Hobby Master HA1048 | F-104N 825, NASA Dryden Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB, 1987

The Lockheed YF-104A made its first flight February 17, 1956. The aircraft had a redesigned lengthened fuselage, relocated vertical stabilizer, a ventral stabilizing fin, redesigned air intake ducts all powered by the GE79 axial-flow engine. These modifications increased the stability of the aircraft. The 17 YF-104As were used to flight-test various engines, the Vulcan cannon, Sidewinder missiles and wingtip fuel tanks. The YF-104A was used to set a zoom climb record of 91,249 feet and a record speed of 1404.19 mph making it the first aircraft to hold these records at the same time.

Constructed in 1966 this TF-104G was delivered to the West German Air Force in 1967. It was registered as DF+365 and then KF+239 until 1967 when it became 28+09. In 1975 the aircraft was sold to NASA and on July 2 was coded as NASA 825 civil registration N825NA. In April 1989 the aircraft was placed in flyable storage until October 1993. The aircraft’s last flight was on February 1, 1994 and was withdrawn from NASA’s inventory and stored. In 1997 the aircraft was located at Moffett Federal Airfield.

Specifications Lockheed YF-104A
The YF-104A was a pre-production aircraft used for engine, equipment, and flight testing
First type of aircraft to reach and maintain Mach 2
Dimensions
Length – 16.6 m 54 ft 9 in Wingspan – 6.7 m 21 ft 11 in Height – 4.1 M 13 ft 6 in
Weight
Maximum Take Off – 13,166 kg 29,026 lbs Maximum Payload – 2,800 kg 6,173 lbs
Power Plant – 1 X GE J79 Jet
Thrust – 15,600 pounds-force Maximum Cruise Speed – 2,334 Km/h 1,260 knots Range – 2,630 km 1,420 Nautical Miles Service Ceiling – 58,000 ft Rate Of Climb – 48,000 ft/min