F-104N 812, originally called 012, served NASA from 1963 to 1987, retiring after 4,442 flights. After that, she was stored at Edwards Air Force Base and used for spare parts for NASA’s growing fleet of eleven F-104 aircraft. After retirement, 812 went on display in the Air Force Flight Test Museum at Edwards AFB. In 1997, she was moved to the Lockheed Palmdale plant, and converted to look more like an XF-104, with her inlet cones, top fairings, and paint removed. In 2005, she was painted to resemble her original 1963 markings, but still lacking inlet cones and top fairings. She rests on display in front of the Lockheed Skunk Works at Palmdale, California.

812 is one of three F-104N aircraft in total; 811, 812, and 813, manufactured by Lockheed specifically for NASA flight research. These three aircraft met different fates. 813 was lost in a tragic accident on June 8, 1966, while flying in close formation with an XB-70 for a photo shoot. The F-104 collided with the XB-70, causing the loss of pilots Joe Walker and Carl Cross. Pilot Al White ejected from the XB-70, but was seriously injured. 811 was flown by a NASA Dryden test pilot who would eventually become the first man to set foot on the Moon. After that, the Dryden facility has been renamed, “NASA Neil A. Armstrong Flight Research Center”. 811 is now on display at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona.