Kev1n Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 so if you have any questions, need advice, stuff like that, post here.....with a plea of indulgence to the experts. your services will be needed! (especially by me) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 Don't know if this is the right place, but for anyone looking for a superb reference book for the Tomcat you would be hard-pressed to find one better than Danny Coremans' Uncovering the Grumman F-14 A/B/D Tomcat. This book is full to the brim with fantastic detail shots of just about every aspect of the various models of this aircraft you could ever possibly need. For the record, I have no involvement in this book or its marketing whatsoever, i'm just a fan of the work. Wayne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev1n Posted January 3, 2012 Author Share Posted January 3, 2012 I dont have that......since all I know about the tomcat is that it was in a movie, looked cool and went very fast, I should probably get a copy.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 The Daco book is one of the best things ever for those modelling F-14's. I got mine at RIAT 2006 aged 16 and haven't looked back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RNoAF Aerobatic Team Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 so if you have any questions, need advice, stuff like that, post here.....with a plea of indulgence to the experts. your services will be needed!(especially by me) Will there be a thread for parts and so on? Or are we going to take that here? For details... This is the most comprehensive Tomcat page!!!!: http://www.anft.net/f-14/fw-01.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 (edited) The Daco book is indeed he best work on the tomcat from a modeller's perspective. Not bad but older is the Squadron Signal walkaround. It's not as complete as the Daco book, but also costs a fraction. Being older it does not have info on the later bomber capability modifications. There a number of websites dealing with the tomcat, and the one mentioned above sure is the best. If anyone is interested in some detail pictures of a late F-14A, a certain guy that posts here has contributed this walkaround on an italian website: http://www.tantopergioco.it/immagini/walka...d-f-14a-tomcat/ Should anyone be interested in some of these pictures, PM me and I'll talk to that guy... As there are some guys who know a lot about tomcats here, do not hesitate to ask !!! Edited January 4, 2012 by Giorgio N Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabat Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 http://www.tantopergioco.it/immagini/walka...d-f-14a-tomcat/ Love the 'Health and Safety' tennis balls on the stabilator edges! Great pics by the way, some clear and insightful pics of the undercarriage, thanks Giorgio N. Parabat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev1n Posted January 4, 2012 Author Share Posted January 4, 2012 Will there be a thread for parts and so on? Or are we going to take that here? you mean spare bits needed for your model? I guess we can have a thread for that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DannyB Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Proper bit of newbie advice needed I'm afraid What is the best kit to go for?! I'm planning on building in 1/48th scale and using after-market decals to try and create a colourful cat. Want to get as accurate as I can without busting the bank so I can leave some room for some extras. I've tried to read as much as I can but am still all confused. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 (edited) Danny, for 1/48 the very best around is the hasegawa kit. Yes it is expensive (very expensive...), but no other 1/48 kit is better IMHO. There are boxes for all the different versions (A,B,D) If you want to spend a little less, the recent Hobbyboss kit has some positive sides, but is less accurate with the main problems being the air intakes. Not that it's that cheap, and searching around special offers and second hand kits the hasegawa one can be found for less. Talking of decals, there's plenty of choice with two-bobs, CAM, fightertown, FCM and SB offering plenty of options, not the mention the older aeromaster, Eagle Strike and Micro/Superscale and even Repliscale. I think that tomcats of every squadrons can be built from decals that are or have been on the market, including the iranian ones. Edited January 4, 2012 by Giorgio N Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RNoAF Aerobatic Team Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 you mean spare bits needed for your model?I guess we can have a thread for that Yes. Spare parts and if you have surplus.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 I'd like to suggest we have a thread covering camouflage schemes, FS colours, their equivalents in various brands of paint such as Tamiya, Humbrol, Vallejo, XtraColour etc, and weapon and pod colours. It would certainly help me with a few I still need to figure out, and i'm sure it will help those in the Group Build and others in the future as well. Any comments on my suggestion? Armitage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RNoAF Aerobatic Team Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 I'd like to suggest we have a thread covering camouflage schemes, FS colours, their equivalents in various brands of paint such as Tamiya, Humbrol, Vallejo, XtraColour etc, and weapon and pod colours. It would certainly help me with a few I still need to figure out, and i'm sure it will help those in the Group Build and others in the future as well. Any comments on my suggestion?Armitage I second that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 (edited) In order to help all the modellers involved in this GB, here's some information on the colour schemes used by the Tomcat during its career with the US Navy and the Iranian Air Forces. US NAVY: 1) the first scheme