MarkSH Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 Hi all, I've been looking forward to this, I will be indulging in a bit of kit bashing and a first attempt at foiling for a NMF + some home created and printed decals to boot. it could all go horribly wrong Anyway, the victim kit is Italeri's F-104 A/C Starfighter in 1/72. A fairly simple kit overall, but it'll need some chopping and changing to turn it (hopefully) into a NF-104A Aerospace Trainer which had extended wing tips, larger tail surface, a reaction control system in the nose and wings, modified intake cones, lengthened dorsal spine and nose sensor boom, in addition to a ruddy great rocket motor slapped on the back. I'm going to do it in-flight on a suitable display base with a pilot/astronaut figure snaffled from the Airfix Lunar Module kit. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 Sounds like a very interesting project, I look forward to seeing how it turns out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSH Posted November 5, 2017 Author Share Posted November 5, 2017 (edited) First task was to make a pilot for the trainer from an Astronaut figure from the Airfix Lunar Module set, there were some duplicates and the one on the left is how he started out (He's the Lunar Rover driver) anyway it wasn't that easy because they're molded out of plastic with the consistency of Playdoh that's nigh on impossible to sand or clean up. I've added some masking tape seat belts, a visor and a couple of suit valves. Edited January 9, 2018 by MarkSH re-instating photos 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSH Posted November 5, 2017 Author Share Posted November 5, 2017 (edited) One of the major additions is the AR2-3 Rocketdyne rocket motor also known as the LR121-NA-1 which was positioned at the base of the vertical tail as seen in the 1/72 scale plans contained in AIR FORCE LEGENDS NUMBER 204. The piece of plastic is actually one half of the kits wing tip tanks and its not too far off the required profile with a bit of judicious sanding it shouldn't look too bad. The cross section of the rocket motor housing is actually flat/ovalised so I've added some padding (2mm of plastic card to get the necessary width) Here is the rocket motor housing sanded and with the nozzle end detail added Edited January 9, 2018 by MarkSH photos reinstated 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planebuilder62 Posted November 5, 2017 Share Posted November 5, 2017 Wow, fantastic creativity. Makes me want to do the same to my Hasegawa Starfighter. Regards Toby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSH Posted November 5, 2017 Author Share Posted November 5, 2017 (edited) Hi folks, thanks for your comments, Just a little progress. The shaded area has to be cutaway to accommodate the rocket motor housing Test fit on first side before butchering the other. It will be blended in with filler top and bottom and at the front where the extended spine for the rocket motor control linkages meets the front of the housing. Both sides cutaway and glued with the extended tail and rudder section added ready to be blended in with filler and re-scribed. Quick test fit of the housing in the tail assembly. Cheers for now, Edited January 9, 2018 by MarkSH photos reinstated 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted November 6, 2017 Share Posted November 6, 2017 Great to see this version built here and great job you're doing. The NF-104 may have been built in small numbers but was a very important piece in the development of space flight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSH Posted November 8, 2017 Author Share Posted November 8, 2017 (edited) Hi All, Not much progress to report just some minor bits and pieces; Unfortunately Pilot Bod Mk.I didn't fit and suffered severe trauma whilst attempts were made to fit a square peg in a round hole hence the creation of Bod Mk. II who has had the major modifications and deletions performed prior to painting. The slightly unusual pose is the newbie pilot/astronaut experiencing micro gravity for the first time as he goes over the top at approx. 120,000 feet......that's my story and I sticking to it! if only Bod Mk. I had done the same!! I have also created the extended Sensor boom and sensors vanes, the extended air intake cones, and the first of the wing tip extensions which is quite delicate as there isn't much aerofoil section to glue it to, sanding it down to the correct profile will be a slow process I fear, I think for the other wing I will cut out the centre panel of the kit part wing tip and create a tab on the extension to provide a little more purchase. Finally for the time being I have installed the rather spartan cockpit, although with our miscreant astronaut in residence I don't think we'll be able to see that much. So that's it for now, probably won't get much more done this week and at least one day of the weekend will be spent in Telford, have good one! TTFN. Edited January 9, 2018 by MarkSH photos reinstated 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSH Posted November 14, 2017 Author Share Posted November 14, 2017 (edited) Small steps.... I have added the second wing extension, and as I previously suggested, this time I cut out the center panel of the kit part of course it's a bit thicker there so a little filler was required to blend the two pieces smoothly. The whole thing is a lot more solid, but the first effort appears to be holding up pretty well. The port wing has also had the top and bottom RCS ports added. The Rocket motor housing has been glued in place and blended into the tail and fuselage with small sausages of Milliput and an initial smoothing done with some alcohol and an old soft brush. Further fine sanding obviously required, but overall I'm happy with the representation, the spine extends all the way to the rocket motor housing in the NF104 A and this will be added and blended into the housing in a similar fashion when the tail assembly is fitted to the main fuselage. I think getting foil to conform to these and some of the other complex curves throughout the kit will be interesting, consequently I have just ordered some Bare-Metal foil which may prove easier to persuade into place. Cheers for now. Edited January 9, 2018 by MarkSH photos reinstated 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSH Posted November 19, 2017 Author Share Posted November 19, 2017 (edited) Hi folks, more mini tasks done; I have glued the rear fuselage assembly to the main fuselage and created the spine extension to the