DaveJL Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Hello all, Here is my first entry for this GB. 1/48 Hasegawa F-14D Tomcat in the markings of VF-31 'Tomcatters' on their last Cruise with the F-14 in 2006. The kit: Aftermarket: Will be using Wolfpack OIF update set, BlackBox cockpit, Royale Resin Fuel tanks, Master brass pitot tube, Steel Beach FOD covers and VF Decals. The jet itself: 1 2 3 4 164342 was delivered to the Navy in 1991 and dropped a single bomb on the final F-14 cruise. References will come from my ever faithful Daco 'Uncovering the F-14A/B/D' book along with several magazines published at the time. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabat Posted April 15, 2013 Share Posted April 15, 2013 Yum yum! Be nice to see your rendition of this bird, keep them coming! Look forward to seeing your IRIAF F-14A as well, gets my vote for a three-colour cam job too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DannyB Posted April 15, 2013 Share Posted April 15, 2013 Looking forward to seeing this one unfold Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted April 15, 2013 Author Share Posted April 15, 2013 Cheers guys, been wanting to do this scheme for a while! One of the smartest looking I think! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 Felix Rules!! Have you settled on the black tail then? I was kind of hoping you'd go for the red tail, you don't see the last cruise version of that very often. Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted April 21, 2013 Author Share Posted April 21, 2013 Felix Rules!! Have you settled on the black tail then? I was kind of hoping you'd go for the red tail, you don't see the last cruise version of that very often. Cheers, Bill Black tail Bill, though I do have the red tailed jet to do as a refurb.... If I'm feeling up to it, i'll do the two alongside each other. What do you think? Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 Black tail Bill, though I do have the red tailed jet to do as a refurb.... If I'm feeling up to it, i'll do the two alongside each other. What do you think? Dave I like it! You can't have two many models with Felix! That bomb he's carrying must have an awfully long fuse, he's been carrying it for about 90 years now! Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 After the trials and tribulations of the SR-71, it's time to crack on with something much more familiar! First up was to add the NACA gun vents, with their customary poor fit: Tail fins, easy enough! Pylons: Weapons: Going for the mixed configuration of 1x GBU-12, 1x GBU-38 and 1x AIM-9. All came from the spares. While all that was going on, I assembled the main fuselage, a job made much easier by eliminating the awful intake trunking (FOD covers are going on so no need to waste time!) And beside what will eventually be a refurb of 164603: Wings: Not bad for a few hours work. Next up is to start on the cockpit. More to come. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c.smith10 Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 I suspect you could build one of these blindfolded by now! Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabat Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted April 30, 2013 Author Share Posted April 30, 2013 I suspect you could build one of these blindfolded by now! Lol Haha, yeah, haven't looked at the instructions yet Thanks Ruari, hope you like it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted May 5, 2013 Author Share Posted May 5, 2013 Bit more done today. Cockpit built up and painted (minus side walls and IPs) Installed: Normally I find the Black Box cockpits very good, but this one decided to fight me all the way. Everything I touched seemed to break and I had to replace some pieces with kit parts. The lovely Royale Resin fuel tanks: Bomb racks on (used metal ones this time): Added the engines, Wolfpack engine shrouds, GPS dome and filled all the rough edges: Next up is to add the two fuselage halves and start cleaning up. More to come. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted May 6, 2013 Author Share Posted May 6, 2013 Not much done today. Added the coamings and the head plate in the cockpit, along with the nose cone. I chopped off too much of the plastic to make way for the pilot's coaming, hence the filler! Once everything was dry, I attached both fuselage halves. Feeling slightly under-motivated with these builds, not sure what's going on! Next up is to start sanding the filler. More to come. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted May 12, 2013 Author Share Posted May 12, 2013 (edited) Just about ready from priming this one. Added the bomb racks and chin pod then it was mainly just a clean up job, as there is quite a lot of filler required on the old Hasegawa 'cats! Also added the ROVER (Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receiver) antennae beneath one of the phoenix pallets from a piece of styrene. Will hopefully get the wheel bays sprayed and then primer on in the next few days. Need to pick up the pace as the F/A-18 GB is approaching, as is the Helicopter GB, and I've another entry for this one! More to come. Dave Edited May 12, 2013 by DaveJL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted May 13, 2013 Author Share Posted May 13, 2013 A little more to show today. Main airframe has been primed ready for paint so I thought i'd crack on with some of the sub assemblies: Exhausts: Pylons ready for varnish: Ordnance (LANTIRN ready for decals and wash): Seats: Essential reference material: And a lovely shot taken from the 'Anytime Baby' book: Next up is to paint the airframe. Not sure when i'll get to it as i'm fairly busy for the next week or so. More to come. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted May 20, 2013 Author Share Posted May 20, 2013 Good bit done over the past few days, and she's now ready for gloss and decals: Hopefully will get more done at the weekend. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousDFB1 Posted May 20, 2013 Share Posted May 20, 2013 Taking shape Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted May 20, 2013 Author Share Posted May 20, 2013 Thanks Mish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted May 27, 2013 Author Share Posted May 27, 2013 Decals are now on: Wings, LANTIRN and tanks also done: Have sealed all the decals in with a top coat of gloss, ready for a panel line wash. Hoping to get that done on Wednesday. More to come. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousDFB1 Posted May 27, 2013 Share Posted May 27, 2013 Smart... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted May 27, 2013 Author Share Posted May 27, 2013 Smart... As in, looks smart? One of the best schemes the F-14 wore in my view! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted May 27, 2013 Share Posted May 27, 2013 As in, looks smart? One of the best schemes the F-14 wore in my view! Dave Felix Rules!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper_city Posted May 28, 2013 Share Posted May 28, 2013 Go Felix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted May 28, 2013 Author Share Posted May 28, 2013 Cheers folks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted May 29, 2013 Author Share Posted May 29, 2013 A bit more to show and we're proceeding nicely. Wash went on.... ....then off 20 minutes later. The wings, stabilisers and fuel tanks got the same treatment. I left it for a few hours to dry then started adding the parts, namely the antennae, landing gear, landing gear doors and wing glove pylons. Once all that had set, I gave the model a once over with matt varnish to seal everything in. The wings, stabilisers and fuel tanks ready to be attached: Not much left to do. First up will be to add weathering (i like them grimy!) then attach the FOD covers, exhausts, probes, tanks, seats, ordnance and canopy! Hoping to get it finished by Sunday. More to come. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts