F-104 Starfighter

Marc J. Frattasio

the F-104 was a supersonic American interceptor jet developed and built by the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. It was designed to be a high-speed point-defense interceptor which would be directed by ground radar to destroy large Soviet bomber formations approaching the United States from over the north pole. Production Starfighters came into service with the U. S. Air Force's North American Air Defense Command during 1958. Although in many respects an outstanding aircraft, the Starfighter proved to have insufficient internal fuel capacity for its intended intercept mission. Although it was replaced in front-line service by other aircraft during the early 1960s, the USAF continued to use the Starfighter in various secondary roles. A few Starfighters actually saw combat in a tactical role during the Vietnam conflict. Many Starfighters remained in service with Air National Guard units through the late 1980s. A few examples are still used by NASA for experimental purposes and astronaut training. Several other nations including Japan, Germany, Spain, and Norway purchased Starfighters or built them locally under license. Many of these foreign aircraft remain in service today.

The F-104 was one of the most dramatic looking aircraft of its day. It was often called 'the missile with a man in it' because of its needle-like fuselage and high speed. The F-104 went into service amidst a flood of publicity and it achieved many speed and altitude records. Consequently, the F-104 Starfighter was a very popular plastic model kit subject during the late 1950s and early 1960s. By the time Thunderbirds went into production in 1964, many different plastic model kits of the Starfighter were on the market in a variety of 'fit the box' sizes.

The F-104's 'futuristic' lines made it one of the most frequently used commercial plastic model kit types utilized by Derek Meddings' team of modelmakers during the production of Thunderbirds. It looks as if at least two or possibly three different F-104 kits were used by the Thunderbirds effects team. Most likely, these were the kits produced by Monogram, Revell, and Airfix. However, Hawk, Comet, and Aurora also had F-104 kits available around this time which may have been put to use on Thunderbirds.

Generally, the Thunderbirds model makers used the Starfighter's fuselage in conjunction with wings, stabilizers, and other parts robbed from other kits. Occasionally, minor parts from F-104 kits were used to detail larger miniatures. The following is as complete an accounting as I can come up with of all the miniature vehicles seen in Thunderbirds and other Anderson productions that used F-104 Starfighter model kit parts.

World Navy/United Nations fighter jet

These blue and white World Navy (UN) jets were elevated and fired off the launch ramps of a catamaran aircraft carrier in the Thunderbirds episode, Impostors. The actual studio miniatures were made as follows:
F-104 fuselage with wings and stabilizer fins removed.
New 'hump' made from half of kit external fuel tank added to top of fuselage.
New vertical stabilizer fabricated or adapted from an unknown kit part.
New horizontal stabilizers fabricated or adapted from unknown kit parts.
New wings made from a pair of vertical stabilizers from two B-58 Hustler kits.
New ventral engine made from tubing stock and a B-58 Hustler kit's jet engine inlet.
At least four of these miniatures were built for Thunderbirds. The unusual WN markings were actually made by combining kit decals of the standard US military aircraft 'star and bar' with a modern West German Air Force cross.

Air sea rescue jet

These neat yellow and red air-sea-rescue jets were seen in two different Thunderbirds episodes. First in Impostors and later (as stock footage) in Operation Crash-dive. The actual studio miniatures were made as follows:
F-104 fuselage with wings and stabilizer fins removed.
New vertical stabilizer fabricated or adapted from an unknown kit part.
New horizontal stabilizers fabricated or adapted from unknown kit parts.
New wings made from a pair of vertical stabilizers from two B-58 Hustler kits.
New ventral engine made from tubing stock and a B-58 Hustler kit's jet engine inlet.
At least four of these miniatures were built for Thunderbirds. They are nearly identical in design to the WN/UN jets described above and one or the other was probably 'redressed' for new scenes. Note that in some still photos or film scenes, the nose flash and 'ASR' marking appears red. In others, they appear black. Take your pick!

Enemy attack jet

This aggressive looking ground attack jet is briefly seen at the beginning of the Thunderbirds Edge of Impact episode. The actual studio miniature was made as follows:
F-104 fuselage with wings and stabilizer fins removed.
New vertical stabilizer made from a B-58 Hustler kit's vertical stabilizer.
New ventral stabilizers fabricated or adapted from unknown kit parts.
New wings fabricated or adapted from unknown kit parts.
New underwing missile pods fabricated out of wood or plastic.
This model may or may not have utilized a delta wing. No plan view appears on TV. All I can say for sure about it is that the wing is highly swept back. The blue stars on the model's rudder appear to have come from a USAF 'Thunderbirds' flight demonstration team F-100 or F-105 kit's decal sheet. The rectangular national emblem on the side of this model appears to have utilized the yellow and black tail boom decal from the Hawk Huskie helicopter kit. Derek Meddings really loved the old Hawk Huskie and it's parts turn up everywhere in Stingray, Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet!

