Today marks the 60th anniversary of Maj. Howard C. “Scrappy” Johnson’s record-breaking flight on May 7, 1965. On that day, Maj. Johnson set a new world altitude record while piloting an F-104A Starfighter. A member of the 83rd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, based at Hamilton Air Force Base in California, Johnson surpassed a record that had been set just one week earlier in France.
The flight began at approximately 9:40 a.m. from Lockheed Aircraft Corporation’s facility in Palmdale, California. In a dramatic and precise ascent over the Mojave Desert, Johnson reached an altitude of 91,249 feet—surpassing the previous record of 80,190 feet by over 11,000 feet, or roughly 2.1 miles. Climbing at an angle between 55 and 60 degrees, Johnson pushed the F-104A to over 17 miles above sea level. The entire flight lasted only 27 minutes, but it was more than enough time to make history.
During the mission, Johnson reported flawless handling from the F-104A. Its sleek, rocket-like design made it ideally suited for the steep and rapid ascent, absorbing the aerodynamic stress with ease. In fact, Johnson later stated that he believed the aircraft could have climbed even higher. Maj. Howard C. Johnson, affectionately known as “Scrappy,” passed away in 2020 at the age of 100—a remarkable life that paralleled a remarkable career in aviation. His legacy as a pioneering test pilot and record-setter endures as a proud chapter in the history of flight.
This was quite a flight that Scrappy made, and less than ten years later, this record would be broken by the Streak Eagle.
It was. I had the pleasure of meeting him several times and every he did tell the story of that flight it was like going to the movies. What a guy!