On March 4, 1954, the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter soared into the skies for its maiden flight, marking the debut of one of the most iconic jet fighters of the Cold War. Designed as a supersonic ...

Designed to break altitude and speed records, the F-104 pushed past Mach 2 but punished even the smallest pilot error. This part explores its unstable aerodynamics, fatal spin tendencies, and the ...

The F-104 Starfighter was not built for dogfights. In fact, Lockheed’s designers purposely sacrificed maneuverability for speed. Known as the “Widowmaker,” the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was first ...

When Lockheed's F-104 Starfighter blasts through the sky, it doesn't just fly fast, it howls. Pilots, ground crews, and aviation fans have heard the eerie, piercing sound of the aircraft's engine.

The F-104’s safety record was, frankly, atrocious. Lightweight. Simple. Fast. The F-104 Starfighter was designed, in a time of increasing aircraft complexity and size, to be a straightforward, ...