F-104J "709", serial number 76-8709, of APW (Air Proving Wing (Test Wing)) JASDF at Gifu AB

F-104J, construction number 683B-3209, model 683-07-14, JASDF serial number 76-8709, built by Mitsubishi
delivery date November 15, 1967; 1989 207 squadron Gifu AB; 207 squadron 1991; APW (Air Proving Wing (Test Wing)) Gifu AFB
UF-104JA target drone as 76-3709 shot down at firing range located near Iwo Jima Island on February 21, 1996.

Mitsubishi UF-104J
The last duties for JASDF F-104J were to be unmanned target drones.
Two F-104Js were modified to UF-104J experimental drones and tested by ADTW.
The two UF-104J (renamed from QF-104J (XQF-104J)) were drones with a cockpit, and 12 became UF-104JA drones without a cockpit.
On December 18, 1989 was the first flight of XQF-104J drone nr.1 46-8592.
After that, a total of 14 Starfighters converted to UF-104JA target drone and all of them were shot down
at firing range located near Iwo-Jima island, famous battlefield of WW2.
Between March 1992 and January 1997, all these completed their missions against "hostile" F-15J at Iwo Jima.

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