**** DONE: 1/48 CF-104 Starfighter - The Jet Age.

[Crimea_River]

Username: Crimea River
First name: Andy
Category: Judge – Non competing
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: Hasegawa
Model Type: F-104G 'CCV'
Aftermarket addons: Possible Vicon Pod or Practice Bomb pod from Terry (Airframes)

This model will depict a natural metal finished RCAF or CAF Starfighter based with NATO forces in Europe in the 60's or 70's. The actual scheme is yet to be determined.

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks to Terry and Geo for forwarding reams of information that I'm currently sifting through. I've also purchased and am reading a copy of "Starfighter: A loving retrospective of the CF-104 era in Canadian fighter aviation 1961-1986" by David L. Bashow which has over 200 pages of text and pictures on this subject.

I'll post more information later on the selected scheme once I've decided on an exact subject. However, I do know that the subject will be one of the natural metal finished CF-104s deployed to France and Germany in the mid-sixties. Initially deployed as a NATO nuclear deterrent contingent of 8 squadrons forming 4 Wings, a number of disbandments and moves following France's decision to not allow foreign nuclear strike elements within its borders, resulted in the bulk of the contingent being based in Germany with the exception of two dedicated photo-recon squadrons (439 and 441) at Marville, France which then also ultimately moved to Lahr, Germany in 1967. The photo-recon aircraft carried a large Vicon camera pod, unique to Canadian birds as other recon Starfighters carried internally-mounted cameras.

Here are two typical schemes of the period, though several developments of insignia did occur later in the sixties:

The Model

For this subject, I will be using Hasegawa's special edition kit that includes additional parts for the "CCV" experimental version of the Starfighter which was used to test canard wing configurations.

This kit has a duplicate sprue containing the horizontal stabilizers, metal pitot tubes, and resin parts that represent the avionics compartments. These are simply additions to the basic F-104G kit and I won't be using them, so if anyone needs these parts, just holler.

Below are some sprue shots. The kit has some nice surface details with delicate rivet representations, though these may be overdone for the scale.

Fortunately, the model features both types of ejection seats in common use. I'll be shelving the Martin Baker seat and will use the Lockheed C-2 seat, though it seems that it will want some extra details.

I have two of these sprues so that the extra stabilizer can be used.

Finally, I wll be using the excellent Belcher Bits decal sheet which enables one to build virtually any Stafighter scheme in the Canadian arsenal

 

[Catch22]

Cool Andy. If you need any reference pics, I'm likely heading to the museum in the near future to get some pictures of the Sabre they have. I'll grab a bunch of the F-104 anyway, shout if you need them.

 

[Airframes]

Looking forward to this one Andy.

 

[Donivanp]

I have a book about the same as a Squdron "In Action " which is just on CF-104's might have something for you as well.

 

[Crimea_River]

Got some excerpts from that already I think Don.

Cory, I should be OK, unless you want to make a fool of yourself and lay on the ground to shoot the wheel wells.

 

[fubar57]

My vote is for fool and a photo of said fool taking wheel well photos.

Geo

 

[Wayne Little]

Mmmm....interesting!

 

[Catch22]

My vote is for fool and a photo of said fool taking wheel well photos.

Geo

You'll probably get your wish!

 

[Airframes]

I've got some wheel well detail shots in the Canadian book Andy - leave it with me and I'll scan and e-mail them over the weekend.

 

[Crimea_River]

Cheers Terry. Cory, you can be a fool for someone else now thanks!

 

[Catch22]

I guess just for my dad then, since he'll be building one of these soon!

 

[Crimea_River]

Post #2 has been updated with some information pertinent to this build. Though I have still not selected an exact scheme for this build, I decided to launch into this project today.

Here's the workbench with various subassemblies started: the main wings in clamps, nose cone, the cockpit tub, the election seat, and, not shown in the photo, the two tip tanks.

Here's a close-up of the C-2 as it assembles out of the kit, though the pull ring is not yet installed. The instructions don't show these parts so I had to wing it. I'm not happy with the simplistic belts and lack of details so I will sand off the belts and replace them with some scratch built ones.

 

[Donivanp]

Andy I know you said you thought you had it but this is what I have if not.

Off to a good start.

 

[Wayne Little]

 

[JKim]

Good start Andy! Are you going to grind the belts off the curved backrest and the seat cushion? Interested to see how you would go about the backrest.

 

[Crimea_River]

I thought about that a bit more John and have decided that I'll probably just take it apart again, chuck the back plate, and make a whole new one out of sheet styrene. I will do something about the plates on the side of the seat cushion as well since these are far too thick and leave no room for anything but a hint of the folded knee guards on the sides, which I'll add from scratch. Yes, there's a nice Aires C-2 resin seat out there but I prefer to try detailing this myself.

 

[fubar57]

Looking forward to it Andy.

Geo

 

[T Bolt]

Should look real nice in the NMF

 

[Wayne Little]

bring on the scratch Andy!