d/d 04feb57, 6515th MG (feb57-apr57), AFFTC (apr57-jun60), 3205th DS (nov64-mar67), w/o 01mar67

Note:
This Starfighter was accepted by the US Air Force on 31st of July 1956 and delivered to the ARDC at Edwards on February 4th in 1957. Since August 1957 it was operating as JF-104A testbed for various projects and in 1959 it was mainly used for testing the J79 control system until its accident in November 1959.
Sadly no photos are known of this aircraft as QF-104A.

Accident Reports:

13 November 1959  (JF-104A)
Operated by ARDC it crash landed at Dry Lake, Camp Irwin, California, where it sustained major damage. After a short storage period it was brought over to McClellan for repair on 15 June 1960. Sadly the damage was more structural so it had to be transported to Lockheed at Palmdale on 2 November 1960. At Lockheed Palmdale it was repaired, which was quite a challenge. It flew again in 1964!! The official USAF accident report stated:

"At approximately 1120 hours PST on 13 November 1959, JF-104A aircraft serial number 55-2965, pilot Capt George Paul Eremea, was involved in an aircraft accident during a dead engine approach and landing at “Bicycle Lake” Camp Irwin, California. The aircraft received major damage. The pilot was uninjured.
The aircraft departed Edwards Air Force Base at 1100 hours PST on a local VFR clearance for a test flight due to maintenance performed on the afterburner fuel system (X-3). Fuel on board at take-off was approximately 905 gallons, Fuel on board at the time of the accident was approximately 320 gallons. The weather was high thin broken 14 miles visibility, temperature 66 degrees F. Winds were light and variable.
A normal afterburner takeoff and climb in easterly direction to 30000 feet was performed. During the various tests executed on the engine AB system suddenly the fire warning lights started to illuminate when the engine passed 72% RPM. Because of these lights the pilot decided to make a dead engine emergency landing on the dry lake North East of camp Irwin. The throttle was moved to idle cut-off and the fire warning lights went out. A glide towards Bicycle Lake was established at approximately 260knots. A pattern was planned for a 270 degrees approach to runway 04. At the turn onto downwind the altitude was 13000 feet and the ram-air turbine was extended. Evidence of a proper extension was noted by illumination by some lights on the master caution panel. From baseleg turning ontofinal the altitude-attitude seemed a little too low for the baseleg position. The turn was tightened a little to reduce the distance to touchdown. The aircraft was purposely dived toward some low hills (appr. 400 feet high) which were in line with the final approach. At approximately 3700 feet indicated altitude a gradual flare was started. Just short of the lakebed the landing gear handle was placed in the down position and the emergency landing gear lanyard was pulled and held until the aircraft touched down. Approximately 4 seconds time elapsed. During the flare the rate of sink seemed unusually high although the airspeed was 255 knots at the start of the flare. Airframe buffet, possible stick shaker actuation, and some lateral control problems were experienced just prior touchdown. The control stick was intentionally pushed forward slightly to commit the aircraft to touch down and to prevent the tail of the aircraft from dragging. Just after the aircraft touched down the dragchute handle was pulled and at the same time the left wing dropped. The drag chute failed to deploy and the aircraft started to veer slightly to the left. The speed brake was moved to the open position. Heavy right braking was used in an attempt to maintain directional control. In addition to veering to the left, the aircraft began to skid to the right as two banks of loose dirt bordering runway 13-31 were approached. The shoulder harnass was locked and the canopy was fully opened prior to hitting the banks of dirt (approximately 12 inches high and 36 inches wide, separated by approximately 200 feet). When the first bank of dirt was crossed a very large jolt was  experienced. A much less severe jolt was experienced as the second bank of dirt was crossed. The aircraft came to rest off the edge of the lakebed, approximately 1000 feet from the second bank of dirt heading 265 degrees after approximately 4700 feet ground distance. Of the 135 degrees turned from touchdown to a complete stop the greatest amount of turn occurred in the last 500 feet of distance traveled. The aircraft indicated a skid of approximately 25 degrees as it had stopped. The pilot evacuated the aircraft prior to the arrival of the crash crew" (see report photos further on beneath).

1 March 1967  (JQF-104A)
Shot down this day as drone by an AIM 4D missile from another aircraft on its 5th drone mission.