February 6, 2025
Description
The F-104 is an American single-engine, supersonic interceptor which was extensively deployed as a fighter-bomber during the Cold War. 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 produced by several other nations, seeing widespread service outside the United States.
On 4 March 1954, the Lockheed XF-104 ("X" before the name means that it's a prototype) took to the skies for the first time, and on 26 February 1958, the production fighter was activated by the USAF. Just a few months later, it was pressed into action during the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis, when it was deployed as a deterrent to Chinese MiG-15 and MiG-17 fighters. Problems with the General Electric J79 engine and a preference for fighters with longer ranges and heavier payloads meant its service with the USAF was short-lived, though it was reactivated for service during the Berlin Crisis of 1961 and the Vietnam War, when it flew more than 5,000 combat sorties.
You can find hundreds of fighter models on the Internet.
Some of them are, however, a faithful reproduction of the machine itself, but such a model is not great to 3D print (because of the thin wings, complicated engines and landing gear, it needs tons of supports etc.).
On the other side there are simple models of aircraft that are easy to print, but no longer represent the original plane.
I tried my best to create something in between, a model that is both easy to print and looks like the real aircraft. I spent a lot of time to adjust the wing thickness, the acceptable landing gear design and the optimal way to get rid of default supports and to make the plane look so reliable that even a person not interested in aviation could tell the difference between several models.
Here's a small instruction how to remove the unnecessary parts after printing.
The photos show a MIG-29, but the instructions apply to all models.
First, remove the raft with side cutters.
Then find the gaps in the wings (marked with red arrows). Don't forget about the engines and stabilizers.
CAREFULLY break the supports with pliers, I do not reccomend to use hands, because the wing may break along the layers, not where it should be.
Remember, that even if that happen, there is no need to print the model again. Sometimes it is enough to glue the wing with superglue.
You can also smooth the wings with a small file or sandpaper and burn the strings with a lighter.
If you enjoy my micro jets please leave a nice comment. I am working on some new arcrafts I will be uploading soon. I would be grateful if you would share with me your ideas for new fighters or something completely different. I am open to your suggestions.
I would just like to point out that I am not a professional and I treat creating models for 3D printing as a hobby. Therefore, I am asking for your understanding towards my work.
License:
Creative Commons — Attribution — Noncommercial — NoDerivatives
Szymon Adamczyk
