What the ZELL? Part Zwei. Revell 1/48 F-104 converted into a Luftwaffe F-104 ZeLL Launch System "FINISHED!"

[LorenSharp]

Welp, Since I had  already done a ZeLL F-84 Launch System, I wanted to do the Luftwaffe's version. One of these days I'll get around to doing he F-100 and make a complete set but that is for another GB. SO here's what I gots...

 A Basic Revell F-104 and a Hannants F-104 Collection Pt 2 with mid-60's Luftwaffe markings. I'll have to build Print out the launcher, disposable RATO, display base, and ladder. Thankfully The Luftwaffe's launchers were stationary rather than mobile. This should be a straightforward and pleasantly easy build( as you hear in the background an evil disembodied chuckle saying.... "wanna bet?") So let's light this sucker and see how she flies.

[Marklo]

Welcome to the GB.

 

I’m going to cite the Mrs Doyle explanation here

 

 

 

[LorenSharp]

Well in deference to Mrs. Doyle, Time to see what "misery" awaits, Hopefully not the Stephen King kind. This Monogram kit is an Ooollld one. Detail and fit.... Meh. More like an eastern European limited kit release, with out the soft plastic.. I got an Eduard P'E set for the cockpit. It's for the Hasagawa kit but it "should" do.

There, Close enough for Govt work Half-You-Know-What to pass

Though this aircraft eventually will be on a launcher, I didn't want a tail sitter in the meantime. So a little bit of BB shot for the nose. 5-6g should do the trick.

[LorenSharp]

Next installation of the office into the fuselage and carefully trying to get the halves to line up. Some warping and a bit of obstinance on the kits part but eventually after a try or three I got them to co-operate.

THe rest.... not so co-operative. Time to break out the big tube o' filler.

[LorenSharp]

First though, some masking.

Then some filler. Ill let this dry over night and then begin the sanding and clean up work before painting can commence. More to come.

[reini]

@LorenSharp Sanding & clean up is not the most fun part of modelling - but after you've done that,  you're in a good phase with your build  Looking good!

[LorenSharp]

9 hours ago, reini said:

@LorenSharp Sanding & clean up is not the most fun part of modelling - but after you've done that,  you're in a good phase with your build  Looking good!

 

It doesn't help with the age of the kit, the moulds must be in atrocious shape with all the flash and ill fitting parts. but it is starting to sort itself out. Bondo, or 3M glazing compound is my friend.

[LorenSharp]

After  lot of cleaning and sanding, and refilling and sanding, the usual wash, rinse, repeat. I now have a somewhat fairly decent looking F_104. As long as you don't look too closely, that is,

Now for the paint job.

 

Over the course of several days, letting each shade cure thoroughly before masking and adding the next shade.

The top camo is MRP Basalt Grey and Hataka Orange Line  Yellow Olive RAL6014. The bottom I painted Mig-Ammo Light Ghost Grey and the orange stripe  is a base colour of Tamiya white followed with Polly Scale Reefer Orange.

Then after drying I added the wheels. I still have to paint the anti-glare  panel and few other bits then I'll add the decals.

[LorenSharp]

Now for the Pintables. These took longer than anything else. Not from a design aspect but getting the prints to print right.

First the base. Due to the size of the base I split it into 4 pieces,

Some warpage  did occur but I opted to using filler rather than re-printing because I'm low on resin at the moment. Not to worry though more is on order.

Not perfect but will look properly well used, even if it was only for a short time'

[LorenSharp]

Next the launch assembly, The platform and both legs.

A little wider than I was expecting, but I go with it.

[LorenSharp]

Then the last bits.

The booster cradle,

And the booster rocket along with the "Special Ordinance"

Slow but sure its coming along. More to come.....

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Any interest in selling these ZELL launchers, either for the 104 or F-84 ? I think a few people might be interested. Id like to do at least one, though I may use it for WHIF aircraft. Possibly a F-91 Thunderceptor. It might look good on one. 

[LorenSharp]

These still need a lot of work to get the prints right and they do take a bunch of resin . Maybe one day I'll get them good enough to offer for sale but I'd need a whole different set-up to start doing these commercially and more hours in the day.. And before anyone asks, I unfortunately don't share the STL's because I've had problems in the past with posting stuff online like this and other models, and then seeing them beingsold by someone else who is taking the credit and the money for the work. Unless you're willing to fight for the copyright and THAT"S expensive, you lose all claim. Such unfortunately is the state of the world nowadays. But on a happier note Dennis, at least the F-104 system is available by others.

 

https://www.scaleplanes.net/en/PRODUCTS/F104G-ZELL/

https://www.ebay.com/itm/356070823928

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Oh I was referring to just the launchers. The bases I presumed could be made by the end user. Though I get what you're saying so will wait patiently in the wings until its more possible. 

[LorenSharp]

Well after many "1 step forward, 5 steps back", not the least of which just as I'm ready to post all the images of work up to this point, my SD card decided to fail. That ment spending several hours yesterday in recovery mode. Unfortunately I only recovered 60% almost none of the WIP except for a few images. So here we go with an "annotated ending....

