Yesterday's Air Force: F-104 Starfighter Published April 4, 2017 By Staff Sgt. Traci Keller Air Force TV FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) -- This episode of Yesterday's Air Force looks at the F-104 Starfighter. It was a technological marvel when it first took to the sky in the 1950s. It broke a number of records and was used by many air forces around the world. The F-104 had a long service life; it wasn't retired from active service with the Italian Air Force until 2004. Yesterday's Air Force is a history and heritage featurette series profiling significant people and missions from the Air Force's past.