In trying to uncomplicate my life, I am finding myself picking up kits that are less complex, and choosing paint schemes that are less labor. I just picked up a Revell of Brazil (Kiko) F-104C/G, expecting that since there was a relationship between Revell and Monogram, this would be a rebox of the Mongram kit. It is not. From what I can tell, it appears to be an ESCI rebox. Has anyone built this kit, and have any observations? Is it better or worse than the Monogram kit? I plan on doing it as a Danish Air Force (told you I was going for simpler paint schemes) F-104G, and it won’t get within ten miles of a contest.
Thanks,
JR
Revel manufactured their own F-104 C long before the merger of the two companies. I recall that the kit was a nice kit with very few building issues. The only issue I found was the soft plastic required a lot of preparation for a NMF. There are significant differences between (external physical) the C and the G.
As far as I know the Revell kit was not a “re-box” of any other manufacturer, but that does not mean that the kit you bought is not a reboxed kit. The manufacturers have been re-boxing each others kits with great frequency as of late.
Ranjerj,
This kit has fuselage split vertically, and has both the long “G” and short “C” tail. The gun bay can be displayed open to show the M61 Vulcan cannon, and it has a pretty bad cockpit - the seatback and headrest are molded into the aft cockpit bulkhead, while the seat cushion is molded into the cockpit floor. The instrument panel is molded in clear and has a decal sheet that is palced on the back of the clear panel to duplicate the instruments. Does this jive with what you know about the old Revell issue C model?
Thanks again,
JR
I forgot about the two tails, and yes it does sound like the Revell kit I built. That kit goes back to the late 70s or early 80s. The Monogram kit does not have the two tails. I think the Monogram kit has a nicer cockpit and a little more detail, but the Revell kit is OK. The best so far for an F-104 kit is the Hasagawa kit. I love the Starfighter so I bought every variation Hasagawa has released so far. The Greek F-104 with the Mt. Olympus paint scheme is on my “to do” list. Then there is the Canadian Red Indian, then a NMF, and then the German Bavaria paint scheme. I’m going to use after market cockpits and wheel wells by Aries.
My uncle is an USAF pilot (retired) and flew F-104s for a short time. He says it is a fighter pilots airplane, but that you cannot let it get ahead of you for a second as it is very unforgiving. At the main gate to the Air Force Museum in Dayton Ohio there is an F-104 on a pylon as a gate gaurd. This is a fitting tribute to “The Missle with the Man in it”.