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439 Squadron Tiger Meet 1976 CF-104


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Hi folks. This is one I was going to build for the Starfish GB at first, but two things conspired to change my mind:

1. I ran out of time on that GB, but more importantly

2. I absolutely had to participate in a Tiger GB.

I am using the 1/48 Hasegawa kit. Unlike my good buddy AX_365, I lack the guts and the perseverance to attempt application of lipstick on a pig... I was going to use the Revellogram kit, but I wanted to do a decent job on this bird, so I went with the tried and true Hasegawa.

The version I picked of that kit is a boxing that comes with CF-104 Tactical Air Meet decals. Here is the box:

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Why this kit, you ask? Especially, why not build the beautiful version of the CF-104 depicted on the box? One look at the decals makes it clear why that is not going to happen.

The Maple Leaves (all of them) are absolutely terrible! Not even close to the right shape.

Having said that, I looked at the tail flashes (white/red with Maple leaves on them), and thought for a millisecond that they could be usable, and that maybe I could create an earlier TAM version (from 1974) that I saw fly around Baden a lot when I was a kid. Nope. Far too much yellowing on the white background.

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That is why I am using this kit for a Tiger build. And here is why the Tiger CF-104 is very special to me. Here is my late father, when he flew the CF-104 with 439 Squadron in Baden. I learned to love Tiger squadrons then, and always will. He flew the aircraft I am building, when it was done up in the 1976 Tiger Meet scheme.

DadCF-104heroshotscan001_zps74303283.jpg

More very soon - have to watch TV!

ALF

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Welcome to the NTM GB! I would also go with the choice of the Hase Zipper, I would buy the Revell F-104G only when cheap (less than 10€) and the boxing with the belgian Tiger. I would do that only because of the decals (the left over plastic could serve as a training kit for my son).

The Starfighter was one of the iconic aircrafts of my youth, seeing low flying jets almost every day. I remember to identify one as a canadian one, that guy was really low. Had already the one tone green camo. But I m sorry, I forgot the color of the pilot's eyes! ;-) :cheers:

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Welcome to the NTM GB! I would also go with the choice of the Hase Zipper, I would buy the Revell F-104G only when cheap (less than 10€) and the boxing with the belgian Tiger. I would do that only because of the decals (the left over plastic could serve as a training kit for my son).

The Starfighter was one of the iconic aircrafts of my youth, seeing low flying jets almost every day. I remember to identify one as a canadian one, that guy was really low. Had already the one tone green camo. But I m sorry, I forgot the color of the pilot's eyes! ;-) :cheers:/>/>

Prosit, Tobi! :cheers:/>

I have very fond memories of the Baden-Baden area. What part of Germany do you live in? We were there from 1972 to 1977. I have been back a few times since.

This is what the aircraft looked like at the 439 Dispersal (South Maragarite at CFB Baden). It was 439 Squadron Family Day. I took these pictures when I was about to leave for Military College, after finishing High School. I was fervently hoping I would end up back in Baden, flying these beautiful jets.

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Here are my parents at the far right, and the little girl in pink pants is my younger sister.

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Another good feature of this kit is that it came with these white metal RHAWR bulges. In 1976, 104756 Tiger had them. It's all coming together!

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I think I have built about 8 of these kits. It's like saying hi to an old friend. Thanks for fellow ARCer AX_365 (I thank him a lot!), I got some Tamiya XF-83 grey for the cockpit.

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I very quickly built up the cockpit. For the instrument panels, I am using the kit's decals. Lazy? Perhaps... :rolleyes:/>

Following hints from ARC members, I have decided to cut the main IP decals into 4 pieces, one for each of the different angles on the panel. After the paint dried, on went the decals. I was quite happy with the results. For the purists, of course, the arrangement of the instruments is not correct for a CF-104. Machts Nichts, as we said in Baden. :whistle:/>

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More soon.

ALF

Edited by ALF18
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I very quickly assembled the cockpit. This will be closed up; I will make it completely OOB with the exception of the decals.

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Tailpipes and wheels get a black coat.

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Over the black, I use this metallic Sharpie to do the silver for the wheel hubs.

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This kit goes together quickly, especially since I have built it so many times.

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MIP with cockpit coaming. This is one part where resin looks really nice, but I haven't bothered with resin for this kit.

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Everything is pretty much together for the cockpit. The dark green behind the seat needs some touching up.

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More soon.

Thanks for stopping by!

ALF

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I love your model building stories. My Dad only flew a desk. I flew a med kit. Necessary jobs true, but not a CF-104 or a Hornet.

Thanks, Shawn! :thumbsup:

As I grown older, I have learned to appreciate contributions from all walks of life. I find myself looking at these old photographs, and almost not believing I actually lived those things! Glad you enjoy the stories.

BTW, I lied. I am using the DACO sprues that have the wings, tail, and canopy details. Here is the DACO wing going together.

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Wings in the background (clamped), and fuselage mostly done. Landing gear next. I am going for Phantom-like speed on this build! :banana:

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Gear is drying. I put it upright so that the ventral fin would dry vertically, but without having to let the gear dry first.

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More later? Might have some time tonight.

