Italeri 1/32 F-104 Starfighter
By Jael Taillefer
For the LSP Silver Jubilee group build I decided to tackle a CF-104. I am a huge fan of foiling as I find the process relaxing and fun, and it has been a long time since I last practiced my techniques!
Using Chuck's build as a reference, I was able to fit the BB cockpit into the model which was lifesaving and the longest part of the entire build. From there the fitment of the kit is great and did not need much to make it all work.
As for the foil, it was applied and burnished to the model. I then used chrome polish to smooth it all out and remove any defects. This was followed by a tiny piece of sanding sponge being used to grain the aluminum.
The decals are applied directly on the foil and although the carrier film was almost invisible after a lot of Micro Sol, when I was testing weathering on my mule the wash made it stick out really bad, so I decided to coat the model with AK Intermediate Gauzy agent. This product is a gem I found online and is the only clear coat that I have ever used that barely affects the finish of any metal finish(I believe that is what it was made to do).
For more on the construction, check out my build thread in the LSP Silver Jubilee forum.
Materials
- Italeri F-104
- Reskit Exhaust
- Reskit Wheels
- Black box Cockpit
- Eduard Brassin seat
- UV Resin for lights
- Alcan foil
- Gold leaf adhesive
- Paints are a mix of Humbrol enamels and AK real colours lacquers
- AK Intermediate Gauzy agent (gloss coat to protect the decals)
- Chuck’s CF-104 build thread (essential), or get the E-Book from KLP Publishing
© Jael Taillefer 2024
This article was published on Friday, September 06 2024; Last modified on Sunday, September 08 2024