The F-104 was one of the main fighters of Turkey for years. I will not write a brief history of the jet in TuAF service here, you can find many photos and details at http://turkhavakuvvetleri.tripod.com 

Here is a TF-104 G belongs to 6th AFB, Bandirma. Original A/C was Ex- German Navy fighter with 67-5945 serial and 28+15 fuslage code. It was transferred to Turkey in 3 June 1986 and flied in 162nd Sqd until 1994.

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The kit was the Hasegawa 1/48 F-104 G .  I converted it to a TF version mostly with scratchbuilt items. 

Here is a list of the parts used for it:

• 1-Windshield is original kit part. Main canopy components cut from 1/48 Fujimi F-14 A canopy. Center piece was cut from 1/48 Testors F/A- 18 C canopy and back piece was from 1/48 Airfix Sea Harier canopy.
• 2-canopy defrost and lock pieces are scratchbuilt from wire and Evergreen rods. Locks in fuslage sides was cut from Eduard F-4 set and those parts are the only aftermarket parts in the model.
• 3-To make a new cockpit,I cut kit fuslage according to Verlinden Lock On book then I cut a piece from 1/48 F-4 e center tank and glue it to make a hump. Then I used cockpit parts from Monogram F-104 kit to build aft cockpit. Front cockpit is from the kit.
• 4-Kit front undercarriage part seperated from the original part , reversed front side to back and glued to true place, gun deleted,underside of all front fuslage re-modelled with cyano-sprue-putty. then all front fuslage re-scribed with an hand-made tool according to the drawings in Verlinden Lock On book.
• 5-Second MB Q-7 seat barrowed from a second hasegawa 104 kit , both seats are detailed with seat belts and wire.
• 6- I used Model Master and Humbrol enamels, Tamiya acrylics with Aztec A-470 airbrush and HobbyColor sprey clear coats.I mixed my own colors for RAL 7012 and RAL 9006
• 7- Decals from kit decals and KediDecals

I hope you enjoy it :)

A.Cagri Acikgoz   Turkey

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