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F-104C finished in Bare Metal Foil

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  • Member since
    March 2015
  • From: Close to Chicago
F-104C finished in Bare Metal Foil
Posted by JohnnyK on Saturday, October 22, 2016 2:51 PM

I just finished my 1/48 scale Haswgawa F-104C. This is my first Hasegawa kit and it is a real nice kit. Great detail, especially the recessed rivets. Howver, at times a third hand would come in handy.

The cockpit was detailed with Eduards parts. I really like the safety harness.

The real F-104C was left in its bare metal finish, so I chose to finish my F-104C the same way. Some of you know that I no longer paint my BMF airplanes. I always use Bare Metal Foil because it is impossible to duplicate the subtle finish variartions of the individual panels on a plane's surface with paint. Only metal looks like metal.  Following is a photo of the plane prior to decals. Note the grain in the metal panels. It would be difficult to do that with a painted finish. Each panel is a seperate piece of Bare Metal Foil (BMF). I burnish the BMF using a paper blending stick. This technique empasisis the joints between the panels in a natural looking manner. I used  0000 steel wool to make the grain. Some grain goes up and down and some goes sideways. I used Aluminum Plate, Improved Chrome and Bright Chrome. Each individual recessed rivet was highlighted using a very fine magic marker. The easiest way to do this is with a glass of really good Bourbon. This is the third model that I finished with BMF and it was by far to most difficult and time consuming. My next kits in BMF is the Hasegawa F-86 and the Revell B-29, both in 1/48 scale. I figure that the B-29 will require 10 sheets of BMF.

 

This is a photo of the scrap BMF after trimming the panels.

 

 

Following are photos of the final model.

 

 

Your comments and questions are always welcome.

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Saturday, October 22, 2016 3:02 PM

Beautiful work! Nice and shiny! But you coul have skipped foiling the wings. On USAF F-104Cs, those surfaces were painted white on the upper surface and aircraft gray on the lower surface. 

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    January 2015
Posted by TheMongoose on Saturday, October 22, 2016 6:38 PM
I like this so much I'm going to try it on the F4 I'm building next. Can you explain more about burnishing? Chris

In the pattern: Scale Shipyard's 1/48 Balao Class Sub! leaning out the list...NOT! Ha, added to it again - Viper MkVii, 1/32 THUD & F-15J plus a weekend madness build!

  • Member since
    March 2013
Posted by patrick206 on Saturday, October 22, 2016 6:44 PM

Yeah Man -

Very very nicely done, patience rewarded you with a beautiful model to display. Completely realistic, great job. Thanks for the info and photos.

Patrick

  • Member since
    March 2009
  • From: Yorkville, IL
Posted by wolfhammer1 on Saturday, October 22, 2016 7:56 PM

Johnny, Very nice work and very shiny.  Thanks for sharing.

John

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: State of Mississippi. State motto: Virtute et armis (By valor and arms)
Posted by mississippivol on Saturday, October 22, 2016 10:05 PM
Well executed!
  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: MN
Posted by Nathan T on Saturday, October 22, 2016 11:38 PM

 Very nice metal finish. I really love this kit as well as I'm currently building a 104S right now. Only thing else I can add to what Stik said is the fins on the tip tanks need to be turned 180 degrees. 

 

 

  • Member since
    April 2010
Posted by Theuns on Saturday, October 22, 2016 11:42 PM

Just outstanding!!

 

Theuns

  • Member since
    March 2015
  • From: Close to Chicago
Posted by JohnnyK on Sunday, October 23, 2016 12:16 AM

Nathan T

 Very nice metal finish. I really love this kit as well as I'm currently building a 104S right now. Only thing else I can add to what Stik said is the fins on the tip tanks need to be turned 180 degrees. 

 

Check it out. The fins on the right and left tanks face the same way!!!!! Is that nuts or what? Maybe I can fix that? 

Your comments and questions are always welcome.

  • Member since
    August 2016
  • From: Eufaula, Alabama
Posted by WannabeFarmboy on Sunday, October 23, 2016 2:20 AM

Looks really great. I was actually thinking about trying this on some parts for an upcoming project. 

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Naples, FL
Posted by tempestjohnny on Sunday, October 23, 2016 4:00 AM
Nice work. The "metal" looks great.

 

  • Member since
    July 2016
  • From: NYC
Posted by Johnny1000 on Sunday, October 23, 2016 8:11 AM

That looks great, congrats!

Do you have any WIP photos of applying the foil?

cheers

-J

  • Member since
    March 2015
  • From: Close to Chicago
Posted by JohnnyK on Sunday, October 23, 2016 10:25 AM

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for the kind words. I'll share how I apply metal foil tomorrow. Today I need to celebrate the Cubs winning the pennant. The last time they won the pennant was in 1945, 71 years ago. 

Your comments and questions are always welcome.

  • Member since
    March 2015
  • From: Streetsboro, Ohio
Posted by Toshi on Sunday, October 23, 2016 10:56 AM

That is pure technique and a work of art!  Absolutely beautiful.

Toshi

On The Bench: Revell 1/48 B-25 Mitchell

 

Married to the most caring, loving, understanding, and beautiful wife in the world.  Mrs. Toshi

 

 

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Sunday, October 23, 2016 11:44 AM

Didn't Testors, at one time, release an F-104 kit that was chromed (actually, most chrome on model kits is vapor deposited aluminum)?  I built one with the metal finish and I seem to remember it was Testors.

 

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Sunday, October 23, 2016 11:42 PM

Don Stauffer

Didn't Testors, at one time, release an F-104 kit that was chromed (actually, most chrome on model kits is vapor deposited aluminum)?  I built one with the metal finish and I seem to remember it was Testors.

 

 

Yes they did. Along with a F8F, Lysander, T-33, Mig-15, and perhaps a few other Hawk re boxes.

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    December 2010
  • From: Salem, Oregon
Posted by 1943Mike on Monday, October 24, 2016 12:08 AM

Really nice work on the metal finish. You must have a lot more patience than do I.

 

Mike

"Le temps est un grand maître, mais malheureusement, il tue tous ses élèves."

Hector Berlioz

  • Member since
    March 2015
  • From: Close to Chicago
Posted by JohnnyK on Monday, October 24, 2016 9:57 AM

The F-104 took much longer to cover in foil than the P-47 and the P-51 because of the large number of individual panels.. Both of those planes had fewer yet larger panels than the F-104. I think that the F-104 had numerous small panels because of the complex curves of the fuselage .

Your comments and questions are always welcome.

  • Member since
    March 2015
  • From: Close to Chicago
Posted by JohnnyK on Monday, October 24, 2016 12:06 PM

Hi Everyone.

 

Go to here to see how I apply foil to model airplanes.

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/tools_techniques_and_reference_materials/f/13/t/172794.aspx

Your comments and questions are always welcome.

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