A New Restoration Project

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The Montreal Aviation Museum (MAM) located in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, is pleased to announce the acquisition of a CF-104 Starfighter (s/n 104704) to its ever-growing collection of historically significant aircraft.

The CF-104 was a modified version of the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter built under licence by Canadair of Montreal. Originally designed as a supersonic fighter interceptor, the CF-104 was optimized for a low-level nuclear strike/reconnaissance role by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). The aircraft entered Canadian service with the RCAF in March 1962 and served in that capacity until replaced by the McDonnell Douglas CF-18 Hornet in 1987. Eight squadrons were equipped with CF-104s and stationed in Europe at the height of the Cold War as part of Canada's NATO commitment.

Total production at Canadair in Montreal reached 200 aircraft with an additional 140 F-104Gs produced for Lockheed. Several CF-104D dual seat training aircraft were also manufactured. CF-104’s served with distinction in Canada, Denmark, Norway and Turkey.
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104704 had been sitting outdoors for several years at CFB Bagotville and was close to being scrapped, along with a few CF-101s. Unfortunately, we were not successful in our attempts to save CF-101 (Lark One).
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The airframe and components acquired by the MAM will be stored temporarily until a full restoration program has been established. Considering the condition of the aircraft, it is anticipated that the restoration will take several years, and only once the museum re-opens following the pandemic.

Acquisition of the CF-104 has generated some local interest with ex-Canadair employees demonstrating an interest to join in the restoration.

The Montreal Aviation Museum (formerly the Canadian Aviation Heritage Centre) was founded in 1998 as a non-profit organization and opened to the public in 2009. Its mission is to educate the public, particularly youth, on the history of aviation and to inspire careers in the aerospace industry.
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The museum is located at 21,111 Lakeshore road on the McDonald campus of McGill University in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec. With over 20,000 sq ft of exhibition space, the museum is home to seven historically significant aircraft, as well as an aviation art gallery, library, and various artefacts and memorabilia all related to Quebec and Canada’s rich aviation history.

Please visit our website for more information; www.mam.quebec

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