ALF

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Great thread ALF. Thanks for the photos. I wasn't sure if the tiger stripes were on the underside of the horizontal stab. Now I know. :thumbsup: You're really motoring along. Phantom has got some serious competition here. :D

Keep at it buddy. I look forward to more progress.

And thank you for your kind words. Always willing to do what it takes to help a friend when I can.

Mike

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Lots of progress made, some good, some frustrating.

First, the good.

The assembly is fairly simple, and the kit is superb.

P1220963_zpsxofjhnlq.jpg

I paid attention to the angle of the fins on the tip tanks. The rear of each tank has a square slot, but care must be taken to make sure that the fins are aligned not to the ground, but to the down-sloping wing (anhedral). A simple twist of the rear portion ensures this is OK as I glue the rear in place.

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Underneath, everything goes nicely together, with minor gaps to be filled.

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I'll be closing up the cockpit, so I made sure to do some detail painting there at this stage.

P1220967_zpss0utuq7c.jpg

ALF

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I worked on the wheels, using some technique to ensure they look realistic. First, a coat of flat black Tamiya acrylic paint. I have not attempted (yet) to touch up the places where they were on the sprues as I painted the black. My focus is on the silver hub parts for now.

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I then used a silver Sharpie to highlight the silver portions, to make them look suitably grimy with brake dust and other impurities. The main tires were simple, because the rims and tires are separate. Easy to get a nice demarcation.

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Here is the last stage of the "good" progress. Tamiya primer overall. I masked the canopy with many tiny bits of Tamiya tape.

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Now the problems have begun. My back-up airbrush (a $20 special) is no good in spraying acrylic paint. It comes out as a very fine mist, and the paint dries very quickly at the nozzle. Completely useless! After about 2 hours of off and on struggling, cleaning the brush tip over and over, I came up with this result. There are many areas that look greenish, because the grey primer is showing through all over. I have sent my main airbrush off to Badger for repair, but don't expect it back anytime soon.

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I went to my LHS and bought a can of Tamiya yellow spray paint. It produced wonderful results!

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I will let it sit for a couple days to fully dry, then will mask using 3M medical tape to prepare for the black stripes. I will use Belcher's Bits decals. They come with a nicely-detailed drawing and decal guide. I'll also use my pictures of the real aircraft to ensure I get it fairly accurate.

P1220972_zpsa8q597de.jpg

Thanks for stopping by!

ALF

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Hello Alf,

sorry to reply that late but work and other schedules kept me busy. Well, I come from the heart of Bavaria, about half way between Munich and Nuremberg. Near my home is located the JG 74 in Neuburg/Donau and the WTD 61 (Test and evaluation). Also Eurocopter in Donauworth is not too far. There it is maintainance for Seaking, Lynx, CH-53, Tiger helicopters. My town belongs to the low flight area 7. In cold war days it was quite busy in the air but nowadays it s calm. Some Typhoons from JG 74 or Tornados from Landsberg to see. Sometimes a C-160. No A-10, Alpha jet, Phantom, Starfighter any more...

So it was a rare event to see a Canadian in the sky!

Thank you for sharing your pics! This is inspiring for the GB ofc and gives your build a personal touch. Baden Söllingen is close to the french border and the black forest is also close. Must be a great region there! I have never been there yet, just passed by Karlsruhe on my way to spain many years ago.

So back to your topic: nice progress!! But i already worried when I read you primed grey. When topcoat will be yellow I always do white priming (Tamiya rattle can). Yellow is a demanding coat...needs a lot of paint usually.

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Hello Alf,

sorry to reply that late but work and other schedules kept me busy. Well, I come from the heart of Bavaria, about half way between Munich and Nuremberg. Near my home is located the JG 74 in Neuburg/Donau and the WTD 61 (Test and evaluation). Also Eurocopter in Donauworth is not too far. There it is maintainance for Seaking, Lynx, CH-53, Tiger helicopters. My town belongs to the low flight area 7. In cold war days it was quite busy in the air but nowadays it s calm. Some Typhoons from JG 74 or Tornados from Landsberg to see. Sometimes a C-160. No A-10, Alpha jet, Phantom, Starfighter any more...

So it was a rare event to see a Canadian in the sky!

Thank you for sharing your pics! This is inspiring for the GB ofc and gives your build a personal touch. Baden Söllingen is close to the french border and the black forest is also close. Must be a great region there! I have never been there yet, just passed by Karlsruhe on my way to spain many years ago.

So back to your topic: nice progress!! But i already worried when I read you primed grey. When topcoat will be yellow I always do white priming (Tamiya rattle can). Yellow is a demanding coat...needs a lot of paint usually.

Tobi

I definitely learned the hard way about the grey primer. I like the consistency (texture) of the grey primer better; the white is a bit flaky to me, but definitely the white is easier to paint over. Great advice.

Low Fly 7!!!!! When I was flying with 409 Squadron from Baden, it was fun to get an aircraft on a Friday afternoon and go trolling for "treat" (other aircraft to attack). Just go to Low Fly 7, call "Magic" or "Strawbasket", and have fun until BINGO fuel. That would have been around 1989 to 1990 or so... those were the days. This GB is definitely bringing back memories.

