Hidden behind a company hangar, these two jet fighters are slowly rusting away. They are two Lockheed F-104G Starfighters, one from the FX-100 series and one from the FX-76 series. The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was one of the most famous supersonic single-engine American combat aircraft of the 20th century.

This type of aircraft was predominantly used as a fighter-bomber, but there were also versions adapted for a fighter role. The Starfighter was NATO's standard fighter-bomber from 1961 to 1985, after which it was replaced, usually by the F-16. It also served in the Belgian Air Force for many years. The F-104 held the dubious distinction of having the worst safety record. Bribery scandals that came to light later—involving, among others, Dutch Prince Bernhard—did not do much good to the aircraft's reputation either. It was therefore given a number of evocative nicknames, such as 'manned rocket', 'flying coffin', 'Witwenmacher', 'widowmaker', and 'Erdnagel' (tent peg), nicknames that capitalize on the high number of accidents.

Only 14 of these aircraft have been preserved in Belgium, most of them owned by the government and stored on military grounds. These two aircraft are privately owned. The owner intended to restore them at the company behind which they are stored, but nothing has come of that so far. One specimen, however, stood completely intact in a private garden for years. Hopefully, these beautiful aircraft will still receive the restoration they deserve.
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