1:48 Ladder for F-104

Plusmodel 1:48 ladder for the F-104

An accessory for modelers of aircraft in 1:48 scale from the Czech brand Plusmodel. It is not a model of the aircraft: it is a boarding ladder, that is ground equipment that is drawn up to a finished F-104 model and turns a static model into a scene from an airfield. The set is made up of several parts, comes unpainted, and a kit of the aircraft is not included in the package. Small in itself, it tells on the final impression of a display case more than its size would suggest.

The real subject

The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was a supersonic fighter with an exceptionally thin and short wing, for which the nickname missile with a man in it took hold. The cockpit sat high above the ground, so the pilot could only reach it up a ladder drawn alongside, and that ladder was standard equipment at every station. The aircraft served with a number of European air forces, among them those of Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, and it is on the European machines that the ground equipment is well documented.

Use

• clean the parts and assemble them dry, and only then glue
• draw the ladder up to the cockpit of the finished model and check the height at which it hangs
• paint it from photographs of the day; muted metal and high-visibility finishes are the usual ones
• suggest the wear with rubbing on the steps and rust at the joints
• add a piece of airfield surface under the ladder, and the scene gains its scale

The set is meant for modelers who want to add ground equipment to their aircraft. The kit of the aircraft, glue and paints are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.