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1/48 - Grumman F-14A/B & D Tomcat by AvantGarde Model Kits (AMK) - F-14D released


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To me the main take away after 27 pages into this post is that no matter how much work and time you put into something, you won’t see everybody happy. 

 

But for me, keep it up AMK, this will definetely be a legendary kit, a must I would say for everyone interested on this subject. 

 

Cheers. 

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On 5/20/2018 at 2:44 AM, DIO said:

Would you honestly expect the difference between all those screw type of features to be differently represented in 1/48?

I would honestly not.

 

 

Others have represented this difference in 1/72 scale...

 

On 5/18/2018 at 3:55 PM, DarrenH said:

Not really i was expecting far finer panel lines and very few rivets on an F-14.

The Mig-31 in reality has very fine fne panels far finer than those in the kit.

I think its just fortunate that the impression western modellers have is Russian aircraft are agricultural.

The Mig-31 is far from that.

Try putting the Mig-31 panel lines up against the big T’s F-14 panels.

Maybe then you might puck up how overscale they are.

Its still quite entertaining to se some of the very same guys who ripped into Hobbyboss for rivets and geaby panel lines laud a kit with just as many rivets and far heavier panel lines.

Double standards rule...

 

It's all a matter of what to expect from each manufacturer and what we get in return

AMK is one of the "new wave" of Chinese manufacturers, companies that have added a lot of new subjects to the hobby in the last few years, particularly in 1/48 scale. IMHO they are doing a great jpb but it's important to keep in mind the pros and cons of their production. Tamiya-style panel lines are not yet typical of the production of this company, and really only very few others can compete with Tamiya when it comes to panel lines and mould quality. For this simple reason many don't expect Tamiya panel lines from AMK.

At the same time the quality of AMK panel lines is very acceptable to many modellers, more so when they are on kits that represent subjects previously unavailable (their MiG-31 was afterall the first decent kit of the type in this scale)

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3 minutes ago, Giorgio N said:


 

 

Others have represented this difference in 1/72 scale...

Can you post an example. I am very much interested to see how different type of screws or rivets are represented in 1/72.

And if it will make any sense under two layers of color and two layers of varnish (that's my standard but may not be for others).

 

Thanks,

DIO

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3 minutes ago, DIO said:

Can you post an example. I am very much interested to see how different type of screws or rivets are represented in 1/72.

And if it will make any sense under two layers of color and two layers of varnish (that's my standard but may not be for others).

 

Thanks,

DIO

 

I'll see if I can take a few pictures of kits I have, one example anyway is the Amodel IAR-80, that has probably one of the finest representation of surface details I've ever seen.

Eduard's Spitfire is another example, with the fasteners being reproduced in a totally different way... but really other companies have differentiated fasteners from rivets in Spitfire kits, helped no doubt by the nature of the fasteners used on the Spit.

In jets, I have to check what RV did on their MiGs, I have memories that they also differentiated between rivets and other features, but I haven't looked at these kits in a while.

Interesting how some of the companies I mentioned are short run manufacturers, it's clear that adding different surface features requires more work and therefore higher costs, something that has prevented many "mainstream" manufacturers from doing more from this point of view while in the context of a short run kit it's easier to do this

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On 30/05/2018 at 22:41, hairystick said:

It seems the box artwork is "a work in progress" too.

The A/B flames have gone in the latest rendition.

 

Yes and the nose gear launch bar is now ‘down’ too. 

 

So its meant to be depicting a take off. 

 

Still above the deck before the end of the catapult though... 

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On 5/31/2018 at 7:41 AM, hairystick said:

It seems the box artwork is "a work in progress" too.

Maybe the artist is still waiting for his crowd funded money to come through! 

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On 5/30/2018 at 11:41 PM, hairystick said:

It seems the box artwork is "a work in progress" too.

The A/B flames have gone in the latest rendition.

33899669_987845828046911_580125918909536

 

definitely better now!

a bit strange around the nozzle now.... and of course still a bit steep for takeoff!

 

maybe it would be better to shorten the carrier deck and put it into a better perspective!

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23 minutes ago, Uncle Uncool said:

Well, me certainly find it humorous yer talking like Jedi Master Yoda! :analintruder:

Not everyone an English native speaker. How r your Greek by the way 🤣

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32 minutes ago, Uncle Uncool said:

Δεν είναι πολύ καλό, υποθέτω ...? :fraidnot:

Me no inglish! (no it is not hahahahahahaaa.... but nice try!!!)

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On 6/4/2018 at 7:26 AM, exdraken said:

definitely better now!

a bit strange around the nozzle now.... and of course still a bit steep for takeoff!

 

maybe it would be better to shorten the carrier deck and put it into a better perspective!

Pondering this the other day...

I was browsing an auction site looking at model kits of aircraft, when it occurred to me that the box art always showed the aircraft from the forward area (essentially from somewhere within the frontal 180 degree arc).

