F-14 Tomcat Group Build idea...

Mitch i not sure if mine is symetrical. i use a ruler to cut half of the fuselage and my masking tape ends at the line behind the canopy

But i think this is crude. But maybe can use a string which u can pull from the pointed nose to the end of the cat somewhere to the tail hook area then align your tape by criss crossing on one part of the string which maybe behind the canopy ? just a tot only, i havent try it out as i just figures it out when i use my ruler to cut it half

i seen the site thanks mitch hopefully can get a B cat.

Osjohn , im not sure also but i use light ghost grey on it. Did u try on the aircraft resource site ? they have some cockpit photos there .

www.aircraftresourcecenter.com

Modern US aircraft interiors are Dark Gull Grey.

Thanks guys

Hi all

I should be finished with my Attack Helo GB by the end of the week. Then I can throw myself at the F-14 and get some modelling done and some pictures up.

My apologies for not having anything to show yet. Work has been very busy and the painting and stripping of the seats got me bogged down.
But my enthusiasm has returned!

welcome back John , i stop my 500MD just to finish the cat. paint some burner cans yesterday. latedly i din do much either may continue some other day hopefully this week

Hello everyone, from sunny Cincinnati!

Today has been the nicest day we've had yet, partly cloudy to mostly sunny, 76 F for a high. But I was not out enjoying the beautiful weather, no, I was at my workbench, painting my 'Cat.

Fellahs, I am quite pleased...it's not perfect, but I am very pleased. I painted the underside in light ghost grey (FS 36375), Testors Model Master enamels, and then shot the vertical stabs, canopy, and area around the canopy in insignia blue (FS 35044)*. IF you look closely behind the point of the blue around the canopy area, you can see a faint "x" shape...I masked the general outline of the blue area, then went back and lightly sprayed medium grey (FS 35237), but was not thinking about the masking tape. D'oah! Oh well...lots more to do, I'll add that to the laundry list of things to touch up.









This is the plane I'm going to do, markings-wise. I decided to make the blue area around the canopy go all the way to the tip of the nose, instead of stopping short. Oh well.



*The actual color has been discussed in this thread before. I have seen many photos of black-tailed Tomcats where the black looks to be more of a very dark blue, not really black. I made the choice to use insignia blue because it is almost black.

Lookin' good, MA Cooke! It's really coming together nicely. However, for your use of artistic license, you will receive 50 lashes of the cane!!

Looking good MA Cooke.

Where did u steal the 2nd canopy from?

My helo GB is going to hold me back even further. Still can't get the whole future thing working and mixing tamiya flat base with future didn't turn out well.

Moving onto plan B which involves Tamiya Gloss for gloss coat/decals and using Humbrol flat coat. Luckily I have a couple of stuffed up kits about to test on.

Once I have technique that works will apply to helo kit.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

osjohnm:

Ah, this F-14 is actually a "kit-bash" of two Hasegawa F-14's...I started with an A model, then an unfortunate accident befell it (I knocked it off my desk accidentally then stepped on it, my 19-month old toddler was getting underfoot). I then obtained a D model, most of which you see before you. The D model's canopy had a crack, so I salvaged the canopy out of the A model. The wings are from the A model, too...(I had already built them and just used them). I decided to glue the cracked canopy on instead of masking around the cockpit.

I did file, sand, and polish out the seam that runs down the middle of the canopy. It came out OK, but there are some minor scuff marks that I just can't get rid of...I used a file, then 600 grit paper, then the two stages of the fine and ultra extra fine sticks, then Bare Metal plastic polish. Oh well...

Thanks for the comments.

Anyone seen Reggie? He hasn't posted in a while. Hope he's OK, maybe he's busy w/ school, sports, etc.

