"Century Series" #4 F-104G Kinetic (Gold)

[Airborne01!]

Love the job and definitely recognise the (inner) expression!
Steve

 

[Littlemarten]

When doing the splinter camo on WWII birds I typically painted the entire aircraft in the lighter color then oversprayed the pattern with the darker one. Looking back I do not remember why I decided to not do that here, guess I'd say I'm just trying all sorts of new things. But...I can see some black MLT showing through small gaps between the two colors.

I'll do what I always do, put it aside for a day/week/month while I decide on a direction. I usually come up with solutions at 2-4AM lying in bed awake after one of my frequent nighttime trips to the john

You can see what I mean in the pictures above, so if you have suggestions, I'm listening.

Paint the lightest color first, no masking, just make sure it covers the complete area that is to be that color. Cure it thoroughly. Mask for the next darkest color so that it overlaps the first color by a very small amount, like 1/32 inch or less. When that is fully cured, mask the same way for the next darkest color, again leaving a very small overlap. Because you are applying darker paint each time, the overlaps should not show.

 

[Edbert]

Camo repaired, clear coated, hoping to at least get most stickers on today.

These pics are from the last couple of days.

 

[Littlemarten]

Looking good! I'm also interested in that B-25!

 

[Edbert]

Looking good! I'm also interested in that B-25!

The Mitchell has been a love-hate thing for me. Kit is from the '90s, made by Accurate Miniatures, I bought it for like $15 at our local IPMS show. I do not think I've posted much of anything here because of the problems I've had. Many of the issues were my fault, but the kit has the worst fit on major components I've seen in a long time. I'm gonna put a dullcoat on it (and the Starfighter) today to seal the stickers.

Stickers have been a real issue for me lately, working through old or cheap/shoddy kits. See the JU88 thread for an example. I was worried about the B-25 since it is both old and from a bankrupt manufacturer who appears to have cut many corners. But the decals were okay, a bit thick perhaps, but also very sparse, only a few to apply, which might be accurate for North Africa, I have not spent a lot of time with that theater or medium bombers in general.

Here's the 104 after finishing the stickers. There were no issues whatsoever with this one from kinetic. I know it is wrong to come to conclusions about a manufacturer based on one kit, this was the first Kinetic I've ever built and it was splendid. Upon closer examination I understand why the stickers were so nice...Cartograph!

How well they setup can be hard to photograph, I think I can show it this way, look how well they adhered to the surface!

 

[Jakko]

Nice model! I can only see one small problem with it from a realism point of view, though. Compare it to this photo of a real German Starfighter in its natural habitat:

This was TF-104G No. 27+05 that crashed on 13 November 1979. The caption for the photo reads:

Pilots saved • The tail section of a wing [sic] is all that remained of a West-German Starfighter F-104 G, after the plane buried itself in a field near the base in northern Germany. The two pilots managed to save themselves using their parachutes. One of them broke a leg in the process.

(source)

There apparently used to be a joke in Germany: "What's the quickest way to obtain a Starfighter?" "Buy a piece of land and wait for one to crash on it."

Also, I found your subject on the site that comes from:

14 August 1986

F-104G

22+39

JBG34

GAF

written off

pilot ok

This Starfighter encountered an engine failure (compressor stall) South of Hopsten and managed to reach Hopsten Air Base where it made an emergency landing using his arrestor-hook. The pilot requested to land on "01" but the runway was open on "19" so he had to move to that direction to approach for landing. It landed high speed (BLC not working) and took the barrier after his brake chute failed with 200 kts. The pilot could step out of the aircraft unhurt. Afterwards it was declared damaged beyond economical repair on 8 October 1986 mainly because the end of the F-104 operations within JBG34 was near. The aircraft stayed at Hopsten where it was used as BDRT or fire-practise airframe. In 1995 it was cut in three parts and damaged heavily due to CFE agreements and sold in parts. In October 1995 it arrived with PS Aero at Baarlo where they tried to weld it all together again, but the challenge was too big and lots of good F-104 fuselages were obtained via VEBEG soon after so they decided to have the 22+39 being scrapped by a local scrap dealer in May 2003. Beneath a photo taken in a bit shed at the PSAero location after the remains had been welded together.

 

[Littlemarten]

I just bought the F-104A/C from Kinetic Gold. The stars in the US insignia are incorrect, too small and aligned with the bottom of the blue roundel—and they are from Cartograph! What's up with that?

 

[Jakko]

I don't think the decal manufacturer has anything to do with that — they just print what the kit manufacturer gives them.

 

[Littlemarten]

I don't think the decal manufacturer has anything to do with that — they just print what the kit manufacturer gives them.

That may be true, but Cartographic is supposed to be one of the best (or was). Yes, I know the kit is made in the PRC, but they probably know better than some in the US, what a US insignia looks like. I wonder if it's worth the time to try to contact them.

 

[Steve Ski]

Cool looking 104, Edbert!

 

[Littlemarten]

That's a pretty bird, Edbert!

 

[Edbert]

Made a lot of progress on this bird, but as usual I make some progress and add mistakes. My biggest problem, I can only think it is caused by my feeling of rushing through things.

I totally missed these tiny (hard to see without the camera's zoom and silver color) ejector pin marks on the Hasegawa wings I put on my Kinetic kit. They are unmistakable now that you see them.

Not there!

OH YES THEY ARE! See two on the ailerons, two (one pictured each) on the flaps and leading slats. Why they did not put them on the inside side of the wings I'll never know.

So that is on me for not noticing, fine. This mistake is much more significate, and I do not even know how I did it, but I managed.

There, on the trailing edge of the starbord wing.

It happened during the wash stage, I think while doing the underside. Not sure if that is a fingerprint or what. Regardless, it means more repairs before the clear and calling it done.

Not that everything goes wrong, I am happy with the radar cone (not blurry IRL), just need to attach the pitot, which is the last thing since they are begging to be broken.

 

[Littlemarten]

"Mastery of scale modeling does not consist of not making mistakes, but in knowing how to fix them as if they had never been."

And you can quote me on that.

I use hypo tubing for pitot tubes, because it doesn't break or bend too easily—and it's still the last thing to go on!

This is going to be one impressive build!

 

[BOATMAN]

YES THIS LOOKS a very good build an i think you sir are worryin over nothing regards them ejocktor marke as if you had not said i would not have knowN but very well done on this lovely F 104
CHRISB

 

[BOATMAN]

"Mastery of scale modeling does not consist of not making mistakes, but in knowing how to fix them as if they had never been."

And you can quote me on that.

I use hypo tubing for pitot tubes, because it doesn't break or bend too easily—and it's still the last thing to go on!

This is going to be one impressive build!

HI Ltttlemarten what is this HYPO tubein ? as i will have a long pivot tube on my B/58 HUSTLER an that may be just what i need sir an where to buy it ?
chrisb

 

[Littlemarten]

HI Ltttlemarten what is this HYPO tubein ? as i will have a long pivot tube on my B/58 HUSTLER an that may be just what i need sir an where to buy it ?
chrisb

Hypodermic tubing is what goes on the end of a medical syringe. It comes in many sizes: This is where I get mine, though there are other sources.

 

[Edbert]

I realized recently that I never posted any finished pictures of this. In fact I never took any.

Used that as the motivation to pull out my antique DSLR (nowhere near as antique as my 35mm) and photobox. Been meaning to get that setup for well over a year, sigh.

Anyway, took these few shots right quick.

 

[BarleyBop]

Very nicely done!

right quick

Haha, showing a 20_something how to use an older DSLR last weekend... The incredulous look in their eyes was just:
— "Why?"
And explaining its manual functionality by referring to an even more antiquated 35mm film technology only served to drive their point home.
— "That is so... Last century!"

 

[Jakko]

Show them this next:

 

[Edbert]

One can see freom the three pictures above that there's a spot and a hair in the lower-right. Haven't determined what that was yet, been working on converting RAW to JPG without spending $1k USD ( I hate Adobe with a passion!).

Anyway, without wanting to start a new thread, he's some more from this afternoon. I think I have too much light, is that possible? Using Aperture priority, but dismayed to find my best 50mm lens only goes up to (down to) f16 so my depth-of-field is *****. I have an f22 lens (nothing to do with a Raptor), but it is 65-180mm or similar. Oh well, sharing my fails...

 

[Edbert]

 

[Littlemarten]

Nice!

You might want to look into GIMP. Free, open source, capable, and not as well documented as I'd like, but adequate.

 

[Jakko]

been working on converting RAW to JPG without spending $1k USD ( I hate Adobe with a passion!).

Spend $599 on a MacBook Neo instead? The Preview app that's on it from the factory will probably open your files.

 

[BarleyBop]

Some great shots there... I like it!
Great colour work on those aircraft.

 

[Littlemarten]

Really like that relatively clean Jagdpanzer. While heavy weathering and dirt may be authentic, I can't help wondering if it isn't covering up a lot of mistakes. I think you've hit the perfect balance.

 

[Edbert]

Nice!

You might want to look into GIMP. Free, open source, capable, and not as well documented as I'd like, but adequate.

I used GIMP before, may get it again. I used "Darktable:" which is a smaller footprint open source tool.

But to be honest, once I nail down exposure settings, I may just shoot JPEG and be done with it.

 

[blacbul67]

Yes, a styrene addiction. There is no known cure. Consider buying the house next door.

My stash comprises over 400 kits. One build on the bench, one on hold. One display case. No shelf of shame. I won't live long enough to build them all, but one of my sons is also a styrene junkie, and he will inherit.

Styrene—it's not just for breakfast, anymore.

I have a stash of approaching 100, already more than I expect to be able to build, and unfortunately, a son who has no interest or as he comments " I don't have the patience" to spend the 8 months (up till now) necessary for me to build a 1/48 Bf 109

 

[blacbul67]

Another revival of an old build...

(I typically have at least 5 kits in progress at some point, sometimes more)

After a long delay I have pulled this guy outta the closet of delay.

View attachment 144458


View attachment 144459

Can I ask what paints you used? Can't decide on whether to use Lacquer or the AK 3rd Gen I already have

 

[BOATMAN]

WELL GUYS the gent has asked a guestion about what paint we use well i just use rattle cans an for small touch up i use humbrol tinlets hows that sir
chrisb

 

[Edbert]

Can I ask what paints you used? Can't decide on whether to use Lacquer or the AK 3rd Gen I already have

The Starfighter, Lavochkin, Dauntless and Jagdpanther shown above are all Tamiya acrylics.

I recently finished an EA-18G that I used Tamiya lacquer on, was very pleased with the performance of the paint and the durability when applying washes. I made that specific switch because their XF series goes not have the right FS#s for the ghost grays. But I was so happy with the resulting strength of the lacquers (more about holding up to wiping with a q-tip) that I used "AK Real Colors Lacquer Based Paint" on my Ta152 since I intend to try using One Man Army stencils instead of stickers, so I wanted as durable as possible.