Lockheed CF-104D Starfighter, N104NL / 583A-5302, Northern Lights Inc.
This picture is © Martin Laycock and may not be used or published without permission.
Registration: N104NL
Construction Number: 583A-5302
Code Number: Renee
Model Lockheed CF-104D Starfighter
Operator: Northern Lights Inc.
Airport: Mojave (MHV / KMHV), USA - California
Photographer: Martin Laycock
Date Taken: 1992
Date Submitted: 04/02/2009
This Canadair built Starfighter was built for the Canadian Armed Forces and delivered to them on 1 May 1962. It served with the test squadron at Cold Lake, Alberta for many years until the Canadians decreased their operational F-104 fleet when she was sold to the Norwegian Air Force on 23 May 1973. On 14 September of that year she arrived in Norway receiving serial 4632. She served 334Skv at Bodo until her retirement on 19 November 1982 and was then put into storage at Sola then later Flesland. In November 1988 she was bought by Northern Lights Inc. and transported to the USA by C-130 Hercules on the 30 of that month. On 16 May 1989 she made her first flight as N104NL at Mojave. Mainly used for flight test duties particularly the testing of instruments for various aerospace companies she was grounded in June 1993. In December 1993 she was offered for sale. In 1994 she was sold to Thunderbird Aviation and was transported to their headquarters at Deer Valley, Arizona on 11 April 1994. Thunderbird gave her an intensive overhaul and she was given a new civil registration, N166TB. From 29 August 1995 until mid January 1996 she flew several test flights from Edwards Air Force Base in California under contract. Soon after though, the company stopped their flight test activities and the aircraft was sold to Rick Svetkoff who formed the Starfighters F-104 demonstration team. It was bought in January 1996 and after a number of inspections was flown to Clearwater, Florida on 6 February. At Clearwater the aircraft received some necessary servicing and made some taxy runs in October 1996 before flying again in March 1997 with Tom Delashaw at the controls. The aircraft then went to Lakeland for a repaint on 10 March, in readiness for her first demonstration season. On 20 May 1997 her civil registration was changed to N104RB. One of three F-104s operated by the team she now gives flying demonstrations at airshows across the USA and Canada.
Picture ID:1156363