F-14 VF-102 Diamondback references.

[DenKhorosh]

Hey guys!

I’m looking for good references on VF-102 F-14’s. Preferably B version (“A” one will do as well) for printing a decal, just as shown in the picture. http://www.v3wall.com/en/html/pic_down/1440_900/pic_down_5762_1440_900.html
The problem is that there’s not enough high resolution pictures to see some of the stencils of the planes, such as pilot names or information shown on the right landing gear door.

So far I managed to get enough information on F-14B BuNo. 163225 (according to Mark Styling), piloted by CDR Molidor and CDR Wralstad.

 

There is also one more thing: is there any information on payload the Diamondbacks used to carry during 90’s? I’d like to find out more because judging by the photos in the net it was quite…mixed. Just asking, because want to build a Tomcat in the interceptor configuration. With a couple of Phoenixes, Sparrows and Sicewinders.

 

Any help will be appreciated.
 

Thanks in advance.   

Edited October 21, 2020 by DenKhorosh

[Giorgio N]

If you want to build an interceptor, the typical peacetime load was 1 missile per type: Sidewinder on left pylon, Sparrow under the right pylon and Phoenix under one of the front belly pallets. In certain areas the Phoenix was not carried.

In wartime the most common load was 2 Sidewinder and 2 Sparrows on the pylons, with 1 or 2 Phoenix under the front pallets. Sometime 3 Sparrows were carried, with the 3rd in the rearmost slot under the fuselage.

With the introduction of AG weapons, a single Phoenix was carried under the left pylon, with Sidewinders on both sides.

[fewr9fkr9595]

1 hour ago, DenKhorosh said:

The problem is that there’s not enough high resolution pictures to see some of the stencils of the planes, such as pilot names or information shown on the right landing gear door.

The story of my life for the past couple of years...

What you can sometimes do is look at navy cruise books. There is a website dedicated to them with scanned and uploaded photos. Along with all the ships crew they also list the airwing with pilots and their mugshots.
 

Note not all books are listed and it’s a case of matching the squadrons to the ships. Also some of the aircrew have may rotated through mid cruise. Normally you can tie down a squadrons paintjob/scheme to a certain narrow timeframe and workout which cruise books to check. 

I have been able to discern some canopy names by a process of elimination - a made up example - in a photo of a jet you can see/make out  ‘LT Jim K-something’
That ‘something’ being a 7 character surname that’s blurry but see it’s starting with a K or whatever in this example. 
You get lucky in the book of that ships particular cruise when that squadron was onboard -  there being a  LT James 7 character surname beginning with a K in the aircrew so 99% probability its him. 
 

I have yet to get a plane captain (gear door names) from this method as they are generally completely illegible in most pictures and have nothing to work with. 
 

Also for pilot/rio names just trawling google image search and various aircraft photo sites and cross referencing BuNo’s can bring up the same jet from different angles to get the part of a name you can’t see in another. 
 

Hope some of this helps. 
 

Tony

[fewr9fkr9595]

2 minutes ago, Giorgio N said:

If you want to build an interceptor, the typical peacetime load was 1 missile per type: Sidewinder on left pylon, Sparrow under the right pylon and Phoenix under one of the front belly pallets. In certain areas the Phoenix was not carried.

In wartime the most common load was 2 Sidewinder and 2 Sparrows on the pylons, with 1 or 2 Phoenix under the front pallets. Sometime 3 Sparrows were carried, with the 3rd in the rearmost slot under the fuselage.

With the introduction of AG weapons, a single Phoenix was carried under the left pylon, with Sidewinders on both sides.

True to all the above as it’s generic to most sqn and a standard air to air loadout. 

I have also seen vf102 in the late 90’s with a unique AG combination on the belly pallets - 

Phoenix on the left and 500lb dumb bomb on the right. Lantirn/Aim9 on right glove pylon. Usual drop tanks. Rest not visible but assume aim7 & 9 on right glove pylon. 
Not seen any other sqn carry like this and had it in mind for a build one day. Have a pic but can’t post it due to copyright. 

[fewr9fkr9595]

Also if you want to do a jet like the picture you linked - Wolfpak decals do AB105 from that cruise in 1999. 
I have it in the stash and its a nice sheet. 
RIP Mark Bilas. 
1/72 though. 

[Boman]

Furball Aero-Design release decals in 1/48 for F-14A AB102 om this sheet; https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/FBDS4816?result-token=ETVUu 

Then you have for the F-14B again AB102 on this sheet; https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/FT48085?result-token=ETVUu  and low-viz line jet AB106 on this one from Fightertown Decals  https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/FT48086?result-token=ETVUu

Some decal providers give additional instructions with loadout options for the time period covered. 

Edited October 22, 2020 by Boman

[Wolf]

Currently i'm on the same project (VF-102 F-14B Buno 163225)) using a mix of F-14A Tamiya's cockpit in a F-14D Tamiya's beauty.

At that time of OEF Ops the cockpit was "almost" an "A" one with the MFD at RIO's station (D style RIO's MFD). Very interesting project.

 

Thanks for the info about the loadout, i was looking info about that too.

 

I'll stay alert on this thread

 

I will use this decals :

 

[Wolf]

More references here :

 

http://www.seaforces.org/usnair/VF/Fighter-Squadron-102.htm

[DenKhorosh]

On 10/22/2020 at 12:43 AM, Tony Oliver said:

The story of my life for the past couple of years...

What you can sometimes do is look at navy cruise books. There is a website dedicated to them with scanned and uploaded photos. Along with all the ships crew they also list the airwing with pilots and their mugshots.
 

Note not all books are listed and it’s a case of matching the squadrons to the ships. Also some of the aircrew have may rotated through mid cruise. Normally you can tie down a squadrons paintjob/scheme to a certain narrow timeframe and workout which cruise books to check. 

I have been able to discern some canopy names by a process of elimination - a made up example - in a photo of a jet you can see/make out  ‘LT Jim K-something’
That ‘something’ being a 7 character surname that’s blurry but see it’s starting with a K or whatever in this example. 
You get lucky in the book of that ships particular cruise when that squadron was onboard -  there being a  LT James 7 character surname beginning with a K in the aircrew so 99% probability its him. 
 

I have yet to get a plane captain (gear door names) from this method as they are generally completely illegible in most pictures and have nothing to work with. 
 

Also for pilot/rio names just trawling google image search and various aircraft photo sites and cross referencing BuNo’s can bring up the same jet from different angles to get the part of a name you can’t see in another. 
 

Hope some of this helps. 
 

Tony

Exaaaactly!))That's just what I did before posting here. Got some details for several planes except for those gear door names. 
Used a couple of sources specifically for that:http://www.seaforces.org/usnair/VF-squadrons.htm  and https://www.navysite.de/cruisebooks/