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 Cold War jet designed for extreme speed and altitude, notably becoming the first jet fighter to exceed Mach 2.
Despite its speed, the F-104 was plagued by significant design flaws, including poor maneuverability for dogfighting, engine instability, dangerous angle of attack characteristics, and initially flawed ejection seats, making it an unforgiving aircraft to pilot.
Its operational history, particularly in export markets like West Germany (which suffered an exceptionally high accident rate), led to the notorious nickname "The Widow Maker" due to its inherent dangers and the challenges faced by pilots in diverse roles and conditions.

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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.