Lockheed F-104C Starfighter on static display in the Great gallery of the Museum of Flight, Boeing Field, Seattle
Lockheed F-104C Starfighter on static display in the Great gallery of the Museum of Flight, Boeing Field, Seattle. The F-104, America's first operational Mach 2 fighter, was built to counter the agile Soviet-built MiGs of the Korean War. The Starfighter, with its short wings and powerful General Electric J79-GE-7A engine, entered service with the 1958 as an interceptor. By the Vietnam War, it had moved into a fighter-bomber role. Although phased out of front line service by 1969, the F-104 was immensely popular overseas. Throughout its long career, 2,578 Starfighters were produced, with well over half built under license in Canada, Europe, and Japan. The Museum's F-104C was delivered to the Air Force in 1959. It flew from George Air Force Base in California, Moron Air Base in Spain, and the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base. This Starfighter is painted to represent a NASA F-104. The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was an American single-engined, high-performance, supersonic interceptor aircraft that served with the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1958 until 1967. One of the Century Series of aircraft, it continued in service with Air National Guard units until it was phased out in 1975. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) flew a small mixed fleet of F-104 types in supersonic flight tests and spaceflight programs until they were retired in 1994.[2] Several two-seat trainer versions were produced, the most numerous being the TF-104G.
Size: 5050px × 3360px
Location: Museum of Flight, 9404 East Marginal Way South, Seattle, Washington 98108
Photo credit: © John Gaffen 2 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: -104c, jet, lockheed, military, nasa, starfighter, supersonic, usaf
