F-104G Starfighter RCAF

As others have mentioned, this is a good kit for the price. The fit is pretty good overall, but the instructions are not detailed so be prepared for it. Also, the painting guide is not the best either. So, like all good modelers do your research. The wings of most US 104's are painted white. Other references, if you want to model an air defender F-104, have the jet painted with the outboard side of the fuel tanks and tail surface orange. This kit is also a challenge to properly duplicate the colors of the tail empennage. Steel, titanium, aluminum, smoke, etc. were tried, but in my effort, with little success in matching the color variation. The kit builds into a beautiful representation of the jet so I recommend it for those who like the man in the missile. Have fun and enjoy.

Revell are not always the easiest kits to build. It is not that they are not simple, it is just that the require a little extra effort (mainly plastic putty and sanding) to achieve a realistic result. Having said this, I was pleasantly surprised with this kit. A little over flash on the sprues, after clean up the parts fit together well, and the detail was good. The seams still needed a little attention in order to hide them, but for the price this kit was good value for money as most Recall kits are. I achieved a realistic result with a lot less effort than other Revell kits.

If you are just starting to build model aircraft, the 1/48 F-104 is the kit for you, but not for avid model builders. This kit is molded in cheap plastic which is too easy to cut through and the decal sheet is pretty crappy compared to many Revell kits out there! The kit still has some good surface detail and gives you the choice to build either a USAF or Canadian Starfighter. Only recommended if the price matches your budget.