Revell 1/48 Playboy Tomcat help needed to convert

[lifeofbrian]

I'm am getting the Revell 1/48 Playboy Tomcat donated to me by my nephew, I believe it an evaluation aircraft, which I have no interest in, so I would like to convert it to a carrier born squadron if it's easy and cheap enough. Does anyone have any tips for me. I can find very little info about the model.

 

Cheers.

[Giorgio N]

Is this the F-14A Black Tomcat ? If it is (and it should be), then it's a rebox of the old but still good Monogram kit with a number of new parts

To "convert" this into an aircraft used by a frontline squadron you only need a set of decals, all parts are included... or better, depending on how accurate you want your model to be you may or not have all the parts included.

This kit, in Revell's black version, represents an aircraft with the ECM bumps on the tail (IIRC they forgot the ones under the fixed part of the wing though) and either the final 2-grill or the later NACA style gun gas vents (the instructions mention the use of this for the subject of the box but I believe the older vents are still included. The original Monogram kit only had these).

If the aircraft you want to model has these features, you're sorted. If the aircraft hs different features it depends... if it just lacks the ECM bumps, it's easy to remove them. If has the earlier 7-grill gas vents you could modify the ones supplied. The tails also lack the various reinforcements applied during the Tomcat life, they're relatively easy to scratchbuild from plasticard in any case.

There are in reality a number of other differences between older and newer Tomcats, for example the wheels changed during the production (the ones in the kit are the older style, the newer can be found as aftermarket). The sensor under the chine also changed during the service of the Tomcat, starting with an IR sensor, then a simple antenna, then another type of IR sensor and finally the TV sensor.

The Bombcat modifications also resulted in some more smaller differences... really, depending on the degree of accuracy you want you may have either a simple "get new decals, add different paint scheme" job or a more involved build with several modifications.

And to add potential, IIRC the kit also includes the exhausts for the GE endinged F-14B and D. You can't really build a D as the cockpit is different in this version, but you could build a B. Not a very accurate one because the area before the engine is not correct, but again if you don't mind total accuracy you could add this possibility

Edited March 5, 2017 by Giorgio N

[T8247741]

I have decals out of a new Tamiya F-14A going spare if you want them. VF-84 Jolly Rogers & VF-2 Bounty Hunters..........plus the Iranian jet if you want them. I just finished building Maverick/Goose jet so didn't use the squadron markings.

 

I wouldn't mind the Bunny decals if you want to swap ?

 

PM me

[Harrierpilot]

There was two "Vandy 1" jets, a F-14A and a F-14D.

 

 

[exdraken]

As already said above, the playboy tomcat is just a normal F-14 Tomcat model as used on carriers e.g. it is just painted differently and was used for trsting purposes.

all you need to do is paint the plane in dhades of grey of your liking  and add different decals to it maybe the kit alo comes with other devals than the playboy bunny! 

 

When you have a photo of your donation and post it here more in detail help can be given as needed! 

Happy modelling!