1:48 F-104S/G Starfighter exhaust nozzle

F-104S/G Starfighter exhaust nozzle 1:48 (Aires)

A resin exhaust nozzle set from Aires Hobby Models for a plastic kit of the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter in the S and G versions in 1:48 scale. It replaces the end of the fuselage behind the engine, where plastic kits usually offer only a thick-walled part with coarsely hinted petals. The resin casting has thin edges and finely rendered nozzle segments. It is not a standalone model, but an accessory to a base kit.

The real subject

The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is a single-engine supersonic aircraft with a very thin wing of small span, powered by one turbojet with an afterburner. The G version was built under license for a number of European operators as well, while the S version came about in Italian production as a later development of the same design. Given the slender fuselage, the nozzle on this type is a visually prominent end to the model.

Building and painting tips

Wash the resin parts in warm water with detergent and rid them of release agent residue. Cut the casting block off with a saw and sand the cut wet and with respiratory protection. It is glued with cyanoacrylate. Paint the nozzle as metal: a smooth dark base, metallic paint over it and shading of the individual facets, so that the surface does not look uniform. Stir the metallic paint thoroughly, as the pigment settles to the bottom, and apply it at the very end of the build. Create the heat discoloration around the trailing rim with several very thin glazes rather than one heavy coat. Try the part dry before gluing; the transition to the plastic fuselage is usually fine-tuned by sanding.

Who the set is for

• For modelers building the F-104 in 1:48 scale
• For builders who are not satisfied with a thick, simplified plastic nozzle part
• For competition models, where the rear of the aircraft is clearly visible
• For modelers with experience of resin and metallic paints

This is an accessory, not a kit of an aircraft. The base model, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise. Please make sure beforehand that the set matches the kit you want to build.