Canadair CF - 104 Starfighter The Canadair CF - 104 Starfighter ( CF - 111 , CL - 90 ) was a modified version of the Lockheed F - 104 Starfighter supersonic fighter aircraft built in Canada by Canadair under licence . It served with the Royal Canadian Air Force ( RCAF ) and later the Canadian Forces until it was replaced by the McDonnell Douglas CF - 18 Hornet . Design and development . In the late 1950s , Canada redefined its role in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) with a commitment to a nuclear strike mission . At the same time , the RCAF began to consider a replacement for the Canadair F - 86 Sabre series that had been utilized as a NATO day fighter . An international fighter competition involved current types in service as well as development , including the Blackburn Buccaneer , Dassault Mirage III C , Fiat G . 91 , Grumman Super Tiger , Lockheed F - 104G Starfighter , Northrop N - 156 and the Republic F - 105 Thunderchief . Although the RCAF had preferred the F - 105 Thunderchief equipped with an Avro Canada Orenda Iroquois engine , eventually the choice for a strike - reconnaissance aircraft revolved around cost as well as capability . A Canadian government requirement for a license manufacture also favoured the Lockheed proposal due to a collaboration with Canadair based in Montreal . On 14 August 1959 , Canadair was selected to manufacture 200 aircraft for the RCAF under license from Lockheed . In addition , Canadair was contracted to manufacture wingsets , tail assemblies and rear fuselage sections for 66 Lockheed - built F - 104Gs destined for the West German " Luftwaffe " . Canadair ' s internal designation was CL - 90 while the RCAF ' s version was initially designated CF - 111 , then changed to CF - 104 . Although basically similar to the F - 104G , the CF - 104 was optimized for the nuclear strike / reconnaissance role , fitted with R - 24A NASARR equipment dedicated to the air - to - ground mode only as well as having provision for a ventral reconnaissance pod equipped with four Vinten cameras . Other differences included retaining the removable refuelling probe , initial deletion of the fuselage - mounted 20 mm ( . 79 in ) M61A1 cannon ( replaced by an additional fuel cell ) and the main undercarriage members being fitted with longer - stroke liquid springs and larger tires . The first flight of a Canadian - built CF - 104 ( s / n 12701 ) occurred on 26 May 1961 . The Canadair CF - 104 production was 200 aircraft with an additional 140 F - 104Gs produced for Lockheed . Operational history . The CF - 104 entered Canadian service in March 1962 . Originally designed as a supersonic interceptor aircraft , it was used primarily for low - level strike and reconnaissance by the RCAF . Eight CF - 104 squadrons were originally stationed in Europe as part of Canada ' s NATO commitment . This was reduced to six in 1967 , with a further reduction to three squadrons in 1970 . Up to 1971 , this included a nuclear strike role that would see Canadian aircraft armed with US - supplied nuclear weapons in the event of a conflict with Warsaw Pact forces . When the CF later discontinued the strike / reconnaissance role for conventional attack , the M61A1 was refitted , along with U . S . Snakeye " iron " bombs , British BL755 cluster bombs and Canadian - designed CRV - 7 rocket pods . Although Canadian pilots practised air combat tactics , AIM - 9 Sidewinder missiles were never carried operationally by Canadian Starfighters ( however , examples provided to other air forces , such as Norway and Denmark , did carry Sidewinders on a twin - rail centreline station and the wingtip rails ) . The CF - 104D two - seater did not normally carry any armament except for a centreline practice - bomb dispenser . Over the course of the aircraft ' s lifespan in service , some 110 were lost to accidents , earning the CF - 104 the nickname of " Widowmaker " or " Lawn Dart " in the air force . In the late 1970s , the New Fighter Aircraft program was launched to find a suitable replacement for the CF - 104 , as well as the McDonnell CF - 101 Voodoo and the Canadair CF - 5 . The winner of the competition was the CF - 18 Hornet , which began to replace the CF - 104 in 1982 . All of the CF - 104s were retired from service by the Canadian Forces by 1987 , with most of the remaining aircraft given to Turkey . Survivors . The Florida based civilian Starfighters Demo team currently operate one CF - 104D and two CF - 104 aircraft under the company " RLB Aviation Inc " . Mark Sherman from Phoenix , Arizona owns and operates a single CF - 104D under the company " Fuel Fresh Inc " .