Dan Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 Hello everyone, I'm currently working on an Apache helicopter dug out of a cupboard that's been sat there for years. Working on this model, the first for many years (since I was a kid), led me here to this very site and now after looking at and drawing much inspiration from all the models you guys are on to i've got it in my head to build the tomcat from the film 'Top Gun'. What i'd like to know is; what's the best kit to go for to accurately recreate the aircraft used in the film? I would also like get a few resin detail parts for it and all the right decals so any and all help will be very much appreciated! Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted April 27, 2012 Author Share Posted April 27, 2012 Here's a snap of progress with the Apache anyhow, you'll notice I screwed it up already... Who can spot it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 What scale? If it's 1/48 (or 72nd for that matter)... Your best bet is the Hasegawa kit. I'd go for the F-14A 'Pacific Fleet Squadrons' or 'Atlantic Fleet Squadrons' boxing as these come with the earlier style gun vents as seen in the film. As for the resin, an Aires cockpit is always a nice addition, along with resin TF-30 exhaust nozzles. Can't help with the decals. I'm after them myself! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted April 27, 2012 Author Share Posted April 27, 2012 Yea 1/48 I reckon, cheers for the reply i'll have a look at those kits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 I've never seen proper 1/48 decals for the top gun movie tomcats, but a modeller at ARC made the artwork for them and made this available on the forum. If you can find someone able to print them, you are sorted. You can dowload them from here: http://www.bishopart.com/?p=1157 For the kit, I agree with Dave: the hasegawa tomcat is still the best and the two boxes he mentions have all the parts you need Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Mullen Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 (edited) Due to licensing issues, unless you can find the old Airfix 1/72 boxing, the only source I have found to date is this excellent attempt by >> Jared Bishop<< Corresponding post over on >> ARC << Edited April 27, 2012 by Andy Mullen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Posted April 27, 2012 Author Share Posted April 27, 2012 Thanks for all the help! Got my eye on a couple kits on ebay and those decals are excellent, i'll have a look at getting them printed somewhere when the time comes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panoz Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 Will the old 1/32 scale Revell F-14A work for a Top Gun jet??? (Yes, I am cheap and I know it!!! ) What about 1/48 scale??? Will Monogram/Revell USA/Revell Germany or Italeri (see, I didn't mention Academy ) work or do I have to fork out craploads of Euros for Hasegawa??? TIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 The Revell/ monogram 1/48 Tomcat isn't a bad kit. Accurate in shape and dimensions (bar the nose) but can be a bit of a bugger to put together. Spruebrothers carry a range of correction sets for the RM kit. If you look on ebay, you can get a Hasegawa F-14A for a good price, a bit dearer than the RM kit, but worth it. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panoz Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 The Revell/ monogram 1/48 Tomcat isn't a bad kit. Accurate in shape and dimensions (bar the nose) but can be a bit of a bugger to put together. I know, I've built it twice; first the "Hi-Tech" edition with the "Model Technologies" photo etched (stainless steel FTW!!! ) and then the Revell Germany "Black Bunny", so I'm aware of its pitfalls. What I wanted to know is if it has the proper gun vents/beaver tail/undernose fairing to depict the aircraft used in the film. No point spending more money since I'm only interested in the markings. Ditto for the big Revell F-14. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 (edited) Panoz, all the kits you mentioned can work for a top gun tomcat. At worst you might need to change some little detail like chin pods or ECM bumps (absent from the tomcats used in the movie) and pitot tubes (on the radome tip on these). The aircrafts used were mid production F-14A and this is the type of tomcats most easily reproduced with the available kits. If you are not too bothered by some small inaccuracies, you don't mind a less than perfect fit, have plenty of filler and are happy to rescribe lost panel lines, then the monogram kit is perfect as it can be found for cheap and has some great details. The italeri kit is less hard to build but is not as nice from other aspects. I've never built the revell 1/32 kit so can't comment on this. Edited: the original monogram kit only really needs one alteration in the configuration: the undernose pod is the small ALQ-100 antenna and is fixed to the fuselage. The aircrafts in the movie IIRC had an IR sensor and the ALQ-100 below the sensor. This means having to cut the original antenna from the fuselage, scratchbuild the sensor (not too difficult IMHO) and reattach the antenna below this. Alternatively, you can ask around if anyone has a spare sensor from another kit Edited April 27, 2012 by Giorgio N Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kolja Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 Since the squadron markings were all purely fictional (though one was loosely based on VAW-120s - just different colors - and another loosely based on VA-25), you'd have to get those from either one of the boxings that came out right after the movie, or custom made.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panoz Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 (edited) Since the squadron markings were all purely fictional (though one was loosely based on VAW-120s - just different colors - and another loosely based on VA-25), you'd have to get those from either one of the boxings that came out right after the movie, or custom made.... Check out the link below (you obviously didn't): http://www.bishopart.com/?p=1157 No need to pay extortion prices for the Airfix & Testors (Italeri rebox???) "Top Gun" special editions anymore. Edited April 27, 2012 by Panoz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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