Aviation Republic on MSN

2,000 Crashes, 1 Fighter: How the Starfighter Tested the Limits of Flight

The F-104’s razor-thin design pushed performance beyond anything the 1950s had seen. Reaching Mach 2, it became a Cold War ...
Aviation Republic on MSN

1,450 MPH, 37.5% Loss Rate: The Starfighter’s Deadly Balance Between Speed and Survival

Pushing past Mach 2, the F-104 Starfighter shattered records, and pilots’ nerves. Its narrow wings and extreme handling made ...