CF-104 at
CFB Moose Jaw in 1982|275x275px The CF-104 entered Canadian service in March 1962. Originally designed as a supersonic
interceptor aircraft, it was used primarily for low-level strike and
reconnaissance by the RCAF. Eight CF-104 squadrons were originally stationed in Europe as part of Canada's NATO commitment. This was reduced to six in 1967, with a further reduction to three squadrons in 1970. Up to 1971, this included a nuclear strike role that would see Canadian aircraft
armed with US-supplied nuclear weapons in the event of a conflict with
Warsaw Pact forces. During its service life the CF-104 carried the
B28,
B43 and
B57 nuclear weapons. When the CAF later discontinued the strike/reconnaissance role for conventional attack, the M61A1 was refitted, along with U.S.
Mk. 82 Snakeye "iron" bombs, British
BL755 cluster bombs and Canadian-designed
CRV7 rocket pods. Although Canadian pilots practised
air combat tactics, the
AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles were never carried operationally by Canadian Starfighters (however, examples provided to other air forces, such as Norway and Denmark, did carry Sidewinders on a twin-rail centreline station and the wingtip rails). The CF-104D two-seater did not normally carry any armament except for a centreline practice-bomb dispenser. There were 110 class A accidents in the 25 years that Canada operated the CF-104, resulting in 37 pilot fatalities. Most of these were in the early part of the program, centring on teething problems. Of the 110 class A accidents, 21 were attributed to foreign object damage (14 of which were
bird strikes), 14 were due to in-flight engine failures, six were as a result of faulty maintenance, and nine involved mid-air collisions. Thirty-two aircraft struck the ground while flying low in poor weather conditions. Of the 37 fatalities, four were clearly attributable to system failures; all of the others were attributable to some form of pilot inattention. The CF-104 was nicknamed the "Widowmaker" by the press, but not by the pilots and crews of the aircraft.
David Bashow states on page 92 of his book, "I never heard a pilot call it the Widowmaker". Sam Firth is quoted on page 93 in Bashow's book, "I have never heard a single person who flew, maintained, controlled, or guarded that aircraft of any force (and that includes the Luftwaffe) call it the Widowmaker". The pilots did refer to it, in jest, as the "Aluminium Death Tube", "The Lawn Dart" and "The Flying Phallus" but generally called it the 104 (one oh four) or the Starfighter. Low-level attack runs in the CF-104 were done visually at 100 feet AGL and at speeds up to 600 km. Low level evasive maneuvers could increase speeds to
supersonic. The aircraft was very difficult to attack owing to its small size, speed, and low altitude capability. Dave Jurkowski, former CF-104 and CF-18 pilot, is quoted "Because of our speed, size and lower level operations, no Canadian Zipper driver was ever 'shot down' by either air or ground threats in the three
Red Flag Exercises in which we participated." The CF-104 was very successful in operational exercises held by NATO. The Canadians first took part in the AFCENT Tactical Weapons meet in 1964 and did so every year after that. This meet was a competition between squadrons from Belgium, France, Germany, the United States, Britain, and the Netherlands. Scores were based on several factors. Bomb accuracy, time on target, navigation, mission planning and aircraft serviceability. Pilots were chosen at random from the various squadrons to accurately represent operational capabilities.
AFCENT Tactical Weapons Meet (strike era) • 1964: (first participation) Best team went to the 2 Canadians taking part. • 1965: Best Nation went to the Canadians, Top individual score went to F/L Frioult of 427. • 1966: RCAF was second best Nation, Top individual score went to F/L Morion of 421. • 1967: RCAF best team, McCallum and Rozdeba received awards • 1970: Canadians were 1st in strike event.
AFCENT Tactical Weapons Meet (attack era) biennial schedule. • 1974: (first participation) Top attack pilot Canadian Larry Crabb • 1976: 1CAG - Highest scoring nation • 1978: The meet was renamed the Tactical Air Meet the scoring was marred by squabbles and announced a tie. • 1980: The Canadians did "well" • 1968: First place. • 1979: Silver Tiger Trophy • 1981: Silver Tiger Trophy • 1985: Silver Tiger Trophy In the late 1970s, the
New Fighter Aircraft program was launched to find a suitable replacement for the CF-104, as well as the
McDonnell CF-101 Voodoo and the
Canadair CF-5. The winner of the competition was the CF-18 Hornet, which began to replace the CF-104 in 1982. All of the CF-104s were retired from service by the Canadian Forces by 1987, with most of the remaining aircraft given to Turkey. ==Variants==