F-14B Tomcat (VF-101 "Grim Reapers")

[Andy Mullen]

Kit used - Hasegawa 1/72 F-14B Tomcat ("VF 103 Jolly Rogers Last Flight") #00382

Proposed Scheme - Fightertown #72006

18 April 2009

I had started this build back in 2007, before the 2 house moves made during 2008, and was boxed up until now. Originally I was going to build the 1997 version, as provided by the CAM #72001 sheet, but Fightertown released, last year their 1995 version, which although similar to the 1997 scheme, has a few differences (names on the canopy are one). Also having helped FT with their profiles, I thought it about time to use some of their sheets.

Here are some of the progress shots I took back in 2007, to illustrate some of the potential poblems areas I tend to concentrate on.

After dipping the canopies in Klear and setting to one side to cure, I start removing most parts from their sprues. My first assembly I start on is the beavertail section. On the left hand part (bottom half) you can see the hole the locating pin fits into. I have found if you try to join these parts as is, there is an interference which does not allow the beavertail section to be closed properly.

So what I tend to do is remove the plastic from the "upper bridge" as below. Remove material until test fitting shows no gaps when placed together.

Next up is the flaps - as I tend to build build my Cats with wings folded, these are built in the up position. To help them fit into the recess at the back of the wings, you need to remove the protrusions as shown with a quick swipe of a sanding stick.

The gun inatke parts for the F-14B are the NACA vents, which for the boxings I have, all seem to have a moulding problem, which have to be filled with putty. I find attacking this area from the inside helps. (Not yet done in the below photo). Also I have a tendecncy to knock off the kits AoA probe, so as in this case, I drill a hole, and CA in the tip of a pin.

Back to the beavertail and I attach the speedbrakes, before gluing the two halves together, so I can glue them from the inside, reducing the risk of glue marks. Assembled beavertail, with ECM and fuel dump section. If I remember, I will drill out the fuel dump.

The next area of constructon takes place in the cockpit. I assemble the tub and nose gear well, adding a few strips of plasticard between the tub floor and the rear of the wheel well, as it has tendency to bend into the fuselage, and I find this gives a bit more rigidityto this area.

The instructions recommend adding 5g of weight to the nose, which I do at this point, by adding 5g of lead shot into the nose cone and securing with thick CA.

The Hasegawa top fuse antennas are provided with a ledge, which to my eyes look way over scale.I generally drill holes through the spine, and sand them off. The little one (AN/APR-50) is also removed carefully the spine sanded and the antenna glued back on.

With the F-14B and F-14D Tomcats this antenna is no longer there so in this case, the antenna is stored in my spares. From 2000, a GPS antenna were added to the spine. I don't know why, but I have added one to this Cat when I shouldn't have, but not got around to it on the F-14D I am building along side this one. This GPS antenna is simply a piece of stretched sprue, brought close to a naked flame, which melts the end into a round dome. Takes a few goes, but once the right size is achieved, I drill a 0.8mm hole in the centre of the spine and feed the sprue through the hole, apply liquid glue to the inside and pull gently until set, then cut off the excess.

The construction of the rear fuselage is started by gluing the inside of the join. When hardened, I then add CA to the outside of the join to fill the gaps and sinkmarks found on both sides. I apply some CA Accelerator to the CA and immeadiately start sanding the surface smooth. Once happy I then quickly rescribe the few panel lines, which invariably get sanded away.

I then work my way forward gluing the two halves together.

The wing glove vanes are always glued shut on my builds, and to ensure no interference with the main wheel wells, I remove part of the vane at the back.

Also shown are the ECM bumps. On this, the F-14B, the moulded on bump is left on, and the larger bump is added. On the F-14D, the smaller ECM bump is to be removed and the larger is not added.

This photo shows the state of play when I unboxed the kit this afternoon. I have just painted the engine faces with Citadel Metallics. The only other thing I can add is that, with no weapons being added to the weapons pylons, I have added some microstrips of plasticard to the LAU-7 for some detail. The windscreen has already had the centre tinted with Tamiya clear Green, and I had started to mask the canopies. With the weather looking good this weekend, I am going to try and spray the Dr Pepper Resin exhausts with Alclad, if I can find where I have stored them.

Edited April 24, 2009 by Andy Mullen

[Andrew]

Nice work Andy and good to see the project resumed. I'm particularly grateful for your tip on making and installing the GPS dome; very nifty idea with which I'll be very happy if I can achieve results like yours.

Looking forward to more pics in due course.

Cheers,

Andrew.

[Andy Mullen]

When the weather was a little better last weekend, I sat down and sprayed the basic scheme of Xtracrylix Light Gull Gray and Humbrol Acrylic Red.

Have to seal in with Klear, ready for decalling.