Palmdale in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

F-104

— Starfighter —

Photographed by Craig Baker, May 31, 2023

1. F-104 Marker

Inscription. F-104s were versatile work-horses in NASA's stable of research and support aircraft, accumulating more than 18,000 flights in a variety of missions.

Registered as N812NA, this aircraft is one of three F-104s built specially for NASA for use as pilot proficiency aircraft, low lift over drag trainers and chase planes; they all received the F-104N designation.

N812NA was recieved at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center in September 1963, and was retired in January 1987 after 4,442 flights. This aircraft is on loan from NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.

Erected by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Air & Space. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1987.

Location. 34° 36.582′ N, 118° 7.02′ W. Marker is in Palmdale, California, in Los Angeles County. It is at the intersection of Lockheed Way and 8th Street East, on the right when traveling west on Lockheed Way. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1011 Lockheed Way, Palmdale CA 93599, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Los

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Angeles

and in the Transverse Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: F-16A (within shouting distance of this marker); AGM-28 Hound Dog (approx. 1.6 miles away); Model 143 - Triumph (approx. 1.7 miles away); A.W. "Tony" LeVier (approx. 1.7 miles away); F-14 Tomcat (approx. 1.7 miles away); Joe Davies Jr (approx. 1.7 miles away); F-105 Thunderchief (approx. 1.7 miles away); Col. Robert L. Riedenauer (Ret) (approx. 1.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Palmdale.

Additional keywords. F-104 Starfighter

Photographed by Denise Boose, August 16, 2018

2. F-104 Marker

F-104 and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Denise Boose, August 16, 2018

3. F-104 and Marker

F-104 NASA livery image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Denise Boose, August 16, 2018

4. F-104 NASA livery

Photographed by Denise Boose, August 16, 2018

5. NASA 812

Photographed by Craig Baker, May 31, 2023

6. F-104

F-104 Starfighter. Nickname: “Missile with a man in it”

P-80 Shooting Star image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Baker, October 19, 2023

7. P-80 Shooting Star

Visible in the distance ¼-mile away, the P-80 was the first U.S. jet fighter. Designed and built by Lockheed in 1943.

Credits. This page was last revised on May 30, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 18, 2018, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California. This page has been viewed 436 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on June 4, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on August 18, 2018, by Denise Boose of Tehachapi, California. 6. submitted on June 4, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 7. submitted on October 20, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.