Which 1/72 F-104?

[Leading Observer]

Which F-104 kit is considered to be the best? And which one should you steer clear of? All advise welcome

[Pellson]

My personal favourite is the Esci/Italeri one. While only good for later Zippers, i.e F-104Gs and Ss, it builds up nicely and the shape feels very much right.

The old Hasegawa/Frog mouldings are outright dreadful, as is the Airfix one. Just don't. The newer Hasegawa is supposed to be OK, but looking at built up models on the web, I still feel the Italian one looks better, in particular over the nose/canopy.

The Revell one is all wrong on the windscreen and nose.

The Heller one is another one, and while looking somewhat ok in comparison to the worst offenders, I still feel it just isn't there. I also have a suspicion it's somewhat out of scale.

...and that's my twopence. 

[Gondor]

I personally like the latter Hasegawa kit as seen HERE although it depends on which version you want.
If you want an early aircraft I recommend THESE in the A/C boxings as they have the shorter tail.
But to be honest, both moulds are good although the ESCI/Italeri kit is slightly less detailed and defined than the Hasegawa kit but not by much.

Gondor

[PR19_Kit]

Don't even THINK about the Matchbox one, it may have been an F-104 at some time, but I don't think that version got off Lockheed's drawing board!

[rickshaw]

The Heller one is to the wrong scale, it is about 1/70, not 1/72, which makes it a useful kit for Whiffing but not much else.  The Italeri one is a nice shape and about the right scale.  I haven't made any others.

[Leading Observer]

Thank you Gentlemen

[Dizzyfugu]

My personal favorite is the ESCI kit, at least when you are looking for a single-seater/F-104G, as an Italeri or Revell re-boxing with updated (engraved instead of raised) panel lines. The Hasegawa kit is also not bad, but tends to be heavily overpriced. I personally like the Heller kit, two, as it offers parts for both a single- and two-seater, the Academy kit is IMHO rubbish and the Matchbox kits are ...Matchbox kits. 

[zenrat]

Academy Starfighters are good for whiffing if they are cheap enough.  I wouldn't use one to build a Starfighter though.

[McColm]

If you do choose the Matchbox kit and attach it to a fireworks rocket it does last a lot longer due to the thickness of the plastic but there's not much left after the third launch 

[Dizzyfugu]

Academy Starfighters are good for whiffing if they are cheap enough.  I wouldn't use one to build a Starfighter though.

Good description! 

[PR19_Kit]

Academy Starfighters are good for whiffing if they are cheap enough.  I wouldn't use one to build a Starfighter though.

Exactly what I said about the M'box kit in an intended Scale Models magazine review, but they wouldn't print it so I Whiffed it instead, and that was my first ever Whiff model. 

[Gondor]

Academy Starfighters are good for whiffing if they are cheap enough.  I wouldn't use one to build a Starfighter though.

Sometimes rubbish kits are useful,...... as a source of decals that you can't get elsewhere!

Gondor

[sandiego89]

Happy with the 1980s era Esci 1/72 F-104C.  Made two of them as parasite fighters for my GRB-52E mothership. 

Good detail, nice panels, fit well.  Likely not as detailed as later kits, but perfectly acceptable to me. Excuse the dust and wear.

[kerick]

Just don't get the old Hasegawa 1/72nd kit. It's only good for whiffing something that doesn't look like a Starfighter.

[PR19_Kit]

Just don't get the old Hasegawa 1/72nd kit. It's only good for whiffing something that doesn't look like a Starfighter.

Too right, that canopy is wide enough for a side-by-side two seater!