ALF

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Guten morgen, Herr ALF.

Very nice result with the rattle can yellow. I can notice the difference between colours in the two photos. You're right. The first attempt with the airbrush has a greenish tinge to it. The rattle can yellow is a more vibrant colour. Nice job. Will you wait until Badger returns your airbrush for the stripes or will you mask and rattle can the black? By the way, if you turn the page on those instructions (page 8), I'm doing the scheme at the bottom; 706 in 1983. That way I'll have all three colour birds form that year; 421, 439 and 441 Sqns.

Keep it up chum.

Mike

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Guten morgen, Herr ALF.

Very nice result with the rattle can yellow. I can notice the difference between colours in the two photos. You're right. The first attempt with the airbrush has a greenish tinge to it. The rattle can yellow is a more vibrant colour. Nice job. Will you wait until Badger returns your airbrush for the stripes or will you mask and rattle can the black? By the way, if you turn the page on those instructions (page 8), I'm doing the scheme at the bottom; 706 in 1983. That way I'll have all three colour birds form that year; 421, 439 and 441 Sqns.

Keep it up chum.

Mike

The plan is to mask and use a black rattle can. It's a noble aim you have, to create one of each of 1983's colour birds, but seriously? How can a toothbrush or a checkerboard compete with a TIGER?! :woot.gif:

I suppose if that's the squadron somebody was assigned to, it wasn't his fault. Tiger Tiger!

ALF

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...but seriously? How can a toothbrush or a checkerboard compete with a TIGER?! :woot.gif:

Once the tiger finishes eating the checkerbird, he'll need a toothbrush to clean his fangs, no?

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Once the tiger finishes eating the checkerbird, he'll need a toothbrush to clean his fangs, no?

:worship::banana:

You got it, my friend!

Then the tiger's presence would be requested in the Habs' dressing room to motivate them into playing 3 solid periods of hockey, and stop quitting after the first like they did against your Sens!

ALF

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ALF,

I think a Centurion delivered the same message (that Fang would have dropped on the Habs last night) on Sunday night after the Sens pooped the bed in the third period against the Flames by giving up a four goal lead. Luckily the Sens pulled out the win. Hats off the Calgary though. Ottawa started to freewheel in the third and they had their lunch served to them by the Flames.

When it was Pacioretty 2 and Ottawa 0 at the end of the first, I thought it was done. Truth be told, I didn't think the Sens had it in them to come back like that, especially at La Centre Bell. Having said that, the Habs are in a well deserved play off spot and Ottawa is trying to pay catch up. Too little too late. I'd love to see them beat the Bruins too but that little twerp Marchand has been on a roll lately as has Rask. If the Sens had had any puck luck on Tuesday night (4 posts?), the result would have been different. But it wasn't. Hopefully they play the Bruins better on Thursday night. Her Nibs and I will be at that tilt.

Oh ya? How's the taping of the stripes coming along?

Mike

Edited by AX 365
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Progress is very slow, Mike. On hiatus for a few weeks or so, as I work on editing and translating text for Marc-André Valiquette's upcoming 439 squadron history book. He's a tough task-master. :rolleyes:

ALF

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  • 4 weeks later...

Things have been going slowly, and the latest news on this build is definitely not good. I taped everything up, which took a long time - I hate masking.

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I'm using AX_365's great tip about medical tape, combined with masking tape. With the primer, the yellow is hard as nails, so this is not where I had the problems.

I find myself going bug-eyed, trying to get it straight that where I see yellow is going to be black, and where I see tape is going to be yellow... especially hard when working only piecemeal at the job.

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My air brush is in the mail, or maybe chez Badger... who knows. No news on it. I sprayed with a black Tamiya spray bomb, in -15C weather outside (yes, winter was still here last week when I did this). Before removing the tape, it looks not too bad...

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But underneath, Dr Jekkyl has become Mr Hide! What a mess.

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My plan now is to scrape off the black from the yellow areas, mask the black, then spray Tamiya white primer over the whole mess, followed by more yellow. I have just been given an air brush (an old Badger single action one) by a colleague; he wants me to build two models for him, so this is payment. Related to the commission builds, this meant that I put the tiger 104 in a box for a few weeks, and I have started in on a CC-130E Hercules for my colleague. His father-in-law, a former Herc pilot, is now a doctor in Quebec City, and the Herc is for him. At least that one is overall dark grey, and painting with a single-action air brush will be super easy. Nice break from this frustration.

I will not give up! This beast can be tamed; just not right away. Watch for updates in about a month.

ALF

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Ya tuhan ku! That's a super-Murphy! That kicks fool...really...Don't give up! I recommend a wet fine sanding to remove the wrong black spots on the yellow. So probably the yellow there only gets thin and it is enough to spray these parts with yellow again and not to build up the complete painting - would give a rather thick layer!

I see what happened and have doubts about the medical tape. Better go with tamiya tape and/or blue tack masking.

But freehand is no option!? I guess the black overspray is too strong /hard on yellow!?

Don't loose the drive on that model, I would like to see it finished in the NTM GB! :cheers:

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