F-104

[modellius]

Well now, since I have I don't know how many started kits it's time for another one..... But this time I wish to keep it simple as possible and maybe, just maybe actually finish it this year, it would be the first and only finished one this year... Oh well, what can I say....

It's a very well known Hasegawa kit 1/48 scale in Eduard box with lot of extras, which however didn't stop me to get some more. Not much only Aires wheel bays, Master pitots and the pylons and the wheels are on their way to me....

After comparing the kit with drawings and pictures I found Hasegawa panels and rivets are a bit of fantasy but I don't want to do anything with them, a little attractive painting ( for me it is anyway ) should compensate it.

The cockpit is a bit upgraded, Hasegawa's pretty poor and these areas are visible on the kit so I had to do some scratch work. The main wheel bays are installed, I was very surprised to see it fits perfectly, no mayor surgery was needed, first time from Aires......

Here are the pictures of progress so far more to follow

[No.1]

 

[modellius]

I said simple wright ? Yes, simple.....

Well now, I noticed that even " big names " in scale modeling pay a lot of attention on details, cockpit, wheel bays etc but, conopy interior somehow fell out of this, max the PE and/or resin parts provided are installed. However we all know that the aircraft is a complex machine and the conopy as part of it is complex as well.... I so I take a deep breath, a couple of beers and decided to take it the next level, so here is my conopy interior full scratch

[Second Air Force]

Yes, this is the area that most modelers ignore, and there are a lot of moving parts in a jet canopy! (I've always been puzzled by the use of vacuform canopies to get the extremely thin edges, when the real canopy has the frames inside just like you're doing!!)

Great work!

[draken35]

You are true for what concerns the wings.
You can find an improvement set here:
http://dacoproducts.com/
I've bought the sprues with the wings (kit is still on my "to do" list 

Your work is simply incredible... 

[modellius]

Lazy me....

However here is some progress. I managed to f*ck up the fuselage so I ordered another model but I will tell you later about it. In the meantime I made the diorama

[modellius]

And the diorama will have a figure, it was a lot of work, it took me 6 different figures to make one I like, will update soon the stage it is now

[modellius]

There is a lot of progress in the cockpit as well, it took a lot of time but it looks good enough for me now

[modellius]

And the new kit arrived, but I didn't look and it is a C not a G version so the tail section needs a lot of surgery to make it right, Aires nose gear section can not be installed without damaging the original parts so surgery at this area is needed as well, there is still some work but it's getting there now....

[No.1]

True, C and G are different worlds...

[draken35]

Lot of work; I'm impressed by the quality of your build!

[modellius]

some progress on this project. the figure is finally made, except the hand, couldn't find good looking ones. This is the pose I had in my mind, to give a little " life" to diorama

[modellius]

And the second  " actor " of the sceene is the compressor, Hasegawa with a some home manufacturing

[No.1]

  master in its best

[modellius]

Thank you my friend !

This become a very complex build, the painting scheme I choosen can't be made after the whole kit is done, there are parts of the aircraft which needs to be painted and weathered before assembly, this is how it looks now. The instrument panel is done except the smaller details and installed on place.