rocket motor housing and blended it in with filler Ive also added a couple of scoops (really not sure of their purpose) port & stbd., still more sanding and tidying up required. I have added some more plastic to the inlet cone area because of the extended inlet cones which need to be attached to the fuselage. I had a first go with some foiling and, well more practice required, maybe 1/72 is too small for this or I was just all fingers and thumbs on the day. Painted the jet nozzle; and knocked up the decal sheet; which will need some white decal or paint placed behind some of the badges. I've also include some basic representations for the nose RCS ports and some black anti-glare panels as the kit only has the olive coloured type. That's all for now TTFN. Edited January 9, 2018 by MarkSH photos reinstated 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSH Posted November 22, 2017 Author Share Posted November 22, 2017 Evening all, Finally got the wings on, not much to work with gluing surface wise so getting the dihedral right took a bit of fiddling; I eventually settled on the tried and tested method of squinting through one eye with some elevations in the background to make sure it was in the right ballpark of 10° Then I thought I'd try out the acrylic rod support and display stand for size, I have built in a 'socket' to the fuselage from scraps of plastic so the whole thing won't wobble about on the rod. The success of the model is now dependent on the foiling which is looming on the horizon. just a bit of surface prep, spray the wings and attach the canopy which has had a couple of dips in 'Klear' prior to gluing. The display stand in going to be gloss black with hopefully an engraved silver coloured nameplate (couple of quid off Ebay). Cheers for now. MSH 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirageiv Posted November 22, 2017 Share Posted November 22, 2017 Great conversion work so far and the in flight display will be awesome! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted November 24, 2017 Share Posted November 24, 2017 Fantastic job on this conversion ! I'm looking forward to the painted model now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSH Posted November 24, 2017 Author Share Posted November 24, 2017 Thanks Chaps, As I said it all hangs on the Foiling, I've prepared some discoloured strips using eggshells and they'll go on the tail end, hoping to prime & spray the wings today. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caerbannog Posted November 25, 2017 Share Posted November 25, 2017 Very nice build. Rene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSH Posted November 26, 2017 Author Share Posted November 26, 2017 Sprayed the wings as discussed in the F104 STGB reference thread, Primed and pre-shaded with Stynylrez Grey and Black, Tamiya Flat White XF-2 on top and XF-20 Medium Grey on the bottom. The gloss coat when they're cured properly will be Alclad Aqua Gloss. Not much else going on today, don't want to risk any Malbec induced ham-fistedness....so TTFN. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSH Posted December 4, 2017 Author Share Posted December 4, 2017 Hi all, Been a bit distracted over the last couple of weeks, but tonight I started to foil the NF-104 and boy is it taxing me to the limit already, fiddly or what!? hats off to the guys who get such fantastic results with this technique. I've got more foil stuck to my tweezers, scalpel and me than on the model! Anyway here's what I've managed to achieve in about three hours work, same on t'other side, trying to work symmetrically but varying the grain and type of foil, the finish date was 4th Feb 2019 right? Done the Tail plane as well, that's thin innit! not much for the foil glue to work with. You can tell I'm enjoying this can't you? What's the best way to seal the foil if at all? any ideas? Cheers for now and probably quite a while ;-) Mark. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 Looks great, and not 72nd!, I really have to trymoit this foiling tecnique!,, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Great start on foiling the surfaces ! Only tried this technique once and I remember how tired I was at the end... but the results can be great 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 I can see that this is going to be a little beauty when finished Cliff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSH Posted December 10, 2017 Author Share Posted December 10, 2017 (edited) Hi folks, Slow progress with the foiling, also added the sensor boom, intakes and canopy. The next thing on the whole succession of steep leaning curves is how to take a decent picky of a foiled model. I have tried a coat of Klear on the underside of the tail plane and it looks like it'll be ok as a seal with out ruining the NMF. Certainly learnt a lot about foiling but the main thing is the same as with all NMF techniques your preparation has to be really good. But as a first effort so far not to unhappy however maybe I'll stick with the less than perfect photos. Small update foiled the nose and canopy frame More later. Cheers, M Edited December 10, 2017 by MarkSH 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSH Posted December 11, 2017 Author Share Posted December 11, 2017 Another small bit of progress, getting the hot end done using some of the eggshell treated kitchen foil and some that had just been lightly 'brushed' with some P1500 wet'n'dry, doesn't look too bad but considering a light spray of Tamiya smoke to blend it all in and dull it down a bit. Cheers, M. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted December 12, 2017 Share Posted December 12, 2017 Interesting variations you're getting on the metal ! The darker tones in particular look very realistic on the tail. Taking pictures using a flash must be almost impossible on this model, that aluminum will sure reflect a lot 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSH Posted December 13, 2017 Author Share Posted December 13, 2017 Thanks Giorgio, I think I'll have to dig out the old Nikon and the tripod and wait for some decent weather to get any decent pictures but plenty to do before that including multiple great big greasy thumbprint removal!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franky boy Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 Great work with the foil Mark. I really must get around to trying this technique for myself. James 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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