1:48 F-104C Wheels

CMK 1:48 F-104C Wheels - a resin wheel set

This is not an airplane kit but an accessory for a model. The set replaces the wheels from the plastic box with more accurately cast resin parts in 1:48. Casting in a silicone mold allows a finer tread pattern, crisper hub detail and a cleaner transition between tire and rim than injection-molded plastic can manage. The manufacturer is CMK, a Czech brand of modeling accessories.

The real subject

The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is a single-engine supersonic aircraft with a very slender fuselage and short trapezoidal wings. The F-104C version served with the US Air Force as a fighter-bomber variant equipped for air-to-air refueling. The landing gear on the Starfighter is slender and the wheels stay clearly visible on a finished model, so the quality of the casting shows immediately.

Usage tips

First wash the parts in lukewarm water with detergent; this removes any mold release agent on which paint would not hold. Cut the casting blocks off with a saw or a sharp cutter, do not snap them. Sand wet and with airway protection, as resin dust is very fine. The parts are bonded with cyanoacrylate glue; ordinary cement for plastic will not bond resin. Apply a primer before painting and mask the tire and the hub separately; the cleanest result comes from spraying with an airbrush.

Who the set is for

• modelers building the Starfighter in 1:48 who want a more convincing landing gear
• more experienced builders with resin and cyanoacrylate glue behind them
• builders of competition and display models, where detail is judged
• those looking for a quick improvement without touching the structure of the model

The set is an accessory, not a kit in its own right. The base model, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise. We recommend checking that the parts match your particular kit before buying.