Hobby Master 1/72 HA1033 Lockheed F-104G Starfighter 26+30, JG.32 Bavaria, Luftwaffe, July 1983

The F-104 Starfighter was a revolutionary design with short razor-sharp wings. It was the first aircraft to be able to maintain Mach 2 not just in short bursts. The Starfighter shattered speed and rate of climb records that still are impressive today. This extremely high speed earned the plane the nickname The Missile With A Man In It. Because of financial considerations 15 or more countries purchased the F-104. The Starfighter flew with the USAF in 1958 and the last airplane was decommissioned in Italy in 2004.

Lockheed F-104G 26+30 c/n 9182 completed its maiden flight on April 29, 1965. The aircraft was delivered to JaboG 36 on August 4, 1965. In April 1970 the aircraft was heavily damaged but after two years of repairs was returned to JaboG 36. In late 1973 the aircraft was assigned to JaboG 31 and eventually went to JaboG 32 on April 26, 1983. 26+30 was given a special paint scheme marked as Bavaria to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of JaboG 32 on July 26, 1983.