F-14 Tomcat Group Build idea...

Looking good everyone.

I've washed the sprues and hopefully I can get some serious modelling done this weekend to catchup.

Sentry, I noticed a lot fo Tamiya paint jars in your photos. Did you use Tamiya colours and if so which numbers etc?

Everybody, how do you guys paint your kits and still keep the wings functioning?

Here are two pics of my F-14





James

sentry, that 'cat of yours is looking awesome! I can't wait to see it with some markings on it. Chuck, glad to see your builds coming together as well. Looking great! As for your question about the leading edges, all the photos I have show them to be natural metal, even on the TPS.

Though it is a steady work in progress as I slowly approach the stage to install the canopy and windscreen and go over the seams for the final finish.
The intakes were not much of an issue for this kit. I will try something new to create the demarcation line between the white and grey scheme in the intakes.


At this point they are still white.
The exhaust burners will need to be worked on to tone down the white. Anyone know (I'm a little sheepish since I should know this) if this scheme has the natural metal leading edges on the tail and wings? Have not been able to find any photos of this A/C or it's mates for this time period to show this.




Meanwhile I'm telling you all it is a major undertaking doing one Tomcat much less 2 in different scale and paint schemes. Nice work for those who are about to finish. The others lets keep it up as we just past the halfway mark. Happy St Patrick's day....are you wearing green?

Chuck
Fly Navy

Bstrump-excellent work on the VF-11 bird. Looks just great.
Sentry- your entry is exemplry, play on words, looks like a few are now ready for completion.
At this point being grounded on the weekends with bad weather. So no airbrushing. And looks like again this weekend more rain? Toto, looks like we are not in So. California anymore! So just worked on some sub assembly work, painted the coamings and shroud black and tan.


This Fujimi 72nd F-14 is a neat kit to build and not to fussy. Compared to the 48th scale Tomcats.


Installed the Phoenix missile pallets as this will be hauling a warshot of 2+2+2 Sidewinders,Sparrows and Phoenix's as was typical at this point of the war.

If I get the opportunity I would really like to paint the exhaust area so I can install the tails. And then paint the overall Glossy Lt Gull Grey scheme.

Meanwhile the 48th Revell F-14D is sitting tight while awaiting some material to continue that project.
more to follow

Chuck
Fly Navy

Sentry- you've been holding out on us... that looks excellent! It's almost Friday, which means more progress this weekend!
pingtang- how's it going on the Academy kit? I know I slammed it a little while back but with a little work I have corrected the faults.(that I prob created myself) Good news, the digicam is back, so hopefully I'll get some photos out.

Your cat is looking very nice Sentry. The paint job looks great so far.

erh frankly i cant say much on the fuselage yet still working on the paint not sure if i coat it first with varnish or not

last night bang my head adjusting the stupid canopy closed. oh well well see how then

thanks amour i will try to post some pics first. well this is it hmmm i still feel strange of the color

yep bstrump-VF-2- thanks for the heads-up! It'll be a while before I can get to it but it does look very enticing in the box. I don't do a lot of 1/72 but this one looks loaded to the gills with detail and the recessed lines look beautiful.
Mark- you'll love that kit. I haven't built mine yet- it'll be a long while. I am a little nervous about tackling the BIG stuff. But at close inspection the decal sheet looks beautiful and the lines are flawless. Cockpit will be a charm. I heat the fit is great too. I was lucky and caught out Hobby Lobby on a pricing mistake at one of their Sunday sales. Sure is a big kit, isn't it?
Sentry- How's the paint looking? After the excellent work you did on the gear we can't wait to see the fuselage!

I have the Hasegawa F-14A 1/72 kit with the decals for 4 aircraft from the USS Independance from 1990 through 1991. I think it is the same F-14A kit that Hasegawa has had for quite some time now. Just they change the box and decals. I am building the Feelancers VF-21 CAG with the black tails. Good kit, some fit issues like all other F-14 kits. I am masking the canopy now in prep for paint. I have shot the gear and inside of the doors with flat white. The weapons are together and I am scraping the seams. A buddy of mine just sent me the Academy 1/32 F/A-18C!!!! He got them for a steal in Seattle.

