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Hi Tony,

Great thread. I've got about 50+ Tomcat kits, mostly Hasegawa awaiting attention, and this WIP is giving me some great ideas.

 

WRT the varigated Paveways, have a look at this US Navy image:

 

990518-N-0128G-001_zpswvfs018l.jpg

 

Even though this image is from a few years ago, you can see that the transition to all Lt Ghost Grey components was taking some time. I think a lot of the current operations show mostly all grey weapons, but the mix'n'match weaponry adds interest IMHO.

 

Sven

OVT

Edited by Old Viper Tester
typo correction
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Cheers Sven 👍🏿

 

Yeah it does add interest, plus this vf102 bird is from quite a while back so could get away with it having mixed colour bombs. 

 

One of the A model tomcats I have planned next will be from the early eighties with a mix of white and grey air to air missiles during that transition of colours :) 

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Hello Tony,

Just found the thread right now, Epic saga seem justified.

Don't mind if I pick a seat and look ?

Really like navy bird and particularly the Tomcat.

Mine are 1/48 but still have an Hasegawa special box bought in the '80

Will never do it I guess :whistle:

Sincerely.

Corsaircorp

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Last few bits that were done today: 

 

Pilots, probes and final assy. 

 

Seats for this build had the tops from an academy kit fitted as the HB ones are very basic. 

Pilots are similar to the ones in the vf32 CAG bird, from the nato pilots set, but painted in Vallejo model colour this time.  Glossed, decals on the seats, washed then flat coated. Did a little diamond on the helmets, a bit of artistic license as seen something similar on real ones. 

Probes were all done with tamiya x32 enamel after they were attached. 

 

In detail:

 

Resin wedge part added. 

image.jpg

 

Green tint - tamiya clear enamel. 

image.jpg

 

Pilots in, left and right views. 

image.jpg

 

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And what can be seen once buttoned up. 

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image.jpg

 

Now safe in the cabinet with the rest of the pack...

Teaser for now, RFI on Monday at the earliest!

image.jpg

 

image.jpg


Thanks for looking. 

 

Now, vf 114 or vf 74 next? Or both ;) 

 

although I do need to restart the spitfire paint test fest... 

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A mini update,

 

photos have been taken of the diamondback, RFI will be composed tomorrow with a link here. 

 

In the meantime, here is a groupshot of the 5 together from this WIP so far: 

 

image.jpg

 

And then a comparison of how the overall light ghost grey paint job of the diamondback (centre) looks against the blue grey uppers of the vf 31 (Vallejo - left) and vf 213 (mr color - right). Quite pleased.

 

image.jpg


Cheers, Tony

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These are just superb, each one an absolute stunner! Loving this thread very much.

 

So what we got to look forward to next?

 

Fantastic work,

 

Eng

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Hello Tony,

There has been a glitch in my last post, can't show you the box I was talking about.

I bought it only because it was one from the VF-84

WP_20170604_01_16_17_ProWP_20170604_01_16_32_Pro

I still stick to the 48, sorry.

I really enjoy your collection, very nice job :worthy:

Sincerely.

Corsaircorp

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On 5 June 2017 at 23:45, eng said:

These are just superb, each one an absolute stunner! Loving this thread very much.

 

So what we got to look forward to next?

 

Fantastic work,

 

Eng

 

Hi Eng, Thanks for the appreciation :) 

 

Regards your question- Far too many choices and not enough kits! However think I have the next two or three kinda planned out. (Couple are a few posts above)

 

F14B - vf 74 adversary. Dream model colour etch for pit, full resin upgrades from my casting project. 

Loadout will be a CATM-9 and tacts pod.

Mr Paint for two tone camo & hasegawa decals. 

 

F14A - vf114 '1000' from all stars sheet. 

Gull grey with some orange bits. 

But black stars and bars so semi low viz kinda. 

This will be done all clean with no pylons or pallets. 

Some resin updates too. 

 

F14 A late (not plus) This will start as B kit that will be built as an A. Using the B kit for the NACA gun vents. So parts that need changing are the shrouds and nozzles etc. Also pilot IP coaming. 