[LorenSharp]

After re-adjusting sizes and cleaning up I finally got the base painted and the launcher rail painrted and attached to the base

A base coat of light gray then some darker gray shades to add some textureD look to the concrete. The rails I gave a base coat of gloss black the after those dried a coat of AlcladII Stainless Steel and a dark wash for good measure.

[LorenSharp]

Then added the "Special Ordinance" to the F-104 and added the decals. The kit decals due to advanced age didn't want to come off the carrier film as easliy as I would have lked but I got most of the sinage and warning placards added.

The canopy aassembly. The windscreen didn't want to fit properly with the gunsight coaming in place. I eneded up attaching the windscreen first then trimmed the coaming way down enough to slip it in under the windscreen, unfortunately I couldn't add the gunsight recticle. Not enough room.

Once the decals were dry I gave everyting a coat of clear flat.

[LorenSharp]

Fianlly getting the last of the other bits printed and painted.

The launch booster and rail attachment

And of course the boarding ladder."It would be rather hard to get on board with out it I would think"

[LorenSharp]

Which leave me with this final result...

One thing  I hadn't concidered when building the F-104 was the nose weight. I probably shouldn't have added weight to the nose. Instead I should have added it to the back side behind the engine exhaust. The plane wouldn't stay in place with not only gluing to the launcher, but requiredgluing the ladder the the fuselage side for extra support in keeping everything in place and at the proper angle. I wasn't too ahppy with that, I wanted to be able to store in a smaller space if the need arised. But there you have it, one  more ZeLL for the shelf. Now I REALLY need to make more room.

 

I want to Thank @Marklo and  @Enzo the Magnificent for putting on one heck of a STGB. I would have liked to have done another more "traditional" F-104, but time and other projects aren't going allow me any thime to do one properly. So that,or those, I had several good ideas,will have to wait for another rainy day. I'll have the  RFI in the GAllery momentarilly. But until next time, Be safe, Be healthy, and Model On!

[Marklo]

3 hours ago, LorenSharp said:

I would have liked to have done another more "traditional" F-104, but time and other projects aren't going allow me any thime to do one properly

Oh I don’t know there’s three weeks left plus the potential of an extension. They could have built a real Starfighter in that time. No only kidding. The finished build looks amazing, just leaves me wondering what kind of a maniac would actually get into one…

[LorenSharp]

5 minutes ago, Marklo said:

, just leaves me wondering what kind of a maniac would actually get into one…

Eldon "Ed" W. Brown Jr. Lockheed Test pilot for the F-104 Zell System.  To quote  Mr.Brown,“All I did was push the rocket booster button and sit back. The plane was on its own for the first few seconds and then I took over. I was surprised at the smoothness, even smoother than a steam catapult launch from an aircraft carrier.” But by the end of the test program at Edwards and later in Germany after eight launches here and a further 6 there. the project was abandoned. Though a successful test program it was deemed un-necessary because of other technical advancments with medium range missiles which were cheaper to use and maintain.

 

Thanks Marklo. I'm glad you liked my little offering. MY biggest disappointment with the build was the aircraft kit itself. This had to be the worst Monogram/Revell kit I've ever come across. I have an OLD hawk kit, and I think it might have gone together better.When I get around to building another one, I'll go with either a Hasagawa or one of the Kinetic kits.

[LorenSharp]

Right now I have either 4 or 5 builds I need to complete before the beginning of July for both the Vietnam GB and the Mosquito GB. followed by an A-10, an F-111C and maybe a Vultee Vengence by the beginning of August then prep for the B-24 STGB i head in Sept. Not to mention finding time and space to continue on with oversized NB-52A and X-15 which has stalled. I seem to be busier than a one-armed paper hanger.which s what I didn't want to do.But Inspiraion and insanity anda dose of AD/HD know no Master.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

6 hours ago, LorenSharp said:

The launch booster and rail attachment

And of course the boarding ladder."It would be rather hard to get on board with out it I would think"

I always assumed the pilot would mount then the plane would be raised into position ? I never thought they’d have to climb 20’-25’ and climb in. 
 

1 hour ago, LorenSharp said:

Eldon "Ed" W. Brown Jr. Lockheed Test pilot for the F-104 Zell System.  To quote  Mr.Brown,“All I did was push the rocket booster button and sit back. The plane was on its own for the first few seconds and then I took over. I was surprised at the smoothness, even smoother than a steam catapult launch from an aircraft carrier.” But by the end of the test program at Edwards and later in Germany after eight launches here and a further 6 there. the project was abandoned. Though a successful test program it was deemed un-necessary because of other technical advancments with medium range missiles which were cheaper to use and maintain.

Thats a shame, I would think a point interceptor or air to ground missions would be another option for the ZELL aircraft ? For strike mission’s you could but bullpup’s or maverick’s, cluster munitions, rocket pods, or even tactical nukes as ordnance. These could all have been used for small local strikes and played hell over the Fulda gap

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulda_Gap

 

 

[LorenSharp]

Hopefully he wasn't afraid of heights

[MrB17]

My hat’s off to you for turning the Revell kit into a real masterpiece! This is an amazing build and quite unique as well. I like the splash of orange on the camouflage, really sets it off.

 

Cheers

 

Jeff