f-104

• supreme state of the art
  --
  usaf time-to-intercept record:
  target: 35000 feet (10668 meter), 172 miles (227 km) from base
  time-to-intercept: 8 minutes 59.9 seconds.
  average speed: 1150 mph (1850 km p hour)
  by: captain m. schaff, usaf; captain b. jones, usaf
  december 10, 1958
  world speed record:
  1404 mph (2259 km p hour)
  by: captain w. w. irwin, usaf
  may 17, 1958
  --
  world altitude record:
  91,249 feet (27,813 meter)
  by: major h. c. johnson, usaf
  may 7, 1958
  
  103,395.5 feet (31,515 meter)
  by: captain joe b. jordan, usaf
  december 14, 1959
  --
  world time-to-climb record:
  9,842 feet (3,000 meter): 41:85 sec.
  19,684 feet (6,000 meter): 58:41 sec.
  29,527 feet (9,000 meter): 1:21:14
  39,370 feet (12,000 meter): 1:39:90
  49,212 feet (15,000 meter): 2:11:10
  65,616 feet (20,000 meter): 3:42:99
  82,020 feet (25,000 meter): 4:26:03
  by: lieutenant william t. smith, usaf; lieutenant einar . enevoldson, usaf
  december 18, 1958