QUOTE: Originally posted by armorman dang bstrump- I gotta say that looks simply incredible. You know, you have churned out two excellent birds now and I have yet to finish one. I have to ask... how do you like those 1/72 Has kits? I traded a EA-6B for one and it'll be a while before I can get to it. Very nice work, very nice.

Thanks armorman! I'm glad you think so highly of my 'cats. It helps when you have a good starting point such as the Has kits although I like Academy's 1/72 kit as well. As for the fit, the sub-assemblies fit together very well. It's when start to join them together that clouds gather. The worst one is where the forward fuselage joins to the rear. Hasegawa has molded a "vee" depression in the forward fus' and a "vee" projection at the top of the forward intake boxes. When you slide the two together, the rear fus" at the joint is forced apart causing a step. Shave down this projection and all will be well. You'll also need to tweak the intake trunks where they join to the rear. Other than that there's minor filling and sanding to do. Great trade, BTW. VF-2 F-14D was it?

Bstrump, sighs i cant see your pic in here may try to use my home computer. Im in the offie now.

Mitch just for a though, i think your shading is good, i think some " get use to it" can produce a good turn in the long run.

frankly i use hand paint preshading, not seems ok to me too. need to dig out the old 0.2 airbrush again.

i did some paint job on the cat , but it seems doesnt look good in picture i took . Eithher im a lousy photographer or some thing wrong with the paint.

wellcome ohjohnm. im doing a VF154 bird too, its a kitty hawk bird.

dang bstrump- I gotta say that looks simply incredible. You know, you have churned out two excellent birds now and I have yet to finish one. I have to ask... how do you like those 1/72 Has kits? I traded a EA-6B for one and it'll be a while before I can get to it. Very nice work, very nice.
osjohnm- to the F-14 GB!!!! We can't wait to see your progress... We had to change the end date to June to accommodate the fact that we don't have as much time as would like to have. Welcome aboard!!!
Well, guys looks like another weekend by myself toget in some good build time- Saturday, at least. Better than nothing! I definitely see some pre-shading and other goodies. Maybe, just maybe a first coat.
ipms33206- which 1/72 kit are you putting together?
oh yeah, bstrump- how'd that kit fit?

Thanks everyone! Glad to share pics with you but I can't wait to see everbody else's 'cats.
John, the tails and canopy surround are Insignia Blue FS15044, a blue so dark it's almost black and the decals came from TwoBobs.

I ordered the VF-154 and VF-84/VF-51 CAM sheets today, should be here by early next week.

No stock of the D weapons kit and I can't find the D kit locally so I'll have to leave the Lantirn build for another time.

Bstrump, you have a pretty good memory, but VF-31 also flies LANTRIN equipped D models.

Chris Ish

Excellent work bstrump, thanks for the pics!

That's looking very nice bstrump. Great job so far.

Very impressive.

Are the tails and anti-glare black or blue on the kit, hard to tell from the photo?

This will be my first Tomcat that I build and I was wandering on how do I deal with the painting of the wings?

Thanks guys

Looking awesome bstrump!

Hi everyone! I finally finished decalling the F-14B last night. Whew! Now I just have to apply the wash and flat overcoat. Before I do that though here's some update pics of the build.

ABSOLUTELY!!

Just kidding...

Paint whatever you like. Heck, I thought about doing mine in USAF SEA Vietnam era camo...nahhh.

Just saw VF-84 CAM decals at HLJ...hmmm

For the time being make it a 1/48 Italeri F-14A+ with either VF-154 or VF-84 decals.

If I go with the VF-84 would anybody object to me using the TPS scheme?

The GB Badge you can get by just right clicking on any of ours. A window will open up with some options. Left click on "properties". A window will open up showing you the address URL of the badge. Highlight the address by left clicking and holding at the very start of the address and dragging the cursor across it. Right click anywhere in the highlighted area and select "copy" You will now have the badge in the palm of your hands. Now go to your profile and on the "Signature URL" line, right click again and select "paste" with the left click button. You must "paste" the URL of the badge between the tags without any spaces anywhere. I have put spaces here just to show you what you need. Your badge should now show up. It's really easier than it sounds but failing all this, you can simply type the address of the badge between the tags.

