AIRSTRIKE FROM ANYWHERE

Description:

Airstrike From Anywhere is a short film about the new portable, temporary airstrip capabilities of the U.S. Navy. The film opens with a Lockheed F-104 Starfighter taxing for take-off. The F-104 flies through the air. The film shows the plane’s tail hook. The F-104 lands (00:51) on a temporary runway constructed of interlocking mats manufactured by Harvey Aluminum, Inc. At the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station in El Toro, CA (01:26), F-104s are tested on the short 2,000-foot runway. An aerial view shows the construction of the runway at the test site (02:00). Mats for the runway are laid in a brick-like pattern (02:40). Men adapt an F-104, giving it a tail hook. The F-104 flies through several touch-and-go passes on the newly built runway, then lands (03:50). Men film the test landings (04:08) with high speed cameras. A closeup view of the mats show the minimal damage caused by the landing of an aircraft even heavier than the F-104 (04:45). Men lay the mats down on a muddy surface. The film concludes with more footage of an F-104 landing on the portable airstrip.

The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is a single-engine, supersonic interceptor aircraft which later became widely used as an attack aircraft. It was originally developed by Lockheed for the United States Air Force (USAF), but was later produced by several other nations, seeing widespread service outside the United States. One of the Century Series of fighter aircraft, it was operated by the air forces of more than a dozen nations from 1958 to 2004. Its design team was led by Kelly Johnson, who contributed to the development of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, Lockheed U-2, Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, and other Lockheed aircraft.

The F-104 set numerous world records, including both airspeed and altitude records. Its success was marred by the Lockheed bribery scandals, in which Lockheed had given bribes to a considerable number of political and military figures in various nations to influence their judgment and secure several purchase contracts; this caused considerable political controversy in Europe and Japan. The poor safety record of the Starfighter also brought the aircraft into the public eye, especially in German Air Force service. Fighter ace Erich Hartmann was forced to retire from the Luftwaffe due to his outspoken opposition to selection of the F-104.

The final production version of the fighter model was the F-104S, an all-weather interceptor designed by Aeritalia for the Italian Air Force, and equipped with radar-guided AIM-7 Sparrow missiles. An advanced F-104 with a high-mounted wing, known as the CL-1200 Lancer, was considered, but did not proceed past the mock-up stage.

Complete Record: Airstrike From Anywhere is a short film about the new portable, temporary airstrip capabilities of the U.S. Navy. The film opens with a Lockheed F-104 Starfighter taxing for take-off. The F-104 flies through the air. The film shows the plane’s tail hook. The F-104 lands (00:51) on a temporary runway constructed of interlocking mats manufactured by Harvey Aluminum, Inc. At the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station in El Toro, CA (01:26), F-104s are tested on the short 2,000-foot runway. An aerial view shows the construction of the runway at the test site (02:00). Mats for the runway are laid in a brick-like pattern (02:40). Men adapt an F-104, giving it a tail hook. The F-104 flies through several touch-and-go passes on the newly built runway, then lands (03:50). Men film the test landings (04:08) with high speed cameras. A closeup view of the mats show the minimal damage caused by the landing of an aircraft even heavier than the F-104 (04:45). Men lay the mats down on a muddy surface. The film concludes with more footage of an F-104 landing on the portable airstrip. The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is a single-engine, supersonic interceptor aircraft which later became widely used as an attack aircraft. It was originally developed by Lockheed for the United States Air Force (USAF), but was later produced by several other nations, seeing widespread service outside the United States. One of the Century Series of fighter aircraft, it was operated by the air forces of more than a dozen nations from 1958 to 2004. Its design team was led by Kelly Johnson, who contributed to the development of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, Lockheed U-2, Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, and other Lockheed aircraft. The F-104 set numerous world records, including both airspeed and altitude records. Its success was marred by the Lockheed bribery scandals, in which Lockheed had given bribes to a considerable number of political and military figures in various nations to influence their judgment and secure several purchase contracts; this caused considerable political controversy in Europe and Japan. The poor safety record of the Starfighter also brought the aircraft into the public eye, especially in German Air Force service. Fighter ace Erich Hartmann was forced to retire from the Luftwaffe due to his outspoken opposition to selection of the F-104. The final production version of the fighter model was the F-104S, an all-weather interceptor designed by Aeritalia for the Italian Air Force, and equipped with radar-guided AIM-7 Sparrow missiles. An advanced F-104 with a high-mounted wing, known as the CL-1200 Lancer, was considered, but did not proceed past the mock-up stage.

Transcription

[Music] [Applause] [Applause] this Lockheed f104 in terms of armament wingspan rate of climb is the same fighter that has already won itself worldwide recognition but look closely a tail hook for this airplane a new capability that hook means the f104 can Now operate from the New Concept in Strategic Air power a Runway that can be laid in less than 72 hours practically anywhere then picked up and moved elsewhere [Music] here at the United States Marine Airbase at El Toro California a series of exhaustive tests was conducted to prove compatibility of the f104 and the new short llength portable airstrip basically the system includes a 2,000 ft Runway composed of rectangular aluminum mat sections and an arresting device tests of a catapult system similar to this one with a heavier aircraft had already been completed elsewhere site preparation for the arrestment tests paralleling a conventional 10,000 ft Runway at El Toro involved minimal grading and filling mat sections are delivered to the site in reusable pallets weighing approximately 1700 lb enough for 288 Square ft of Runway individual sections are handled easily by two men and laid in an interlocking brick-like pattern lock bars prevent end deflection and provide an almost indestructible joint half mats included in each pallet allow flush edges at the end of each row adaptation of the f104 to the new system involved installation of a conventional tail hook positioned to avoid contact with the plane's ventril fin components necessary to the modification are included in a kit manufactured and installed by the Lockheed California company following arrestment tests taxing at full engagement speed 160 knots the f104 was flown through several touch andgo passes at the new [Music] strip then cleared for an arrested Landing [Music] a 1 and 3/4 Dee Glide slope gross Landing weight 18,500 lb sink rate 9 ft per [Music] second in subsequent arrestment tests to develop pilot technique instrumentation on the ground and in the aircraft confirmed engineering expectations neither the 35,000 lb impact weight of the aircraft nor that of the tail hook caused mat damage of any significance this cutaway view shows that even the onewheel impact of a heavier aircraft with an extreme sink rate failed to damage the mat structurally strength of the units designed and manufactured by Harvey Aluminum Company is achieved by onepiece construction extruded from a single aluminum build Billet the only weldments in the units the end caps make each section watertight providing usable flotation qualities and allowing Runway construction even in swamp like areas unique joint design minimizes seepage onto the runway surface yet permits expansion and contraction caused by temperature changes individual mats within the runway can be easily removed and replaced through strategically located key lock sections extensive trials at Navy marine and army testing facilities have shown the mats to exceed requirements for a smooth rapidly impl bed Airfield surface resistant to impact and rolling loads of current fighter aircraft over a wide range of subsurface [Music] conditions with this tail hook modification of the f104 and launch capability on the Strip the two achieve major significance in the airborn Arsenal of the Free World each with the other provides increased tactical support the capability of an air strike from [Music] anywhere

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