On October 31, 2004, the legendary F-104 began the final chapter of its combat career at Grazanis Air Force Base.
Among the 15 countries with a fleet of 2,580 Lockheed F-104 Starfighters, including prototypes, Italy stands out for its deep ties to the sector. Extraordinary interceptor. For nearly 50 years, the F-104 (affectionately known as the “Spillone” (“Hatpin”) or “Ziper”) was more than just a fighter; It became an important part of the daily operations of the Italian Air Force (ItAF). Its influence went beyond mere functionality, shaping the ambitions, strategic choices and combat capabilities of the Italian army.
Throughout its tenure, the ItAF operated seven different versions of the F-104: F-104G, RF-104GTF-104G, F-104S, F-104S/ASA, F-104S/ASA-M and TF-104G-M. These models are in service with 10 wings and 15 squadrons, including the famous Reparto Sperimentale Volo, with a cumulative flight time of nearly 1 million hours. The F-104’s versatility allows it to function not only as an interceptor, but also to perform ground attack (conventional attack and strike) and tactical reconnaissance missions, reinforcing its position as a multifaceted asset for the Italian Air Force.
last year
The F-104 was retired from the ItAF in 2004.
follow international conferenceA grand farewell air show was held at Pratika Dimare Air Force Base on 30 May, and the TF-104 made its final deployment at Desimomannu from 1 to 4 June. A few weeks later, on 19-20 June, Grazanis hosted the traditional “Raduno delle” Picche” (Reunion of Group The last event at the base, according to tradition, saw six aircraft forming the shape of “Picca” and “X” (Roman numeral 10°) in the sky.
Since Grazanis had only five pilots left, a pilot from 18° joined the formation, symbolizing the close ties between the two air defense forces. On September 23, the last three pilots of the 18° Gruppo, temporarily stationed in Grazanis to assist the 9° Stormo, completed their final flight. The three officers concluded Spiron’s tenure by flying in formation with the Tricolor, which refueled in Grazanis en route to Malta.
On October 13, 2004, the official farewell ceremony of the F-104 was held at Grosseto Air Force Base. A formation of two new Typhoon aircraft and four starfighters (MM54253/4-20, MM54258/4-40, MM54260/4-41 and MM6890/4-50) flew over the “Baccarini” airport, the first F-104Gs have flown over this airport. Login More than 40 years ago. Grosseto’s 4° Stormo is the combat unit with the most F-104 experience in the world. Grosseto’s remaining aircraft were transferred to Grazanis on October 21, just days before the official phase-out of the fleet, scheduled for October 31. There are only two two-seat models left in Tuscany: TF-104G/M MM54251/4-34 and MM54260/4-41, which were assigned on March 11, 2005 after passing a 200-hour inspection at 4° RMV Give to RSV and then transfer to Pratika.
Final QRA and operational tasks
On October 30, 2004, after 40 years of being “ready in five years,” the F-104 performed its final Quick Response Alert (QRA) transition, marking the end of a remarkable career in military aviation. The 24-hour shift ended at 08:25 local time on October 31, with Major Aurelio Covota, commander of the 10th Group, and Lieutenant Rolando Pellegrini of the 9th Group tangoing ( training scramble).
After the two armed aircraft landed, a distinguished formation paid tribute to this iconic aircraft in the recent history of the Italian Air Force. Among them were General Pietro Valente, commander of the Skyhawk division; Colonel Vittorio Iannotta, commander of 4° Stormo; Colonel Gianpaolo Miniscalco, commander of 9° Stormo; Major Giovanni Balestri, 20° Group Commander; Air Commando Deputy Chief of Staff General Settimo Caputo proudly wears a badge symbolizing the Starfighter’s 3,500 flight hours. The aircraft (MM6890/4-50, MM6934/9-31, MM6930/9-99, MM6876/9-39 and MM6850/4-16) took off in rapid succession and performed a series of flybys, all in compliance with the requirements of 9° Stormo’s work Personnel and onlookers on the taxiway in the 10° Gruppo operating area spoke with deep emotion and a hint of sadness.
After completing the last pass, the aircraft landed, except for one: Colonel Miniscalco’s 9-99, which performed a series of maneuvers before performing the last pass at transonic speeds, ending with a vertical climb, which marked the official end The F-104 has long been present in aviation-military frontline units.
last flight
After October 31, 2004, Starfighters continued to operate in Italian airspace for less than a year. The final farewell to “Chiodo” was slightly delayed. Despite lacking any combat effectiveness, the aircraft’s speed characteristics were still useful to the Italian Air Force, which allocated several aircraft to the Reparto Sperimentale Volo.
In early 2005, the test pilots of the Pratika Dimare 311° Gruppo occasionally used five aircraft as chase aircraft on missions to evaluate other weapons systems: three F-104S/ASA-M (MM6762/RS-06; MM6876/ RS-05; and MM6734/9-30 RS-06) and two TF-104G-Ms (the aforementioned MM54251 and 54260, designated RS-09 and RS-08 respectively). On May 2, 2005, MM6762/RS-06 was retired from service, and less than three months later the inevitable final flight of the Italian F-104 arrived.
On July 27, 2005, aircraft MM54260/RS-08 took off from Pratica di Mare. Sitting in the front seat was Colonel Eugenio Lupinacci, commander of the Volo Experimental Force, and in the back seat was a distinguished passenger: Chief of Defense Staff General Giampaolo di Paola. The flight lasted an hour and passed through the CTRs of Latina and Grazanis before returning to base, marking the end of the starfighter’s career. This final farewell was conducted quietly and away from the spotlight, as if Aeronautica, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the F-104’s first flight at an international conference last year, wanted to bid farewell to its most important aircraft, a routine mission, without ceremony. Sobriety characteristics.
Source link
