I was based in Germany when the F104G was flying. As already mentioned, the GAF rejected Lockheed's offer of experienced crew chiefs to help them out and insisted on using their own who had little fighter jet experience. Additionally other air forces equipped with the F104 required pilots to have done tours on at least the F86 if not the F100 before getting into an F104G, not so the GAF and I believe the F104G was made into a multi-role aircraft by the GAF and was quite a bit heavier than Lockheed originally intended.
Within the Luftwaffe it was known as the Widow Maker.