A famous F-104 test pitot boom

[Slick]

This is soooo not ordnance related, but I believe cool enough to be of interest to a couple or three folks hereabouts.

A test boom for monitoring pitch, yaw and AOA (angle of attack). The vanes spin freely. The tube/boom is made of some sort of non-magnetic alloy. It weighs less than 3 lbs. and is 32" long, not counting the connector tubes. OD at the fat part is 1.75"/skinny is 0.90". Y'all will have to do your own metricating of those dimensions. It was attached/adapted to the end of the existing pitot boom.

The best part of it is, it was used on the NASA F-104 (#818) hanging in the National Air and Space Museum in Wash. DC. The previous owner was directly involved in the program and squirreled this away when the plane was given up some years ago. The attached links go into greater length on the plane and its history.

http://www.aerofiles.com/nasa-f104.html

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/jetregistry/f104-552961.html

http://www.nasm.si.edu/collections/artifact.cfm?id=A19761017000 (click on LONG DESCRIPTION)

Without further ado:



Rick

 

[V40]

Rick, now to me this is really neat. Thanks Rick for the pictures and the story. I really appreciate that one!

 

[bacarnal]

Rick, How could it not be ordnance related?! The plane it came from, like the F4 Phantom, had no aerodynamics to speak of, and was for all intents and purposes a guided missile, the guidance package just having happened to be human. It wasn't called the Widow Maker for nothing. By the way, cool piece. Cheers, Bruce.

 

[HAZORD]

Rick, to add to what Bruce was saying, the F104 was notorious for requiring 100% attention at all times, or it would crash. Neat info.