Enemy fighter jet

Three of these attractive enemy jets were featured in the Thunderbirds episode The Cham-Cham. The actual studio miniatures were constructed as follows:
F-104 fuselage with stabilizer fins removed and nosecone modified.
New outboard wing panels made from the kit's horizontal stabilizer fin split in half lengthwise.
New underwing fuel tanks made from the kit's parts.
New vertical stabilizer adapted from a Saab J-35 Draken kit's vertical stabilizer.
New horizontal stabilizers (new fabrication or adapted J-35 Draken outer wing panels).
It would appear that at least six of these models were built, three of which were configured with landing gear extended. For takeoff scenes, two of the landing gear configured models were connected together with a pole for ease of 'flying' on wires. The black shadow cast by this pole can be seen on the rolling backdrop if you look very closely during the takeoff scene!

Zombite fighter jet

These unforgettable enemy jets were featured in the Thunderbirds episode The Uninvited. The actual studio miniatures were made as follows:
F-104 fuselage with stabilizer fins removed.
New 'ring' tail fabricated.
New ring tail supports made from kit's horizontal stablizer fin cut in half lengthwise.
New ventral engine from Revell's B-58 Hustler kit (entire inboard engine assembly).
New mid fuselage top humps made from two kit external fuel tank halfs.
New fins on top of fuselage (new fabrication or adapted from unknown kit parts).
At least three of these models were built. They were completely destroyed by fire and explosives by the end of the episode. One of my all time favorite Thunderbirds designs.

World Air Force parasite fighter jet

The World Air Force 'parasite fighter' is a star performer at the air show attended by Lady Penelope and Jeff Tracy in the Thunderbirds episode The Duchess Assignment. What a strange sequence it is too. It almost looks like filler to pad out the episode. Not that I'm complaining, I happen to like the design of the 'parasite fighter' and its big carrier jet. The actual studio miniatures were made as follows:
F-104 fuselage with wings and stabilizer fins removed.
New wings adapted from an F-101 Voodoo kit's wings.
New external fuel tank adapted from kit parts.
New vertical stabilizer fabricated or adapted from unknown kit parts.
New horizontal stabilizers fabricated or adapted from unknown kit parts.
At least two of these models were built for this episode. The second model can be seen on the ground at the airport positioned next to a former WASP interceptor jet from Stingray just as the carrier jet/parasite fighter combination comes in to land.

Arabajan (Eastern Alliance?) fighter jet

Two of these jets can be seen in the Joe 90 episode King for a Day. The actual studio miniatures were constructed as follows:
F-104 fuselage with stabilizer fins removed and nosecone modified.
New outboard wing panels made from the kit's horizontal stabilizer fin split in half lengthwise.
New underwing fuel tanks made from the kit's parts.
New vertical stabilizer adapted from a Saab J-35 Draken kit's vertical stabilizer.
New horizontal stabilizers (new fabrication or adapted J-35 Draken outer wing panels).
Of course, these are two of the flight configured models from the Thunderbirds episode, The Cham-Cham reused and repainted into a Soviet inspired scheme for Joe 90!

Spare parts!

Nearly unrecognizable bits of F-104 kits were also used to detail and dress up larger studio miniatures. The famous helijet in the photo on the left was used in the Thunderbirds episodes Impostors and 30 Minutes After Noon, the Captain Scarlet episode White as Snow, and the Joe 90 episode The Big Fish. The model makers used a pair of F-104 horizontal and vertical stabilizer assemblies to make its twin tail fins. This miniature was based upon an unknown twin rotor helicopter kit or toy. The miniature also used Hawk Huskie helicopter stabilizer fins (up front) and other parts.
An entire F-104 horizontal and vertical stabilizer assembly and two spare horizontal stabilizers were used to make the tail fin of the big military helijet above which was seen in the Thunderbirds episode Impostors. This model was based upon two Revell H-19 helicopter kit's forward fuselage parts. It also used several B-58 jet engine pods, part of a B-58 bomb, various external fuel tanks, fins, and other parts taken from a variety of model kits.
The small red, white, and silver SAAB J-35 kit based fighter jet which can barely be seen near the entrance to the RTL2 hangar in the Thunderbirds episode, The Cham-Cham used an F-104 horizontal stabilizer split in half for its outboard wing panels. This miniature also utilized two jet engine pods from a B-58 kit.
This page published originally at the Supermarionation sfx WebSite
text ©1996 Marc J. Frattasio; not for reproduction for profit without his express permission