How many flight hours had Canadian CF-104s logged on…

How many flight hours had Canadian CF-104s logged on average when retired?

Short answer

Canadian CF-104s had logged an average of 6,000 flight hours when retired, three times that of German F-104s. Canadair built 200 CF-104s for the Canadian armed forces, plus 38 two-seat CF-104Ds. By 1987 all had been retired.

Published: October 31, 2026 · Updated: October 31, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

How many flight hours had Canadian CF-104s logged on average when retired?

F-104 right side view

A commitment to 200 aircraft

In July 1959 the RCAF formally committed to acquiring 200 CF-104s. Alongside those 200 aircraft, 38 two-seat CF-104D variants, built by Lockheed, were added. Canadair ended up building 200 CF-104s for the Canadian armed forces, plus 140 F-104Gs destined for Lockheed. The first CF-104's flight opened a 25-year period of service with the RCAF.

An average of 6,000 hours per airframe

Canadian CF-104s had logged an average of 6,000 flight hours by the time they were retired. That average was three times that of the German Starfighters. The Canadian Forces had already retired all of their CF-104s by 1987.

Twenty-five years of operation and losses

In the 25 years Canada operated the CF-104, there were 110 Class A accidents, in which 37 pilots died. Over the type's operational life, 113 aircraft were lost and 37 pilots died. The last airframes left service after that quarter-century of operation that began with the type's first flight.