This piece originally ran in the September 2023 issue of EAA Sport Aviation magazine.

This throttle assembly was fitted to a Lockheed F-104A Starfighter, serial No. 56-0763. This particular aircraft spent much of its service life based at the USAF Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base in California. During that time it was used as an engine test bed and chase plane for the X-15, XB-70, and SR-71 flight test programs. More than 20 pilots flew the aircraft, including legends like Scott Crossfield, Joe Engle, and Chuck Yeager.