Tango1, your Tomcat you posted!

Wow, backwards, wow, hard to believe it's a model!
Lee

Good job bud....!!!!!!. Nice touch w/ the weathering
Flaps up,Mike

That is one fine looking F-14. An excellent job of keeping the look to scale. I'm anxious to hear about your weathering techniques.
Dave

Guys,
check out my other post! R.E. tomcat weathering.

Thanks!

Darren

Nice selection of VF-111 Sundowners for the paint scheme of your Tomcat. Was that kit from Hasewaga or Academy? Im currently working on 6 models of F-14A and F-14D Tomcats, all from Revell/Monogram. I do have an Academy 1/48 kit of F-14A Tomcat that's waiting... Sort of me doing my learning process on the Revell/Monogram kits before moving onto Academy. I also have a Fujimi 1/48 Tomcat and another Revell 14D Tomcat coming.... So far, the planned schemes for those Revells would be: VF-31 Tomcatters, VF-41 Black Aces (White Fins), VF-84 Jolly Rogers, VF-142 Ghostriders (White fins), VF-143 Pukin' Dogs (CAG), VF-124 Gunfighter (CAG), VF-213 Black Lions, and VF-14 Tophatters (Black fins).

The kit I built is the 1/48 version from hasagawa. I recon it's the best in that scale because it is so well detailed. However there is a price to pay, you won't find any weapons in the box and there are fit problems with the intakes and the forward fuselage. These can be overcome and the finished product is well worth it!

I tried the revell-monagram kit and did'nt get on with it. The one I had gave me so many fit problems that I lost patience and gave up I've done two Italieri kits and I was impressed with them as they go together nicely and come with decent weapons for a very good price. Add a detail set and some extra decals and you'll have a great model.

As for Acadamey and Fujimi kits, I've not played with those yet so I'd be intrested to hear how you get on with them. I hope you have a better experience with your Rev/Monagram kits than I did.
By the way I'm impressed with your choice of markings there're some of my favourites. A good site for reference material is www.anft.net/f-14/
It's called "Home of M.A.T.S." and contains all you will ever need to know the tomcat If you've not found it before, it might be useful.

Good luck with all those kits-happy modelling!

Darren

Very impressive, TANGO 1. Weathering job was excellent. I'll have to try the wash technique you described. - Ed

Whaz up Tango 1,
The base, is that an aftermarket deck or did you make it?? If its home made please explain bud!!
Flaps up,Mike

Hi Mike,

I bought a peice of MDF from a hardware store and my mate brian did the edges with a power router.

To make it look like a half-decent carrier base I maked the runway and chain downs in pencil and then I airbrushed the white runway on.
Once that was dry I masked off the runway and I drilled shallow holes for the chain down circles. After I airbrushed the deck with gunmetal metalcote. When that had dried I removed all the masking tape and put small amounts of filler in the holes that I drilled. I then painted the circles a lighter colour to give them definition.

I then applied a wood varnish to the edge of the base and to finish I airbrushed the whole thing in satin varnish. There you go-cheap and cheerful!

I had some more idea's for carrier deck bases-If they work out I'll post them here!

Happy modelling!

Darren

Thanx Tango
Flaps up,Mike

Love the carrier deck. I will soon be building my F-14A VF-84 (Hasegawa) in 1/48th after I finish 10 other projects. I'd love to place it on a carrier deck- any chance we can get a scan of yours to use as a template?

On this Tomcat talk, does anyone have a 1/32 Revell Monogram Tomcat for sale or donation to me? :)

I dont need all the parts, just some if you dont have a full kit, let me know what parts you are missing. Im having severe warping problems, and no tires, :(

1/48 Hasewaga is an excellent choice.... from what I heard, they're GOD when it comes to F-14 Models.... Along with the accessories you can get to make the next real thing....minus the electronic system and an actual turbine jet engine. From what I know, NO Model kits are perfect.... No matter what, all model kits are from HELL when it comes to something... For example, those Revell/Monograms... theres a molding line right down the middle of the fuselage that is supposed not to be there. When you compare the fuselage from Academy to Revell/Monogram, there is NO line down the middle in Academy fuselage. So far on one fuselage, I've used one WHOLE bottle of Testor putty, did plenty of rescribing, etc etc, and am no where near perfect, thanks to those raised panel lines.

