F-14A 'High Visibility' - 1:72 Hasegawa (alternative tooling)

[woody37]

F-14A ‘High Visibility’

1:72 Hasegawa (alternative tooling)

As a kid, I was inspired by the brightly painted Tomcats, needless to say, I went on to build the Airfix kit with the fantastic hi-vis ‘Wolfpack’ scheme that’s hard to beat on the big cat. At a time in the early 70’s when most aircraft were limited to AIM-7 and AIM-9 missiles (or similar in range), here came a beast that could carry 6 missiles capable of travelling more than half way across England to destroy its target in the guise of the AIM-54 Phoenix. Whilst the shape of the Tomcat is engrained in the mind of most aviation enthusiasts, it resulted from a series of wind tunnel tests on no less than 2000 configurations to meet the demanding requirements for a supersonic carrier borne interceptor. A single seat concept looked very similar to the Mig 29. Whilst in economical terms, the F/A-18 needed to replace the F-14, I’m sure that I’m not alone in feeling that the world lost one of its most loved and iconic aircraft except for the few still flying with the Iranian Air Force when the US Navy finally retired the last of its fleet in 2006.

The kit

We’ve been busy recently with F-14A Tomcat releases from Hasegawa. My initial plan was to review this together with the ‘Fighting Checkmates’ release, however when I opened the box, I was met by a little confusion! Being a bit slow, I couldn’t figure out why the ‘Checkmates’ box was overflowing with plastic whilst this one was quite reserved, so I dug in a little further to investigate. What became obvious is that this is the older tooling kit with raised panel lines and much less detail than the newer tooled versions. This is reflected in a parts count of just 100 as oppose to 191 pieces. So on first comments, this sounds quite disappointing, but the more I looked into it, the more I changed my opinion. Whilst the newer tooling kit is without doubt a fantastic kit, it’s not the easiest kit to build due to its complexity. Nor does it have the weapons included, nor can you rotate the wings. This kit has all those features as well as a lower price tag which I believe gives it a different target market and that’s a good thing. Unfortunately, without some research, it’s not that obvious what tooling comes in what boxes apart from the price difference, so this review is quite useful !!!!

Assembly starts with the cockpit in a most traditional way. Detail in here is very sparse, the only option for the panels is in decal form. That said, I’ve seen less detailed seats on Hasegawa kits so these aren’t too bad with separate seat cushions. The cockpit tub is located on top of the separate nose wheel bay which then gets sandwiched between the nose section halves. As I mentioned, the surface detail is raised rather than recessed like the newer tool, but it’s very finely done indeed.

Attention next goes to the main fuselage and wings. The wings are simple in design without separate slats or flaps, but feature the mechanism to allow you to swing the wings once assembled. The wings mesh with each other once sealed between the top and bottom fuselage halves. If you want to have the mighty Phoenix loadout installed (and why wouldn’t you?), don’t forget to open up the required holes in the lower fuselage. The intakes are well designed offering full length interiors right up to the well formed compressor fans. I’ve read previous reviews on this kit that report a lot of flash, but this has very little, in fact nothing worth noting. The undercarriage is very well done with good detail in the legs and wheel hubs. Unlike the newer tooling, there isn’t the option of the compressed nose wheel option. The undercarriage doors are lacking in detail and have ejector marks on most of them which will need a tickle with a sanding stick.

If you want your exhausts open or closed, you’re in luck here! Both options are included, so you can build whatever configuration you want.

The canopy and windscreen are very thin hence free from any noticeable distortion. Unlike the newer kit parts, there is no seam down the centre of the canopy either. If I was to be critical, the windscreen looks to be a little too wide in profile towards the front each side of the armoured windscreen but the canopy has the slight double hump evident on the real thing. Before you fit the canopy, you get two great little pilots that you may want to fit.

The real pleasure of this kit is the inclusion of the classic big vat weapon loads. You get the 6 Phoenix missiles, 4 Sparrow and two Sidewinders. Again, they have the raised detail in common with the kit, but the fins are very thin and certainly aren’t bad. You can of course buy the separate weapons pack, but I’d be very happy with what is included. Be aware that if fitting the drop tanks, they are sided.

The decals

The earlier kits were known to have ‘off’ white decals. The decals included in this box are of no such thing, ‘ice’ white is a good description of what we have here. The detail in the decals is very sharp with excellent register. From a visual inspection, I can’t find any criticism of the sheet. As well as the liveries, a good set of cockpit instruments, stencils, formation lights, anti-slip plates and weapon decals are present. Two excellent and classic liveries are included:

• Aircraft 160660 – VF-111 ‘Sundowners’ – sadly lost 1992
• Aircraft 160391 – VF-84 ‘Jolly Rogers’

Conclusion

This kit is as you’d expect a lower standard that the later offering, but for less experienced or young modellers is probably a much better kit to purchase. Whilst it lacks the recessed panel lines and wealth of detail, it still builds up into a great kit with almost half the parts count that still manages to include a full compliment of weapons for approximately half the price. It also manages to avoid some of the minor draw backs of the later kit such as a seam down the centre of the canopy and ejector pin marks on the nose wheel tyres. Despite my initial let down when I first examined the kit, I’m left feeling rather fond of my new cat. If like me, you get those periods of modellers block, this could be just the remedy you need in your medicine cupboard!

