Cutting Edge Modelworks

1/48 F-104S/G decal sheet

Product # CED48042 for $10.99

Product Article by Steve Bamford on July 8 2004

 

 

 

 

This latest decal sheet from Cutting Edge Modelworks features two Italian F-104 colourbirds in special markings.  The recommended kit would of course be the Hasegawa F-104G with the Cutting Edge Modelworks F-104S conversion.

The first aircraft is an F-104S ASA #MM6716 with 21 Stormo, 53 Gruppo at the Tiger meet in 1996 at BA 11, Beja, Portugal.  This Starfighter is called “The Last Starfighter” and is one very well done and wild tiger scheme with the Tiger literally appearing to be tearing itself free from the inside of the fuselage.  

The paint scheme on this Tiger Meet F-104 was painted by two very talented guys named Leo and Fabio over a couple of days.  These guys had definite talent.  The tiger is featured on both sides of the fuselage, but the starboard side is the best with the tiger’s head and front paws being visible just below and slightly behind the canopy.  There is a hind paw ripping through the fuselage further back on the starboard side by the engine.  The port side has the tigers tail appearing through a ‘rip’ in the fuselage by the tail of the aircraft.  Further forward on the fuselage there is another ‘gash’ in the fuselage showing part of the torso of the tiger ‘inside’ the fuselage.  Colours for this Tiger Meet Starfighter include a very pleasing medium high gloss blue FS 15056 (Giallo Cromo15 alta brillantezza) nosecone and tail.  The rest of the fuselage and wings are painted Aluminum high gloss FS 17178 (Allumino 11).  Markings include a big yellow “21Sq” on both sides of the tail and the script “The Last Starfighter” on the underwing drop tanks.  The pitot tube on the nosecone has red and white stripes.  

The second aircraft is a RF-104G  “Strega Fighter” 3-42  (MM6579) with 28 Gruppo, 3 Stormo out of Villafranca airbase in Italy in November 1989.  The “Strega” (Witch) fighter was specially painted for the first air-to-air meet of the 28 Grupo in November 1989 at Villafranca (Verona), Italy.  This was withdrawn from service just one month later.  The RF-104G is a F-104G with the Orpheus pod fitted, but this pod was not fitted to this aircraft while it wore this paint scheme.  The paint scheme is Chrome Yellow high Gloss FS 13655 (Giallo Cromo 15 alta brillantezza) on the forward 1/3rd of the aircraft with white stars.  The middle third of the aircraft is White 4 High Gloss FS 17886 (Bianco 4 alta brillantezza) with yellow stars.  The rear third of the aircraft is Black 7 high Gloss (Nero 7 alta brillantezza with yellow stars.  All these stars are provided as easy to apply decals.  There are 3 different sizes of stars but each size is clearly shown with different coloured outlines on the instruction sheets.  These outlines around the stars is strictly to show you which size of star goes where on the airframe.  There is roughly about 150 star decals to apply to this paint scheme….one star at a time.  

Markings also include a big red”28” halfway along the fuselage on both sides.  One both sides of the tail is a old scary looking blonde witch flying a broom in a downward attack mode with an antique box camera tied to the front of her broom. 
All in all these are two very wild paint schemes…..the Tiger artwork is very finely detailed and a real work of art…..the witch artwork is more cartoon like, but amusing all the same.  National insignia and stencils are not included with this decal sheet because these two aircraft didn't have any of those markings when they wore these special paint schemes.  The decals are flawless and clearly printed with perfect registration. 

I highly recommend this sheet to anyone interested in Starfighters with wild paint schemes or anyone interested in Tiger schemes.

Click on images below to see larger images of the instruction sheets

I would like to thank Cutting Edge Modelworks for providing me with this review sample.

Steve

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford