F-104 Republic of China Air Force, Taiwan AIM-9 Ching Chuan Kang National Archives NARA Airailimages

It's 1969, and an American Air Base Advisory Team works with the Republic of China, or Taiwan, Air Force as the Taiwanese take on F-104 Starfighters.

The first real-world Cold War operation with F-104s had been in the skies near Taiwan in August 1958, when U.S. Air Force Starfighters were dispatched to show solidarity with the Republic of China in the face of Communist Chinese shelling of the disputed islands of Quemoy and Matsu. The Mach 2 F-104s were said to impress both the communist Chinese and the Taiwanese. The Republic of China Air Force flew a variety of F-104 models from the early 1960s into 1997.

The base at Ching Chuan Kang is seen in several slow overhead passes showing open-ended shelters for F-104s, and other aircraft including U.S. Air Force KC-135s that were needed for the ongoing war in Southeast Asia. And watch for a quick view of a Republic of China C-46 Commando in olive drab, and a T-33 Shooting Star trainer with bright orange panels.

These scenes show AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles carried on fuselage stores, and later being loaded onto F-104s. Footage shows an F-104 clearing the runway with a 37U-15 Dart towed target, which is played out on a cable at altitude. Subsequent scenes of F-104s show glimpses of the 20-millimeter Vulcan cannon firing. Target darts are later filmed as they are released over the base, coming to earth nose first.

Air-to-ground practice, including napalm, is filmed.

I'm Fred Johnsen for the Airailimages Channel. We research archival holdings for classic vintage film like this. If you appreciate our efforts, you can help by giving this video a Thumbs Up, and by subscribing to the Airailimages Channel on YouTube.