Scale: 1/72 | Manufacturer: Italeri | Kit nr: 1296 | Scheme: 322 Sqn. Dutch Royal Airforce, 1966

The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is an American single-engine, supersonic interceptor. Created as a day fighter by Lockheed as one of the “Century Series” of fighter aircraft for the United States Air Force (USAF), it was developed into an all-weather multirole aircraft in the early 1960s and extensively deployed as a fighter-bomber during the Cold War. It was also produced under license by other nations and saw widespread service outside the United States.

F-104G Starfighter of 306 Sqn in flight, buzz number D-8053. Credit: Collection Netherlands Institute for Military History.

I built this model for a group build, hosted by Model Minutes. The group build’s theme was ‘In foreign service’, where you had to choose a vehicle that was distributed or licensed outside of the the country of its origins. Building the model was pleasant, with a little bit of filling and sanding required. Panels were accentuated by utilising a graphite pencil. The grey paint was thinned down and applied to the model in multiple rounds.

I’ve sold this model in 2025.