<p>The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, the 'missile with a man in it', was conceived in 1952 by Clarence L. ('Kelly') Johnson's design team for the purpose of outfighting anything the Soviets might throw into the Korean War. The intent was to produce a small, simple fighter with a high thrust-to-weight ratio and outstanding dogfight performance. Johnson designed a wide-chord short-span unswept wing with a maximum thickness of only 4 in (10 cm) and a leading edge so sharp that it needed protective felt-cap covering on the ground to prevent injury. Two XF-104 prototypes (53-7786/7787), each powered by a 7,800-lb (34.7-kN) thrust Wright XJ65-W-6 Sapphire turbojet, began flight tests at Edwards AFB, California, on 28 February 1954 with Tony LeVier accomplishing the first flight. There followed 17 YF-104A airframes (55-2955/2971) which entered service tests with the 14,800-lb (65.83-kN) thrust afterburning General Electric YJ79-GE-3. Evaluation of the Starfighter proceeded, not without problems, and an F-104A crash claimed the life of Korean War ace Captain Iven C. Kincheloe. By 29 January 1958, the first of 153 F-104As was reaching the Air Defense Command's 83rd Fighter-Interceptor Wing at Hamilton AFB, California.
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<p>An RF-104A reconnaissance variant was ordered by the USAF, then cancelled. Three NF-104A aircraft were fitted with 6,000-lb (26.68-kN) thrust Rocketdyne AR-2 booster motors in the tail for astronaut training and for a celebrated altitude attempt by Colonel Charles E. Yeager. A few aircraft became QF-104A target drones. The F-104B was a two-seat combat trainer for the USAF, a few of which were eventually transferred to Jordan and Taiwan. After the single-seat F-104A models were withdrawn from USAF and Air National Guard service, surplus aircraft were supplied to Taiwan (25), Jordan (36), Pakistan (12) and Canada (one).
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<p>The principal American Starfighter was the F-104C for Tactical Air Command with 15,800-lb (70.28-kN) afterburning thrust J79-GE-7 turbojet, and provision for Sidewinder missiles and conventional or nuclear bombs or rockets; 77 F-104Cs were built. Although the Starfighter is not widely remembered for its relatively brief career in USAF colors, a squadron of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing at Udorn, Thailand, operated F-104Cs in 1966-67, and F-104Cs participated in Operation Bolo, the 2 January 1967 fighter sweeps over North Vietnam in which F-4C Phantoms shot down seven MiGs. Eight F-104Cs were lost in combat in Southeast Asia while six more were written off in operational incidents.
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<p>The F-104D was another two-seat combat trainer version, 20 of which were purchased for the USAF. It was known as the F-104DJ in Japan. All of the remaining Starfighters were for export, including the F-104F for West Germany; the F-104G manufactured in the USA, Canada and Europe for several NATO users; the RF-104G reconnaissance and TF-104G trainer variants for the Luftwaffe; the F-104H proposed export variant which was never built; the F-104J assembled principally by Mitsubishi for Japan; and the CF-104 and CF-104D for Canada. The ultimate machine in the series is Italy's Aeritalia-built F-104S, developed in the late 1970s for the Italian and Turkish air forces and powered by 15,800-lb (70.28-kN) afterburning thrust J79-GE-19.
<item><hi format=bold>Powerplant:</hi> one 15,800-lb (70.28-kN) afterburning thrust General Electric J79-GE-7 turbojet engine
<item><hi format=bold>Performance:</hi> maximum speed, clean 1,150 mph (1,850.7 km/h) or Mach 1.74 at 50,000 ft (15,240 m); maximum climb rate 54,000 ft (16,459 m) per minute; service ceiling, clean 58,000 ft (17,678 m); range with drop tanks 1,500 miles (2,414 km)
<item><hi format=bold>Weights:</hi> empty 12,760 lb (5,788 kg); maximum take-off 27,853 lb (12,634 kg)
<item><hi format=bold>Dimensions:</hi> span clean 21ft 9 in (6.63 m); length 54 ft 8 in (16.66 m); height 13 ft 5 in (4.09 m); wing area 196.1 sq ft (18.22 m<su>2</su>)
<item><hi format=bold>Armament:</hi> one 20-mm M61A1 cannon, plus provision for two or four AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles or up to 2,000 lb (907 kg) of ordnance
