Jacarre Posted November 28, 2016 Share Posted November 28, 2016 (edited) Hi all, we have several 1/72 F-14A kits with good look. But, which one is more accurate in shape and dimensions? I have the Academy one and the Hobbyboss offering. Measuring the nose, the Hobbyboss one has more width in the radome area than the Academy one, and the wing glove area is more ticker in Academy than Hobbyboss. I haven't seen the Fujimi and new tool Hasegawa ones. What's your opinion? Regards., Javier Edited November 28, 2016 by Jacarre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted November 28, 2016 Share Posted November 28, 2016 The latest tool Hasegawa, no other comes close ! I say latest rather than new tool because this is more than 25 year old now. Fujimi is a good second but in terms of shape Hasegawa is still better. The rest follows... Fine Molds did a very good F-14D that was issued through a Japanese model magazine (Model Graphix), but I've not compared this one to plans or pictures, mine is still in the original boxes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted November 28, 2016 Share Posted November 28, 2016 I agree with what Giorgio says. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71chally Posted November 28, 2016 Share Posted November 28, 2016 I can't comment on absolute accuracy as I don't know enough about the actual aircraft, but the Fujimi Tomcat is a superb thing, nice build, and really nice detailing, some boxings came with a bit of photoetch for the canopy area. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fewr9fkr9595 Posted November 28, 2016 Share Posted November 28, 2016 I have been looking at a lot of tomcats lately... Both the real things and models of it trawling pics for marking variations the past 4 months. The revell and academy ones both have slender noses... There is is something about the fujimi one I dont like, still not sure why. And while yes the hasegawa is the most comprehensive parts and options wise, in my opinion the hobbyboss ones are the best bang for buck in terms of looks and ease of building. And they are cheap too. I do have a few finemolds D's in the cupboard (retirement fund) and they do look great when built up from what I have seen. I may build one of them soon and save a couple for said fund, but up to my ears in hobbyboss ones at min... To be honest they all look like tomcats, and unless its going in a muesum, the average guest thats comes round yout house and spots one in the cabinet may not even know what plane it is in the first place... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 12 hours ago, Tony Oliver said: The revell and academy ones both have slender noses... The RoG also has Matchbox-like panel lines. Quite disappointing when it came out. Cheers, Andre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 How about the old Matchbox and Airfix F-14s? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 Just now, Eric Mc said: How about the old Matchbox and Airfix F-14s? Best left on the shelves, there are much better low cost alternatives around today The Matchbox kit represents a cross between the prototypes and the early production aircrafts: the top fuselage part has the prototypes shape, with large fences, the gun fairing however is the final one with the early production grilles arrangement, a configuration that never existed. Shape is not great, the windscreen in particular is quite off and the nose is too pointed. Detail is what you can expect from Matchbox, panel lines are few and trench-like. The kit doesn't even fit particularly well The Airfix kit correctly represents a very, very early production aircraft, with the final dorsal fuselage shape, the early beavertail and the very early gun fairing with no gas purge grilles (the only kit to represent this configuration). Again shape is not great but better than matchbox and detail was quite good for the era. Panel lines are all raised, including all moving surfaces... the kit had some interesting features, like the extended refuelling probe but really today it only has nostalgic value. The kit was later retooled to represent the later beavertail but really if I have to buy a raised panel lines kit at that price I'd rather buy the old tool Hasegawa kit. Another kit to leave on the shelves is the Esci/AMT kit, with its too deep front fuselage and overly tall canopy. As the Hobbyboss kit has been mentioned, I have a couple and I consider these a missed opportunity. The shape is not bad but some details are not great. The A for example lacks all the details present on the rear engine pods, the cockpits are basic, the ventral fins lack the intake and the front wheel well doors are one with the fuselage. They have recessed panel lines but the same Hobbyboss did better in this respect on some