Eduard Eduard F-104C Exterior Set for Italeri kit

[One-Oh-Four]

Eduard F-104C Exterior set for Italeri kit.

Product number 32 363.

Available from many online stores or directly from Eduard for €18,75.

 

 

This set is practically the same as the Exterior set for the F-104G. The big difference is that you get an extra PE fret for the same price as the sole fret in the F-104 G set. That second fret contains details for the Mk117 bombs, the AIM-9B Sidewinders as well as the Sidewinder launchers and wing pylons in the bombing configuration.

 

 

The main fret basically contains parts for new airbrakes and details for the airbrake wells. The airbrakes are pretty involved assemblies, requiring the builder to add a rib-pattern with a ball-point or similar and the build up the brake from an outer part, inner part and several ribs. It has the potential to look stunning, but be sure to use a quality folding tool to get nice straight lines. Remember also that when parked, the F-104’s airbrakes were usually closed, they were only opened for inspection, maintenance and during the start-up procedure. The rest of this set provides some details for the tailhook, the underside of the centerline pylon, parts for the flameholder of the afterburner, a small part for the gun aperture that doesn’t add much in my opinion and some panels that you are supposed to glue on top of the aircraft “skin”. Although these panels can be seen on photos of the Starfighter, they don’t stand proud of the rest of the skin. I wouldn’t bother unless you’ll try try to fit the spine panels 25 and 11 in the spine. In that case you’ll heve better defined details than the soft kit panellines. What is indeed a useful detail is part 34, on the real aircraft that is a reinforcement panel on the dragchute housing. During every landing that housing opens downward and “scrapes” the tailhook!

 

Click here to view the instructions.

 

It is a nice set, for sure, but in my opinion only the airbrake parts make it stand out, and as noted above, those were usually closed during daily operations. If you have the F-104G kit, I'd buy this set instead of the dedicated F-104G set as it isn't that dedicated and this set gives you extra details for the same price.

 

Because a lot of the parts in this set aren't a clear cut enhancement to the base kit in my opinion I will give this set only a:

 

Recommended

 

 

I'd like to thank Eduard for providing the review sample