Seeing an image from behind the wing is quite "non conformist" and this image promoted by AMK certainly breaks with tradition.

 

:2c:

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15 minutes ago, hairystick said:

Pondering this the other day...

I was browsing an auction site looking at model kits of aircraft, when it occurred to me that the box art always showed the aircraft from the forward area (essentially from somewhere within the frontal 180 degree arc).

Seeing an image from behind the wing is quite "non conformist" and this image promoted by AMK certainly breaks with tradition.

 

:2c:

 

True that. 

 

The only kit I have in the stash with a rear 3/4 view boxart is a 1/48 trumpy mig-21mf. 

All others are a frontal or side view of some sort. 

 

What others are out there (in your stash or not) of rear view artwork? 

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On 6/4/2018 at 10:26 AM, exdraken said:

33899669_987845828046911_580125918909536

 

definitely better now!

a bit strange around the nozzle now.... and of course still a bit steep for takeoff!

 

maybe it would be better to shorten the carrier deck and put it into a better perspective!

"Bolter! Bolter!"

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On 6/4/2018 at 11:50 PM, Tony Oliver said:

 

True that. 

 

The only kit I have in the stash with a rear 3/4 view boxart is a 1/48 trumpy mig-21mf. 

All others are a frontal or side view of some sort. 

 

What others are out there (in your stash or not) of rear view artwork? 

Airfix Gloster Meteor F8 Korea kit shows the view from about 7 O'clock and slightly above. 

 

Just found it: https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/gloster-meteor-f8-korean-war-1-48.html

 

 

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On 6/4/2018 at 3:50 PM, Tony Oliver said:

What others are out there (in your stash or not) of rear view artwork? 

I can see this starting a thread all of its own... (& me being proven well wrong!).

The comment came from one "session" of auction site browsing, but I checked my "stash-ette" and both kits are from the side-on view.:rolleyes:

On 6/5/2018 at 11:27 AM, VMA131Marine said:

"Bolter! Bolter!"

With the hook in the "up" position...

Watching a load of night carrier landings on ewechoob last night and the hook remained down (scraping the deck) all the time.

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41 minutes ago, hairystick said:

I can see this starting a thread all of its own... (& me being proven well wrong!).

The comment came from one "session" of auction site browsing, but I checked my "stash-ette" and both kits are from the side-on view.:rolleyes:

With the hook in the "up" position...

Watching a load of night carrier landings on ewechoob last night and the hook remained down (scraping the deck) all the time.

Hook broke off, hence the bolter!

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7 hours ago, VMA131Marine said:

Hook broke off, hence the bolter!

 

Nah not with the launch bar down on the nose gear, pretty sure its meant to be depicting a take off now. 

This is something that has changed from the first artwork. 

 

They changed position of launch bar along with removing afteburner glow, probably due to discussions like this one here and others on the internet. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

From their facebook page today; 

 

Quote

********Official F-14D Release Announcement********

Hi All,

We appreciate that you have been worried, requesting information and waiting patiently for the release of our AMK F-14D Tomcat, so here we go........

AMK WILL RELEASE F-14D TOMCAT IN THE SUMMER 2018!

We have to mention it again as many times as we can, *please* don't argue or compare. Just do what ever you are happy to do. Let's maintain the happy modeling world together! That's what we want - no politics, no religion, no blame just fun and sharing. We should be one big family in our little hobby of escape :)

Some information you guys may be interested to know:

* We had a bit more than 3000 pcs preorder.
* Thank you very much to those, who supported us. You deserve, in addition to price discount, an Ordnance set for free. This will be sent to you.
* We have done a lot for this kit and many options will be included for you. Wing options (surfaces etc fully open / closed closed ), canopy glass options, options of intake door opening levels, options of horizontal stabilizer angles, etc. 
* This is quite an investment in molds for us, a small company. 10000 pcs of sales may be required to help us to balance the cost. Your continuing support would be nice for us to keep up our work good fo rthis and our future projects (many started and ongoing) you will be excited to know of them.

We have heard that, some shops have been taking preorders illegally. 
So, to that end, we are listing again our distributors who took preorders from us below. Please note also, our distributors cannot sell AMK kits to other countries which AMK already have distributors there.

 

USA
Victory Models

 

HK
Mr. Shiu
Continental Models & Toys Co.

 

China
AMK Hobby, China

 

Korea
D-Corporation

 

Taiwan
AKO Hobby

 

Czech
Annetra s.r.o.

 

Malaysia
The Little Hobby Shop

 

Thailand
The Model World

I

taly
Model Assistance

 

Russia
Hobby for Everybody

 

Australia
HobbyCo

 

Spain
Robotines

Indiegogo Campaign

So, if you have already oreordered, please contact our distributor to confirm you preorder!

Wish you a happy modeling life, and see you this weekend in Penang!

Cheers - Sio

 

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