This F-104C Starfighter And Capt. Joe Jordan established a World Altitude Record of 98,425 feet (30 Km) on Dec 14, 1959.

➤➤ F-104 VIDEO: https://youtu.be/xcsBFjJYyZo

"Watch over the Rhine" by artist Ken Riley

Official Caption....

"Germany, 1961-1962. As the Russians tightened their grip on West Berlin, and events appeared to be escalating toward a nuclear showdown in the world, President John F. Kennedy dramatized America’s determination by mobilizing 65,460 officers and men of the Army and Air National Guard. Less than 30 days after the mobilization, citizen-airmen of the Air National Guard flew 216 fighter and reconnaissance jet aircraft swiftly and smoothly across the Atlantic in the largest mass deployment of jets in the nation’s history. The prompt reaction represented the greatest display of National Guard readiness ever. In a modern version of the “Watch on the Rhine,” the Air Guardsmen continued patrolling the skies over Europe until their demobilization a year later. Protecting the NATO nations from surprise attack, the Guardsmen wrote into the record a clear-cut example of the deterrent power of our 20th Century Minute Men, the combat-ready forces of the Air National Guard."

Blackbirds in formation, YF-12A and SR-71, with Lockheed F-104 Starfighter.

Date: 1975

source

F-104 Starfighter

F-104 chodemode

light reading

@narhwalstoasty via X

Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. Crew member pulls away safety streamers

VTOL Starfighter

Runways are for losers.

The Starfighter (F-104).

Aviation Legend Jackie Cochran. Colonel Cochran established three world records in a F-104G in May and June 1964

➤➤ VIDEO: https://youtu.be/TwrlljrHci0

Lockheed F-104 Starfighters operated by the Italian Air Force flying into Istrana Air Base, Italy

A formation of two USAF Lockheed F-104 Starfighters in flight, c.1960.

"Workers repair the damage to Ottawa's new Uplands Airport after a sonic boom - created by a F-104 Starfighter-smashed the glass and twisted the window frames of the almost completed building on August 5, 1959.

The still new-to-Canada Starfighter was to be demo-ed to Cabinet Members and reporters the next day.

The plane was apparently only 500 feet above the mostly-glass airport when it exceeded the sound barrier. Damage was so extensive that the opening of Uplands was delayed for almost a year."

source, source

Tiger meets an Italian F-104 Starfighter