It will be a 1991 low viz tps VF21 option from the hasegawa independence boxing. Ghost greys with gunship grey skunk stripe - paints by Xtracrylix. 

Will have 4/2/2 standard load out of AIM 54/7/9's 

 

Hope that all made sense!

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Made a start on the next three. 

 

As mentioned a few posts above, vf 21 (late A tps -Xtracrylics) & vf 114 (early A gull - akan) but the vf 74 has been replaced by a vf 14 plane in mig ammo acrylics. 

 

Decals for this one have come from the hasegawa bombcat black aces kit. The vf 14 markings are the alternate option. From 1993 when they were cleared to carry iron (dumb) bombs. So this vf 14 bird will have similar features to the vf 21, a late A in TPS with NACA gun vents and the ecm bumps etc. 

 

Cockpits (decals for closed canopies) and intakes being done. 

 

image.jpg

 

Upgradings time! Hasegawa spares/resin casts. Easier than trying to engrave the plain HB parts.  Cowlings will need a plastic card shim to match outer diameter. 

image.jpg

 

Something else for these three A's - RIO step reinforcement plate removal. Should have done this on my vf 32 A. Nevermind. 

image.jpg

 

 

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Bit of progress. 

 

Most is on the vf114, thats had its spot prime and touch ups, now ready for a full prime then paint once u/c doors cleaned up and canopy masked etc. 

 

Next is the vf14, major assembling is done and its ready for a spot prime. 

 

Lagging is the vf21 still not fully built and covered in unsanded putty etc. 

 

image.jpg

 

Close up of the vf 14 undersides - 

resin fins and racks added. 

Also note the hasegawa iron bombs. They are quite crude so will be given a mr surfacer rough coating, and the nose fuses will be replaced with some crisp brassin ones spare from an F-16 build. 

 

image.jpg

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Well I have decided to do a markings reshuffle at the 11th hour. (Not the first time mind, the last two completed builds could have ended up differently) 

 

The short of it is that the vf 114 bird is getting binned off for now, as I already have a gull grey CAG plane with high viz bits in the collection (vf32 Swordsman) 

 

I fancy doing a lesser spotted (in model form) low viz gull grey line bird scheme, (before they changed to tps) to round off the collection better. 

 

The way I understand it regards tomcat schemes in general - first everything was full colour in gull over white, then full colour in all over gull, then subdued/low vis markings on all gull but CAG's and CO's still had a touch of colour eg fin tips or squaron emblems, but smaller than compared to what they had in the first years. Its this period I would like a line bird from. 

 

After this in the mid 80's onwards they all went TPS, with the CAG normally still in gull grey and/or full colour markings. Eg the vf32 bird I did from desert storm. 

 

Towards the end of its service with the B and D versions they put the retro gull schemes or full colour tail markings on TPS for CAG and CO planes again as squadrons were decommissioned etc. 

 

History over. 

 

So sourcing decals - 

 

You can get a some line bird TPS scheme AM decals now, they are normally a second option to the CAG's - particularly with late A's, B's and D's from Iraq and afghan period.

However trying to find an early A line bird in low viz gull grey from the cold war era is tough. 

Probably because they are so boring and bland. From a decal company's point of view if people are going to make a tomat they will most likely want something colourfull. Dull decals won't sell well.

Most AM decals are always for the early high viz and subdued (as in still have some color) CAG birds for this reason I suppose...

 

However I want to do something completely bland with no color at all...

 

First I came across this - in FCM sundowners part 1. Almost there, but the stars and bars are still full size and along with fins in too high a contrast with the gull grey (markings in engine grey/black?). Plus still has colour rescue data and intake warning etc. Note earlier model (small front fins) white   sidewinder, compared to the 9L with double delta front fins we mainly see. 

 

https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:F-14A_VF-111_in_flight_near_Pearl_Harbor_1981.JPEG

 

And finally the winner is this, on the fcm sundowners part 2 sheet. Much lower contrast markings in medium(?) grey, small insignia and no colour whatsoever. Lovely and bland, but still eye catching. 