Hi all

Looks like the Tamiya Gloss might actually worked. Tried it out on a fuel tank last night.
Will try the Humbrol flat this weekend. Keep your fingers crossed.

john i use artist matt varnish( the one use for alcrylic paint) on my cat fuel tank seems ok in case if u feel u want other type of method. But u doing fine im sure.

its nice mitch , can i call u mitch. .
will u coat it ? wash it ? with oil ?

sentry: Yes, once I'm satisfied with the overall painting (which will be soon, I hope - I want to do a bit more of the "patchwork" in various greys), I'll put a couple coats of Future on it, then I'll apply a very dark grey wash, I'll use either Tamiya acrylics (water-based) or Testors Model Master Acryl. For the vertical stabs and the area around the canopy that's "insignia blue", I'll probably wash with a medium greyish color, maybe neutral grey, medium grey, or dark gull grey.

I may get brave and do some light washing before the gloss goes on. That won't come up as well when you wipe it with a wet rag, it adds to the "dirty" look of an F-14 (I did this 10 years ago).

Well, guys- everything is looking good! Mitch, I think you are going to have a heck of a Tomcat.
Dallas was boring- I'm exhausted and build time this weekend looks nonexistant. I will say that I am going to shelve the 'Cat for the next week and work on the Tamiya P-47D. Tomorrow consists of recuperating the the sleep I never got and the Michigan St. Carolina game. Soooo- everybody have a good weekend.
Sentry- Good to hear from you!!! How is the build coming along?
osjohnm- how's the weather in Cape Town?

Hey Armorman

Its quite warm today but the wind is pumping. Hence no Humbrol flat coat testing.
Autumn has hit as the mornings and evenings are getting colder. Hopefully winter is just around the corner, we need rain badly.

As for the Cat, I've been removing parts off the sprues and dry-fitting. Going to need some filler but nothing too serious it seems.

Good to hear from you again, enjoy the game.

mitch that sounds nice. cant wait to see the plane from the paint job later on.

hi amour welcome back too .Pls rest well then . After that get the cat out for make up just kidding ol chap, anyway take it easy man

i try to use some weathering technique fro the burner cans from ARC as been told by mitch earlier on once. The other day i browse through it i tot i check it out. so i just try it out on the cat cans . well keep my finger cross. here it is not as good as paul did (in ARC).

Dang Mitch....nice Masking job!!! Looks awesome! Just my here,but I think the way that the cockpit is masked off on the real F-14's (similiar to the way yours is Mitch) looks the best.....makes the 'Cat look more menacing.(Does that sound right?)Anyway...I painted the consoles of my cockpit last saturday,only to have them look like I dumped paint on them (too thick) so I stripped the cockpit Sunday afternoon...had orientation at my new job monday,then left for the week.I just got back today (Sat April 2) after going from OKC to New York,to Arizona.Hopefully today after I mow the lawn,I can re-prime and shoot the basecoat and then hopefully detail tomorrow...I will let you guys know..Later on!!

Hi all

My CAM decals were just delivered to the office, will post some pics tonight.
VF-154 CAG, VF-84 and VF-51....hmmm...the agony of choice!

Thanks TransAm.

Sentry: yes you can call me Mitch.

EVERYONE: has anyone heard from Reggie in Singapore? He hasn't posted for a while. Hope he's doing OK. That kid is funny!

I'm getting THIS CLOSE (hold your thumb and forefinger about 1/8" apart, in a "pincer" grasp) to putting Future then wash then decals on my 'Cat. Can't wait can't wait can't wait!!!

I'm hoping to have this 'Cat done by April 27, a good friend wants me to take it and show it at his R/C club's "static" air show. He thinks I can earn some business from R/C guys who don't want to paint (or can't paint) their planes. I've also started Hasegawa's 1/48 F-4E, to be done in 'Nam era camo.

Was able to paint the Gloss Lt Gull Grey yesterday. Looks pretty good now as I will let it sit for 24 hrs to let the paint set before I go masking off for the black trim on the nose and canopy. Images to follow this afternoon.

Chuck
Fly Navy

Hi all

At long last I have some progress pics!!!
Here is the tub which was painted with Tamiya XF-54 which according to the cross reference charts is dark gull grey.