other kits. The decals are also better replaced My personal favourite in terms of value for money is... a second hand Hasegawa kit ! These can be found for as little as £18-20, that money will gte you a brilliant kit with lot of parts and great detail in many areas. The lack of weapons is the only real disappointing aspect of this kit. I could then make a list of smaller details where I feel there's room for improvement, but these would be nitpicking from my side P.S.: and of course while I suggested to stay away from the Matchbox and Esci kits, I have a couple each in the stash.. these will be built at some point in some way, but will benefit from bits and pieces left over from other superior kits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 Good stuff. I don't have any of the above kits in my stash but I do have some weird Chinese knock-off kit that I bought years ago in a Wilkinson store (when they briefly stocked kits). It purports to be an F-14D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 11 minutes ago, Eric Mc said: Good stuff. I don't have any of the above kits in my stash but I do have some weird Chinese knock-off kit that I bought years ago in a Wilkinson store (when they briefly stocked kits). It purports to be an F-14D. Could it be the Zhengdefu kit ? Zhengdefu Tomcats are copies of the Italeri kits, with the addition of recessed panel lines. The originals are not the best shapewise but are not too bad, apart from the radome. The engine exhaust fairings for the GE engines of the B and D variants though are not great. The Chinese copies have the advantage of recessed panel lines (original Italeri 1/72 are raised) but these are quite soft. Worst of all, the Zhengdefu kits need a lot of filler ! Their fit is usually pretty bad, be prepared... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 I've looked at the contents in the box and got no further. I also have their Mig 25 and 31. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 I agree with what Giorgio has said, the 1:72 "new tool" Hasegawa kits are the current champs. I too have the Fine Molds kit of the F-14D, and it looks mighty impressive, although I can't say I like the headrests on the ejection seats. They look too big. I once had the Revell F-14D, but I what I didn't care for, besides the panel lines, was that it didn't seem to fit that well - ascertained through dry fitting only. I donated it to a kit auction for our club's annual contest. Speaking of the Revell 1:72 F-14D, was their earlier 1:72 F-14A a version of the same kit, or was it a re-boxed Italeri or something like that? Cheers, Bill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 6 hours ago, Navy Bird said: Speaking of the Revell 1:72 F-14D, was their earlier 1:72 F-14A a version of the same kit, or was it a re-boxed Italeri or something like that? RoG both reboxed the Italeri F-14A and F-14A+/B kits: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/197730-revell-04348-f-14a-tomcat https://www.scalemates.com/kits/144329-revell-4353-f-14a-plus-tomcat and released an F-14A version of their own later mold: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/111425-revell-04322-f-14a-tomcat HTH, Andre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zaggy Posted December 1, 2016 Share Posted December 1, 2016 Yup, the newer Hasegawa is the King (A, B and D), closely followed by the Fujimi kit (recently reissued by KA models - A). Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacarre Posted December 7, 2016 Author Share Posted December 7, 2016 Thanks to all for the answers! I have another question... The nose and forward fuselage of the Academy offering is critiziced, but i think that the width and is ok.. I think that the problem of the Academy one is in the wing glove...Anyone has compared the different kits against a good set of drawings? Regards., Javier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacarre Posted December 12, 2016 Author Share Posted December 12, 2016 More items to analyse... We measured the nose height in the radome of different kits. Hasegawa newer tool has in this point 17 mm, Hobbyboss 17.2, Academy 16 mm...The nose of the Academy offering appears to be a llitle too much slim... Regards., Javier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook Posted December 13, 2016 Share Posted December 13, 2016 15 hours ago, Jacarre said: The nose of the Academy offering appears to be a llitle too much slim... All Hasegawa new tool Turkeys come with two nose cones - perhaps it's worthwile asking around for a spare. Cheers, Andre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jure Miljevic Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 Hi Many thanks to all Tomcat expert in this thread on my behalf, too. Your verdict suits me fine