1:48 Lockheed TF-104 Startfighter wheel bay

The real subject

The Starfighter is an American supersonic aircraft with an unmistakable silhouette: a very slender fuselage, short thin wings and a horizontal tail set on top of the fin. The designation TF-104 belongs to the two-seat training version, in which the instructor sits behind the pupil and the cockpit is therefore considerably longer. The landing gear on this type is slender and the legs retract into fairly tight bays, so their interior is clearly visible on a model standing on its wheels.

What the set solves

In a kit the bay tends to be only a shallow box with a coarse relief, because the mold allows nothing finer. This accessory replaces it with a part of deeper and more intricate construction, in which the ribs, the lines and the walls can be made out. The difference shows precisely on a model built on its landing gear. Which parts of the bay the set covers and which kit it is cut for are given in the manufacturer's instructions, so before buying compare the information on the packaging with your own box.

Building tips

• the parts are not polystyrene and are bonded with super glue
• cut surplus material off with a sharp blade a little way from the part and sand the remainder down
• sand rather wet and protect yourself against inhaling the dust
• wash and degrease the parts before painting, otherwise the paint will not hold
• test the seating dry and remove material from the kit in small amounts

Terms of supply

What is supplied is an accessory to a model. The kit, paints and glue are not included in the delivery, unless stated otherwise.