The F-104 is single-engine, high-performance, supersonic interceptor aircraft originally developed for the United States Air Force (USAF) by Lockheed. One of the Century Series of aircraft, it was operated by the air forces of more than a dozen nations from 1958 to 2004.The first prototype was completed by early 1954 and first flew on 4 March at Edwards AFB.
The Starfighter was commonly called the "missile with a man in it". American pilots called it the "Zipper" or "Zip-104" because of its prodigious speed. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force called it Eiko ("Glory"). A less charitable name appeared, German pilots caller her "The Flying Coffin" Witwenmacher ("Widowmaker"), or Erdnagel ("ground nail")Pakistani AF pilots caller her Badmash ("Hooligan"), and Italian pilots ("Hatpin"), along with Bara volante ("Flying coffin"). In the RCAF it was "Widowmaker", or the "Lawn Dart", and at NASA, the F-104B was called Howling Howland.
