Gekko_1

No pics of the marking options.

Time to paint the coroguard paint on the leading edge................... Based on the only really good colour image I have been able to find of this Tomcat I decided to lighten FS. 36375 by 50% white to match the contrast seen in the photo. So I sprayed the colour, no problem, then began to take off the masking. Port fin went fine, then...................................... Oh! 🤣 Luckily I have a lot of patience. I kept my cool and just accepted my fate. To be fair the decals are roughly 35 years old. I think what happened is that the decal hadn't adhered to the surface properly and pulling up the Tamiya tape was enough force to bring up the whole thing. Anyway, luckily I was able to find a replacement sheet on eBay. So once that arrives I can carefully sand down the surface, repaint, re-gloss, and try again.

Well, I didn't get the Tomcat finished for the comp, too much left to do. But, the build goes on! Here's some progress of the subassemblies. I discovered the hard way that the decals, now quite old, would come apart once soaked in water. Luckily this only happened to the port side skull and bones decal. I was able to re-assemble it on the fin. After that it was time to apply some Micro Liquid Decal Film to the rest of the decals. Luckily this did the trick. Also did some oil paint rendering on the Pheonix pallet. Wings ready for further weathering. I have to figure out how to do the wing sweep oil and grime marks somehow. Any ideas? Here's the two drop tanks, one in Light Gull Grey, the other FS.36495. And the remaining Pheonix pallets. All of these still need some more oil paint rendering/weathering. Here's the underside of the main body. Intake trunking still not glued in place. A close-up of some of the oil paint rendering/weathering. Cheers Richard.

Yes, as far as I know, both are basically the same thing.

I have a dilemma! I can't use the rubber band tracks that come with the Trumpeter E-75 kit because they're rubbish. Master Club do three different metal track link sets for a King Tiger, listed here: https://www.bnamodelworld.com/parts-decals-for-1:35-scale-master-club-mtl-35097 https://www.bnamodelworld.com/parts-decals-for-1:35-scale-master-club-mtl-35093 https://www.bnamodelworld.com/parts-decals-for-1:35-scale-master-club-mtl-35094 Question is, which one, if any, would fit the Trumpeter E-75?? Regards Richard.

Outstanding weathering!

All broken links now fixed.

Cheers! Yes, tedious indeed!

Finally updated all the broken links, thanks to Photobucket! 🖕 The model is off to competition this weekend. Because of that, I've decided not to bother about the additional sensors or crew, I'm calling this one done. Just have to finish the base. The base. The base/display case is Trumpeter item no. 09807 which fits the AT-ST perfectly. Even with the additional sensors, I have about 2mm to spare! I'll take some proper studio photos after the comp. Richard.

OK, done. Finally restored all those missing images, thanks to Photobucket! 🖕 Taking the model to a comp this weekend. I'll take some better shots of it after that.

Updating all those Photobucket blocked photos atm. 💩 Will take me about an hour?

The Vegemite just dissolves in warm water using a soft brush. Very simple and works perfectly.

OK...............thanks to Tony's eagle eye I was able to get the FS 36495 onto the glove pylons with the help of Vegemite, of course! 😎 Fin tips done........... Panel line washes have begun too. I do mine slightly different to most people. I use drying retarder and Vallejo Model Wash in a combination of two to one. Once the panel line has been brushed with the mix any excess is wiped away with a brush moistened with water. No smelly chemicals and you have a bit of time to manipulate the mix before it dries. I also use this technique to simulate the tattered sea salt look of USN/Marine subjects too. I'll demonstrate this later in the build. To do the red cap area of the drop tank I used Vallejo red ink and using capillary action filled the recess. Works perfectly! Removing the Vegemite from the fan nose revealed the white perfectly protected! YAY for Vegemite! 🎉 I've got six days to get this Tomcat finished for the local model comp here in South Australia, over the weekend of the 13th and 14th October!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😲

Thanks, Evert. Yeah, Vegemite would definitely be one of those things that is an acquired taste. 🤣

Thanks Tony! Hadn't spotted that one! Will get that done today.

More Vegemite in action................... HUD painting. Here's a small detail that would have been missed if it weren't for those awesome photo finds! (the 36375 Light Ghost Gray on the beginning of the intake trunking. Next, we begin some of the more interesting stuff.................weathering! Richard.

