1:48 Lockheed F-104J Starfighter LööK

The real subject

The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is among the most striking aircraft of the Cold War. A slender fuselage, short thin wings and a high-set horizontal tail surface make it a machine you will not mistake for anything else. The F-104J version was single-seat and served with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) as an interceptor; it is for a model of that version that this set is intended.

What the set offers

This is an accessory for the cockpit instrument panel, that is for the place most visible under an opened canopy and the one on which a finished model is judged. The item belongs to the LööK range by Eduard and is listed for 1:48 scale. The exact composition of the set, the number of parts and the recommended procedure are given in the manufacturer's instructions; from them you will also learn which parts of the original panel from the kit are removed before fitting.

Building tips

First clean up the seating surface in the kit and try the part dry, and only then seat it permanently. Cut the excess material away with a sharp blade a little away from the part and sand the remainder carefully. Before gluing, wash and degrease the surfaces so that the joint holds. Finish and check the cockpit before you glue the fuselage halves together, because once they are joined you can no longer reach the panel. Fit the cockpit canopy at the very end, so that it is not scratched during further work.

Who it is for

The set suits a modeler who is building the Starfighter in 1:48 scale and wants a cockpit more faithful than the base kit allows. The aircraft model itself, the paints and the glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.