The Lockheed F-104 was a project of Kelly Johnson's famous skunk works. As this book points out, he visited Korea in 1951 to interview fighter pilots using the F-86 Sabre and determine that what what needed in the next generation fighter was light weight, uncomplicated and lower cost design with high speed, maneuverability, excellent rate of climb and a superior operating ceiling. After about a dozen paper studies (with drawings given here) the US Air Force issued a contract for the development of the plane.
Subsequently the Canadian Air Force purchased the plane, as constructed by Canadair near Montreal with engines made by Orenda near Toronto. This book describes the planes in great detail including all variations, armament, squadron service and going down into such details as paint schemes.
The use of the CF-104 in Canada was quite successful, lasting twenty five years. The book covers the first plane and the last. It is profusely illustrated with mostly black and white, but quite a few color photos.