Lockheed F-104 Starfighter

The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was a radical day fighter built for sheer speed and altitude, instantly recognizable by its needle nose and tiny, razor-thin straight wings. Designed by Lockheed's Kelly Johnson and the Skunk Works in response to Korean War pilots' demands for a simple, high-performance interceptor, the prototype first flew on March 5, 1954. With the powerful General Electric J79 turbojet, the Starfighter became the first aircraft to hold the world speed and altitude records simultaneously, exceeding Mach 2 and zooming above 91,000 feet in 1958.

The F-104A entered USAF service as an interceptor armed with the M61 Vulcan cannon and Sidewinder missiles, but its short range limited its U.S. career. Exported widely and built under license, it served many NATO and allied air forces for decades as a strike fighter, earning both admiration for its performance and a hard reputation for its demanding handling.