Desktop 1/48 Lindberg F-104A Starfighter

The newer-release cockpit tub will fit in the right way but NOT with the old release bang seat. Gonna have to scratch a tub to fit. Had to get rid part of the old seat 'railings' along the cockpit walls. Pilot snatched from a R/M kit. 

Couldn't cut a straight line to save my life today! Well, good thing most of it won't be seen!! LOL 

Plugged up the 'Motor Sound' gear slot by cutting a plug out of an old busted up kit. 

Boy, that Monogram pilot fits in there pretty snug. But then again, so did the real ones! 

Still need to modify the modified Instrument Panel Combing I stole from a Kinetic kit! 

The Lindberg plastic is pretty brittle so I'm making sure I reinforce the attachment points. 

Was going to put more detail into the cockpit walls but I don't think I will bother. 

It sure won't win any beauty contests but it will work for what I need it for! 

Still have quite a bit of work to do on that downward ejection seat hatch and getting the nose landing gear doors installed but it's starting to look like a 'Missile With A Man In It'!! 

The Lindberg kits don't have any kind of burner can. So I thought I might be able to make one. Wasn't a bad idea but I think I'm gonna need to heat up the plastic to actually get it round! Using a leftover GE F110 turbine face for the compressor exhaust blades! LOL 

So I got the radome sanded along with the wingtip tanks. One of the winglets had broken off one of the tanks. Had to repair the bang seat so the glue is curing and first thing tomorrow it will get dropped in the 'Purple Pond' to (hopefully) get most of the paint off it. I've got a intake/shock cone part in there now and I hope that bath will get most of whatever the person used off it. 

Finally got some primer on this thing. Got some more work to do but - progress! 

Some primer on the intakes, nozzle and what I will be using for a burner can! 

Tried some Rustoleum 'Bright Chrome' on this. A little bit thick but it does the trick! 

My original plan for a decent burner/nozzle end didn't pan out but my back-up plan worked fairly well. About to get some decal action on this bird!