Here are the other parts that received some XF-54.


Lastly here is a shot of the CAM decals for the CAG bird from VF-154.


I decided to stick with the VF-154 markings as the VF-84 decals don't have markings for the fuel tanks.
Heck, now I have the kit decals for VF-31 hi-vis, VF-32 lo-vis and the CAM decals for VF-84 hi-vis and VF-51 hi-vis. Going to have to do some F-14 shopping

Hmmm...on second thoughts how about we just another F-14 group build

John:

What do the kit decals look like? Could you send me a photo of the VF-31 decals? MACooke@fuse.net

I bought some VF-31 decals for an F-14D, but they do not have the "NK" on the inside of the vertical stabilizers, and the markings for the lower (ventral?) fins are black, not yellow as I want.

IF you don't want them, maybe I know someone who may want them (me).

That cockpit tub sure looks dark gull grey to me. I tried again to airbrush Tamiya acrylics last night, I'm convinced they are put here by Satan himself. Every time I tried to airbrush them they dried in the airbrush and on the tip of the needle. I was thinning with isopropyl alcohol.

I hate those damn paints.

Mitch it seem this happens with darker grey paint ( the tamiya ones) i been facing this problem on n off , at firs i tot it was the mixing of thinner ratios until i put too much thinner in it. but darn, it happen to me again last night freeze on the tip of the needles. i have to use commercial thinner to clean while the paint bottle still attached Shit.

This tamiya paints also turn whites after couple days with grains around aaargh. but i don care will varnished it later .

hey mitch! try thinning with windex. It has worked very well of late.
Looking Good osjohnm! Keep those progress pics flowing.
I did a little work on the P-47 D motor tonight and then stopped to see Carolina beat Illinois. Hell of a game. Go TAR HEELS!

As promised here are some images of the Fujimi VF-41 Black Aces Tomcat.
Overall Lt Gull Grey 16440, With Med Grey 35237 wing fold bladders.

Using Gunze Aqueous acrylics. Laid down rather nicely.

The next step is to mask of the canopy and nose area to paint Flat Black.
Then soon after to mask off the wings and do the leading edges in natural metal using Alclad Aluminum metalizer. The exhaust area looks pretty good after removing the mask.

With this initial part of the painting phase completed, drop tanks and other components that are also in the Gull Grey are painted as well. That means we are almost done. After painting the black, I will then do the random paneling in different shades of grey and grime to depict an aircraft in wartime operation.
This should be fun.

Still a lot left to do. More to follow as we progress.

Chuck
Fly Navy

Hi all

Mitch,Sentry I use the enamel paint range from Tamiya hence I've had no problems with them. The finish is amazing. Haven't tried the acrylic range but I do know that you should use the Tamiya acrylic thinners with them. Has a retarder in it.

Mitch, will take some pics of the decals and mail them later.

Chuck, that is looking awesome!The Fujimi kit sure builds up into a nice kiity cat, doesn't it? I can't wait to see more progress pics. And I've always liked those Gunze acrylics but darn it, they're hard to find.
John, glad to see some progress pics! The pit is lookin' good and I love the look of those VF-154 decals. Man, I can't wait to see this one decaled!

How's everyone going in here? I haven't been in here for a while. Looks like some great progress has been made while I've been away. Enough to get me off my ****** and thinking about my cat again. I'm gonna try Jon's approach and stick the wings in after gluing the fuselage halves together. Looks alot simpler that way, and it means I can get it all buttoned up soon. Then back to filling and sanding, but it shouldn't be so bad now, because it's not the inside of the intakes.

Keep up the good work everyone.

John actaully i thin with tamiya thinner too , not sure why is it freezed on the tip of the needles.

The VF 154 cam decal is nice is it a Hi vis marking ? And the cockpit did u test fit ? or u cut the cockpit fuselage from the body ? nice paint job.

Ususcn : nice paint job cant wait to see more