Deleted

[fewr9fkr9595]

.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Tony check this website out - "anft.com." I found it to be quite a good source of info when i built my Tomcat two years ago. Hope it helps you as much as it did me.

 

for what its worth the # looks like # 163227

 

Edited August 30, 2017 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[72modeler]

Doggone, CFFU- you are fast! Used the same site, but I'm pretty slow when it comes to the MATS website, as modern weenie cookers aren't my specialty, but you are correct, according to them. I can add that it is an F-14B-150-GR. Whatcha doin' messing around with Tomcats? Get back to F4U's where you belong!

Mike

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

I just went where i found my tomcat info ... 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

72modeler

1 hour ago, 72modeler said:

Doggone, CFFU- you are fast! Used the same site,

Im just used to doing a lot of research fast. I dont have much else to do with my health issues. So i build my models, and i do my research. When i built my tomcat a couple years ago, i spent days on that site getting to know the Tomcat intimately. 

[fewr9fkr9595]

5 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Tony check this website out - "anft.com." I found it to be quite a good source of info when i built my Tomcat two years ago. Hope it helps you as much as it did me.

 

for what its worth the # looks like # 163227

 

 

Wow thanks Corsair thats great 👍🏿 

 

However it says F14B and the first date with the green tick is 1997? So does that mean it was with vf211 from new/rebuild untill 97, and then went to vf102 till 99, then something else, finishing up as the rippers cag bird till 2004 when it presumably went to the boneyard?

 

Or does it mean it was new in 1997 and went to vf211 first for two years till 99, then to vf102 so on etc. 

 

Because from what I have read and assumed - these sort of schemed A plus checkmates were around 89-91, not 97? Also doubt there would have been any 54A's still knocking around seeing that the 54C started replacing them around ten years earlier. Which makes me think that 89-91 would be pushing it to still have 54A's so the pic may be earlier? 

 

Hope that all makes sense? 

 

Thanks again. 

[Giorgio N]

VF-211 received the B (then known as F-14A+) in 1989 and reverted to the A version in 1992, so this aircraft can't have been seen with the unit in 1997.

163227 was part of a construction block ordered in 1987, it was likely brand new when joined VF-211 in 1989,

[fewr9fkr9595]

29 minutes ago, Giorgio N said:

in 1989 and reverted to the A version in 1992,

 Yeah that sounds familiar, I'm sure I read somewhere that all the new A+ (B) were pulled back not long after issue from all the units and consolidated before redistribution, and thus some went back to the standard A, eg vf 211

[Giorgio N]

4 minutes ago, Tony Oliver said:

 Yeah that sounds familiar, I'm sure I read somewhere that all the new A+ (B) were pulled back not long after issue from all the units and consolidated before redistribution, and thus some went back to the standard A, eg vf 211

 

What happened was that in 1992 it was decided to concentrate all Bs in Atlantic based units so the two Pacific based units equipped with the type, VF-211 and VF-24, gave their aircrafts back and received older F-14As. The Atlantic Fleet units already equipped with Bs (VF-74, 103, 142 and 143) were not affected and kept their aircrafts (in some cases for many years). Later VF-102 also received the B

The decision was part of a rationalisation of the Tomcat fleet that aimed at having all Bs in the Atlantic Fleet and all Ds in the Pacific Fleet. A few units were also cut and disbanded early the following year.

 

[fewr9fkr9595]

Damn, just noticed that the vf-211 logos on both (ventral & tail) fins have a slight slant to them...

[Giorgio N]

Tony, there was a Revell kit with decals for this aircraft, may be worth trying to see if anyone has any spare.

Fujimi also did a box with markings for a VF-211 A+ from that era, however I have the kit and the decals are IMHO not very accurate, with black instead of dark grey markings and some other errors. I'd happily send you these decals but they absorbed moisture and I believe they are now useless

[fewr9fkr9595]

3 hours ago, Giorgio N said:

Tony, there was a Revell kit with decals for this aircraft, may be worth trying to see if anyone has any spare.

Fujimi also did a box with markings for a VF-211 A+ from that era, however I have the kit and the decals are IMHO not very accurate, with black instead of dark grey markings and some other errors. I'd happily send you these decals but they absorbed moisture and I believe they are now useless

Hi giorgio, Thanks for the offer. 

 

I have both the kits you mentioned in the stash,

 

firstly the revell (italeri plastic) decals of mine are yellowed and poor quality printing (so perhaps wouldn't have used them anyway if not yellowed) and they are of modex 107. 

 

The fujimi ones I have are better, a bit thick, very dark but not quite black (perhaps a newer release?) of modex 111. 

 

I was wanting to build 123 as per the link picture if I can, I was going to use the majority of the fujimi decals, mainly for the NG and check boards, but mask and spray the canopy hood instead of the thick decal hood with names already on (no crew names needed for 123) Because of the darkness I was going to spray a thin grey filter afterwards to lighten the decals up and weather it a touch. 

The stencils etc were going to come from spares to better match the contrast in link picture as I think the fujimi stencils may be too dark?

What other errors have you noticed? 

 

The 123 modex and bureau number I was going to make up out of scrap/spares - hence the reason for this thread ref bu no. 

 

The biggest thing is that due to the undersized hobbyboss rudders (and overall fins) I was planning to use complete hasegawa or fujimi tailfins for this particular build. 

 

Some tips for anyone wanting to put AM/hasegawa decals on a hobbyboss cat - Similar problem as above for any tail decals which need to be in proportion to certain features as well as vf211 checks there are - vf33 AB rudder codes, vf21 NK codes, vf111 sunrays etc. 

