Best F-14 kit?

Wow... bringin back memories here!
I built a series of 1/72 Hasegawa F-14s during Desert Storm. Just before the war, the USS Kennedy was in NYC and I got to see the Libyan MiG killer from VF-32. Still got some great shots of it. Anyhow, I built three Hasegawa F-14s. One was FLAWLESS (or as close as a model kit can get). Beautiful engraved panel lines, photoetch in all the right spots. It even came with the right decals for VF-32! Of course, being a nose art fan, when the "Miss Molly" kit came out a few weeks later, I grabbed that one too. BIIIG mistake. It was a previous tooling, had raised panel lines, decals for instruments and the canopy was all sorts of wrong. So, if you're goin 72nd scale, watch which issue you get! If its pre-1991, it may be a bargain, but its gonna be a beast of a kit.

All this jet talk has got me wanting to build something without a rotor now... see what you guys have done!!!!

Well- this is a populer topic is it not? Proof that the F-14 is a popular subject.

some 1/48th scale comments:

Revel/Monogram (Revelogram):

I've built the Revelogram kit about 7 times over 20 years. It's great bang for the buck (I think it was about $7 10 years ago and still a bargain today at about $14). It builds into a very impressive kit but takes a lot of care.

Hasegawa

I just started bulding my first one, a F-14A+ and I am impressed. It is worth the money- it can be found for $30-$40 depending on which version. Hasegawa's offerings give you the most options- chin pods, engines, dropped flaps/slats, boarding ladder, A, A+, B, D models. The detial is better than any other with the exception of the cockpit- which isn't bad but if you're going to display it open you may want to use an aftermakret set. Weapons are extra but you get what you pay for here.

In 1/48 scale the Monogram F-14A can be built into a very nice model. It is the early production A model and can be converted to a late production with very little scratchbuilding. The only bad thing about the kit is the top and bottom fuselage do not mate up very well. It has the engine exhaust only in the open positions and anyone who has been around the F-14 know that on the ground one will be open and one closed.

Pros. Cheep, not to hard to build. Cons. Aim-7 missiles molded onto the pylon. No drop tanks.

The Revell F-14D can not be built into a D. It does have the correct seats, engine exhaust and double barrel chin pods, but it lacks the proper gun vents and shape. It also does not have the glove antennas and sensors or the correct shape beaver tail.

Pros. Same as above. Cons. Same as above.

Academy F-14A is better than the Monogram kit. It is the later production model and has a choice of compressed or extended nose strut. It has open or closed speed brakes. The weapons pylon gives you a choice of loading AIM-54's, two AIM-7's or two or four AIM-9's, each with their correct launcher. It also includes two droptanks, and a TARPS pod. Also it has all three under chin pods or antennas as used on all A models. Engine exhaust can be displayed open or closed.

Pros. Easy to build. Very detailed cockpit. Cons. Leading edge flaps can not be displayed extended.

Hasagawa F-14A. The best kit of all in 1/48 scale. It has all the features of the Academy kit plus the leading edge flaps can be displayed retracted or extended.

Pros. Gives you a choice of beaver tails so you can make an early or late production F-14A. Cons. Price. Lots of small parts. No weapons included in the kit.

Hasagawa also makes the F-14A+, F-14B, F-14D and the "Bombcat". All of them are excellent kits and well worth the money.

Fujimi F-14A. Dont get me started on this kit. It is so bad it would take me a full page to explain it. Stay away from it. The Italeri kit is a rebox of the Fujimi kit. Again, stay away from it.

Ricardo (and all those interested)

I'll have to dig a bit for the photos, but this link should get you started:

http://navysite.de/cvn/cvn65.html

By the way, what part of Portugal do you live in? I was in Lisbon back in 2000, and I must say that it's beautiful country out there. Great wine, too.

Hope this helps.

demono69

Wow. Thanks for all the info guys!