 

https://photos.smugmug.com/US-Squadrons-USN/US-Navy-Fighter-Squadrons/VF-111-SUNDOWNERS-pictures/i-m478ccc/2/e19385bd/S/F-14USN-VF-111 0045 A taxing Grumman F-14 Tomcat USN 160668 VF-111 SUNDOWNERS USS Carl Vinson 3-1984 NAS Fallon%2C by Michael Grove%2C Sr DONEwt copy-S.jpg

 

 I suppose the only reason they included these on the sheets (along with the full colour options, obviously) is because they still make interesting planes, as even though painted in low viz they carry full size squadron tail markings and shark mouths. 

 

I think most other squadrons from this period didn't bother having tail markings or they were much smaller and/or just did tail codes. So as said above its probably why there's no decals available for these bland schemes apart from the CAG birds of the period with their tiny bits of colour. 

 

Waffle/rant over. 

 

Some pics of progress later. 

 

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Some updates:

 

Making an early hub wheel - 

A combination of a spare reskit A/B  wheel which has had the late hub drilled out and replaced with an early style plastic hasegawa hub. 

This way I can give some builds the correct period hubs but with lovely treaded & branded tires!

I also flat spotted it and remounted it to the block with a larger 'gate'. 

 

image.jpg

 

Some priming:

 

Mig ammo one shot grey (lightnened with white stynylrez - its the same stuff afterall) for the vf14 tophatters. This will feature mig ammo acrylics on it. No preshade as going to try out a different technique using maskol...

Other plane that has been black based with stynylrez is the vf114 now vf111 build. Well its not a solid black base, thought I'd leave it a bit patchy in places. Akan gull grey for this soon. 

 

image.jpg

 

Testing out mig ammo metals for the Tophatter - Steel, gunmetal, burnt iron. 

 

image.jpg

 

Hot areas of the tophatter below. First did the nozzles in straight burnt iron but they were too boring. So redid them in gunmetal first like the cowls then mottled and streaked some burnt iron on top using their transparator. More variety in the finish now. Should be better once they've had some washes and soot. 

 

image.jpg

 

Thanks for looking. 

 

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Ok, so a bit of a lengthy post on this new process I am using to paint this Tophatters cat. 

 

It seems like more work but I think it's actually quicker in the long run to get that 'corrosion touched up' type paint job. Also makes it easier to work with waterbased acrylics that aren't great for tight freehand work. 

 

Step 1 - After a solid priming, plane is painted in solid colours. Quicker than building up a colour using black basing or having to preshade all panel lines. Doing any of those now would be a waste of time because they will get lost under subsequent coats. 

Here we have dark ghost grey lowers and tailfins, with blue grey uppers and skunk stripe. 

Ps after watching that new mig ammo video on using their paints, I got lovely results. Not been a fan in the past as used to get fisheyes and the like. This time its a nice tight satin coat. In terms of colour the shades are quite light and have that purpleish tone like the mr color lacquers of these usn greys. 

 

image.jpg

 

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Step 2 - masking fluid is applied with a fine brush/toothpick along panels and joins or areas where you want all the fresh paint/touch ups to be. Don't worry if you do too much of them cause you can always reduce them back later. 

 

image.jpg

 

Step 3 - Now for the 'post shade' 

Seeing as super thinned water based acrylics don't spray/cover that well, I thinned with transparator (satin varnish would do the same) so the paint still has some 'body' (as in not all thinner) but isn't going to cover too strongly because the colour is now made see through. This is gunship grey. In hindsight a touch of brown could be added to get a more grimy colour. I may use some brown washes after decals. Anyways - 

image.jpg

 

Here it is post shaded and grimed up - it don't have to be perfect. Mask sure you spray over the maskol areas too. Its ok if its grainy or splotchy because we will tidy it up later.

image.jpg

 

All the parts had the same treatment. 

image.jpg

 

Once the fluid is removed - this is what you end up with - not bad! 

