F-104 Starfighter

An illustrated guide to the F-104 Starfighter, a high-speed interceptor sometimes referred to as the "widowmaker"

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Lockheed developed the F-104 Starfighter in the late 1950s. The plane was designed to be an all-weather interceptor. Speed, climb, and altitude all were priorities, and the plane did turn out to be extraordinarily fast, but there were costs associated with that top speed: low-speed handling and landing characteristics were compromised. The plane had a relatively short service life with the US Air Force but remained on duty with several large NATO allies for decades. Particularly when deployed abroad, the Starfighter acquired a reputation for being difficult to fly and compiled an alarming accident rate. Today there are many examples of this pretty aircraft on display in museums, and they have proved unusually prolific as base "gate guards." This is a comprehensive photographic survey of the Starfighter, with dedicated chapters on prototype versions and the A, B, C/D, G, N, Canadian CF-104, Japanese F-104J, and F-104S models.