Lockheed F-104A Starfighter with the 83rd Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Hamilton Air Base circa 1959. This was the first squadron in the USAF Air Defense Command to operate the F-104, thereby becoming the world's first Mach 2 fighter squadron in February 1958.

Lockheed F-104C Starfighter of the 478th TFW. The ever-increasing threat from MiGs in the Vietnam War led to the Starfighter being dispatched to Da Nang in April 1965 to provide fighter cover. However, the F-104 had insufficient range to be a useful escort fighter.

Пара F-104A из 337-й эскадрильи истребителей-перехватчиков ВВС США в полете над гаванью Сан-Франциско. Эти самолеты не слишком подходили для целей континентальной ПВО США, и их карьера в американских ВВС была очень недолгой.
A pair of Sidewinder-armed F-104As of the 337th Fighter Interceptor Squadron over San Francisco harbour.

Lockheed F-104G Starfighter of the German Navy's MFG 1. Built by Messerschmitt and first flown in 1964, 22+70 hit a cable in 1968, forcing an emergency landing. It was later repaired and eventually sold to Greece in 1981. It is shown here with the AS.34 Kormoran anti-ship missile.

Lockheed CF-104A Starfighter, ex USAF F-104A 56-0770, of the Royal Canadian Air Force illustrated in its original natural metal scheme. Flown in 1967 by Wing Commander Robert White, this aircraft set the Canadian altitude record of 100,100ft, which still stands. During the flight he said he could control the aircraft's attitude, but not the trajectory of the flight, describing his trip as "like a fly on an artillery shell".

Lockheed F-104J Starfighter of 207 Hikotai (Squadron) 83rd Air Group, Japanese Air Self Defence Force, at Naha Air Base circa 1984. The F-104J was built locally by Mitsubishi and Kawasaki to replace the JASDFs F-86F Sabres.

Lockheed F-104S ASA-M Starfighter 5-35 of 5° Stormo, Italian Air Force. Powered by the J79-GE-19, giving vastly improved acceleration, rate of climb and manoeuvrability, this was the most potent version of the Starfighter. It was also the last variant in frontline service.

For their air superiority role, Italian Starfighters were given an overall grey camouflage scheme and low-visibility markings - as shown here on F-104S ASA-M 9-42 MM6912 of 9° Stormo. Starfighters had officially been withdrawn from operational service with the Italian Air Force in October 2004, but a handful remained in service to undertake trials work. Final retirement of the type on July 27, 2005, marked the end of Starfighter operations worldwide.

Lockheed F-104B Starfighter 57-1309 was the last of the two twin-seaters bought by the Pakistan Air Force together with ten F-104As. Acquiring Starfighters made the PAF the first Asian supersonic airforce.

'Starfighters' is the only civilian-owned supersonic jet team on the US airshow circuit. Based in Florida, it currently operates CF-104D, c/n 104632/N104RB (seen here) and a single-seat CF-104 c/n 104850/N104RD. The CF-104D was built by Lockheed Aircraft and served with the Royal Canadian Air Force and Royal Norwegian Air Force.