How NASA used the F-104 Starfighter's razor-thin wing to explore supersonic handling, shuttle approaches, and X-15 support.

Here’s What You Need to Know: While the F-104 is faster, the MiG-21 has a better sustained turn rate and was generally considered to have better flight characteristics. In 1971 the first supersonic ...

Here’s What You Need to Know: Strategic analyses have discussed possible reasons for the poor performance of the American-made planes. In 1971 the first supersonic air combat over the Indian ...

An F-104A with ventrally-mounted Air Launched Sounding Rocket (ALSOR). NASA test pilot Milton O. Thompson ejected from this aircraft on Dec. 20, 1962, after an asymmetrical flap condition made the jet ...

The F-104 was the first aircraft to simultaneously hold the world speed and altitude records. On 7 May 1958 U.S. Air Force Major Howard C. Johnson, flying YF-104A 55-2957, broke the world altitude ...