World Records
The F-104 was the first aircraft to simultaneously hold the world speed and altitude records. On 7 May 1958 U.S. Air Force Major Howard C. Johnson, flying YF-104A 55-2957, broke the world altitude record by flying to 91,243 feet (27,811 m) at Edwards AFB. On 16 May 1958, U.S. Air Force Capt Walter W. Irwin flying YF-104A 55-2969 set a world speed record of 1,404.19 mph over a 15/25 kilometer course at Edwards AFB. Flying F-104A 56-0762 over NAS Point Mugu, California U.S. Air Force Lt William T. Smith and Lt Einar Enevoldson set several time-to-climb records on 13 and 14 December 1958:
- 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) in 41.85 seconds
- 6,000 metres (20,000 ft) in 58.41 seconds
- 9,000 metres (30,000 ft) in 81.14 seconds
- 12,000 metres (39,000 ft) in 99.90 seconds
- 15,000 metres (49,000 ft) in 131.1 seconds
- 20,000 metres (66,000 ft) in 222.99 seconds
- 25,000 metres (82,000 ft) in 266.03 seconds
On 14 December 1959, U.S. Air Force Capt "Joe" B. Jordan flying F-104C 56-0885 at Edwards AFB set a new world altitude record of 103,389 feet (31,513 m). He also set 30,000 metres (98,000 ft) time-to-climb record of 904.92 seconds.. (The T-38 took the lower-altitude records in Feb 1962 and soon after that all the time-to-climb records went to the F-4.) U.S. Air Force Maj Robert W. Smith, flying NF-104A 56-0756, set an unofficial world altitude record of 118,860 feet (36,230 m) on 15 November 1963. On 6 December 1963 he flew the same aircraft to another unofficial altitude record of 120,800 feet (36,800 m).
Jacqueline Cochran flew TF-104G N104L to set three women's world's speed records. On 11 May 1964, she averaged 1,429.3 mph over a 15/25 km course, on 1 June she flew at an average speed of 1,303.18 mph over a 100-km closed-circuit course, and on 3 June she flew at an average speed of 1,127.4 mph over a 500-km closed-circuit course.
Lockheed test pilot Darryl Greenamyer built a F-104 out of parts he had collected. The aircraft, N104RB, first flew in 1976. On 2 October 1976, trying to set a new low-altitude 3-km speed record, Greenamyer averaged 1,010 mph at Mud Lake near Tonopah, Nevada. A tracking camera malfunction eliminated the necessary proof for the official record. On 24 October 1977 Greenamyer flew a 3 km official FAI record flight of 988.26 mph.
On 26 February 1978, Greenamyer made a practice run for a world altitude record attempt. After the attempt, he was unable to get a lock light on the left wheel; after multiple touch-and-go tests at an Edwards Air Force Base runway, he determined that it was not safe to land. He ejected, and the N104RB crashed in the desert.
Read more about this topic: Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
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