was the standard for USN aircrafts of the day: upper surfaces in Light Gull Grey (FS 36440) and lower in white. The upper surfaces of the horizontal tail planes and the flaps and spoilers were also in white and so where the rudders. Insignia, stencils and unit markings were in colour. Antiglare panels were in black if present. Radomes could be all white, white with cream front half, or grey/white following the camouflage. The cream used for the radome was FS 33613 2) in the late '70s the USN started to make their aircrafts less colourful and the white was deleted leaving the aircrafts in overall FS 36440. The insignia and stencils were initially in color (although with reduced size insignia) but then became in black or dark grey. The unit markings could be anythng from full colour to grey only. Antiglare panels were in black if present. Radomes were usually light gull grey overall, but sometimes had the front half in cream. This scheme was often used on CAG and CO aircrafts (those numbered X00 and X01) after the scheme was officially cancelled in favour of the TPS. 3) in the mid '80s the Tactical Paint Scheme (TPS) was introduced. This consists of 3 colours: - FS 35237 - FS 36320 - FS 36375 While a standard scheme existed, it was not uncommon to see aircrafts using only 2 or even one of these colours. Better check the pictures here !!! Insignia and stencils were in contrasting greys or in dark grey and so were the unit markings. After a few years some freedom was given again to paint CAG and sometimes CO planes with full colour markings. In this scheme the radomes are always in one of the 3 greys and the antiglare panels are in FS 35237 There have been a number of non-standard schemes used during exercises (usually with washable paints) and by aggressor aircrafts. These can be discussed if anyone is interested. IRAN: 1) the aircrafts were delivered in the so-called "Asia Minor" USAF scheme. This has upper surfaces in 3 colours: - green FS 34079 - brown FS 30140 - tan FS 20400 The undersurfaces are in grey FS 36622. During the delivery flight the aircrafts carried US star'n bars and there are several pictures showing these planes with these insignias. 2) after many years Iran repainted the remaining aircrafts in a new scheme with a blue and a grey. The blue covers the areas that were previously in tan and grey, whle the light grey covers the areas previously in green and brown. A good FS match for the blue is probably 35450 but I haven't decided yet which one is a good match for the light grey. DETAILS: - cockpit: grey FS 36231 with black instrument panels - wheel wells: white. Doors have red edges for both USN and Iran - landing gear legs and wheel hubs: white - airbrakes and flaps interior: red but not in TPS. In TPS these have the same colour of the surrounding surfaces The leading edges of the flying surfaces are often in natural metal. The same finish appears on the lower lip of the air intakes. ARMAMENT: 1) AIM-9 Sidewinder: The USN used the AIM-9H, L and M on the tomcat. Iran used the AIM-9J or more likely the P (its export version). The H, J/P and L/M have different front fins shape. The H and J/P have white bodies and rear fins. The AIM-9L/M have grey FS 36375 bodies and rear fins, although white fins are sometimes seen. The head for all versions is in a dark metallic grey/green 2) AIM-7 Sparrow: The versions used on the tomcat were the AIM-7E, F and M. Early sparrows had white bodies and fins. The radome was an off-white. Later the missiles had grey FS 36375 bodies and the fins became a dark metallic grey, althogh white fins could be seen too (and I've seen pictures of Sparrows with some white and some grey fins...). 3) AIM-54 Phoenix: the AIM-54A had bodies and wings painted in white. The radome was white too. The AIM-54C had grey FS 36375 bodies and wings and the radome remained white (actually more of a dirty white than a nice pure white. It's unpainted ceramic). During the initial deployment of the C version, some problems with the motor and warhead of the C version resulted in hybrids having the guidance section of the C and the motor and wahead of the A, resulting in missiles with white radome, grey central section and white rear sections. 4) Fatter: an iranian missile designed to replace the AIM-9 in that country. Identical to the AIM-9J, seems to be painted overall light grey 5) Dumb bombs: the dumb bombs used on the Tomcat are mainly the US Mk.82 and Mk.83. These were initially in olive drab FS 34088 but more recently the USN used bombs painted in grey FS 36375 (what else ?). It is possible to see combination of colours, like olive drab bodies with grey rear fins. The paint on the body of USN bombs is rough, as they are coated with a fire ritardant material. Inert bombs have blue bodies. 6) LGBs: US LGBs are made of a central body of a bomb to wich the front sensor/fins and rear tail assembly are attached. As such the colour of the central body depends and can be both green or grey (with grey being more common). The front and rear parts are always in olive drab FS 34088 7) JDAMs: the typical colour scheme on these is: body in olive drab; tail assembly in grey 36375; frame with wings (the thingy around the body of he bomb)in grey 36375 8) CBUs: these were seldom used by the Tomcat but were used nonetheless and some were also dropped during the operations over Afghanistan. These are overall white 9) Lantirn pod: these were originally in dark grey FS 36118. The USN was then given permission to paint them in grey FS 36375... I've yet to see a light grey pod under a tomcat though. Other weapons: a number of weapons have been tested on the Tomcat but were only very rarely used or did not enter service for a number of reasons. Examples are: - Amraam: carried (and fired) by tomcats of the PMTC (Pacific Missile Test Center) during the weapon tests. It was supposed to enter service but due to the tomcat being slowly retired the fleet was not modified to fire the missile - AGM-88 Harm: tested on the F-14D but not used - Rocket launchers: carried very rarely, mainly to demonstrate the Tomcat fast FAC capability - MIM-23 Hawk: tested by Iran as a possible replacement for the Phoenix. Not entered service (to the best of my knowledge) but there are several pictures showing the missile under the F-14 PAINTS: Light Gull Grey FS 36440: Humbrol Hu.129, Testors-Modelmaster 1729 (gloss) or 1730 (matt), Xtracolor X137 (gloss), Lifecolor UA025, Xtracrylics XA1137, Gunze H315 (Gloss) (Note: the USN schemes using this colour used both gloss and matt versions depending on period. Even gloss paints however became semigloss pretty quickly) Blue-Grey FS 35237: Humbrol Hu.145, Testors-Modelmaster 1721, Xtracolor X126, Lifecolor UA145, Xtracrylix XA1126,Gunze H337, Aeromaster 1058 Dark Ghost Grey FS 36320: Humbrol Hu.128, Testors-Modelmaster 1741, Xtracolor X135, WEM AC-US-04, Lifecolor UA027, Xtracrylix XA1135,Gunze H307, Aeromaster 1054, Polly scale-F505374 Light Ghost Grey FS 36375: Humbrol Hu.127, Testors-Modelmaster 1728, Xtracolor X136, WEM AC-US-03, Lifecolor UA026, Xtracrylix XA1136, Gunze H308, Vallejo 70990 Radome Tan FS 33613: Testors-Modelmaster 1709, Xtracolor X107, Gunze H318 Green FS 34079: Humbrol Hu.116, Testors-Modelmaster 1710, Xtracolor X110, WEM AC-US-20, Lifecolor UA001, Xtracrylix XA1110, Gunze H309 Brown FS 30140: Lifecolor UA085, Tan FS 30400: Xtracolor X145, Lifecolor UA084, Grey FS 36622: Humbrol Hu.28, Testors-Modelmaster 1733, Xtracolor X140, Lifecolor UA021, Xtracrylix XA1140, Gunze H311 Dark Gull Grey FS 36231: Humbrol Hu.140, Testors-Modelmaster 1740, Xtracolor X131, WEM AC-US-02, Lifecolor UA033, Xtracrylix XA1131, Gunze H317 Edited January 11, 2012 by Giorgio N 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I'd like to suggest we have a thread covering camouflage schemes, FS colours, their equivalents in various brands of paint such as Tamiya, Humbrol, Vallejo, XtraColour etc, and weapon and pod colours. It would certainly help me with a few I still need to figure out, and i'm sure it will help those in the Group Build and others in the future as well. Any comments on my suggestion?Armitage Good idea, I opened a thread starting with the colour schemes. Paint correspondances and other info (weapons and so on) will follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandwagon 106 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Very helpful Giorgio. As mentioned, pictures are pretty essential for the scheme you choose, especially TPS. The colours and their application varies from squadron to squadron, even airframe to airframe. An example being VF-102 during OEF. On the Fightertown sheet, it shows AB-102 having the dark ghost grey under the wing gloves and the whole intake tunnels in the same colour, while a line jet has these areas in light ghost grey. As I found out yesterday, Hasegawa instructions don't always show the medium blue grey (Black Knight 100 is in three tones, the instructions give only two ). But it's all good fun, we are sure to see some great schemes in this group build:) Joel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RNoAF Aerobatic Team Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Great initiative, Giorgio!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 It's "Armitage" Wayne's merit, I simply followed the suggestion. The post will be updated in the next few days, with the addition of paint suggestions for the main brands and every detail I might have forgotten. Of course feel free to add information and correct me if you see anything you think it's wrong ! "Gipsy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Testors/modelmaster dark ghost grey over light ghost grey are perfect colours for most of later (1990 onward) period USN F-14's. There were variations to this though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Thank you very much for your efforts Gipsy, they are greatly appreciated! Hopefully this information will stay on after the GB is finished too so all BM modellers can source their information here. I'll see what colour information I can dredge up on the weapons and post it here later. There are a few changes to the colours of the variou missiles and bombs carried by the cats too depending on the suffix code and time frame, like with the Phoenix's which changed colours a few times between the A and D models. Armitage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Thank you Giorgio, you have posted some very helpful information there already. I appreciate your efforts! Armitage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Initial post updated with some paint matches. Now I know some will ask: what about tamiya paints ? Personally I believe that tamiya paints are quite poor matches for most FS paints, however I know some are good enough and will add them. If anyone has tried tamiya paints and found them to be a good match for any of the paints listed here, post the information and the list will be updated. Same for revell paints, for which I know some matches but not all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dermo245 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Great idea this Giorgio - very helpful! If anyone also had colour matches for Revell Aqua Colour Acrylics too (without mixing them like Revell suggest), would be great. Many thanks in advance... Dermot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandwagon 106 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 There is a Lifecolour available for the blue grey-UA-145, it says "French Bluegrey" but it has the same FS number. It might be a new one, I got two at Telford Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandwagon 106 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 (edited) Aeromaster/Polyscale were also excellent paints for TPS, they seemed to get the tones exactly right. Edited January 8, 2012 by Bandwagon 106 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts