The F-104 Starfighter is quite possibly one of the most photographed aircraft of all time. It is certainly one of the most iconic. Here, Martin Bowman offers up a well researched, comprehensive and thoroughly entertaining history of this impressive interceptor aircraft and fighter bomber.

Firsthand insights gathered from pilots who have flown the Starfighter in a variety of international contexts make for a rich and diverse narrative, interspersed throughout with a good selection of black and white and color illustrations that really bring the story to life.

Over the course of an eventful history, the Starfighter has been caught up in an extensive variety of conflicts across the world. This book not only acquaints us with the landmark milestones of a widely utilized aircraft type, it also illuminates our understanding of the dynamic history of aviation in the second half of the twentieth century.

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• Chapter 1 Missile with the Man in It
• Chapter 2 They Flew The ‘Zipper’
• Chapter 3 In the Ascendancy
• Chapter 4 The ‘Widowmaker’
• Chapter 5 Versions and Project Models
• Chapter 6 NATO Operators
• Chapter 7 1st Canadian Air Group
• Chapter 8 Winning Their Spurs
• Chapter 9 Operational History World-Wide Military Operators
• Chapter 10 The ‘Wicked One’
• Chapter 11 Shooting for the Stars