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JOE DAVIES HERITAGE AIRPARK AT PALMDALE PLANT 42

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F-104 STARFIGHTER

Aircraft at the Joe Davies Heritage Airpark at Palmdale Plant 42


Nicknamed "Missile With a Man in It"


Click for larger photo

GENERAL INFORMATION


MANUFACTURER:Lockheed Aircraft Corporation and by license to foreign countries (Military Aid Program)
PRODUCTION PERIOD:1955 to 1970
NUMBER PRODUCED:737 by Lockheed and 1,799 through Military Aid Program (MAP)
PRODUCTION SERIES:USAF: F-104A/C single-seat A/C, F-104B/D two-seat A/C; MAP: F-104G/J, CF-104G, F-104S single-seat A/C, TF-104G two-seat A/C
ROLES:Originally designed as a land-based fair-weather air superiority fighter for the US Air Force; later developed into a land-based all-weather multi-mission aircraft for the US Air Force, capable of interception and forward air control


PERFORMANCE AND SPECIFICATIONS

(Figures given are general to the F-104 Series)

MAXIMUM SPEED:1,300 mph at 40,000 feet (Mach 2+)
SERVICE CEILING:55,000 feet above sea level
RANGE:1,600 miles
WEAPONS:AIM-9 Sidewinder missile, M61A1 Vulcan 20mm cannon, and a variety of air to ground weapons could be carried on the six wing and two fuselage stations
CREW:Pilot
LENGTH:54 feet, 9 inches
WINGSPAN:21 feet, 11 inches
HEIGHT:13 feet, 6 inches
MAXIMUM TAKEOFF WEIGHT:28,779 lbs.
POWERPLANT:General Electric J79GE-11A turbojet engine with afterburner providing 15,800 lbs. of thrust
ACHIEVEMENTS:First operational USAF A/C to achieve Mach 2 in level flight; first aircraft to hold simultaneous official world records for speed, altitude and time-to-climb

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