Exploring the Checkered History of the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter

The Cold War-era fighter jet demonstrated that speed isn’t everything.

Patrick Chovanec

Friday, March 01, 2024 at 06:39 PM ET

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The F-104 prototype took to the skies in March 1954. [Courtesy: Patrick Chovanec]

Key Takeaways:

The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was a groundbreaking Cold War jet known for its extreme speed and record-setting capabilities, being the first to exceed Mach 2.
Despite its speed, the F-104 had significant design flaws, including a wide turning radius, engine flame-out susceptibility, and issues with high angles of attack, making it an unforgiving aircraft to fly.
It earned the notorious nickname "The Widow Maker" due to its exceptionally high accident rates and fatalities, particularly among export operators like West Germany and Canada, where pilots were often less experienced or flew the jet in unsuitable roles.
Originally designed as a high-speed interceptor, its operational limitations, such as limited range and poor maneuverability for dogfighting, led to its eventual replacement in the U.S. Air Force.

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Today in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (MSFS2020), I’ll be flying the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, a Cold War airplane with a checkered history that demonstrated that speed isn’t everything.

To kick us off, I’m at Edwards Air Force Base in California’s Mojave Desert, with a reincarnation of the same plane that Chuck Yeager crashed trying to set a new altitude record here in 1963.