Lockheed XF-104 Starfighter
Lockheed Corporation · United States · first flew 1954 · fighter
The Lockheed XF-104 Starfighter was a single-engine, high-performance supersonic interceptor prototype for the United States Air Force.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 14.99 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | T-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Extremely thin, small, straight trapezoidal mid-mounted wing
- Stabilator mounted at the top of the fin
- Wings angled downward with 10 degrees of anhedral
A missile-shaped fuselage with tiny, razor-thin straight wings and a high T-tail. Fixed intakes sit slightly away from the fuselage.
Specifications
- The Lockheed XF-104 Starfighter has a length of 14.99 m (49 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 6.68 m (22 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 2131 km/h (1324 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Kelly Johnson designed it after talking to fighter pilots in Korea in December 1951. The first flight was on 4 March 1954.
Variants
Only two XF-104 were built, one for aerodynamic research and one as an armament testbed.
Where you'll see it
Both prototypes were destroyed in accidents during testing. The USAF then ordered 17 YF-104A and the production F-104 followed.
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