or an authorized distributor.
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