N104RB Red Baron
Encyclopedia
The Red Baron was a highly modified Lockheed F-104 Starfighter which set a FAI Class C-1 Group III 3 km speed record of 988.26 mph, in 1977 which still stands. It was assembled by Darryl Greenamyer and sponsored by Ed Browning and the Red Baron Flying Service of Idaho Falls, Idaho
. The aircraft was destroyed in an accident in 1978.
on the edge of the Mojave Desert. Greenamyer got his throttle quadrant from a Tennessee flying buff he met at the Reno Air Races
. The trunnion mounts for the nose gear, some of the cooling-system valves and a few relays on the Red Baron came from a 25-ton pile of junk that Greenamyer bought at Eglin Air Force Base
. In a swap with NASA, he obtained the nose of a Lockheed NF-104A
, with its reaction controls. The all-important J79-GE-10 engine was obtained from the US Navy.
Greenamyer's ultimate goal was to reclaim the altitude record, which had been set by a Russian MiG-25 Foxbat
. His attempt at the speed record was for the purpose of raising enough funding to enable the altitude attempt. To combat the effects of high altitude, Greenamyer developed a system to water-cool the air at the engine intakes—effectively increasing the air density. He also installed the nose of a Lockheed NF-104A
with eight hydrogen peroxide thrusters around the nose to provide added directional stability as the control surfaces lost effect.
. A tracking camera malfunction eliminated the necessary proof for formal records. On 24 October 1977 Greenamyer flew a 3km official FAI record flight of 988.26 mph.
On 26 February 1978 Greenamyer made a practice run for the altitude record attempt. After the attempt, he was unable to get a lock light on the left wheel; after multiple touch-and-go tests at an Edwards Air Force Base runway, he determined that it was not safe to land. He ejected, and the N104RB crashed in the desert.
Idaho Falls, Idaho
Idaho Falls is a city in and the county seat of Bonneville County, Idaho, United States, and the largest city in Eastern Idaho. As of the 2010 census, the population of Idaho Falls was 56,813, with a metro population of 130,374....
. The aircraft was destroyed in an accident in 1978.
History
Greenamyer built the Starfighter by collecting and putting together myriad parts over a 13 year period. The cockpit side panels and some control column bearings of the Red Baron came from the very first production F-104A, which crashed in Palmdale, California 22 years earlier. The tail of the Red Baron, minus stabilizers, came from a junkyard in Ontario, California. The stabilizers and some nose wheel parts were from scrap piles in Tucson and Homestead, Florida. The idler arm for the elevator controls, the ejection seat rails and some electrical relays came from an F-104 that crashed and burned at Edwards Air Force BaseEdwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County, Los Angeles County, and San Bernardino County, California, in the Antelope Valley. It is southwest of the central business district of North Edwards, California and due east of Rosamond.It is named in...
on the edge of the Mojave Desert. Greenamyer got his throttle quadrant from a Tennessee flying buff he met at the Reno Air Races
Reno Air Races
The Reno Air Races, also known as the National Championship Air Races, take place each September at the Reno Stead Airport a few miles north of Reno, Nevada, USA...
. The trunnion mounts for the nose gear, some of the cooling-system valves and a few relays on the Red Baron came from a 25-ton pile of junk that Greenamyer bought at Eglin Air Force Base
Eglin Air Force Base
Eglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately 3 miles southwest of Valparaiso, Florida in Okaloosa County....
. In a swap with NASA, he obtained the nose of a Lockheed NF-104A
Lockheed NF-104A
The Lockheed NF-104A was an American mixed power, high-performance, supersonic aerospace trainer that served as a low cost astronaut training vehicle for the X-15 and projected X-20 Dyna-Soar programs....
, with its reaction controls. The all-important J79-GE-10 engine was obtained from the US Navy.
Greenamyer's ultimate goal was to reclaim the altitude record, which had been set by a Russian MiG-25 Foxbat
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 is a supersonic interceptor and reconnaissance aircraft that was among the fastest military aircraft to enter service. Designed by the Soviet Union's Mikoyan-Gurevich bureau the first prototype flew in 1964 with entry into service in 1970...
. His attempt at the speed record was for the purpose of raising enough funding to enable the altitude attempt. To combat the effects of high altitude, Greenamyer developed a system to water-cool the air at the engine intakes—effectively increasing the air density. He also installed the nose of a Lockheed NF-104A
Lockheed NF-104A
The Lockheed NF-104A was an American mixed power, high-performance, supersonic aerospace trainer that served as a low cost astronaut training vehicle for the X-15 and projected X-20 Dyna-Soar programs....
with eight hydrogen peroxide thrusters around the nose to provide added directional stability as the control surfaces lost effect.
Flight records and fate
On 2 October 1976 Greenamyer flew an average 1010 mph at Mud Lake near Tonopah, NevadaTonopah, Nevada
Tonopah is a census-designated place located in and the county seat of Nye County, Nevada. It is located at the junction of U.S. Routes 6 and 95 approximately mid-way between Las Vegas and Reno....
. A tracking camera malfunction eliminated the necessary proof for formal records. On 24 October 1977 Greenamyer flew a 3km official FAI record flight of 988.26 mph.
On 26 February 1978 Greenamyer made a practice run for the altitude record attempt. After the attempt, he was unable to get a lock light on the left wheel; after multiple touch-and-go tests at an Edwards Air Force Base runway, he determined that it was not safe to land. He ejected, and the N104RB crashed in the desert.