Kinetic 1/48 TF-104G Starfighter Build Review
By Fotios Rouch
| Date of Review | January 2021 | Manufacturer | Kinetic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | TF-104G Starfighter | Scale | 1/48 |
| Kit Number | 48089 | Primary Media | Styrene, Photo-Etch |
| Pros | See text | Cons | See text |
| Skill Level | Experienced | MSRP (USD) | $39.99 |
Build Review
For an inbox review of this model look here.
This a box full of sprues and sadly you will be able to build only a single seat or two seat variant and be left with a perfectly good fuselage and no wings for it. The kit is very nicely done and built very nicely for the most part.
The fit was very precise, and I did not have to use any filler at all.
I used only parts included in the kit and no aftermarket.
The relief detail on the instrument panels and consoles was great for a plastic kit. With careful painting they looked very credible to my eyes.
The only area that I found a bit troublesome with assembly was the canopy internal tubing and details.
The only area that I improved a bit was the inside intake trunking, since it had visible ejector marks. It is doubtful that it would be visible as the intake cavity is pretty narrow, but I fixed it anyway.
For painting the model, I will use Xtracolor RAL6014 Gelboliv X251, RAL7012 Basaltgrau X254 and RAL2005 Leuchtorange X253. I do not have the RAL 9006 Aluminium Xtracolor paint, but I have an equivalent.
The Xtracolor paints went down smooth and glossy as usual. One reason I like them so much is that there is no need for another layer of a gloss coat prior to applying the decals. The decals went down extremely well and with a touch of Mr Decal Softener they went into every panel line. It is very likely that no softener was needed since these are Cartograph decals and the quality is superb.
Once the decals were done and dry, the model was cleaned up and a final coat of semigloss varnish was applied. I left the model alone without any weathering since these planes were fairly well taken care of.
This was a great model to build with great fit and great surface detail. The many left over spare sprues were saved and added to my other Luftwaffe single seater boxing for a later time. I am still keeping all my Hasegawa Starfighters which I think are still pretty great even if they have heavy riveted wings.
