Lockheed F-104 Starfighter - World Records

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.