Xreme Detail 1:18 scale plastic plane. Completely finished and painted, this aircraft is ready for display right out of the box. Recommended for teens and adult collectors, this piece is in stock for immediate shipment.

Model Features:

Detailed Cockpit

Accurate Panel Lines and Surface Details

Heavy Plastic Construction

Positionable Ailerons, Elevators, Flaps and Rudder

Plastic Components

Retractable Landing Gear (Up or Down)

Equipped Armament

Authentic Paint Scheme

Wing Tip Rockets Pods

Detailed Turbojet Engine

Side Mounted Intakes

Hinged Canopy (Open or Closed)

1:18 Pilot Action Figure Included

Suitable for Static or Hanging Display

For ages 5 and Up

Length: 36"

Wingspan: 16"

About the F-104:
The Starfighter was generally considered a rewarding, if very demanding, "sports car" of a fighter. It was the first combat aircraft capable of sustained Mach 2 flight (not just a brief dash) and its speed and climb performance remain impressive, even by modern standards. If used appropriately, with high-speed slashing attacks and good use of its exceptional thrust-to-weight ratio, it could be a formidable opponent, although being lured into a turning contest with a slower, more maneuverable opponent was perilous. Early Starfighters used a downward-firing ejection seat (the Lockheed C-1), out of concern over the ability of an upward-firing seat to clear the tailplane. This presented obvious problems in low-altitude escapes, and some 21 USAF pilots failed to escape their stricken aircraft in low-level emergencies because of it. Basic armament of the F-104 was the M61 Vulcan 20 mm Gatling gun. The Starfighter was the first aircraft to carry the new weapon, which had a phenomenal rate of fire of 6,000 rounds per minute. The cannon, mounted in the lower part of the port fuselage, was fed by a 725-round drum behind the pilot's seat. It was deleted in two-seat models and some single-seat models, including reconnaissance versions and the early Italian F-104S models (the gun bay and ammunition tank could be replaced by an additional fuel tank). Two AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles could be carried on the wingtip stations, which could also be used for fuel tanks or other stores. F-104C and later models added a centerline pylon and two underwing pylons under each wing for bombs, nuclear weapons, rocket pods, or tanks.

About the Luftwaffe F-104:
The German Starfighters proved especially problematic, as demonstrated by the modified version's alarming accident rate. In German service alone, 292 of the 916 Starfighters crashed, claiming the lives of 115 pilots, leading to claims that the Starfighter was fundamentally unsafe and earning it the Widowmaker nickname, among others. However, some of the non-German F-104 users earned a better safety record. For instance, Spain lost none in the same period, albeit flying a totally different mission in considerably better weather conditions.