F-104A "FG-969" 55-2969 83rd FIS taking-off for the altitude record flight on May 7, 1958 YF-104A, construction number 1015, serial number 55-2969 built by Lockheed ready for delivery August 20, 1956; acceptance by USAF October 31, 1956; delivery date October 31, 1956 damaged August 22, 1957 at Eglin AFB; repaired and modified to F-104A standard assigned to the 83rd FIS Hamilton AFB, California 1958 set world altitude record of 27.813 m (91.246 feet) on May 7, 1958 by Major Howard Johnson at Edwards AFB set world airspeed record of 2259 km/h (1.404 mph) over a 15/25 km course on May 16, 1958 by Capt Walter W. Irwin 83rd FIS at Edwards AFB China Lake for missile tests in 1958, used as test-bed for J-79 engine development June 1964 converted to QF-104A with 3205th Drone Squadron; September 28, 1968 hit by AIM-7, recovered, flown again; AFSC at Eglin AFB 1970 shot down January 26, 1971 by AIM-4H fired from a F-4E. copyright © USAF archive