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Finished F-104 "ZELL" Starfighter


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Well here she is my latest creation. "ZELL" meaning Zero Length Launch. It was tested in the early 60s as a means of not depending on always having a runway.

I scratch built the rocket and the rocket to AC rigging. I add several wires and a fuel tank as on the real AC. I also exstended the front nose gear and added tubing to the inside of the canopie. I also added the Zell controler to the left side of the cockpit.

This was my first attempt at pre-shading and Im not to upset with the results. I painted the entire model with MM enamels and used most of the kits decals. The numbers on the side were made on my computor. The entire AC was clear coated in my favorite, Humbrol Matt Finish.

Sorry I almost forgot. This is a Hasagawa 1/48 Bavarian kit. Hope you all enjoy it.

Trevor Murphy

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Interesting aircraft and beautiful model !

P.S. How does the pilot climb into the cockpit? :)

well basicly they had a gigantic ladde next to it the pilot climbed in and voila lift off was next.

however what struck me was that the whole concept of this was they would store these jets on a rocket somewhere and then after they where bombed(nuked whatever) they would role them out and launch them however where would you find a ladder when everything is blasted in to the oblivian? :blink:

greetz STB

frederick jacobs

and yes it is a verry nice build good job and im sure this is a first here.

good choice mate well done :cheers:

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AWESOME!!!! :thumbsup::cheers::worship: :worship:

Now you just gotta build the tractor-trailer that would've towed these things around the countryside until they were launched!!!

(In reply to the earlier question about the how the pilot got into the cockpit... IIRC, The Plan was to mount these on tractor-trailer transporters. The aircraft would've been carried at a normal on-the-ground attitude, then raised hydraulically into nose-up the launch position before the rocket fired. I think the idea was originally tested with an F-84.)

Curtis

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Did they actually mount them with the gear down?

Yes, they did:

http://www.pioneer.net/~fitzrr/zell.jpg

http://www.bw-flyer.de/neu/geschwader/luft...abog32/zell.jpg

http://www.b-domke.de/AviationImages/F104ZELL.html

Thundervett: really great work!! :cheers:

You mentioned adding the fuel tanks, but you forgot the fact you also added the mockup nuclear bomb to the centerline pylon :blink:

EDIT: I fond a link to a quicktime video: http://www.airandspacemagazine.com/ASM/Web...F104Launch.html

Edited by Markus_H_P
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Thanks everyone for your kind words. \Im sorry I wasnt able to return your replies earlier. I have been working out of town and didnt have internet access. I beleive most of your questions have already been answered by other ARCer already. Thanks for showing so much interest in this project and I hope to see a lot of you at the Nats.

Thanks again Trevor Murphy

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