As for the Academy kit, They come with all those weapon system, including 6 Phoenixs, 2 Sidewinders, and 2 Sparrows. From what I have heard, Academy Kit is similiar to both Revell/Monogram and Hasewaga... sort of in the middle with both characteristics. I will be sure to post pictures of all those Revell/Monogram F-14's once Im done puttying/sanding/fixing/painting/gluing!

Hell yeah!!! F-14's are far my FAVORITE plane anywhere with NOTHING coming close to it! Yep I have M.A.T.S website stored in my favorite place. I visit that website at least 5 times a day!

As to your carrier surface thing, I made an inquiry and found two places where you can get supplies to paint a realistic asphalt-looking carrier surface:

http://plastruct.com/Pages/action.lasso
and
http://www.woodlandscenics.com/

Hope those helps!!! One hand washes the other.... You rub my back I'll rub yours!!!!

Good luck with all those kits-happy modelling!

Darren

By the way, Anybody with suggestions or hints for those Revell/Monogram F-14A and F-14D Tomcats can get hold of me here anytime:

Email: PRegius999@aol.com
AIM: sn0wb0ner
Yahoo: Operation_Clusterfook

Thanks, Nope, my name isnt Darren... I copied and pasted so I could reply to his posting... and forgot to delete the remaining thread... My name is Larry....

Thanks
Larry

Nice work, Darren... I am off to my local hobby guy to get that Hasegawa 'Cat. Excellent advice on the weathering. I put it to use on a 1/48 Intruder and it is the easiest and most convincing I have seen. Thanks for helping me out!

Really glad to hear this technique has worked for you Larry. It's great to know that something I've done is helping my brother kit-heads. Are you going to post your A-6 in Ron USMC's gallery? I hope so-I have the monogram kit and I've never seen a 1/48 intruder "on the deck" before. Be nice to get a peek at the finished product!

Thanks,

Darren.

It's hard to quit gushing... most of the weathering that I had tried on previous kits did not work well. The Intruder looks pretty naked just sitting on my desk so I am prob going to experiment with some different ideas for "decks". I just bought a dig camera and I hope to get the pics on soon.
Regards,
Jon

sweet. I can't wait to see those pics too, so post them already!!!

I want to see how that technique worked for you and maybe ask you a question or two also, ;)

This is one of the big selling points on that gallery... its a place to post our models, exchange ideas, and get better, :)

While I am here... anyone got an idea on how to start a 'deck'? It will be my first foray into it and all comments will be a great help. Also, has Revell/Monogram re-issed the 1/48 F-15E with all the correct ordinance yet? That kinda bugged me when I opened the box- so I put it aside. I think Hasegawa has one I can buy but I am not sure.

ask away, RonUSMC... and you'll receive.

Hi Jon

I got the Hasagawa F-15E at a show recently and it is a whole lot better than the Revel kit. (in my humble opinion!) Also unusually for them,this eagle came with a full warload,access ladder and figure. If you see it-get it. Highly recommended.
I also have the Has. F-15C kit in my inventory. Believe me, It's a good one.

About the deck, my best effort so far is the one in Ron's gallery,which was after several attempts! (how to described earlier in this thread.) However, I have improved it by adding press studs from my wifes sewing box to resemble deck chain-down circles. Some of my friends have had a look, and they think it looks more realistic. When I can borrow my friends camera, I'll post it on the site to show you what it looks like.

Hope this helps a little,

Regards,

Darren

I was at the local hobby shop today and asked the owner which he thought was better and he had one of the Has. kits... Sooooo, I bought the Has and the Revell kit and I agree with you. The Has looks a bit more complex but much better detail. Should be interesting.
Thanks for the advice on the deck. I hope to start that soon so I can get the pics posted-
Regards,
Jon

By the way guys... the Revell/Monogram kit now comes with full ord. I bought it and a Hasegawa today and if anyone wants to know the Has. is better. It's worth the extra bucks.