Lockheed developed the F-104 Starfighter in the late 1950s. The plane was designed to be an all-weather interceptor. Speed, climb, and altitude all were priorities, and the plane did turn out to be extraordinarily fast, but there were costs associated with that top speed: low-speed handling and landing characteristics were compromised. The plane had a relatively short service life with the US Air Force but remained on duty with several large NATO allies for decades. Particularly when deployed abroad, the Starfighter acquired a reputation for being difficult to fly and compiled an alarming accident rate. Today there are many examples of this pretty aircraft on display in museums, and they have proved unusually prolific as base "gate guards." This is a comprehensive photographic survey of the Starfighter, with dedicated chapters on prototype versions and the A, B, C/D, G, N, Canadian CF-104, Japanese F-104J, and F-104S models.

About the Author
David Doyle has authored more than 100 books on military vehicles. His specialty is sourcing and identifying unseen, good-quality images of historical planes, ships, and ground vehicles. He lives in Tennessee.


Book Information
ISBN 9780764367861
Author David Doyle
Format Hardback
Page Count 144
Imprint Schiffer Publishing Ltd
Publisher Schiffer Publishing Ltd
Weight(grams) 1089g