Swing wing mechanism put together. Its pretty straight forward. Lots of bits and pieces to get ready for painting! Richard.

Vegemite removed with warm water and a soft brush. No issues, no problems, worked fine. Here's the intake trunking just sat in place, not glued. Richard.

I decided to lighten the FS.36495 Light Gray a little more. Revised FS. 36495 - Version 2 A.MIG-209 FS. 36495 Light Gray - 10 drops A.MIG-047 Satin White - 6 drops Vallejo Matt Medium 70.540 - 5 drops. Now I'll let that dry for 24 hours. Richard.

Nope. With warm water and a soft brush it just dissolves away, no staining. I've been using it for many years, never had an issue.

Here I'm preparing the white Stynylrez Primer parts for spraying the FS. 36495 Light Gray. All areas that need protecting are painted using watered down Vegemite. I love using Vegemite for this sort of masking. Non toxic, water soluble, you can thin it with water to whatever consistency you want and once ready to remove can be done so using warm water. And I masked out the fan blade hubs too Masking tape will be used on the intake ramp areas once I'm ready to paint. Richard.

Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaark! I've just noticed the gun vents!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!😲😭 Too late to change that now. What anybody else contemplating this era of Tomcat will need is this.............. Quickboost - Nr. QB 48 800 - 1:48 F-14A Tomcat gun cover -early for Tamiya.

Based on some of the recent images found of the two Squadrons that were trialing this Tactical Paint Scheme during 1981 I now have a much better idea of what I need to aim for colour wise. Because of that I've begun mixing paint (my other obsession) and re-spraying.................. The new mixes are as follows: Revised FS. 35237- A.MIG-210 FS. 35237 Gray Blue - 10 drops A.MIG-203 FS. 36375 Light Compass Ghost Grey - 3 drops. A.MIG-224 Sky Line Blue - (small dot as shown in photo) Vallejo 059 Matt Varnish - 4 drops. Revised FS. 36495 - A.MIG-209 FS. 36495 Light Gray - 10 drops A.MIG-047 Satin White - 4 drops Vallejo 059 Matt Varnish - 5 drops. I'm happy with the revised FS. 36495 but will lighten the revised FS. 35237 a little more. The FS. 36375 seems pretty good at this stage so I will leave it as it is for now. Richard.

Well, what a goldmine that site is! So with 159591 207 we see it here in 2nd MAY 1981 Observations: seems to be missing its starboard fin tip. White drop tank and Phoenix pallet. Heavily faded Light Ghost Grey with what looks like an initial TPS nose cone in FS. 36375 and FS. 36495? https://www.flickr.com/photos/147668976@N06/40959444904/ 10th October 1981, now in the new early version of the Tactical Paint Scheme (TPS) Observations: mismatched nose cone. White main landing gear door. FS. 35237 touch-ups on FS. 36375 fins, which also have a slightly lighter colour leading edge. https://www.flickr.com/photos/147668976@N06/40959443994/ And 2nd of October 1982 almost a full year later in a very weather beaten state! What an amazing documentation of a single F-14A during my favorite time period! Observations: heavily patched-up paint. Confirms that the top colour is in fact FS. 36375 as with previous photo. The FS. 35237 turtleback section is now so heavily weathered and faded that its very hard to see, but we know its there from the previous photo. https://www.flickr.com/photos/147668976@N06/40959441124/ And! 105 from the Pukin Dogs, now with the fin painted(dog, AG and IKE), as apposed to the other photo which shows it blank! This photo also confirms what I thought to be the case, that being that the inner fin of these VF-143 Tomcats have FS. 36375 and FS. 35237 on the outer fin. White Phoenix pallet, main gear door and drop tank pylon. https://www.flickr.com/photos/147668976@N06/40959437934/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/beechhawker/8583325030/ As for the radomes, since I've yet to see one in that early TPS scheme that matches the airframe its on, leads me to believe they've been painted separately. The difference in tone may be because of a different paint needing to be used over the fiberglass? Thanks, yes, any pics of 159452 circa 1981-82 would be amazing to see! Cheers Richard.

Never be intimidated. One learns by doing, not theorising. So take that first step and go for it. Lots of people to learn from on this site.