I love group
builds. Really helps me decide what to build next......Why oh why is there
no VFA-31 or F-18E build yet??? Anyway, this time on the continuing
Starfighter parade are a couple operational birds. The first (silver) is
one of the original ones delivered to the Royal Canadian Air Force back in
the day. They stayed with AETE at Cold Lake until they were at long last
retired to make way for the Hornet. This Starfighter, 104704 is one of the
most photographed Starfighters out there. I really liked the partly cammed
tip tank. This plane also received a standard cam nose cone.
The model
itself lost its pitot tube during the build....Not able to find it I found
a MUCH superior replacement. A sewing needle. Going to use this little
option for now on. Also putty filed the main gun as 104704 did not have a
gun. (well as far as I could find out)
The decals are
from Leading edge, a great sheet which came with lots of options, in fact
both models shown here used the same sheet.
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images below to see larger images
The second model
is a TF-104G. Modified to become a CF-104D Mk2. New aftermarket seats,
filed down landing gear doors. Use of the "wrong" wheels
and tires according to instructions. Addition of tip tanks from a stash
Starfighter, filed down to look like underwing tanks. Painted in the
middle cam of 1970's style green with full colour markings.
The neat thing about
this model is the way it was removed from service. There is a multi thousand
word story in the Canadian Starfighter book. Makes me laugh every time.
But I am
not going to repeat the entire tail here.
Short version. 2,
441 squadron pilots took the life long hanger queen up. Wheel disintegrated
during take off. Plane going to fast. Hit the cable....but a wing tank BLEW
UP. The only thing that saved the crew was their speed. Unfortunately the other
tank started to leak.....causing the fire ball to follow.
Welllllllll...somehow
they got away from that, landing gear breaks. Skids to a stop, and the pilots
bail out.....Lucky they did, cause AETE found if they ejected at 0 knots....the
canopy would have gone straight up and then straight down...chopping the pilot
in half. (two seater only) Luckily both crew bailed out safely, but not before
the pilot forgot to unhook himself from the seat, where he promptly fell face
down in the dirt still attached to his bang seat.
Shawn
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images below to see larger images
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