F-104 Starfighter
Nicknamed "Missile With a Man in It"
GENERAL INFORMATION
MANUFACTURER: Lockheed Aircraft Corporation and by license to foreign
countries (Military Aid Program)
PRODUCTION PERIOD: 1955 TO 1970
NUMBER PRODUCED: 737 by Lockheed and 1,799 through Military Air
Program (MAP)
PRODUCTION SERIES: USAF: F-104A/C single-seat A/C, F-104B/D
two-seat A/C; MAP: F-104G/J, CF-104G, F-104S single-seat A/C, TF-104G two-seat
A/C
ROLES: Originally designed as a land-based fair-weather air superiority
fighter for the US Air Force; later developed into a land-based all-weather
multi-mission aircraft for the US Air Force, capable of interception and forward
air control
PERFORMANCE AND SPECIFICATIONS
(Figures given are general to the F-104 series)
MAXIMUM SPEED: 1,300 mph at 40,000 feet (Mach 2+)
SERVICE CEILING: 55,000 feet above sea level
RANGE: 1,600 miles
WEAPONS: AIM-9 Sidewinder missile, M61A1 Vulcan 20mm cannon,
and a variety of air to ground weapons could be carried on the six wing and
two fuselage stations
CREW: Pilot
LENGTH: 54 feet, 9 inches
WINGSPAN: 21 feet, 11 inches
HEIGHT: 13 feet, 6 inches
MAXIMUM TAKEOFF WEIGHT: 28,779 lbs.
POWERPLANT: General Electric J79GE-11A turbojet engine with
afterburner providing 15,800 lbs. of thrust
ACHIEVEMENTS: First operational USAF A/C to achieve Mach 2 in
level flight; first aircraft to hold simultaneous official world records for
speed, altitude and time-to-climb
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