1-48 Hasegawa F-14A (aka Tomcat FRS.1A) in the Fleet Air Arm

[Kallisti]

Basic colours are now on:

 

 

 

So that is a white underside and Extra Dark Sea Grey aka Tamiya XF-77 on top. This now needs to be Kleared which will happen later today in prep for decals and weathering. Some detailing also needs to be done...

 

 

 

 

[Kallisti]

This morning was spent masking again, this time for the engine exhausts. 

 

 

 

So next job it priming for the metallics... this may take a while

 

 

 

[Tarkas]

It's looking good. The older pre-low-vis grey schemes, whether RN or USN, just look so much better on a Tomcat. For that matter, the 1940s memorial schemes of recent years also look great on RAF aircraft. I loved that Typhoon in BoB camo, and the other aircraft in similar paint jobs (Hawk in 19 Sqn livery, c.1938, and a Tucano celebrating 100 years of 72 Sqn) looked great as well.

 

And Vitaliy, if the RN bought Tomcats, I could easily imagine the RAF getting them in place of Tornado ADVs (F.2 and F.3 versions). British Aerospace, as it was then, would have complained bitterly, but the Treasury would have argued that a larger Tomcat buy was cheaper than developing the ADV solely for the RAF. Given the timescale, they'd have likely been A models because the F110 engine hadn't been developed yet, so they would have been known as the Tomcat F.3 in RAF service. The RAF would have wanted the Phoenix from the outset, as the aircraft's primary role would have been bomber-busting.

 

They might have been upgraded to F-14B standard later, and could have been equipped with the TARPS pod and possibly fitted with the AN/APG-71 radar as well, in which case the Tomcat FR.4 would have been a very useful aircraft. The FGR.5 version, equivalent to a late service "Bombcat", would have been even more so.😁 Nice dream... 😎

[Kallisti]

Last few photos before Telford - almost there!!! Decals and dirt applied, undercarriage attached 

 

 

 

You can see in the second pic the exhausts that have been painted with Alclad and overpainted with burnt metal. Finally the wings

 

 

So thats it for now, I'm off to Telford in a couple of hours and won't be back until Monday so hopefully I'll have enough time on Monday to complete the final assembly and put a matt varnish coat over before our club meeting on Monday night!

 

See you at Telford... if you are on a table in Hall 1, I will be coming to take your photo at some point during the weekend for the IPMS magazine

 

 

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

This is actually turning out very nice. The EDS Grey over white looks even better than the Gull grey over white. 

[At Sea]

Probably too late to fix but by the time the Phantom (XT & XV serials) would have been replaced the Tomcat would have been issued XZ - ZA range serials as it would have been 1980 or thereabouts.

 

Non the less, a great Whiff and a lovely bit of modelling!

[Sturmovik]

I really like this Tomcat, looks more appealing with British colours. Maybe you could build the Tamiya kit next with the dark green/dark sea grey camo.

[Kallisti]

Finally after a bit of a delay I've been able to take proper photos of the finished model:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think that looks alright

[Andwil]

I don’t normally go much for what if’s but this looks so right!

 

AW

[Matt_]

Looks great. 

 

If it was a Turkey. Who would've been the FAA's Goose? 

[phildagreek]

That looks great, next to your F18 they will make a handsome pair. I always thought it was a shame we didn't go for the F18 like so many other countries, it's a handsome & capable aircraft.