Grumman Iron Works Group Build

John,

yeah it's certainly getting that way....I don't think I could ever get tired of building Tomcats!

The Academy build I finished a couple weeks ago had some different colored panels and lines. The reference I saw from the VF-21 aircraft was more or less an overall color with not much changes. As it was the CAGs bird, they kept it painted in pretty much the same color....it was painted in a gloss gull grey, which was much easier to maintain. The real discoloration happens on the TPS painted aircraft....that paint job seems to be next to impossible to maintain at sea, so you end up with about 50 shades of grey on the aircraft. The next big scale Tomcat I am doing (which may or may not get finished in time) is a VF-24 Renegades bird in TPS....that one will look like it took a detour through Sherman Williams

Paul,

Please post any photos of the well-weathered Tomcat, as I have been thinking about doing the same with one of my Tamiya kits some time. 

I am also wondering, how does the 1/32 Revell kit compare with Tamiya's?  I know that folks have always complained about the half-and-half mix of recessed and raised panel lines on Tamiya's kits. 

Hey Scott,

In my opinion, the Revell kit cannot be beat. The cockpit is very good right out of the box whereas the Tamiya kit requires an aftermarket resin 'pit....unless they did some serious retooling, the Tamiya kit has decal instrument panels. Also....the aforementioned raised panel lines. Not that big of a deal to rescribe when you are building a 48th or 72nd scale kit....but in this big scale, I could build two Revell's in the time it would take to rescribe the Tamiya. And of course....the price tag....the Revell kits can be found between 30-50 bucks while the Tamiya hovers around the 150-175 range.

Both kits are A models, so that is a push....I do beleive some of the later boxings of the Tamiya kit do include a newer NACA gunvent and some other goodies.

I am shooting for something like this for the VF-24 build.....

Here is the second Academy Tomcat.....

Just need to paint the skunk stripe and then some detail painting. Should be done sometime next week.

Gonna end this GB with a bang!

Here is the Academy Tomcat almost complete. I am waiting on the white parts to dry, and then waiting 24 hours for the MM acrylic to cure before applying a coat of future. Still shooting for early next week completion...you can't really tell from this shot, but I did an extensive "patch work" paint on the top. Used 3 different shades of grey. Also, when masking certain areas, I didn't press the tape down all the way. So I had seapage under the tape. I did this on purpose. I then went back over the seapage with the base color...this came out splotchy and a slightly darker shade of the base light ghost grey...just like a jet on the carrier deck

1:48th Academy F-14A Tomcat

This is from Academy's "Bombcat" release. It includes the newer NACA gunvent, LAU-138A/A BOL Chaff rails, LAU-138 rails, BRU-32 bomb rails, LANTIRN, GBU-31, GBU-24 as well as updated front gear doors to include newer ECM buldge. The tails have been updated to include stiffener plates. Though the base molds are the same, the new parts are a HUGE improvement over the original Academy kit from the 1980s

Paul,

Thanks for the kit review.  I do have the CAM cockpit for one of my planes, and I also have the Eduard photoetch set for both planes.  I have no idea when I will get around to building one or both, but you have gotten me to thinking about them once again.  I also have the CAM "D" model upgrade set as I plan on making the origingal Tamiya kit into a late model cat.

As far as your photo is concerned, the lower aircraft reminds me more of what I used to see on the flight decks of my ships.  Lots of touch-up spots on different panels.  There used to be a guy in my model club that was involved with aircraft maintenance, and he explained how the touch-ups were a normal part of airframe maintenance, and it was only every five years or so that a plane would be repainted.  Of course the CAG aircraft were kept nice looking, but the rest of the planes in each squadron looked pretty worked over.

Got one more.....

This is an Academy Tomcat from the original boxing. I used CAM decals for the VF-102 markings. This model was built in Nov 07, and was originally intended for the Tomcat GB, though it missed the deadline by a few days.

My airbrush is out of commission right now....so unless Testors overnights me a replacement, I doubt I am going to be able to finish the Italeri and last 32nd scale Revell. I might be able to get the Fujimi Tomcat finished, as I had intended on using a rattle can for the all white finish.

Paul, another great looking Cat!

My sympathies for your airbrush issues.  If you want to finish the two builds you mentioned after the GB deadlines passes, that is fine with me.  I will still post them as completed builds for this GB.

Aggieman wrote:

Paul, another great looking Cat! My sympathies for your airbrush issues.  If you want to finish the two builds you mentioned after the GB deadlines passes, that is fine with me.  I will still post them as completed builds for this GB.

That would be cool. Testors said I should get a replacement in a week or two, so hopefully I should have em done soon