TF104G

TF104G is the two-seat trainer variant of the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, built primarily for the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) to train pilots in operating the Starfighter family. As a trainer version, it retained the core airframe and many systems of the single-seat F-104G while adding a second cockpit for an instructor.

Design and development aspects include a tandem cockpit arrangement with dual controls, allowing the instructor to take over if necessary. The airframe and performance were largely the same as the F-104G, but instrumentation and training equipment were added or adapted to support flight instruction, navigation, and weapons training in a safer, controlled manner.

Operational history centers on its role as the Luftwaffe’s primary trainer for F-104 operations. Introduced in the 1960s, the TF104G was used to prepare pilots for frontline single-seat F-104G missions and to train instructors in Starfighter procedures. The aircraft remained in service for several decades, with retirement occurring as more modern trainer aircraft became available and as the F-104 fleet was phased out.

Variants and specifications are generally aligned with the F-104G lineage, with the TF104G incorporating dual controls, a second cockpit, and training-related avionics. The program emphasized safety and instructional effectiveness while preserving the performance characteristics of the Starfighter family.

See also: F-104 Starfighter, Luftwaffe, Lockheed.