The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was a single-engine, supersonic interceptor nicknamed the “missile with a man in it” due to its slender design and small wings, enabling it to be the first U.S. jet capable of sustained Mach 2 flight and a record-setter for speed and climb. Serving with the U.S. Air Force and extensively with international air forces in roles ranging from interception to fighter-bombing, it saw combat in conflicts like the Vietnam War and the Indo-Pakistani Wars. Despite its high performance, it gained a “Widowmaker” reputation due to high accident rates in some services. The F-104 had a long operational life, with the last military examples retired in 2004, and some still fly today in civilian hands.