I am looking for a good f104. I want one from the 60's. As a armor guy I don't keep up with the best brands of aircraft.
Thanks.

I'm assuming since you are an Armor guy, you are looking for 1/32 aircraft, in which case there are only three choices, (with a slight caveat in model types, C, D, G, J, and S). Those choices would be the insanely expensive Italeri kit released two years ago at over $100 (it's been released as a C and G). It has engraved panel lines that are more like trenches, and some of them are rather soft, but a completely detailed interior. Then there's the older but still nice Hasegawa kit, which can be had for under $50 (or even $30 if you look hard enough, and it comes in a C, G, S and a special J). The drawback of the Hasegawa kit is it has very fine raised panel lines, and a simplified cockpit (which is still nice). It also comes with a GE engine and radome, and M61 detail, but so does the Italeri kit, which is better detailed). Then there is the much more primitive Revell kit, also with raised panel lines, rather thick castings, and heavy rivets, a squashed canopy and rather heavy details (released as a C, G and S, but not accurately representative of the G or S) for about $30 (it does come in a Vietnam war camouflage scheme, and an interesting "Mt Olympus" Greek AF decal version though).

If you are talking 1/48 scale, Hasegawa's release is Excellent with a capital "E". The rest are really not worth buying in comparison (Lindberg, Monogram, Revell, Hawk, Aurora etc.). In 1/72 the Hasegawa kit is again excellent, and an Academy kit that's not too bad, I'm not sure if there are others worth mentioning in that scale (other than the usual older Revell, Hawk and Encore/ITC kits which are really old.
Hope this helps. I have two 1/32 Hasegawa kits in the stash, and have built a third completely covered in foil, but I've seen all the kits I mentioned above--the Hasegawa kit with aftermarket details is still the way I'd go, even with some extra work required. Guess I'm a little biased.
VR, Russ

The relatively recent Revellogram 1/72 -C and -G are comparable to the Hasegawa kits in detail, if you can find one.

Thanks for your replies. My eyes and hands have given up on 1/72. I had in mind 1/48th however I did a F6F night fighter and was reminded that 1/48th seems smaller than it did 20 years ago.

I wanted an airforce one from the early 60's so I am guessing a C version from Hasegowa? [

The C version from Hasegawa comes in two flavors-- a C marked for Colonel George Lavern (former WWII Ace) from George AFB in the early 60s (I want to say '62?). This was a very colorful F104C, with red lightning flashes along the fuselage, red/white speed brakes and a red and white tail. It also had the pitot tube and sections of the wingtip tanks painted in Squadron colors of red, green, blue and yellow. It was the first 104 in the 479th Tactical Fighter Wing and Laven was the wing commander. His crew chief even had the tires painted in white walls, and the plane had a panel near the cockpit proclaiming as "Really George" since it was based at George AFB and Lavern's first name was George. This was Minicraft/Hasegawa's first marking option for the C. The second issue of the Hasegawa C was also from the 479th, but at a later date, with another colorful 479th aircraft which had all the squadron colors in a band around the fuselage. It was reissued in about 2007 or 08. Of course Hasegawa also released the G kits in other markings for various countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, Japan (as a J), Spain, Italy, and I think Norway too. Another famous "G" version is Chuck Yeagers NF 104, which does require modification (Cutting Edge made a conversion kit, but it's OOP and CE is defunct now). There was a 60's NASA chase plane blue and white G too, and Microscale released a set of decals for that G.
The Hasegawa kit is cheaper by far, but the Italeri kit is more detailed internally. I personally like the Hasegawa kit, but if you want a really detailed model you should probably buy the Italeri kit. That said, you can buy a Hasegawa kit at a lower price point, and add aftermarket sets and still not pay as much as the Italeri kit. For example, you can still find Verlinden cockpit/ gun sets for $20 or less, and Eduard makes a really nice J79 afterburner can set for @$30, much nicer than the Italeri kits. If you want it all in one package, buy the Italeri kit.
The Hasegawa 1/48 kit is also very nice, also marked in the 479th colors, and is about a foot long, the 1/32 kit is a little over two feet long. So shelf space is a concern. One thing I really like about the 104 though is the short wingspan. I have an old Aurora 1/48 Bruget XIV on my shelf, and it has the same wingspan as my 1/32 F104C. Wondering why I have so much info? The widow maker or manned missile is my favorite jet. I have quite a bit of reference material on it, and I've owned just about all the kits of it at one time or another-- except the 1/32 Italeri kit (but I have cracked the box). It's too expensive for me when I can buy a WnW kit for the same price or less, or two Hasegawa F104 kits--- just call me cheap.
VR, Russ

My fumbly fingers and the Kitmaker spell checker don't get along much-- the 479th Tactical Fighter Wing commander and former WWII ace who flew the F104C at George AFB CA is Colonel George "Laven" not "Lavern" as the spell checker continually wants to change it to. Sorry about that.
VR Russ

Thanks Russ that was helpful. I am planning on the Hasagawa 1/48th C model with the resin afterburner.

Greg,
I don't think you'll be disappointed, both the Hasegawa kits (1/48 and 1/32) are good kits, I'd say the 1/48 kit is the best of all kits out there from the perspective of detail and price, and will display nicely.
VR, Russ

Don't forget that there's a really excellent update and improvement set available from DACO which cures the minor annoyances of the Hasegawa kit. Some of the kit is not applicable to the -C, so it's fortunate that the sprues are available individually. You'll want to replace the wings and tailplane at the very least. -Cs could carry underwing tanks and nukes, so you may want those sprues as well.