F-104G 20+08 ErpSt 61 landing at RAF Fairford for the 1987 International Air Tattoo

F-104G, construction number 683-2008, company model 683-10-19, built by Lockheed
manufactured by Group USA (ARGE-USA); assembly in Fighterbomber version according contract lot 1
first flight May 31, 1961 at Lockheed-Palmdale; flight tests flown with register number "108"
DA+105 with "Joint Test Force" at Palmdale AP for "Category I" tests; for climatic tests at Eglin AFB, Florida on June 11, 1961
and for cold weather tests at CFB Cold Lake, Canada on December 6, 1961; returned to Palmdale on April 5, 1962
accepted on May 31, 1962 by BABwLockheed; airlifted to Manching September 18, 1962 with 74 flight hours; project "Balance" (upgrading) was not implemented
YA+105 Messerschmitt test flight November 8, 1962; on March 18, 1963 delivered to ErpSt 61 at Manching AB
stored for more than a year at Det. Istres of ErpSt 61 and used for spare parts; camouflage scheme "Norm 62" according tech order "TA-196" in 1965; autopilot tests at Istres in 1965
20+08 radar altimeter tests in 1968; May 1969 at Cazaux, France for Matra bombs tests
heavily damaged on December 8, 1971 after a bird strike during low level bomb run (BL-755 bomb test) at West-Freugh range, UK
airlifted with C-160 Transall transporter on January 12, 1972 to MBB (Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm); back to ErpSt 61 on February 22, 1972
last flight by WTD 61 on April 7, 1989 with 1.833 flight hours; struck off charge order (AVA) November 8, 1989; to WTD 61 on May 19, 1992
preserved at WTD 61 without serial (painted "Nr 1" only) 1994; DASA restoration November 21, 1994
Gate Guard on pole at Manching AB and coded 20+08 again with WTD 61 marks on April 6, 1995; late 2019 the Gate guard of WTD 61 was taken down
September 13, 2022 erected again in a new position at Manching AB within the WTD 61 area.

copyright © WTD 61 archive

cold weather tests at CFB Cold Lake, Canada