XF-104 37786 with tip tanks and 37787 belly up

XF-104, construction number 083-1001, serial number 53-7786, built by Lockheed
aerodynamic test bed, February 28, 1954 unplanned taxi lift-off with Anthony W. "Tony" LeVier; first flight March 4, 1954
crashed on July 11, 1957 near Mojave, California due to uncontrollable tail flutter resulting from a unsecured fuselage fuel tank cap coming off and striking the vertical stabilizer
testpilot Bill Park ejected safely.

The first XF-104 (53-7786) was ready in early 1954, and was trucked out to Edwards AFB in high secrecy during the night of February 24-25.
Veteran Lockheed test pilot A. W. "Tony" LeVier was to do the initial testing. Taxiing runs began on February 27, 1954.
On February 28, 1954, the XF-104 made an unscheduled short hop of about five feet off the ground during a high speed taxiing run.
Its first official flight took place on March 4, 1954. During that flight, the landing gear would not retract. After a low-speed flight of about 20 minutes, Tony LeVier landed.
Some adjustments were made, and LeVier took off again, but the landing gear still would not retract. The problem turned out to be low pressure in the hydraulic system, which was fairly easy to correct.
However, inclement weather kept the XF-104 on the ground until March 26, when flights three and four were carried out with the landing gear retracting adequately.

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