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Description
| Notes: SINGLE-PLACE, MID-WING, lightweight, high performance fighter (1 CREW) . | ||
| Manufacturer: | Lockheed | |
| Base model: | F-104 | |
| Designation: | F-104 | |
| Version: | G | |
| Nickname: | Starfighter | |
| Designation System: | U.S. Air Force | |
| Designation Period: | 1948-Present | |
| Basic role: | Fighter | |
| Crew: | Pilot | |
Specifications
| Length: | 54' 8" | 16.6 m | |
| Height: | 13' 5" | 4.0 m | |
| Wingspan: | 21' 9" | 6.6 m | |
| Wingarea: | 196.1 sq ft | 18.2 sq m | |
| Empty Weight: | 13,996 lb | 6,345 kg | |
| Gross Weight: | 20,640 lb | 9,362 kg | |
| Max Weight: | 29,038 lb | 13,171 kg | |
Propulsion
| No. of Engines: | 1 | ||
| Powerplant: | General Electric J79-GE-11A (A/B 15,600lb/7,076kg) | ||
| Thrust (each): | 10,000 lb | 4,536 kg | |
Performance
| Range: | 1,080 miles | 1,754 km | |
| Cruise Speed: | 510 mph | 821 km/h | 443 kt |
| Max Speed: | 1,146 mph | 1,844 km/h | 996 kt |
| Climb: | 48,000 ft/min | 14,630 m/min | |
| Ceiling: | 50,000 ft | 15,240 m | |
Misc
- May 7,1958
- Major Howard Johnson set world altitude record, reaching 91,243 ft, flying a YF-104A.
- May 16, 1958
- Capt. Walter W. Irwin set world speed record, reaching 1,403 MPH over Edwards AFB, flying a YF-104A.
- Oct 31, 1958
- West German air force bought 300 starfighters to serve as its primary fighter/interceptor.
- Feb 6, 1959
- West German air force bought 66 additional starfighters.
- Dec 14, 1959
- Capt. Joe B. Jordan set world altitude record, reaching 103,395.9 ft, flying an F-104C.
- Dec 15, 1959
- Major Joseph W. Rogers set world speed record, reaching 1,525.9 MPH at Edwards AFB.
- May 1, 1963
- Jacqueline Cochran set women's world speed record, reaching 1,203.7 MPH.
- May 11, 1963
- Jacqueline Cochran set women's world speed record, reaching 1,429.2 MPH.
- Jun 8, 1966
- In a mid air collision with a Startfighter, one of the two North American XB-70 Valkyrie bombers crashed killing the Startfighter's pilot and the Valkyrie's co-pilot.
- Dec 6, 1966
- West Germany grounded 770 strong Starfighter fleet after 65 were lost in accidents.
- Jan 4, 1967
- West Germany lifted operational ban.
- May 22, 1990 West Germany withdrew the F-104 from service.
Known serial numbers
Examples of this type may be found at
| Museum | City | State |
| Air Victory Museum | Medford | New Jersey |
| NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility - Visitor Center | Edwards | California |
| The Air Museum "Planes of Fame" | Chino | California |
| Tinker AFB Air Park | Tinker AFB | Oklahoma |
F-104G on display
NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility - Visitor Center | The Air Museum "Planes of Fame" |
Recent comments by our visitors
| Steve , CA | My neighbor was Walter Irwin the man who set the speed record. you should see the trophy he received for flying over 1400 mph! I have a friend who flew the 104 For Germany in the 50's loved the platform. 04/10/2010 @ 22:01 [ref: 26006] |
| Jens Broders , DE | I have 7 years worked on the F-104 G, in the german Fly Navy and the Starfighter is an AERODYNAMIK LADY. 03/02/2010 @ 09:27 [ref: 25805] |
| T.W. Kenner San Francisco, CA | I am disappointed in the comments I've seen here about this incredible aircraft. Dispite Lockheed's dubious research and development strategies, this bird was unarguably one of their best efforts. Few aircraft can boast the speed and altitude records, as well as service life this one can. Additionally, the Starfighter posed a very credible "threat" to the Warsaw pact as a nuclear-tipped interceptor during the Cold War. She was a true predecessor of many a modern warbird. 09/08/2007 @ 07:03 [ref: 17872] |
| T.W. Kenner San Francisco, CA | I am disappointed in the comments I've seen here about this incredible aircraft. Dispite Lockheed's dubious research and development strategies, this bird was unarguably one of their best efforts. Few aircraft can boast the speed and altitude records, as well as service life this one can. Additionally, the Starfighter posed a very credible "threat" to the Warsaw pact as a nuclear-tipped interceptor during the Cold War. She was a true predecessor of many a modern warbird. 09/08/2007 @ 07:02 [ref: 17871] |
| RickL Chicago, IL | While reading a history of the Laverda motorcycle racing teams from the early 1970's I saw that they mentioned that the private racers would ask locals if there had been any Starfighter crashes in the area and they would go to the sites and search for pieces of light weight alloy to use in fabricating parts for their racers.
"G for Germany. This I am enjoying" 12/05/2006 @ 18:17 [ref: 14923] |
| TOM , CA | FIRST TIME I SAW ONE OF THESE WAS AT DA NANG. FULLY LOADED FOR STRIKE.WHAT A SIGHT.COULN NOT BELIEVE THE NUMBER OF WEAPONS IT CARRIED. 09/17/2006 @ 13:05 [ref: 14187] |
| Lars Bandeet London, OTH | Robert Calvert also drew me to this page. I wholeheartedly recommend you seek out his work immediately. Genius of his kind must never be forgotten. I heard he got the idea from his obsession with all things aeronautical taking him to reading publications such as \"Flight\" magazine. From there he \"reverse researched\" through the various editorials that there was something truly disturbing about the way that Lockheed was conducting business and chose to break the scandal artistically. Genius. Seriously, check out his work. 09/09/2004 @ 08:31 [ref: 8240] |
| Greg travelling man, CA | I believe the F-104 Starfighter as a kid, was the first plane I drooled over. Still do to this day, a kid at 46!
What I don't understand, the posted max speed is aprox 1100mph but when one looks at the speed records, anywhere from 1400 to 1500 mph are listed. Fast, sleek, awesome. As they use to call it " A man strapped on to a missle" YEE HAA 03/31/2004 @ 07:10 [ref: 7111] |
| Ronnie Stoke-on-Trent, TX | Same reason I'm here, check out the new Monster Magnet album Monolithic Baby! for a brilliant cover of the Right Stuff. I got to get this album again. I remember listening to my older brothers LP. We used to turn up the stereo to max, open the windows and play the BURP at full blast when someone walked by in the street. What fun we had... 02/24/2004 @ 14:25 [ref: 6846] |
| rorystorm , TX | "ground control to pilot, ready for last minute cockpit check" Bob Calvert 'captain Lockheed and the Starfighters', available on Kazaa website, get it! 10/21/2002 @ 14:59 [ref: 5919] |
Recent photos uploaded by our visitors
