The Starfighter Serials

Accident Reports:

25 April 1957 (JF104A)
It crashed on this day being assigned to AFplant 42 (Lockheed) during its landing at Palmdale. The 55-2955 shows in the official accident report as being damaged beyond economical repair. The nose was broken off though behind the cockpit. The Lockheed pilot landed too hard, right main gear collapsed and it all got out of hand. Plane skidded, left gear collapsed, etc etc. No injuries though, and no fire. There had been some kind of emergency on the runway prior and that may have thrown off the pilot's plans for dinner...

	A photo taken in 1956 during one of the first testflights. Note the typical XF-104 introduced Lockheed stickers on the front and back of the aircraft.
	Here another shot of this first YF-104A.
	Lt Simpson is seen here prior a test mission in 55-2955. Here it is clearly seen that this aircraft got nickname "Apple Knocker" around January 1957.
	On 25th of April 1957 the career of this first YF-104A ended. A failed landing resulted in a complete write-off, gladly without any casualties. On the nose its nickname "Apple Knocker" can still be noticed.