The Tom will forever be my favorite Jet fighter...right up until the Navy starts flying X-Wings...than I'll have a decision to make! (Wouldn't a Black Bunny squadron X-Wing look cool? Maybe it's just me...)

F-14 Fan: When you get that carrier built...I know we'd all love to see it...it sounds awesome!

I got it at the I.P.M.S. Nationals last week for $10.00. It has the photo etch still with it, but it looks a lot like what Hasegawa included in their F/A-18 series...

I've only built one Tomcat in my life and it was the Revell Monogram kit, I'd say the value is there for the money thats spent (you have to exprect to do a bit of work when the price is in the 20 dollar range or less).

The biggest warning I can give about that kit stems from a series of kits that Monogram released in the mid 1980's. I belive the series was called "High Tech", all the kits were re releases with some of the original plastic parts substituted with some photo etch bits. I built the 1/48 F/A-18 in that series and it was a nightmare! Non of the replaced plastic parts were kept in the kit if you didn't want to go with the photo etched options, you were forced to use them. I don't know what the photo etched bit were made from but you'd need a forge, anvil and some blacksmithing lessons to get them to flex and bend top any degree.

The 1/48 Tomcat was included in that series and I suspect you'd have similar experiences with it. The series didn't last long And I doubt you'd find that particular issueing of the Monogram cat, but just be careful in case it is still on the prowl.

As has been said, the Hasegawa kits are the best in 1/48 but the price range they run in is very high. I have several Monogram 14's (2 D's and one A) and I think they are good kits and very affordable ($11.97 at the local Wal-Mart). The fit isn't the best, but I think they are the best run for the money.

Put in my vote for Hasegawa. 72nd and 48th. Now that is a Cat! But you have to look for the new mold, though. Hase came out with an earlier release with raised panels, spartan cockpit with geeky looking crew, and no PE. The new mold is a gem. But even then, the shape of the bird is great by my book. Re-scribe a little, upgrade the cockpit, and presto!

Academy's 'Cats have great fuselage and tail sections, and far cheaper. But the nose looks a little short. Guess that bird took the barrier. LOL. They did the same thing in both 72nd and 48th.

Revell Germany came out with a 72nd 'Cat. Recessed panel lines are heavier than Hase. Not very sure about the final appearance, though.

DEMONO69:
Well, I WANT EVERYTHING... LITERALLY!!!!!!

I Explain:
I'm currently building the Big E (CVAN-65) with the first aircraft detachment, and i really need to know wich markings would be appropriate in the deck, since Revell's box comes with a few that i think are a little irreal...
Besides, i've build the hangar, so i need info on it, also (colours, markings, etc.)
Since i want to build it the more correctly possible, i was thinking of getting as much pics of as i can...

By the way, i'm also building all the aircraft types that have been aboard the Big E, and i'm getting dificult in found the decals for some of them, mainly the E-2C Hawkeye and the S-3A Viking...
I've already got partial markings from some of the squadrons, but are from other carriers...
So, i was thinking that some pics could help, if not, to find someone to create custom decals to my aircrafts...

Can you help with the pics???
Even scanned ones will do!!!!!

as for the 1/48's I built the old Monograms & the Hasegawa's I find that both have good points that the other is lacking, but the big thing is the price, also I've seen a few months ago in the mag they had a Cat round up and they went over the pro & cons of all the kits, in 1/72's it'll take some exterior work(rescribing) but the Airfix kit was pretty good too, I think it'll best the Fujimi's hands down

Ricardo,

I served aboard the Dwight D Eisenhower, CVN-69. I still have alot of friends on the Enterprise, though. If you can let me know what pics you want (E or Ike,) I'll see what I can do.

demono69

Yeah, I have to agree the Tamiya's F-14 sucks for the price. But if you don't take into account of the price, it's still a good kit. I noticed the rivets on the front fuselage are sunken, but rest of the plane it's convex, why is that?

DEMONO69:
In wich aircraft carrier have you been????
I'm searching for pics of the Big E, so i think of question you about the subject....