F-14 Tomcat colours

[geoffc]

Hi there,

I wondere dif you could help. I am converting a number of BIG F-14s into different squadrons and need help with the colour and marking guides. are there nay good refeences? o any of you know which grey acrylics on the market match the F-14 greys?

Thanks

[Giorgio N]

The tomcat started its life in grey over white. The gray was Light Gull Grey, FS 36440. This is available from most brands. Lifecolor and Gunze sure do it in acrylic form, I think Xtracrylics does too.

With this scheme hi-vis markings and stencils were used

The scheme was then altered in the early '80s in overall Light Gull Grey. With this scheme you can see pretty much everything ! Some squadrons kept the hi-vis stencilling, sometimes with reduced markings and often with full markings. Other squadrons used black or dark grey stencilling and markings. Others kept most plane in a relatively low-vis scheme but had the planes numbered 00 and 01 (the so called CAG and CO planes) with full colours.

Starting in the mid '80s the Tactical Paint Scheme started to be used. This for the tomcat includes the following colours:

Blue Grey FS 35237

Dark Ghost Grey FS 36320

Light Ghost Grey FS 36375

All of these can be found in lifecolor, gunze and xtracrylics. If you prefer enamels, humbrol and xtracolors have them all (and they have the 36440 too).

There are some variations on this scheme. Some planes lack the 35237, while in the very beginning grey FS 36495 was used instead of 36375. Better check for pictures and if in doubt ask for more information on the single plane.

With this scheme all the stencils and markings are in contrasting greys or in dark grey or black. Exceptions are again the CAG and CO planes, that sometimes wear full colour stencils and/or markings.

Even after the introduction of the TPS it was common for many squadrons to have the CAG and CO plane painted in the older oveall Light Gull Grey.

There are then a series of exceptions to the rules.

Some tomcats were used by aggressor squadrons. For these each plane has a different scheme, as such it's difficult to give a set of colours.

Some other tomcats have been painted in temporary camouflages for particular exercises, some of them quite wild. Here it's even more difficult to list colours and schemes

Finally, during the late '70s a number were painted in the so called Ferris scheme, based on a splinter camo in a number of greys.

Anyway, most info can be found on this page:

http://www.anft.net/f-14/f14-detail-colours.htm

[geoffc]

The tomcat started its life in grey over white. The gray was Light Gull Grey, FS 36440. This is available from most brands. Lifecolor and Gunze sure do it in acrylic form, I think Xtracrylics does too.

With this scheme hi-vis markings and stencils were used

The scheme was then altered in the early '80s in overall Light Gull Grey. With this scheme you can see pretty much everything ! Some squadrons kept the hi-vis stencilling, sometimes with reduced markings and often with full markings. Other squadrons used black or dark grey stencilling and markings. Others kept most plane in a relatively low-vis scheme but had the planes numbered 00 and 01 (the so called CAG and CO planes) with full colours.

Starting in the mid '80s the Tactical Paint Scheme started to be used. This for the tomcat includes the following colours:

Blue Grey FS 35237

Dark Ghost Grey FS 36320

Light Ghost Grey FS 36375

All of these can be found in lifecolor, gunze and xtracrylics. If you prefer enamels, humbrol and xtracolors have them all (and they have the 36440 too).

There are some variations on this scheme. Some planes lack the 35237, while in the very beginning grey FS 36495 was used instead of 36375. Better check for pictures and if in doubt ask for more information on the single plane.

With this scheme all the stencils and markings are in contrasting greys or in dark grey or black. Exceptions are again the CAG and CO planes, that sometimes wear full colour stencils and/or markings.

Even after the introduction of the TPS it was common for many squadrons to have the CAG and CO plane painted in the older oveall Light Gull Grey.

There are then a series of exceptions to the rules.

Some tomcats were used by aggressor squadrons. For these each plane has a different scheme, as such it's difficult to give a set of colours.

Some other tomcats have been painted in temporary camouflages for particular exercises, some of them quite wild. Here it's even more difficult to list colours and schemes

Finally, during the late '70s a number were painted in the so called Ferris scheme, based on a splinter camo in a number of greys.

Anyway, most info can be found on this page:

What a brilliant bit of help! Thanks Giogio

Geoff

http://www.anft.net/f-14/f14-detail-colours.htm

[ClumsyDude]

Just found this thanks to Google ... does this mean that high-viz CAG birds in the all over gloss gull grey scheme had a full complement of high-viz stencils? I have the excellent VF-1 sheet from Fightertown Decals, and it has great colour stencils but no "no step" or "no lift" markings. Does that mean that these birds may not have carried them?

Cheers

Jim

[JMChladek]

In the case of many F-14 sheets, the full stencils may not be shown if they aren't provided on the sheet. In the case of the high vis birds of VF-1, since they were the first F-14 squadron they likely had full stencils since they were intended to be the fleet's trendsetter. But at the same time, sometimes certain stencils might come about because some dummy did something they shouldn't or there was a problem encountered. So perhaps those specific stencils didn't come about until later since somebody thought it might be a good idea to have them. When in doubt, try to find reference photos. But in absense of anything, go with your instincts.

Now concerning US Navy aircraft and "gloss" paintjobs, they all start out as gloss and tend to look that way at land bases especially when fresh out of the paint shop (Navy planes frequently get repainted due to corrosion control issues). But a sea cruise on ship with the birds flying through salt spray beats up the paint to a dull finish after only a week or two at sea. So I wouldn't recommend going too crazy on the high gloss and maybe do semi-gloss at most unless the plane in question is an airshow display bird.

[pigsty]

Another reason for not finding certain stencils on a sheet is, of course, because they expect you to use the kit's decals.

[Giorgio N]

Stencilling on USN carrier based planes is something that can vary a lot. The same aircraft might start a cruise with the full stencilling applied and then lose some due to the continuous touch-ups.

However, IIRC the Fightertown sheet covers aircrafts that are quite early and should have the full complement of stencils (at least if shown when they were still clean).

In this case the various no step and no lift markings should be in black. My guess is that the sheet does not include them to save space. Most aftermarket sheets only have a limited number of stencils for this reason and to complete the model some of the kit decals must be used. There are also sheets dedicated solely to stencils for a certain type... and some decal manufacturer advice to use these to complete the build.

[ClumsyDude]

Thanks guys ... the Hasegawa decals that came with the kit are really thick and there is a visible ridge where the carrier film ends, so I don't want to use those. Have sourced the CAM sheet instead.

Cheers

Jim