Editing Lockheed F-104 Starfighter (section)

====Vietnam War====
[[File:Lockheed F-104C Starfighters of 435th TFS, 479th TFW, at Udorn RTAFB, in 1965.jpg|thumb|alt=Row of numerous F-104 aircraft parked on display on airport apron|[[479th Tactical Fighter Wing|479th TFW]] F-104Cs at Da Nang, 1965]]
The F-104C entered service with USAF [[Tactical Air Command]] (TAC) as a [[multirole combat aircraft|multi-role]] fighter and [[fighter-bomber]]. The [[479th Tactical Fighter Wing]] (TFW) at [[George AFB]], California, was the first unit to be equipped with the type, in September 1958.<ref name="Bowman2000p49">Bowman 2000, p. 49.</ref> Commencing with [[Operation Rolling Thunder]], the Starfighter was used both in the air-superiority and air-support roles. On 19 April 1965 the [[476th Tactical Fighter Squadron]] (TFS) of the 479th TFW arrived at [[Da Nang AB]] to help protect US [[F-105 Thunderchief]] fighter-bombers against MiG-17s and especially [[MiG-21]]s that were beginning to be flown by the [[Vietnamese People's Air Force]] (VPAF). The F-104 was also deployed extensively as a [[barrier combat air patrol]] (BARCAP) protector for the [[EC-121]]D Warning Star [[airborne early warning]] aircraft patrolling off the North Vietnamese coast.<ref name="Davies2014p41">Davies 2014, p. 41.</ref> The F-104s were successful in deterring MiG interceptors and performed well as close support aircraft, though they were largely uninvolved in aerial combat and recorded no air-to-air kills during the conflict.<ref name="Dobrzyński2015p62">Dobrzyński 2015, p. 62.</ref><ref name="Thompson2004p155">Thompson 2004, p. 155.</ref> The North Vietnamese were well aware of the F-104's performance, and the 479th TFW's pilots felt that the MiGs deliberately avoided engaging them. Twenty-five MiG kills were scored by fighters controlled by [[Lockheed EC-121 Warning Star#Big Eye|EC-121 Big Eye]] missions, and their Starfighter escorts played a vital role in ensuring their safety.<ref name="Davies2014p43">Davies 2014, p. 43.</ref>

From the first F-104 deployment in April 1965 to December, Starfighters flew a total of 2,937 combat sorties. These sorties resulted in the loss of five aircraft, one from the 476th TFS, which deployed from April to July 1965,<ref name="Hobson2001p256">Hobson 2001, p. 256.</ref> and four from the [[436th Tactical Fighter Squadron]], which deployed from July to October 1965.<ref name="Hobson2001p255">Hobson 2001, p. 255.</ref><ref name="Thompson2004p157">Thompson 2004, p. 157.</ref> One incident on 20 September claimed three F-104s when [[Philip E. Smith|Captain Philip E. Smith]] strayed into Chinese airspace and was shot down by a Chinese [[Shenyang J-6]]; two more collided in mid-air while searching for Smith's missing jet.<ref name="SmithHerz1992pp29–35">Smith and Herz pp. 29–35, 67, 68</ref><ref name="WindleBowman2011pp38,39">Windle and Bowman 2011, pp. 38, 39.</ref><ref name="Hobson2001p32">Hobson 2001, p. 32.</ref> No losses were reported from the [[435th Tactical Fighter Squadron]]'s first deployment from October to December 1965.<ref name="Hobson2001p255"/>

Starfighters returned to Vietnam when the 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron re-deployed from June 1966 until August 1967.<ref name="Hobson2001p255"/> During this time F-104s flew a further 2,269 combat sorties, for a total of 5,206.<ref name="Hobson2001p100"/> F-104s operating in Vietnam were upgraded in service with AN/APR-25/26 radar warning receiver equipment.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.i-f-s.nl/udorn-ecm/|title=Udorn – ECM|website=International F-104 Society|access-date=19 August 2017}}</ref> One is on display in the [[Air Zoo]] in [[Kalamazoo, Michigan]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Portals/7/documents/other/aircraft_on_loan_by_location.pdf|title=Aircraft on Loan (by Location)|website=National Museum of the United States Air Force|access-date=19 August 2017}}</ref> During the second deployment, an additional nine aircraft were lost for a total of 14 F-104s lost to all causes in Vietnam. In July 1967, the Starfighter units switched to the [[McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II]].<ref name="Hobson2001p255"/><ref name="Hobson2001p269">Hobson 2001, p. 269.</ref>

In 1967, these TAC aircraft were transferred to the Air National Guard.<ref name="Bowman2000p56">Bowman 2000, p. 56.</ref>
{{Clear}}

{|class="wikitable"
|+ USAF F-104 Starfighters losses during the Vietnam War 1965–1967
! Date !! Model !! Unit !! Cause of loss/remarks
|-
| width="85px" |29 Jun 1965
|F-104C
| style="white-space: nowrap;" | [[476th TFS]]
|Shot down by enemy ground fire while providing [[close air support]] (CAS).<ref name="Hobson2001p24">Hobson 2001, p. 24.</ref>
|-
|22 Jul 1965
|F-104C
| style="white-space: nowrap;" | [[436th TFS]]
|Downed by ground fire while on a CAS mission.<ref name="Hobson2001p25">Hobson 2001, p. 25.</ref>
|-
|20 Sep 1965
|F-104C
| style="white-space: nowrap;" | 436th TFS
|Downed by [[Shenyang J-6|PLAN Shenyang J-6]] (Chinese-built [[MiG 19]]) cannon fire while on a [[MIGCAP]] mission.<ref name="Hobson2001p32"/>
|-
|20 Sep 1965
|F-104C<br />F-104C
| style="white-space: nowrap;" | 436th TFS
|Mid-air collision while conducting air search for earlier [[People's Liberation Army Navy|PLAN]]-downed F-104C.<ref name="Hobson2001p32"/>
|-
|1 Aug 1966
|F-104C
| style="white-space: nowrap;" | [[435th TFS]]
|Downed by [[SA-2|SA-2 surface-to-air missile]] (SAM) while on [[Operation Iron Hand]] escort mission.<ref name="Hobson2001p69">Hobson 2001, p. 69.</ref>
|-
|1 Aug 1966
|F-104C
| style="white-space: nowrap;" | [[435th TFS]]
|Downed by SA-2 SAM while on Iron Hand escort mission.<ref name="Hobson2001p69">Hobson 2001, p. 69.</ref>
|-
|1 Sep 1966
|F-104C
| style="white-space: nowrap;" | 435th TFS
|Downed by anti-aircraft artillery fire (AAA) while on [[reconnaissance|armed reconnaissance]] mission.<ref name="Hobson2001p72">Hobson 2001, p. 72.</ref>
|-
|2 Oct 1966
|F-104C
| style="white-space: nowrap;" | 435th TFS
|Downed by SA-2 SAM at 10,000 feet while on armed reconnaissance mission.<ref name="Hobson2001p75">Hobson 2001, p. 75</ref>
|-
|20 Oct 1966
|F-104C
| style="white-space: nowrap;" | 435th TFS
|Downed by ground fire during armed reconnaissance mission.<ref name="Hobson2001p78">Hobson 2001, p. 78.</ref>
|-
|12 Jan 1967
|F-104C
| style="white-space: nowrap;" | 435th TFS
|Operational loss; crashed while landing after a CAP mission.<ref name="Hobson2001p85">Hobson 2001, p. 85.</ref>
|-
|16 Jan 1967
|F-104C
| style="white-space: nowrap;" | 435th TFS
|Operational loss; engine failure during a CAP mission.<ref name="Hobson2001p86">Hobson 2001, p. 86.</ref>
|-
|28 Jan 1967
|F-104C
| style="white-space: nowrap;" | 435th TFS
|Operational loss; engine failure during a CAP mission.<ref name="Hobson2001p87">Hobson 2001, p. 87.</ref>
|-
|14 May 1967
|F-104C
| style="white-space: nowrap;" | 435th TFS
|Operational loss; engine failure during armed reconnaissance mission.<ref name="Hobson2001p100">Hobson 2001, p. 100.</ref>
|}