Review sample courtesy of
UK distributors for

[Julien]

Having built this kit it still makes into a good looking tomcat. Raised panel lines are not "bad" plus you get all the weapons which they "forgot" in the later kits.

Julien

[Giorgio N]

This older mould first appeared in the early '80s and while it's been initially available in a number of boxes, it's only been offered in two boxes after the arrival of the new tool kit: this one and one named "F-14A Tomcat (Low Visibility)".

Any other box issued in the last 20 years include the new mould.

To be honest, while this was for a good while the best 1/72 Tomcat around and still has merits, I'm not sure if it is one I'd buy today as there are more modern kits around that are similarly priced (revell for example). That's in Europe though, as in Japan this kit is probably the cheapest money can buy and I can see why it's so popular to be still around even if the new one is not that new anymore.

[Navy Bird]

I remember buying this kit when it was first released, and thinking I'd gone to heaven after building the early Airfix or Matchbox kit (can't remember which one it was). It really does build up quite nice.

Cheers,

Bill

[niki]

Useful review!

Does anybody please know what the story with that silhouette/ kill mark beneath the Sundowners canopy is? From an exercise or something?

[Giorgio N]

Useful review!

Does anybody please know what the story with that silhouette/ kill mark beneath the Sundowners canopy is? From an exercise or something?

Yes, just an exercise kill, but of an aircraft that is not easy to kill: an F-15C

VF-111 engaged in exercises with the Kadena based aircrafts of 18th TFW during a 1983 cruise and a number of tomcats were later seen with kill markings of that type. It's very likely that the Hasegawa research team saw the aircraft in Japan right after the exercise

[niki]

Ha, excellent intel! Thank you!

On a similar note, I now remember reading somewhere of a Recce exercise in Europe also attended by a TARPS equipped F-14. Apparently Eagles were on the premises and scored many hits against all the poor recce birds. Well, actually against most poor recce birds because - as the Tomcat pilot was quoted: "The Eagles must have been in for a shock as they saw the prey suddenly come about and shoot them in the lips*."

* not being a native English speaker, that last part of the quote did sound very funny to my ears and so I remember it exactly. Not willing to bet about the rest though...

[Asmodai]

I agree that this is still a decent kit, and at least here in the US, can be had at a much more pleasing price than the newer mold Hasegawa 1/72 F-14s. Having the armament included is a good bonus, but while I would say the Phoenix and Sparrows are pretty good, the kit Sidewinders are awful. They are thin and the fin shapes are poor. Swap them out and you'll have a nice kit and a good price.

[Parabat]

Ah yes, the retarded cousin of the family... A much better option is the Hobby Boss 1/72 F-14's. They don't suffer from flash issues, soft detailing and they have better looking weapons and some ingenious fit solutions for mounting the forward fuselage to the main fuselage.

[Navy Bird]

Ah yes, the retarded cousin of the family... A much better option is the Hobby Boss 1/72 F-14's. They don't suffer from flash issues, soft detailing and they have better looking weapons and some ingenious fit solutions for mounting the forward fuselage to the main fuselage.

Are those "easy assembly" kits? They have "80" as the prefix in their stock number, and I always thought that "80" demoted the easy assembly kits, and the "87" kits were the regular ones.

Cheers,

Bill

[Parabat]

Hi Bill,
No, they're not the easy assembly kits. I've recently taken delivery of the F-14D in 1/72 and it is genuinely a light year away from the old mould Hasegawa kits. Having a look online, the parts breakdown is pretty similar for the A and B versions. Nice engraved details (one or two spurious panels and details though), great looking cockpit, canopy has the double bubble, it comes with LAU-138 rails and LAU-7 rails, HUD and variable positioned GE exhausts. Basically, a lower tech kit than the new Hasegawa F-14's, but WAY better than the old mould kits.

[Navy Bird]

Hi Bill,

No, they're not the easy assembly kits. I've recently taken delivery of the F-14D in 1/72 and it is genuinely a light year away from the old mould Hasegawa kits. Having a look online (www.1999.co.jp/eng) the parts breakdown is pretty similar for the A and B versions. Nice engraved details (one or two spurious panels and details though), great looking cockpit, canopy has the double bubble, it comes with LAU-138 rails and LAU-7 rails, HUD and variable positioned GE exhausts. Basically, a lower tech kit than the new Hasegawa F-14's, but WAY better than the old mould kits.

Thanks! So much for my theory about the stock numbers!

Cheers,

Bill