Been making progress on my 104. I'm sure everyone knows, but Mirce is building the kit stock as an instruction guide and I'm adding modifications for a more scale look. Nothing is wrong with the kit as it is, but it's just a personal preference on my part to make changes and it's fun for me. I've very much enjoyed working on this model, very rewarding project.
I will sheet the entire plane, make a mold of the bottom for the gear and door area and then cut that section out for the gear installation. This should not be a problem because of the simplicity of the scale gear mounting area and the fact that you have full access to the inside of the cavernous fuselage with the nose and tail removed. Normally I would not do it this way, but I must wait on the gear.
For the intake and fuselage intersection on the bottom, after rounding the intake formers I added 1/4" balsa caps to the intersection area where it was much to tight of a radius, then I sanded them to a nice transition.
Here you can see it is a much more subtle and smooth transition, this will help with the gear doors and gear fitment.
Next I capped the keel peice for the intake fairing, the stock set up was to short. I capped my intakes with 3/4" balsa or 20mm and extended my intake fairing 136mm. I am measuring my 1/32 scale F-104, that is how I'm getting my scale measurements.
This is the roughed in intake, I never finish sand a part until the final sanding, I always recommend that you sneak up on the outline instead of jumping right to it. So the intakes will be final sanded before finishing.
I'm 6'8" tall, finally have a model that makes me look short!
Had to work outside to have access to the intakes with the nose on, would not fit in the shop!
I've already built the tip tanks, working on the fins now. Also my wing spars should come soon, and I will have the wings on it in no time!
Luke