The Netherlands was a major European Starfighter user. The Dutch acquired 95 F-104Gs, 25 RF-104Gs, and 18 TF-104Gs from Fokker, Fiat, and Lockheed production. This gave a total of 120 single-seaters and 18 two-seaters. The Royal Netherlands Air Force received its first F-104 on the 12th of December 1962. That day the D-8013 and D-8022 were handed over to 306 Squadron at Twenthe Air Base. In 1964 322 squadron at Leeuwarden Air Base received his first F-104Gs to operate in the interceptor role.

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One of the aircraft based on Leeuwarden was the Fokker built D-8045. On November 17th 1964 this aircraft took off from Leeuwarden Air Base heading north. After 20 min all radio contact was lost. The aircraft crashed 25 km SE of Kristiansund, Norway after running out of fuel. Before crashing it was intercepted by a Norwegian Air Force F-86 Sabre from Rygge Air base. The F-86 flew very close to the D-8045 and checked the pilot but the pilot was unconscious or maybe dead. Suddenly the Starfighter dived vertical from 200 meter and finally crashed into the sea. Investigation showed that the accident was caused by oxygen mask poisoning, a reason to initiate a special treatment of oxygen mask cleaning and checking within the NATO Air Forces. Only half of the engine could be recovered and the rest of the aircraft disintegrated over a large area into the sea.

On June 1st 1984 the last 104 squadron of the Royal Dutch Air Force converted to the F-16 and a final but never official squadron was founded, the UFO flight (Uit Faserings Onderdeel). Pilots who were not converted yet on the F-16 could stay current on jets. But on the 21st of November 1984 it was all over. That day the D-5803, D-5810, D-5804, D-8258 and D-8256 made a final flight along all the KLu Airbases. In 22 years the Klu flew 345.500 hours with the F-104 with the loss of 40 aircraft.

I build this aircraft straight from the box and used the included decals for the Dutch Air Force with the exception of the serial number D-8051 that was too small. Instead I turned the Starfighter into the ‘D-8045’ to represent the 322 squadron F-104 that crashed in 1964. The Italeri 1/32 Starfighter is a very detailed model, with a detailed motor and cockpit, air brakes that can be opened and photo etched parts.

Eduard Boxem

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