The Starfighter Serials

d/d 27aug56, AFFTC (1956-may57) w/o 01may57

Note:
This aircraft had a very short life. Its build was finalised 18 June 1956 and accepted and delivered to the USAF on August 27th. However it stayed with Lockheed for specific testflights and was one of the F-104s which never got a ventral fin due to its early loss. Just a few months prior its loss it had been modified to JF-104A at Palmdale on January 25th, 1957.

Accident Reports:

1 May 1957 (YF-104A)
It was lost this day. Clear air turbulence ripped off tip tank and sliced through the tail at 27,000 ft. The aircraft tumbled uncontrolled, pilot Jack Simpson ejected safely and it crashed at Harper Dry Lake, west of Barstow. It flew out of Palmdale, California. Investigation found out that the tip tank had been installed improperly.

More information about this accident, written by the pilot Jack Simpson, can be found on this website.

This is the only known photo of YF-104A 55-2962, taken at Edwards around late 1956. (Photo Lockheed-Martin thanks to Neil Corbett).

This photo is found inside the official accident report released by the US AIR FORCE. It shows the remains of the tailsection after the aircraft crashed. (Photo US AIR FORCE)

This photo shows a part of the J79 engine of this unfortunate YF-104A 55-2962 which was found during a crash site investigation on 10 May 2007 by Joe Idoni and his friends. For more information see also the complete photo report on his website. (Photo : Joe Idoni). Another website showing the crashsite, found by another investigation team can be found here.