Been there done that. 

 

Cheers, Tony

[Robert]

Info from Tomcat Alley

"F-14B-150-GR, 163227 (Upgrade)

....This F-14B was photographed flying from NAS Miramar with a doomsday loadout of six AIM-54 Phoenix missiles. It was delivered to VF-211 in August 1989....."

 

Robert

[fewr9fkr9595]

163227 it is then!

 

Can sort of make that out in the picture now. Probably just the eyes seeing what the brain wants it to be  

 

Thanks to all! 

[Giorgio N]

On 30/8/2017 at 3:25 PM, Tony Oliver said:

Hi giorgio, Thanks for the offer. 

 

I have both the kits you mentioned in the stash,

 

firstly the revell (italeri plastic) decals of mine are yellowed and poor quality printing (so perhaps wouldn't have used them anyway if not yellowed) and they are of modex 107. 

 

The fujimi ones I have are better, a bit thick, very dark but not quite black (perhaps a newer release?) of modex 111. 

 

I was wanting to build 123 as per the link picture if I can, I was going to use the majority of the fujimi decals, mainly for the NG and check boards, but mask and spray the canopy hood instead of the thick decal hood with names already on (no crew names needed for 123) Because of the darkness I was going to spray a thin grey filter afterwards to lighten the decals up and weather it a touch. 

The stencils etc were going to come from spares to better match the contrast in link picture as I think the fujimi stencils may be too dark?

What other errors have you noticed? 

 

The 123 modex and bureau number I was going to make up out of scrap/spares - hence the reason for this thread ref bu no. 

 

The biggest thing is that due to the undersized hobbyboss rudders (and overall fins) I was planning to use complete hasegawa or fujimi tailfins for this particular build. 

 

Some tips for anyone wanting to put AM/hasegawa decals on a hobbyboss cat - Similar problem as above for any tail decals which need to be in proportion to certain features as well as vf211 checks there are - vf33 AB rudder codes, vf21 NK codes, vf111 sunrays etc. 

Been there done that. 

 

Cheers, Tony

 

Hi Tony,

sorry for my late reply, not really present on the forum these days...

IMHO the Fujimi NG letters on the tail look a bit fat, may just be my sheet but I'm not convinced completely. And as said before, mine are really too dark

Good to know about the HB kit fins, didn't notice this before (my HB kits are still in the box). It sure is a problem for those like us who are building several Tomcats, I have to say that many small things on the HB kits quite disappointed me, now the undersized rudders are a big thing in my book. I can't see myself buying any more HB kits, guess I'll have to keep hunting second hand Hasegawa and Fujmi kits as I've done til now

[fewr9fkr9595]

29 minutes ago, Giorgio N said:

now the undersized rudders are a big thing in my book

 

They're not that noticeable on a regular paint job. Its only a couple mm or so. Only becomes a problem when you have rudder based markings like the squadrons mentioned above. 

 

With that in mind in the name of science, 

 

 

Three hobbyboss fins. 

 

There are a few variation of the real styles of vf33's AB codes but all pretty similar, either dark grey or black normally. There should be a slight gap all the way around it and equally spaced on the rudder - the gaps above, inbetween and below the letters. 

 

Left - Bilek decals from their rebox of the italeri kit. Very thick and close together. Really shows up the small rudder as overlaps panel line. 

 

Centre - superscale decals. A more familiar type of code, thin and dark grey. Almost fits (A is still overlapping at the top) when placed lower and touching the base where the rudder is wider. So looks wrong still. Sized for the for the hasegawa kit I presume. 

 

Right - scanned and resized printed markings. Better proportion to the rudder with a slight border of empty space around the code. Could do with being stretched/enlongated more though. 

 

 

Well, 

 

I need to get out more

 

😂

 

 

[fewr9fkr9595]

Some more tailfin/rudder comparison but different brands of plastic. Last one was same hobbyboss fins but different companies decals of the same art. 

 

Perhaps of interest to you @Giorgio N ?

 

One of the reasons for this renewed interest is because I fancy a crack at making this particular checkmates A plus this summer. Reckon I will use the fujimi fins with their fujimi decals on the hobbyboss kit but change numbers for this 123 plane. 

 

Quite a difference in size over over the brands I have, didn’t bother with an academy or revell fins though as those are the least of the problems with the kits. 

 

 

Apart from the size its the shape of the rudders too that varies, as in the percentage of width of the fin it uses but also the taper. Looking at photos of the real thing, there is a slight taper which the hasegawa rudder seems to capture best. 

 

 

The smallest and tallest:

 

 

The most ‘rectangular’ rudder of the four is the fujimi tail, with its vertical edges almost parallel. 

 

The finemolds rudder has alot of taper, probably exaggerated by the extra height. The base is almost twice the top. 

 

Hopefully with this you can gauge whether X brand rudder art decal may work with Y brand plastic. 

 

Tony

[Giorgio N]

Great work Tony, sure of interest to me and hopefully to others

I will compare with a few pictures, at ta first glance I feel that hasegawa captured this feature best

[fewr9fkr9595]

16 minutes ago, Giorgio N said:

Great work Tony, sure of interest to me and hopefully to others

I will compare with a few pictures, at ta first glance I feel that hasegawa captured this feature best

Yes thats my gut feeling too. 

 

PM your address mate got a few bits to send you  

[Robert]

Interesting comparison shot of the different fins Tony.

[Giorgio N]

On 6/7/2018 at 5:54 PM, Tony Oliver said:

Yes thats my gut feeling too. 

 

PM your address mate got a few bits to send you  

 

my mistake, I've yet to do this... will do immediately !