The Starfighter Serials

d/d 21aug56, AFFTC (aug56-aug56), NASA loan (aug56-aug58), NASA "55-2961" (aug58-jan71) NASA “N818NA” (sep71-aug75), Currently preserved National Air and Space Museum Washington DC. as “N818NA” since April 1976.

Note:
This YF-104A was accepted by the USAF on 31 July 1956 and delivered to the USAF on 21st August 1956. Two days after delivery, on 23 August 1956, this Starfighter was handed over to the NACA (lateron NASA) for a long term loan and was delivered as JF-104A testbed. A day later it arrived at the Edwards based NACA High Speed Flight Systems where it made its first flight as JF-104A testbed on 27 August, piloted by the famous Joe Walker. It flew various test missions including tests for the X-15 program. The NASA obtained the aircraft officially in August 1958 and the aircraft got NASA registration “818” around 1971 which changed into N818NA soon after. It was put in storage at Edwards between 7 December 1973 and early 1974 since the NASA had enough more modern F-104N and G aircraft in operation. In 1975 it officially retired and flown from Dryden to Andrews AB (its official last flight) by pilot Don Mallick on 18 November 1975. At Andrews it was prepared for display purposes for the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC where it arrived in April 1976 and still can be found preserved today.

Accident Reports:

It never encountered any accident (as far as we know)

Very colorful photo showing YF-104A 55-2961 being used to test the reaction-engines of the X-15 rocketplane. Engines have been inserted inside the noseradome and inside tipmounted reactionpods. This photo has been taken around 1962. Even after delivery it was still carrying the USAF serials together with the NASA insignes inside the yellow tail band. (Photo courtesy NASA)

Here YF-104A 55-2961 is seen during a testflight from Dryden, testing a special centerline mounted frame on high speed impact. This photo has been taken in 1965 when it was still also carrying USAF markings. (Photo courtesy NASA)

Here YF-104A 55-2961 can be seen late 1971. On the tail the new allocated serial "818" can be seen and all the USAF markings has been removed. (Photo courtesy NASA)

YF-104A 55-2961 coded "N818NA" was rarely seen on outside its homebase Dryden - Edwards. Here it is seen while visiting LeMoore Naval Air Station in October 1974. Soon after it retired. (Photo Steve Miller)

This way this YF-104A 55-2961 N818NA can be found preserved today inside the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC (Photo Harry Prins taken in 2000)