The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was a single-engine, supersonic interceptor and fighter-bomber designed in the early 1950s for the U.S. Air Force. Intended as a high-speed, high-altitude day fighter, it featured an extremely thin, short wing and a sleek fuselage that earned it the nickname “the missile with a man in it.” The prototype first flew on 4 March 1954, and the type entered USAF service in 1958.
Powered by a single General Electric J79 turbojet, the F-104 achieved exceptional climb rates and level speeds above Mach 2. Its small wing area prioritized speed and climb over low-speed handling, which required careful pilot technique, especially during approach and landing. Early models were pure interceptors; later versions added limited ground-attack capability. Production totaled just over 2,500 aircraft when including licensed builds in Europe, Canada, and Japan. The USAF operated the F-104 primarily in the interceptor and limited fighter-bomber roles before retiring it in the late 1960s. Export operators kept the type in service far longer, with Italy flying the final examples until 2004.
In operational use the Starfighter saw combat with the USAF in Vietnam in small numbers and more extensively with other air forces. It set multiple world records for speed and altitude in the late 1950s and early 1960s. While its handling characteristics and accident rate generated controversy, particularly in European service, the design demonstrated the performance possible with a minimal, high-thrust airframe.
Accurate Specifications (F-104G, representative later model; figures from standard technical references)
- Role: Interceptor, fighter-bomber
- Manufacturer: Lockheed (primary); licensed production by Canadair, Messerschmitt, Mitsubishi, and others
- Powerplant: One General Electric J79-GE-11A turbojet, approximately 10,000 lbf dry / 15,800 lbf with afterburner
- Length: 54 ft 8 in (16.66 m)
- Wingspan: 21 ft 9 in (6.63 m)
- Height: 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m)
- Wing area: 196.1 sq ft (18.22 m²)
- Empty weight: Approximately 14,000–14,900 lb (6,350–6,760 kg)
- Maximum takeoff weight: Approximately 29,000 lb (13,170 kg)
- Maximum speed: Mach 2.0+ (around 1,320 mph / 2,125 km/h at altitude)
- Service ceiling: Over 50,000 ft (15,240 m); some records exceeded 90,000 ft
- Rate of climb: Approximately 48,000–50,000 ft/min initial
- Range: Ferry range roughly 1,600–2,000 miles with external tanks; combat radius significantly shorter
- Armament: One 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon; up to 4,000 lb of external stores (missiles, bombs, rockets)
- Crew: 1
- First flight: 4 March 1954
- Introduction: 1958 (USAF)
- Number built: Approximately 2,578 (all variants, including licensed)
- Final retirement: 2004 (Italian Air Force)