However, even as powerful as the US military, there are "flying coffins" more terrifying than the mig-21, with wings as thin as kitchen knives, enough to peel potatoes, and pilots have to write suicide notes before taking off. During World War II, the United States ordered a staggering 300, 000 warplanes, due to the need for war. However, after the end of World War II, the number of aircraft orders fell sharply, and it was difficult to attract the recognition of the US military without outstanding performance, so the aviation industry spared no effort.
The F104 is an extreme type, with an overemphasis on speed at the expense of other capabilities. Since the Soviet aircraft were large and heavy, and slightly lacking in maneuverability, the United States envisioned the development of a light aircraft with excellent climb and flight speed. As a result, the F104 became the first aircraft in service to fly faster than Mach 2.2, and its climb rate broke the world record.
It was adopted by the US military despite its unusually thin wings, designed to reduce weight for greater speed. The F-104 has a wingspan of just 6.63 meters, and its short wings make the aircraft appear unstable, like a human-controlled rocket. And its T vertical tail design increases the risk of flight, in the event of an accident, it is impossible to survive, because the horizontal tail is located just above the pilot's ejection trajectory, once touched, it will directly cut off the pilot's legs.
Since the accident rate of buying the aircraft reached half of the total number of accidents, it was an extremely severe psychological test for pilots.
