New Starfighter for Volandia museum

After the recent announcement that Starfighter Aerospace has accepted an invitation to join the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Aeronautica Militare (ItAF, Italian Air Force), it seems there is starting a 1-0-4 mania among aircraft spotters.

The centenary of Italian military aviation will be celebrated during the weekend of 16 to 18 June 2023 with an airshow at Pratica di Mare near Rome.

The beautiful aircraft museum Volandia Parco e Museo del Volo displays over 100 aircraft and is adjacent to the Milan-Malpensa Airport. It is placed in the buildings of the historic aircraft manufacturer Officine Aeronautiche Caproni 1910. A visit to the air show could also be an opportunity to visit this museum and see their latest addition, a Lockheed F-104S-ASA Starfighter.

The Starfigher on display is a composite aircraft with the forward fuselage of MM6879, which was built by Fiat Aviazione/Aeritalia with construction number 1179. After the airframe was overstressed by to much G-forces in flight, it was withdrawn from use and was eventually transported to a storage compound at Grazzanise air base. From there, it was restored with the tail of F-104S-ASA-M MM6737 with construction number 1037 and code 9-51 of the 10º Gruppo (Squadron) of the 9º Stormo (Wing), which was based also on Grazzanise air base.

In 2008, it was displayed outside the technical institute “G. Marconi” at Vairano Scalo near Caserta in the south of Italy. After the closure of the aviation section at the technical institute, the Starfighter was returned to Grazzanise air base. On Friday 10 March 2023, the Starfighter arrived at Volandia and was immediately put on display.

Photo by Paolo Stanchina and Daniele Mattiuzzo