Fiddlers Green CF-104 repaint project

[avro202]

This is one of those things I have been meaning to do since FG released the F-104. I would like to try my hand at repainting it as a early CF-104 with RCAF markings and the old Canadian flag on the tail. So far, I think its looking OK (as far as I can tell just looking at the computer screen). But after looking at the few books I have, and scouring the net, I still have one problem- I am not sure what the horizontal stab should be. The wings would be, I think, white, and I *think* the horizontal stab should be too, but it seems awfully hard to find pictures that show it at the right angle to see exactly what the colour would be. I have seen some image with it in red, but I prefered to do a repaint without a red one.

So, the question I have for those with more knowlege than me is, should it have a brushed silver look, or a white finish?

[Ron0909]

I grew up on RCAF bases in Germany where we had Cf-104's. I specifically remember when all of those wonderful aircraft went from silver (bare aluminum alloy I'm thinking) to ugly NATO green. The wings were always a curiosity to me as a boy because I couldn't see how something so small and razor thin could keep that rocket in flight! The ones we had were all silver from what I could remember...the drop tanks I don't recall. I did see a Tiger Meet '104 once which really had me excited! Those were the days :) Beautiful repaint by the way! I started on a repaint of the GPM kit at one point and as usual got distracted
Ron

[Hi-Torque]

Hello,

Maybe here: F-104 Starfighters - all produced types (http://www.i-f-s.nl/index12.htm) shows white stab just after delivery from USAF.

Or here history of CAF CF-104's http://www.427squadron.com/pdf_files/cf104.pdf Shows both red and white.

Regards,

Cris

[airdave]

White Wings and Red Horiz. Stabilizer (just like my Stomprocket repaint)

http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs27/i/2008/072/d/8/Freedom_Fighter___RCAF_by_Stargazer_Gemini.jpg

http://www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/v2/equip/resrc/images/hst/l-g/1043.jpg

[k5083]

The definitive source on this is Pat Martin's "Royal Canadian Air Force Finish and Markings 1947-1968" and the answer is, it depends.

Original 1961 scheme was natural metal fuselage, white on top of the wings, gray underneath the wings, with natural metal stabs. In 1963 the stabs on Canada-based aircraft were repainted fluorescent red-orange top and bottom. Note that this color is brighter than the insignia red of the ensign and that that the stabs were never painted insignia red. Europe-based aircraft were changed to white stabs and were never red.

The tip tanks were painted fluorescent red-orange only on the 2-seater CF-104D variant, not on the single seaters, as you can see by the two shots Dave posted.

August

[avro202]

Thanks all! That helps a lot.

[avro202]

I had read that before- about only the two seaters using the red tip tanks. But a picture I recently found seems to show that the single seaters sometimes did fly with those bright neon tanks! :)

[mchale]

how about the one from that star trek tos episode

[k5083]

I had read that before- about only the two seaters using the red tip tanks. But a picture I recently found seems to show that the single seaters sometimes did fly with those bright neon tanks! :)

Yup, there you go. Of course the tanks were interchangeable so this might happen sometimes. It looks like the silver tank in the foreground even has a few replacement panels from a red one. The 104s were mostly based in the cold far north where the erks were far from the bureaucrats and had more important things to worry about than which color tanks to use with which birds!

August

[avro202]

I got all the repainting done last night and printed it out. It printed out darker than it looks in Photoshop, but I think it will be OK. The main background is made up of two layers- the first is a texture I found that is actually for scifi spaceships.:) But when faded waaay back and with appropriate bluryness it looks a lot like different coloured gray panels and lines. The second layer is made up of a customized gradient of white and black horizontal streaks. I was inspired by Airdave's amazing P-51 collection when I made this background up. I have no idea how he made up the metal finish on those, but I think I have been able to come up with a suitable simulation of it! Mine may be too heavy, but the only way to find out for sure is build it and see.

This is a big model; 7 pages. I just checked and the scale is 1:35!

Here is a small jpeg of part of page 2. I hope to start cutting and pasting tonight or at least over the weekend.

[k5083]

Very nice metal effect, not overdone at all and I like the varied metal panels.

It is so pretty that I hate to pick nits, but I can't resist. Note from the photo you posted yesterday that the right side should read 701-RCAF, not RCAF-701. Also, a more accurate font for all of the lettering than the one you used is the one called "RCAF_60O_ATH (http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/forums/downloads/military-fonts/19/rcaf_60o_ath-78/)" available at Simmers Paint Shop Forums - Downloads - Military Fonts (http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/forums/dlcat-military-fonts-19/).

[avro202]

Fixed it. Thanks.

[avro202]

Hi all:

I finaly managed to get back to this project. I have now done one test printing and tonight I did a very quick test build. As you can see from the second photo, the markings under the canopy don't line up properly. The rest look pretty good. The photos are a bit crappy because our digital camera has a problem with the flash, so sorry about that.

Next I have to try to get the RCAF markings under the canopy lined up and then I can do a serious attempt at a nice build. I really messed up the canopy itself on this one, but since it was largely a test it doesnt matter. I will have to think if I want to add more detail to the landing gear, which is a bit simple right now.

Onwards!

[willygoat]

Coming along well Tim. From the looks of it, you only need to adjust one side of the markings under of the canopy a few millimeters. I could hardly tell at first what you were talking about.

[avro202]

Thanks. The markings on the other side are worse and need more adjusting than the side I took a picture of.

I am debating whether I should try using glossy brochure paper for the next one. It would help make the details I added stand out more, but the paper is thinner and with a model this large thicker paper is better. I think I will try it anyway.

BTW, I just realized there was a seperate "recolors" section under the designers corner area. I should have started this thread over there. If anyone knows how to move a thread please feel free to send it over to the Recolors section.

[Famous Dave]

Very Pretty. A beautiful aircraft and a wonderful model. I always loved the 104 and you have done an awesome job with this one. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Dave

[HMCS]

great job avro!,.. looking real good!
I wouldnt get too caught up on the tank issue,.. i alot of pilots changed things on their planes,.. for instance on som pics you see two drop tanks on voodoo's,.. that pilots used for transcontinental flight but they realized that they used up more fuel because of the extra drag,.. so instead they just used one tank which got them just as far with fuel to spare

[HMCS]

nice font find K5083! I am going to use that for my cartoony CF-5D Freedom Fighter

[Alcides]

I just found this thread and I think you're doing a great job. Really looks great the "metal" finish on the model.