Lockheed F-104 Starfighter — Technical Manuals Collection

Primary-Source Documentation Archive · All Major Variants · USAF · AMI · GAF · RNLAF · Consortium

The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was the world's first operational Mach 2 fighter — a radical, uncompromising design by Kelly Johnson's Skunk Works that sacrificed conventional handling for raw supersonic performance. This collection assembles primary-source technical documentation spanning the full operational life of the Starfighter across its major variants and operator nations.

Document Manifest — 29 Confirmed Documents

Flight Manuals

• T.O. 1F-104A-1-3 — Flight Manual, F-104A (USAF)
• Flight Manual, F-104B — Lockheed / USAF
• Flight Manual, F-104G — 1961 Edition
• T.O. 1F-104(T)G-1 — Flight Manual, TF-104G (MAP), USAF Series — 1 October 1962 / Changed 1 February 1964
• T.O. 1F-104(T)G-1 — Maintenance Manual / Flight Manual, TF-104G Starfighter — 1964 Edition

Maintenance & Systems Manuals

• Maintenance Manual, F-104 A/B/C/D Variants
• Maintenance Manual, F-104C
• Maintenance Manual, F-104D — 1960 Edition
• Maintenance Manual, F-104G — North Group Consortium
• Systems Manual — Fuel System, F-104A/C
• Systems Manual — Hydraulic System, F-104A/C
• Systems Manual — Landing Gear, F-104A/C
• Systems Manual — Bleed Air System, F-104A
• Systems Manual — Radio / COM / NAV, F-104A/C
• T.O. 1F-104G-2-9 — Instruments Manual, F-104G

Structural & Repair

• Structural Repair Manual (MSR), F-104G

Illustrated Parts Breakdowns

• Illustrated Parts Breakdown, F-104B
• GAF T.O. 1F-104(T)G-4 — Illustrated Parts Breakdown, TF-104G, RNLAF & GAF Series — Materialamt der Luftwaffe, 1 October 1970
• Illustrated Parts Breakdown, TF-104G — Lockheed

Consortium & Multi-Nation Technical Manuals

• Technical Manual, F-104G — Consortium Edition
• CN Lockheed TF-104G Luftwaffe 1975 — Change Notice / Technical Manual, bilingual German/English

Armament & Avionics

• Armament Manual (MI Armamento), F-104A — Italian AMI
• IFF Transponder Manual (MI IFF), F-104 — Italian AMI, 1985
• T.O. 12P4-2APX-142 / NAVAIR 16-35C6280-1 / TM 11-5841-268-25 — Control Transponder Set C-6280/APX, C-6280A(P)/APX, C-6717/APX & C-7483/APX — Admiral Aircraft Radio, 22 July 1984 / Change 2 – 3 July 1985

Subsystems & Components

• P.M.N. 6J14-2-1-3 — Wing Pylon Fuel Tank 330-Liter Overhaul with Parts Breakdown — Magnaghi Napoli, Naples Italy, 30 March 1991

Engineering Reports & Special Studies

• Lockheed Report CA/ME/2301 — The SURE Project — Lockheed California Company, June 1966
• LAC/534104 — The F-104 Starfighter: Test Pilot's Notebook — Glenn L. Reaves, Production Flight Test Pilot, Lockheed Aircraft Corporation

Technical & Operational Profile

1. Aerodynamic Design

The F-104 was engineered to maximize supersonic speed and minimize wave drag. Its ultra-thin trapezoidal wing (3.4% thickness-to-chord ratio) produced exceptionally low supersonic wave drag but resulted in heavy wing loading. A 10° anhedral angle counteracted roll-coupling effects induced by the tall vertical tail. NACA/NASA Langley wind tunnel studies on 0.0858-scale models recorded a zero-lift transonic drag coefficient rise of approximately 0.030. A Boundary Layer Control System (BLCS) bled high-pressure engine air over trailing-edge flaps to reduce landing speeds.

2. Powerplant — General Electric J79

A single GE J79 axial-flow turbojet with a 17-stage compressor and 3-stage turbine. Variable inlet guide vanes on the first six compressor stages prevented supersonic compressor stalls. Thrust figures: 10,000 lbs military power / 15,800 lbs maximum afterburner (up to 17,900 lbs on the Italian F-104S with J79-GE-19). Fuel consumption: 1.97 lb/hr/lb of thrust at maximum afterburner.

3. Handling & Flight Controls

A three-axis Stability Augmentation System (SAS) operated through the AFCS, with rate-sensing gyros outputting corrections directly to hydraulic actuators. An Automatic Pitch Control (APC) system — the "stick kicker" — physically pushed the control column forward if the aircraft approached unsafe angles of attack, protecting against the dangerous pitch-up phenomenon associated with the T-tail configuration.

4. Performance Data

5. Engineering Modifications

Key engineering directives over four decades of service included ventral fin integration for directional stability, replacement of the downward-firing C-1 ejection seat with upward-firing Lockheed C-2 and Martin-Baker zero-zero seats, and NASA Flight Test Fixture (FTF) modifications for boundary layer, aerodynamic icing, and Space Shuttle thermal tile impact research.

⚠️ 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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