F-14A Bounty Hunters 1977

[Vlad]

I was looking for decals for a VF-2 Tomcat in grey over white. I couldn't find "first cruise" so I've more or less settled on this one:

 

http://camdecals.com/milspec72-018172scalevf-22bountyhuntersf-14atomcat.aspx

 

Firstly, can anyone vouch for the quality of CAM decals? Does that set always include the stencils pictured?

 

Secondly, can anyone confirm the paint scheme and markings of that aircraft? I can't find any pictures to support some of the features shown in that set, such as:

 

- 'NK' is on the inner facing tailplane surface and there's a shield on the outer side where the 'NK' normally is

- black area around the cockpit extends aft to a point on the spine, not seen this on any picture of a VF-2 bird

- underside is white but upper surfaces of flaps and horizontal stab are gull grey. Is this an interim scheme?

 

Thanks!

[Giorgio N]

There's a picture of this aircraft in the C&M volume on Pacific Coast Squadrons 1974-87. This was an experimental scheme tried in 1977 and not adopted.

The picture shows several differences compared to the instructions in the decal sheet. To answer your questions:

- Yes, NK on the inner tailplane and shield on the outer side. This is correct

 

- No, the black area does not extend that way, it's only on the forward part starting from the windscreen. The windscreen frames are in grey and so are the frames of the canopy. The antiglare panel is also shorter on the nose than the common VF-2 style, being the more common short shape.

 

- Tricky one ! At some point the upper surfaces of all moving surfaces became grey across all USN aircraft, so this is entirely possible. The picture does not show these areas but the rudders are painted grey on the inner side of the tail, so it's very likely that the rest of the moving surfaces were also in grey.

Ok, that was not the tricky part... the tricky part is that this aircraft shows very little if any white on the undersides ! There seems to be white under the glove vanes but the fuselage seems to be in overall grey. It could be that the grey is simply carried further down the sides compared to the earlier standard scheme.but could also have been in overall greyl more so as the wheel well doors look grey.

 

One other difference is in the ventral fins: the decal sheet proposes the standard VF-2 markings of the day, yellow fin blue motiv on the leading edge and two white stars. The pictures shows pale fins, that could be pale yellow but also light grey (it's not too clear) with a tricolour band close to the leading edge, similar to the one on the fuselage.

 

Overall not a great sheet accuracywise but could be useable with some modifications

Edited October 18, 2018 by Giorgio N

[Jabba]

Just had a look at this aircraft in the digital latest version of Pacific Coast Sqns, and agree with what Giorgio says apart from the airframe colour. The first caption mentions that the F-14 is moving into the overall grey colour scheme, and from what I can see in the 3 pictures in the book it seems that this aircraft is in that scheme. I do think that the upper part of the wing glove pylons fitted appear to be white, but I might be wrong. HTH.

[Giorgio N]

You may be right, the pylon may be white. I also wonder if the area where the pylon is attached is white, looks lighter in the picture I have but could just be the lighting.

A number of Tomcats showed some white areas after repainting in overall grey, this may be one of them.Or maybe is just a trick of the light...

[Jabba]

I will have another look tonight.

[Jabba]

Just had another look at the picture and expanded it out. It is definitely grey under the wing glove, and it is just the pylon that is white.

[Devo]

Vlad,

I have decals for two VF-142 Ghostriders F-14A from USS America circa late 1970's that show them with the low demarcation gull grey, white undersides and all upper flying surface's are painted gull grey as well. It was the start of the transition to overall gloss gull grey apparently. 

 

Cheers.

 

 

 

[Vlad]

Thanks for the extra digging and information guys, much appreciated

 

Has anyone actually used CAM decals and can comment on their physical quality and what they're like to work with?

[Devo]

14 hours ago, Vlad said:

Thanks for the extra digging and information guys, much appreciated

 

Has anyone actually used CAM decals and can comment on their physical quality and what they're like to work with?

Can't help there, never used them either.

 

[Sonoran]

I don’t think you’d have seen an F-14A in overall Light Gull Gray in 1977.  They were still delivering new aircraft with the full gray/white camouflage at that point.  IIRC the first overall gray ones showed up in late 1979 or early 1980.

[Jabba]

There are many picture in both of Detail and Scales original books showing many Tomcats from all the early Grey/White Sqns in all over Light Gull Grey dated around 1977/78.

[Giorgio N]

The replacement of white undersurfaces with overall 16440 for US Navy fighter aircrafts was officially introduced with CNO Message 181716Z, dated Feb. 18th 1977.

Some units took longer to comply than others but Tomcats in overall grey sure started to be seen from around mid 1977.