CAM Decals are awesome! I love them because they have slime light decals that actually glow in the dark.BTW, you can also get CAM decals from Great Models Webstore. I like Black-tails, too. Check back a few pages and you'll see my F-14A in VF-21CAG markings. Black tail of course.

Welcometo da club!

Thanks bstrump.

If you guys will have me count me in.

2 more questions, where can I find the GB badge and are CAM decals good?
www.hlj.com just received fresh stock and I'm thinking of getting the VF-154 CAG sheet.
I've always liked Tomcats with black tails and black anti-glare screens.

Thx
John

QUOTE: Originally posted by osjohnm Hi guys I recently bought the Italeri F-14+ 1/48 kit. However I'm not planning on joining the GB. Although I'm tempted, when is the cut off date? Would you mind answering some questions? How easy is it to add the mountings onto Phoenix pallets(?) to add GBUs? Secondly which units were/are lantirn users? Thanks John

Hi John! Jump in anytime if you like . The GB is running through June so there is still lots of time. The pylons for the GBUs are easy to add. You can get them in the Hasegawa Weapons Sets or you can shape them from strip styrene. The shape is pretty simple as long as you have a photo to work from. Lastly, going from memory, the LANTIRN units are/were:VF-41, VF-154 and VF-211 on the F-14A; VF-11, VF-32, VF-102, VF-103, VF-142 on the F-14B and VF-2 and VF-213 on the F-14D. There were probably others so check this reference here: anft.net/f-14. It's the best F-14 reference around and lists all units, what version they flew and when, LANTIRN use, even the BuNo of the planes on strength. Add this page to your favourites! Hope this helps.

Hi guys

I recently bought the Italeri F-14+ 1/48 kit. However I'm not planning on joining the GB.
Although I'm tempted, when is the cut off date?

Would you mind answering some questions?

How easy is it to add the mountings onto Phoenix pallets(?) to add GBUs?
Secondly which units were/are lantirn users?

Thanks
John

I think I'm pretty much done with pre-shading, for now. I'm going to build a pair of F-4E's next, one in Vietnam-era SEA camo, the other in either 3-color wrap-around (dark tan/med. green/dk. green) or grey Euro wrap-around (tan replaced by gunship grey 36118). The upper surfaces will get washed w/ a medium grey to dark ghost grey...bottom of 'Nam bird will get a grimy black-grey wash.

I wash w/ acrylics thinned w/ isopropyl alcohol.

(Actually, I'm going to shelve the 'Cat for a short bit and build two 1/72 P-47's, for an "escape" or "easy onesy-twosy" build. One's going to be painted purple, my 3 year-old daughter wants a purple airplane to put next to the pink F6F I built for her, it's on a high shelf in her room.)

Thanks Daniel! I plan to shoot some more panels on the 'Cat, but there won't be huge colour differences. I might use some more of a gull-grey colour for a few. I still have to shoot the lower surfaces of my cat, as well as the fuel tanks, and the canopy area and vertical stabs in black / dark dark blue.

I always thought that the soft lines would look better. I've seen a few other people do the lines with a brush, and thought it wouldn't look too great. To me, the key to a good weathering job is subtlety. If the weathering is over done, it just looks too over the top. I don't think a model should be an excuse for a weathering job, but weathering should just add a bit of interest to a usually dull single colour aircraft.

That's why I like your weathering job Mitch. It just spices up that paint job enough to make it interesting. Good work. If you want to add some soft panel line weathering, try usig pastels. I don't bother pre-shading anymore, I just use pastels to get my weathering effects.

Just so y'all know, that "pre-primering" I did really didn't work so well. Also, I would stick with pre-shading with an airbrush, not by hand. I think the soft lines are an asset.

Thanks for the encouraging words, fellahs.