as I have Hasegawa kit with an extra PE set, resin seats and cold-war Almark decals. No kit is perfect, however, so what would be the main faults of Hasegawa Tomcat? I am mainly concerned about potential dimension or shape issues, missing or incorrect panel line here or there does not bother me too much. Cheers Jure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FZ6 Posted January 7, 2020 Share Posted January 7, 2020 Now that we have a new crop of F-14s in 1/72 in the last few months with the New Academy offering, the Fine Molds kit and the New Great Wall Hobby kit, I was wondering which of these new kits if any has taken the top spot for the best 1/72 F-14? Thanks, Mark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalea Posted January 7, 2020 Share Posted January 7, 2020 (edited) I have got in the stash an old tool Hasegawa (released 1987) F-14A. What's wrong with it? Edited January 7, 2020 by dalea Additional information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthBayKid Posted January 7, 2020 Share Posted January 7, 2020 I haven't seen the new Academy kit yet, but all reports are they did their homework on it. Great Wall Hobby also has a new F-14D out that I have seen and it's GORGEOUS. They plan on doing an A/B as well I hear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fewr9fkr9595 Posted January 8, 2020 Share Posted January 8, 2020 @FZ6 Having just started the academy kit I reckon its a strong contender for the best ‘all round’ tomcat in 1/72. Just a few annoying ejection pin marks in areas of detail and some sneaky raised ones on the back/inside of some parts which will interfere with fit if not dealt with but nothing a modeller wouldn’t expect... So far it seems to strike the balance between detail and ‘buildabilty’ along with having just about all the parts in the box to make most variations. Price and availability should be good too compared to the other pair of eastern offerings (FM/GWH) which are scarce/pricey and a bit fiddly or over complicated in areas and only limited options with each boxing. All other kits are ‘old’ now compared to these latest three in terms of finesse of detail/accuracy & shape/fit/options etc. I have all and built all major f-14’s in 1/72 - hasegawa (new & old), old academy, revell, italeri, esci, fujimi, hboss and finemolds, even a kitech (which is an engraved version of the italeri one) apart from the new gwh one but its in the stash and waiting. Tony 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted January 8, 2020 Share Posted January 8, 2020 2 hours ago, Tony Oliver said: Having just started the academy kit I reckon its a strong contender for the best ‘all round’ tomcat in 1/72. I'm very much looking forward to hearing your impressions of this kit and seeing what you do with it. Build on! Andrew. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted January 8, 2020 Share Posted January 8, 2020 (edited) 11 hours ago, dalea said: I have got in the stash an old tool Hasegawa (released 1987) F-14A. What's wrong with it? Really depends on what we mean with wrong.. The old tool Hasegawa Tomcat was considered the best kit of the type when first issued in 1977. The kit had good shapes. although some features of the Tomcat were not reproduced 100% correctly for a number of reason. For example the canopy does not reproduce the complex shape of the real aircraft. Panel lines were raised as common at the time, some may be happy with them and some are not. Cockpit detail was Ok for the times, but while there's something inside, the structure of a real Tomcat cockpit is very different. Detail in other areas was again good for the times and still stands compared to other cheap Tomcat kits. And of course the box does not include the variety of options that other kits offer, but the same can be said of a a few other kits. So overall there is nothing really wrong, looks well enough like a Tomcat when built but it's much simpler than other later kits. Some aspects can be improved with aftermarket parts (like the cockpit), panel lines can be scribed if preferred, but for modellers who want a really good kit I would advise buying something else. If however you have it in your stash and just want a Tomcat model, it's worth building while keeping in mind that it's a product of the late '70s Edited January 8, 2020 by Giorgio N 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shalako Posted July 2, 2020 Share Posted July 2, 2020 How about kit-bashing the old-tool Hasegawa nose radome to an old-tool Academy Tomcat? Or, using it to correct the old-tool Academy nose radome? I'm tempted to buy one of the old-tool Academy Tomcats! As for the new one... for now I can't afford it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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