Tamiya's 1/48 F-14A Tomcat COMPLETED

I just got the D version a couple weeks ago.  Several modelers tell me this thing builds like a dream.  Really looking forward to the day I start mine.  
'The cockpit looks good.  To bring out the dials have you ever considered dry brushing?  I like to dry brush the panel in grey and pick out a few dials in red, green, or yellow.

wpwar11

I just got the D version a couple weeks ago.  Several modelers tell me this thing builds like a dream.  Really looking forward to the day I start mine.  
'The cockpit looks good.  To bring out the dials have you ever considered dry brushing?  I like to dry brush the panel in grey and pick out a few dials in red, green, or yellow.

 

I did do some dry brushing.  The flash on the camera tends to wash it out. 

Actually, the cockpit looks quite good. I've had luck with using tooth picks for the fine detail in a cockpit. Looking forward to more progress.

hogfanfs

Actually, the cockpit looks quite good. I've had luck with using tooth picks for the fine detail in a cockpit. Looking forward to more progress.

 

Thank you.  My hands just aren't as steady as they used to be.  I still can't get used to looking through magnifiers either, lol. 

Not a whole ton of progress over the last few days.  A lot of nipping parts off the sprue, cleaning up the attachment points, and glueing pieces together.

Got primer on the fuselage and other main parts.  Showed me where I needed some work.  Mostly from my own glue marks, but some seams needed a bit of sanding and a little bit of putty.  Not much though.

Laid down some white paint today, and a lot of it.  I had previously painted the landing gear on the sprue.  I'll glue everything together and do touch ups later.  I ran out of my Tamiya flat white.  Fortunately I had ordered some before I started this project, knowing I was going to need it, but it's still a few days out.  Bummer.  Really makes me miss my local hobby store.  Owner passed away a little over a year ago. 

So I can't do any touch ups to the white until I get more paint.  I'll have to work on other things in the mean time.  No matter, I have some stuff to do tomorrow afternoon that will keep me away from it for now anyway.

This is looking pretty sweet, Keyda. 

Coming along nicely.  I have this one in the stash so I'll be following along.

Thanks Mike!

Thanks keavdog!

Hopefully I can get back to working on this at some point today.  Fingers crossed my paint shows up! 

I have one in the stash and am intrested how it goes together. Pit looks good 

modelcrazy

I have one in the stash and am intrested how it goes together. Pit looks good 

 

Thanks!

I had to wait for my white paint to come in the mail, which was finally Saturday.....of course the day I'm in Geneseo all day, lol. 

Got some bad news yesterday.  Long story short I had a Husky that I had to rehome due to his behavior issues, and not wanting to run the risk of him biting anyone in my home.  He has bitten in the past.  My brother in law was nice enough to take him into an adult only home, and they all knew his entire past.  Well he had landed up having a tumor on his spine burst, that no one even knew he had, and he was bleeding internally.  So there was nothing to do but let him go.  He was only 8 1/2 years old.  He was my dog for 7 years.

So I opted to bury myself in the F-14 today in order to avoid dwelling on the situation all day, and got the bulk of the major painting out of the way. 

I did do some post shading, but as usual my cell phone camera just washes it out.  Oh well.

I have to touch up the vertical fins, I seemed to have forgotten how Metalizer paint goes EVERYWHERE!

Got some stuff going on tomorrow, so I might not get back to this until Tuesday.  Best rest assured I will get quite a bit done during the week.  We are slated for yet more freaking snow.  So I prefer to stay indoors if I can help it. 

Been a bit slow going with decals the last couple of days.  I'm still not done.  Seems every time I get going on them life gets in the way.  I should be able to finish them up tomorrow. 

All the little NO STEP.  I find stencils either annoying or theraputic.  Depends on my mood. 

Markings on either side of the nose done.  Still need to do from the nose back though.

Some of the armament.

Exhaust cans, and a few more fiddly bits.

Landing gear, fins, and ejection seats decaled and ready for clear coat.

Everything takes up quite the amount of real estate on my bench.  I've still got a few more parts on sprues!

That's looking really good!  I have the same kit in my stash, now I'm getting the bug to get it started.

Mike

Looks awesome.  like other guys on here I'm anxious now to start mine.

Looks great Keyda

Buckeye2, Thank you!  If you do start it be prepared for it to take a while, lol.  There are a lot of parts.

wpwar11, Thanks! 

Thanks modelcrazy!

Hope to have some progress to report later on tonight!

Nice work!  How were the decals?  Tamiya's aren't always known as the best decals out there.

Thanks Tojo!  It probably should of been easier than I made it, but that is how I do things, lol.  It has gone together really well.

DiscoStu, Thank you!  The decals have actually been really good.  I did manage to tear a couple, but that was my own fault.  I attempted to move a couple of them after they had been on there a few minutes.  They have all laid down nicely, and didn't really give me any trouble.  Certainly not the hair pulling experience I had with the F-16 Thunderbird decals.

Visually it doesn't look like I did much today, lol.  I finished up the decals, worked on some detail painting, and some fiddly bits.  I was hoping to get a bit more done today, but such is life.  Next steps will be weathering, finishing up the detail painting, and final assembly.

That has always been one of my favorite schemes on a Navy fighter and you're making look really sweet.

M. Brindos

That has always been one of my favorite schemes on a Navy fighter and you're making look really sweet.

 

Thanks Mike!  I intend to do the Phantom and Hornet as well!

Spent the afternoon working away at the Tomcat, and finally got it finished!  Not perfect, and not entirely accurate.  I know the load out isn't accurate, but I really wanted to play around with some armament.  Most kits don't come with much for a load out, so I had picked up three of Hasegawa's weapons sets, and decided to crack into one of those.  I actually had a lot of fun putting all the weapons together and applying the decals. 

Hanging up on the wall.  The two on either side of it will eventually be replaced with an F/A-18 and a Phantom.

Thanks for looking!

Well done!  Your builds get better and better - love this one.  And that was quick.  Congrats on this one.

keavdog

Well done!  Your builds get better and better - love this one.  And that was quick.  Congrats on this one.

 

I'll make it unanimous from the three Johns,

Yes a very clean Tomcat, job well done .

Nice work on your Tomcat!  I've always loved those markings, and that prompted me to add this same kit to my stash when it was released.  Gonna have to get to it soon, as my modern jet collection (F-15, -16, -18, -22) is missing their big brother.

That's a beautiful job - very nicely done!

Thanks keavdog, tempest johnny, and jeaton01!  Lol. 

Thanks crown r n7!

Aggieman, Thank you.  I've done a 15, 16, and 18, have the 22 in the stash.  Been a bit leary of the paint job on that one.  Not entirely sure how I would tackle it yet.

Shipwreck, Thanks!  It's a great kit, lots of parts, a lot more than I'm used to.  The only thing that didn't quite fit right was the canopy in the closed position.  It had a bit of see saw effect.  Rather than mess with it I just put it in the open position.  Decals were pretty good, not the normal iffy Tamiya ones.  Yes I will still build Revell and Monogram kits.  I've got plenty more of them in the stash than Tamiya.  Sometimes they do need a lot of work, but honestly it's those kits that I have most enjoyed.  If I'm just not in the mood to be all kinds of time an effort into it I don't feel guilty about that cause I didn't spend a ton of money on the kit!

Thanks Hutch6390!