(Image Credit: Pacific Aviation Museum)
Lockheed F-104A Starfighter, Serial No. 56-817, arrived at Pacific Aviation Museum in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii last Thursday, joining the Museum’s impressive and ever-expanding collection of warbird aircraft. The Starfighter, which is on long-term loan from Museum of Aviation at Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Georgia.
(Image Credit: Pacific Aviation Museum)
The Starfighter went into production in 1956 and was the first combat aircraft capable of easily sustaining twice the speed of sound. It simultaneously held the world records for speed, altitude, and rate of climb. Chuck Yeager famously made his high-altitude, record-breaking ascent in a rocket-assisted F-104, climbing to the edge of space, reaching a final altitude of 103,395 feet.
With a length of nearly 55 feet and mere 22′ wingspan, coupled with the prodigious power output of its General Electric J79 turbojet engine it’s easy to see why it was dubbed “The Missile with a Man in It”; a name swiftly trademarked by Lockheed for marketing purposes. The Starfighter served in the US Air Force from 1958 through 1975, and was widely used by other National Air Forces around the world, with the Italian Air Force continuing to operate these planes until 2004.
I remember the F-104’s at Larson AFB and this was one of them. I was in the 62nd Aur Police Squadron at the time and we pulled guard duty on them because they were so new. I got out in 1960..my 4 years of service
was up. I figure I must have walked by this plane a few times while I was
on duty. Went home in 1960 and went to work for Delta Air Lines and
retired in 2001. Moved to Ga I do security at Museum of Aviation. It was while reading about Pacific Aviation Bio on this plane , I found we were
old friends..we were at Larson the same time. A blast from the pass for me.