First plane since 1984? Old Monogram F14 Tomcat

Thank you, mustang1376, mustang 1989, and B_one fiver! Your compliments are much appreciated!

Jim Barton

Love your Tomcat! But where are the bunnies?

AnalogKid

Doog...many thanks for your compliments on my work over in the armor forum and on this job let me send many more compliments your way...absolute fantastic work. Like many others have commented here this kit (and other Monogram kits from that era) bring back nothing but positive memories from my formative years in this hobby. While many modern kits make this one pale in comparison I still have one (maybe two?) of these kits in my stash and now seeing yours makes me also want to put armor to the side for a while and get back into my first love in this hobby - aircraft. I just hope the decals stay in one piece after all these years.  -Len

I like it ! I Just finished up an old fujimi tomcat

That's a really crisp build doog! The panel lines came out great and looks like you did a good job in the build of the "old dog". Man I can identify with that as I just got through with an old Revellogram F4U-4 Corsair and know how tough some of these old kits can be in the fit area. Lots to clean up for sure.

I remember building this kit twice in the mid 80's.  Wonderful job on the paint and decals.

Love your Tomcat! But where are the bunnies?

Doog...many thanks for your compliments on my work over in the armor forum and on this job let me send many more compliments your way...absolute fantastic work. Like many others have commented here this kit (and other Monogram kits from that era) bring back nothing but positive memories from my formative years in this hobby. While many modern kits make this one pale in comparison I still have one (maybe two?) of these kits in my stash and now seeing yours makes me also want to put armor to the side for a while and get back into my first love in this hobby - aircraft. I just hope the decals stay in one piece after all these years.  -Len

fightnjoe

Doog from where I sit the jet looks great.  Skill is skill regardless of the subject matter.  It is well known that you possess the skill of a master craftsman.  

Joe

Doog from where I sit the jet looks great.  Skill is skill regardless of the subject matter.  It is well known that you possess the skill of a master craftsman.  

Joe

Thanks again, Mike, Mark and Greg!! I appreciate it, sincerely! :)

Straycat1911

Stik, iirc, when the Tomcats first entered the fleet, the term was NFO for the rear seat guys in the Tomcat only. I think RIO was used for Navy F-4 backseaters. AF F-4 guys were referred to as GIB (Guy in Back). I suppose with women navy pilots and rio's they'd be called gals in back? Hmmm, mighta crossed a line there. Sorry! :-)

F-14 backseaters were still referred to as RIO's, but with the F/A-18F they became Weapon Systems Officers (WSO).  That's mostly due to the Phantom and Tomcat both being conceived as fleet defense interceptors where the RIO was tasked with running radar intercepts from the back seat. 

AF F-4 backseaters were different in that they were rated pilots and had their own flight controls in the back seat unlike Navy Phantoms.  It wasn't until the advent of the Wild Weasel "Bears" that the AF really started to embrace more specialized training for their backseaters.

Mark

the doog

Thank you, Greg! Just to clarify, this was NOT a "restore". I too, lack the patience for that. This was a fresh build of a model I had previously built, but that hit the plastic boneyard years ago. I think I'll probably take better care of this one.

Ahh, I misunderstood that, sorry.

But, you're welcome and two additional comments:

1.   'Tis a relief to know that I'm not the only one who cringes at the thought of a restore, and the fact that it wasn't a restore doesn't reduce my respect for your workmanship one iota.

2.    I am itching to build a contemporary fighter again, and can only hope my first since hiatus is half as  good as yours, mate.

Nice clean build of a classic kit.  One of my all-time favorites.

Mark

Great build!  Have to love those Navy hi viz paint jobs from the old days.

Mike

Stik, iirc, when the Tomcats first entered the fleet, the term was NFO for the rear seat guys in the Tomcat only. I think RIO was used for Navy F-4 backseaters. AF F-4 guys were referred to as GIB (Guy in Back). I suppose with women navy pilots and rio's they'd be called gals in back? Hmmm, mighta crossed a line there. Sorry! :-)

Thanks, Woody!! I Appreciate it!

Doog, you did the 'ol gal up real purty!  Great looking build.

You are welcome. Glad to help.

the doog

I'll make sure I do a WIP here when I built it!

I'll make sure I do a WIP here when I built it!

the doog

Bish

the doog

Bish

Is that a 1/24th Stuka. You have my attention already.

Actually, it's a 1/32 scale "Kanonwagen" (?) with some Eduard PE. I'll get around to it maybe next year now that the new house is in order, somewhat !

O, nice. I have the same kit, assuming its the Hasegawa.

But your getting your armour mixed up with your aircraft. Its Kanonenvogel

Look forward to seeing that build.

Ha ha, you know, when I was typing that, I said to myself: "Wait now, that's a vehicle, not a plane", bu I couldn't think of the term for it. Thanks for the correction. I promise I won't put tracks on it, lol.

LOL, its easy to get things mixed up with anything German, doesn't help when you have a 251 called a Stuka.

And people wonder why I am bald, bloody Germans

Bish

the doog

Bish

Is that a 1/24th Stuka. You have my attention already.

Actually, it's a 1/32 scale "Kanonwagen" (?) with some Eduard PE. I'll get around to it maybe next year now that the new house is in order, somewhat !

O, nice. I have the same kit, assuming its the Hasegawa.

But your getting your armour mixed up with your aircraft. Its Kanonenvogel

Look forward to seeing that build.

Greg

Awesome work, doog!

I wouldn't have the patience for a resore and cannot imagine how anyone does. Tip 'o my hat to you.

the doog

Bish

Is that a 1/24th Stuka. You have my attention already.

Actually, it's a 1/32 scale "Kanonwagen" (?) with some Eduard PE. I'll get around to it maybe next year now that the new house is in order, somewhat !

O, nice. I have the same kit, assuming its the Hasegawa.

But your getting your armour mixed up with your aircraft. Its Kanonenvogel

Look forward to seeing that build.

plasticjunkie

That A came out looking very sharp. The crew figures look very good as does the pit area. Great touch with the pencil for the panel lines. I read it twice cause I thought you re scribed them. I will mention two things, I don't know if you painted the cannon blast panel in natural metal since I can't tell from the pictures as here:

 http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/awa01/101-200/awa169-tomcat/disk2/Mvc-002s.jpg

The natural metal finish on the slats should go up to the first line and not the entire slat. When the Navy switched to the low vis scheme these areas eventually ended up being painted. Great job overall.

Notice how thin the NM area looks in this picture:

www.anft.net/.../f14-photo-vf011-41.htm

Thanks, both Raymond, and MIj!!!

Bish

Is that a 1/24th Stuka. You have my attention already.

bobbaily

Very nice work Karl-you really need to build more 'wingy-thingies'