CAF CF-104 Starfighter 1/48

[Hodges]

Hey all!

I'm really excited about this build and I've been hanging on to it for a while. Now that the group build is done, I can start!

I'm going to do a CF-104 in a nice camo scheme.

I got a Hasegawa kit and a resin pit kit.

I'm a bit nervous about the cockpit because I've only ever done colour photo etch, and never a whole cockpit. The resin kit doesn't have many parts though so I'm optimistic!

This build is for a good friend of mine who's moving away, so that's my impetus to do a good job.

Here goes!

 

[Glorfindel]

Oooooo the pressures on! Really this is going to be great.

 

[Hodges]

I was wondering if someone could help me out with this photo etch cockpit set. Should I paint the parts while they're still on the sprue? That would be the easiest way to do it, but how fragile is the paint once it's on there? Will it chip or peel when I got to bend and shape the parts? Would it help if I gave it an over-coat of something tough, like an enamel clear cote?

Thanks in advance, experts!

 

[NecronautDrummer]

Can't help you with the PE & paint woes, I went through the same thing and just touched it up after the fact. Some of my PE straps get pretty dinged up while bending and handling. If you use acrylics, try using a wet palette for your custom paint mixes; it'll keep your acrylics moist and usable (with a drop of water) for a week or more. That way, you'd have a perfect color match to your pre-bend paint colors on your PE.

The Cdn Starfighter version is one of my future to-do builds. Looking forward to your progress!

 

[schweinhund227]

Cool ! looking forward to see this come together.... I always wanted to do one....

Take your time !!! we'll be here !

 

[Hodges]

The cockpit came together really nicely! That BIG WHITE BLOB is just micro kristal clear. I lost the little HUD lens so I thought I might try and replace it with klear. It will thin out substantially as it cures (as well as go clear) and I think it might turn out okay. It'll be obscured by the windscreen anyways.

 

[schweinhund227]

Nice!

Daddy likes!

LOL

Keep up the good work!

 

[ModelFreak72]

Sweet start hodges!

 

[Quaralane]

Cockpit's looking good.

 

[Chris S]

That cockpit looks very nice Did you paint the PE first ? ..just interested ,I've never tried that myself .

Chris.

 

[Hodges]

Thanks guys!

Yeah, I painted the PE on the sprue with acrylics, and then gave it an over coat of my trusty Testors rattle-can enamel dullcote. That coat really toughened it up (and made it look good to boot) and I had no issues at all while bending and shaping the parts (it was my first time using unpainted PE as well ;D )

 

[Hodges]

The resin took a whole lot of work to fit in the nose.

But there were some residual issues. I sanded the tub until I actually started poking through into the cokpit footwells, and I sanded the part that closes the bottom of the nose too, but it still wouldn't quite go. So I have a nasty seam to deal with:

Nevertheless it's not a difficult fix, and the rest of the kit is coming together like hasegawas normally do. Nice and easy.

 

[schweinhund227]

Judging from those pictures.... you are going for a POST 1972 style CF-104 right ??? hence the 20mm Vulcan Canon ???

this is going to be so Sweet !

keep going... I'm all ears !

 

[Myke]

Man that cockpit turned out amazing. I too have never tried painting PE and then attaching it. I just assumed it would crack when I bent it.
Great work, love the camo scheme too!

 

[letsgobrowns82]

Wow the cockpit turned out great! Thats going to be a great looking kit with that camo scheme. Looking forward to seeing more progress. Keep up the good work.