To get this same effect normally would have required the prime, a preshade, main colour, then all the 'touch ups' sprayed as in real life - which requires a steady hand to spray them and a paint that can produce fine 'in scale' spray patterns. Plus makes all the preshading below the touchups a waste of time cause they are covered over. (Unless you only preshaded where you weren't going to add touchups at the end, but then you are 'chasing the finish' so to speak')

image.jpg

Note how the dark edges trick the eyes into thinking the paint  inside is lighter, when it is actually the same colour as the rest of the plane! This lower wing looks like it has had fresh paint patched on...

image.jpg

 

Step 4 - So the last stage is a bit of a 'blending' coat. This is where you can reduce the contrast to a level you are happy with to leave the finish and touch ups as prominent as you like. So I used thin/transparated original colours to  tone down the post shading. (Dark ghost & blue grey)

 

The the last thing I did was a bit of fading and variation. (The kind you would get from black basing, but as mentioned if done at the start would have been lost under all done up till now) So I went over the whole plane here and there with thinned light ghost grey to add some fading /bleaching. 

And then it looks like this - 

image.jpg

 

image.jpg

 

Upper and lower sides of flying surfaces to show difference between the blue grey and dark ghost grey colours. Quite prominent. Out of interest say to the ak air I used on the vf101 B where these two colours of theirs are very close. (Not shown here - check RFI - link on page 1)

image.jpg

 

Close ups of the toned down and faded 'touch ups'

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Last job was wing bladders (I used rlm 66) and corroguard leading edges (steel)

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Its now having all the small lumps and bumps done with red/radome tan etc. U/C parts being cleaned up to get the white on them along with the wheel wells once they have been masked off. 

 

Hope this all made sense!

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Great job there Tony.  

 

I think weathered TPS finish must be one of the hardest to achieve.  Good technique too.  Especially mixing down the paint with varnish, I might experiment with my Xtracrylic and Mig Satin Varnish mix, although I prefer priming then thin coats anyway.  You do need to add some brown for the high traffic areas of the maintenance crews, if you look at photos there is a distinctly brown tinge to those areas.  BTW I also like the Sundowners low vis finish - It makes for one mean looking Tomcat..

 

Many moons ago when God was a boy I started a 1/72 VF11/VF111 collection of which the objective was to have an example of every aircraft flown by the squadron, I was doing reasonable well to at one stage I had:- Wildcat, Hellcat (Lt Simpson), Panther, Cougar, Tiger, Crusader, Phantom and Tomcat - Only one missing was a decent Bearcat - but that was years ago and only fragments of the collection still exist...

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8 hours ago, Grey Beema said:

Great job there Tony.  

 

3 hours ago, James G said:

Great work Tony.

 

2 hours ago, Vultures1 said:

Nice work and interesting 'step by step' - thanks for posting!

 

Cheers lads 👍🏿

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Tony, that paint work is fantastic and the fact that you have also taken the time to explain and demonstrate with photos to the rest of us is a bonus.  Brilliant technique.

 

TomCat pron at its finest!!

 

Phil

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Awesome! Loving the painting info, absolutely cracking results too.

 

Looking forward to your next update 

 

Eng

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Few other bits done. Not much as had alot on this past week so no real bench time. 

 

White bits done on the vf14 - u/c bays, gear, doors, sparrow noses, exhaust tubes etc.  Mig ammo acrylic satin white to match the rest of the paints obviously... In other news - Got a small problem with the decals for this plane , more on that in a future post. 

image.jpg

 

Another little job done was grey tailfin leading edges for the low viz gull vf 111. The fcm sheet says corroguard for these, but looking at the pic of the real plane in the link a few posts above, that doesn't seem right. The new 1/48 furball sundowners anthology sheet has this plane on it, and suggests dark ghost grey for them. Looks about right as they are darker than the gull grey of the plane but not as dark as the medium grey of the markings.

Another detail noticed from the real plane are the small colour/yellow sundowners badges on each side, central below the cockpit. These are missing from the FCM sheet so will taken from my hasegawa pacific fleet boxing. 

 

image.jpg

 

Lastly some new resin trickery - hasegawa etch circuit breaker panels to go either side of the rio's seat for future hobbyboss builds. Mastered on 0.25mm plastic card. 

 

image.jpg

 

Cheers, Tony

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