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CF-104, Natural Metal (Europe, 1960s)


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May I suggest to use a much darker shade of green (if not plain black) for the area on the back of the seat? Just look at the photo on your banner...

Paolo

I think it's a trick of the lighting on the banner. Have a look at this pic (It's a picture of a picture in David Bashow's excellent Starfighter book). The green is not too dark. In fact, there's another pic in the same book that clearly shows the green on the rear deck is lighter than the overall-green camouflage colours the CF-104 wore in the 70s in Europe.

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ALF

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Hey ALF

Wow great progress on this one looks great!!!.

That saber in the backgrount looks pretty nice too

Thanks Neo!

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Paolo

I think it's a trick of the lighting on the banner. Have a look at this pic (It's a picture of a picture in David Bashow's excellent Starfighter book). The green is not too dark. In fact, there's another pic in the same book that clearly shows the green on the rear deck is lighter than the overall-green camouflage colours the CF-104 wore in the 70s in Europe.

P1200550_zps813acb2f.jpg

ALF

:thumbsup:

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I've flown in some tight cockpits, but thats NUTS!

True, it is a bit claustrophobic, especially compared to a Challenger or a Global Express... but the 104 was positively roomy compared to the T-33! In winter flying gear (a thick flying jacket), with a pubs bag velcroed to the side-rail of the cockpit, I couldn't sit square in the cockpit because my shoulders were too wide for the space. The times I've ridden in the CF-104, it was actually not too bad. The rails were fairly close, but not so much as to feel squeezed in, and the sides opened up to allow lots of elbow room.

My Dad told me stories of tight luggage space, though. One time, when he bought some 40-ounce bottles that wouldn't fit anywhere else, he stashed one under the seat, reminding himself constantly not to run the seat down on the rails (his head was close to the canopy, almost bent sideways). Everything went well until landing, short runway (for a 104 that meant 8,000 feet or so)... then he was fighting to keep the bottle from zooming forward and smashing while he braked hard.

ALF

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True, it is a bit claustrophobic, especially compared to a Challenger or a Global Express... but the 104 was positively roomy compared to the T-33! In winter flying gear (a thick flying jacket), with a pubs bag velcroed to the side-rail of the cockpit, I couldn't sit square in the cockpit because my shoulders were too wide for the space. The times I've ridden in the CF-104, it was actually not too bad. The rails were fairly close, but not so much as to feel squeezed in, and the sides opened up to allow lots of elbow room.

My Dad told me stories of tight luggage space, though. One time, when he bought some 40-ounce bottles that wouldn't fit anywhere else, he stashed one under the seat, reminding himself constantly not to run the seat down on the rails (his head was close to the canopy, almost bent sideways). Everything went well until landing, short runway (for a 104 that meant 8,000 feet or so)... then he was fighting to keep the bottle from zooming forward and smashing while he braked hard.

ALF

I love stories like that. If people only knew half the ridiculous stuff that goes on up there!

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I love stories like that. If people only knew half the ridiculous stuff that goes on up there!

It's a darn good thing people don't know a lot of what happens in the cockpit... load factors would be way down! :woot.gif:

I have made some good progress with this one. I've assembled most everything, and am starting to work on the details and decals.

The canopy tubing is wonderful, but a bear to put together. The DACO set provides one of the best features that the Hasegawa 1/32 kit had, the ECS tubing inside the canopy. It was a long and finicky process to get it all together.

First step was to glue the first bits together, and wait for them to dry. The tubes come in 4 pieces, and I had to prop them up to ensure they dried OK at each step.

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Next step was to emulate the inside-canopy whitish grey strips. I used masking tape for this, and did the canopy silver with a Pilot metallic pen. I had to redo this to get rid of the flecks of plastic that had stuck to the masking tape. This is the rear canopy segment. I did the same to the opening portion where the tubing will go.

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Now the tubing was installed. I just need to touch up the borders with black paint, and it will be ready.

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Here's the overall assembly so far. Ready for decals. Notice the DACO set also comes with the canopy jettison charges and emergency canopy-breaking knife. Who needs resin when DACO provides such a great add-on set?

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More progress soon, as I get the decals on. Another bonus is that the DACO set comes with a pitot boom, so I will make 2 and be able to replace one that broke off another 104 kit I made years ago.

ALF

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Looks excellent ALF. I think this is one of your finest works to date. I really like the finish you've achieved so far. I car hardly wait to see it all "stickied up" as Teri would say.

Nice work chum.

Mike

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  • 2 weeks later...

Calling this one finished. Decals are on. The DACO set has really made a difference, especially in the wings and horizontal stabilizer detail, as well as the cockpit area (ECS tubing and the canopy jettison pistons and break-out knife).

It was a nice sunny day; Max the dog is mildly interested but mostly just wondering why I am not lying in the sun like him. Sometimes I wonder who is smarter!

I applied Future all over with a brush before decalling, and again afterward to seal them. It has not altered the appearance of the Alclad finish at all.

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Thanks for the constructive criticism, and I hope my experience with Alclad has been helpful. I've finally licked this beast. Now considering doing a Mirage III in either French or Australian AF colours, natural metal. Not sure if I have time before the end of the GB, but maybe...

ALF

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Hi Alf and all others watching this forum, I have some latest news about my sets: the Sea Container full with the Starfighter Improvement Sets has left the tooling factory in China and is now on its way towards Belgium...

Danny Coremans

DACO Products

http://ultra.glo.be/daco

http://www.dacoproducts.com ( --> soon online with shopping basket)

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Hi Alf and all others watching this forum, I have some latest news about my sets: the Sea Container full with the Starfighter Improvement Sets has left the tooling factory in China and is now on its way towards Belgium...

Danny Coremans

DACO Products

http://ultra.glo.be/daco

http://www.dacoproducts.com ( --> soon online with shopping basket)

Great news, Danny!

Your set is fantastic. I'm happy to have gotten a few pre-production partial versions. I'll check to see when I can get a full version on your site.

EDITED: I forgot to mention just how happy I was with the beautiful fit of the DACO wings. This kit has great-fitting wings that come with it; Danny's set is just as good as the kit wings for fit. After struggling and cursing with many resin improvement sets lately, this styrene upgrade set was a dream to work with.

ALF

Edited by ALF18
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Is it too late to get your tip tank fins to be in parallel with the wing ??

Tony

Those Hasegawa tanks are hard to get right. They often don't sit true with the fins parallel to the wing.

Too tough to fix; 99% of those who will look at the model have no clue it's not right. If I try to fix it, it will look like heck. So it's staying that way.

Thanks for your comment anyway.

ALF

Edited by ALF18
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ALF,

Excellent work my friend. The finish is terrific. Your perseverance has paid off nicely. The multi shading gives a great air of reality to the subject. Too bad about the wing tank fit. I'll watch for that when I finish mine up.

Great job! :thumbsup:

Mike

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Alf, your kit is too good to live with that left tank, let me know if you need a complete new fuel tank and I will ship for free.

Paolo

That is a truly wonderful offer. I will try to fix it myself, though. I have a couple ideas.

ALF

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ALF,

Excellent work my friend. The finish is terrific. Your perseverance has paid off nicely. The multi shading gives a great air of reality to the subject. Too bad about the wing tank fit. I'll watch for that when I finish mine up.

Great job! :thumbsup:/>

Mike

:wub: :thumbsup:

Thanks Mike! I am not perfect, but I was very pleased with the results.

ALF

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