Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84 exptools; site ihnp3.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!harvard!talcott!panda!genrad!decvax!harpo!whuxlm!whuxl!houxm!ihnp4!ihnp3!cfiaime
From: cfiaime@ihnp3.UUCP (J. Williams)
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: Starfighter yarn
Message-ID: <130@ihnp3.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 23-Jul-85 11:48:16 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihnp3.130
Posted: Tue Jul 23 11:48:16 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 26-Jul-85 00:13:19 EDT
References: <3003@nsc.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 31

> 
> Anybody out there really know of a privately owned Starfighter?
> I have only heard of ONE and that belonged to Daryl Greenamyer (sp?) of 
> Reno Air Race fame.  Daryl had exhausted the thrills of Reno Unlimiteds
> and pushed his much modified F-8 Bearcat against the piston engine 
> speed record.  I don't remember if he made it or not, but he next wanted
> to try the jet engine speed record and got himself a totaled F-104 which
> the DOD had sold for scrap.  There wasn't much left of it but the airframe.
> Combing surplus yards and scrap dealers he was able to rebuild it after
> several years and set out to capture the jet speed record.

Daryl's F-104 was actually the Lockheed "boilerplate" mockup of the 
airplane.  A manufacturer will build a complete airframe to use for
systems test and upgrade kit test.  The only difference between the 
"boilerplate" and airworthy airframes is that the boilerplate is built
with round-head rivits rather than the more expensive to use flush 
rivits.  (Consider, on a round head rivit, you drill one hole per sheet
of metal, on a countersunk or flush rivit you not only have to drill
one hole per sheet, but the top hole needs to be drilled a second time
to get the bevels.)  Anyway, the airframe was totally rebuilt using 
flush rivits.  The number of attempts on the altitude and speed records
were limited by temperature fatigue factors.  (He figured that he had
two shots at the speed record, then the airframe would be too weak.)

About the time this F-104 was flying, there was an ad in Trade-A-Plane
for an F-104F (two seat version).  "I did it, you can too..."  If
that airframe was sold, it should be just about ready to fly...

				jeff williams
				AT&T Bell Laboratories
				ihnp3!cfiaime