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Grumman F-14B 'Bombcat'


Pappy

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On 11/26/2021 at 10:31 AM, Alan P said:

Sorry for the distraction though @Pappy normal service is now resumed 😉

 

No probs AP, I have a soft spot for ponies!

 

Pappy

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G'day people,

 

I have done a little more work on the wings. Hasegawa provide the builder the opportunity to depict the wings in the forward sweep position with the flaps and slats deployed.

 

DSCN8253.JPG

 

There are a few little niggles that need to be sorted. Having corrected the incorrect flap chord, my attention now turned to the wing trailing edge. Hasegawa correctly depict the spring loaded doors that flip upward to create a convergent gap (the F-14's wing is remarkably similar to the F-111 wing, although F-111s had double slotted Fowler-type flaps) but strangely only provide two of the six flap hinges

 

DSCN8254.JPG

 

This issue was easier to correct than the flap chord. Small sections of plastic strip were added to represent the missing hinges. In the pic below only the left wing has been corrected

 

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and then both

 

002(107).JPG

 

While that lot dries I returned to the cockpit. Dry fitting the forward instrument panel revealed that I had removed a tad too much material from the sides resulting in a slight gap. I have added  some plastic strips which will be filled and blended in

 

DSCN8252.JPG

 

Also the aft turtle deck lost a lot of detail when that part was blended in. It looked a little featureless under paint so it has also been sanded back

 

DSCN8251.JPG

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

 

 

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G'day people,

 

The cockpits are just about done now

 

DSCN8274.JPG

 


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DSCN8272.JPG

 

Gratuitous dry fit picture with the seats just because

 

DSCN8277.JPG


DSCN8276.JPG

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

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On 12/4/2021 at 7:40 PM, Col. said:

That's a stunning cockpit. Well done :goodjob:

 

On 12/5/2021 at 8:03 PM, Roberto said:

Great cockpit!

 

Thanks very much gents, hopefully I can get some bench time in this weekend

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

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  • 4 weeks later...

G'day people,

 

I had an issue with the front panel so it had to come out.

This destroyed the lower panel in the process🤧

 

DSCN8367(1).JPG


DSCN8368.JPG

 

This was  a bit of a set back and I had to think of how to recover which took a little while while I mulled it over. Eventually I decided that I could use the kit supplied panel with some PE overlays to replaced the missing lower panel, luckily I was able to save the upper resin panel but I was not out of the woods yet, more anon....

 

DSCN8372.JPG


DSCN8371.JPG

 

Meanwhile I continued with the wings. I cut notches in the flap LE to accept the hinge points- this thing is gonna take up some real estate in the cabinet,

you 1/32 Tomcat builders must live in mansions!

 

DSCN8381.JPG


DSCN8380.JPG

 

The weapons pallets have now been attached and detailed

 

DSCN8374.JPG


DSCN8373.JPG

 

I have also made a start on painting the camo, albeit with the jugs. They look a bit monotone here but they do have a subtle colour modulation

 

DSCN8375.JPG

 

Now just the canopy to fix up. I went to test fit the windscreen and perhaps unsurprisingly discovered that there was some fouling between the forward instrument coaming and the windscreen. After some judicious sanding and some quick touch-ups I was able to test fit the windscreen without fouling.

 

DSCN8383.JPG


DSCN8382.JPG

 

 

A quick dip in some Future and to remove the sanding marks from removing the remnants of the sprue attachment points and it is almost ready to go on,

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

 

 

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On 12/31/2021 at 10:31 PM, Calum said:

Looking great Pappy

 

On 12/31/2021 at 10:52 PM, Wings unlevel said:

Nice recovery. 

 

On 1/1/2022 at 7:37 PM, Col. said:

Tidy work on saving this one :thumbsup:

 

 

Thanks very much fellas, sometimes it is best to just walk-away and cool off when you get a set-back. I had all these left over bits of PE. I am not a fan of the pre-painted PE but sice it was surplus and I had the original kit cockpit surplus I decided to add all the bits and see how it came up.

 

The RIOs panel

 

DSCN8395.JPG

 

and the tub.The Hasegawa raised detail on the side consoles is retained but the quarter panels are applied over the kit panels that had their raised details sanded off per the destructions.

 

DSCN8394.JPG


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I still think the original kit details are superior as the pre-painted panels while busy look too flat but the tub kick panels are superior. I added a throttle from scratch but otherwise the tub is stock. I didn't bother attempting to match the PE grey paint, I simply brushed in the cockpit colour by hand

 

Next up I cleaned up the canopy. Hasegawa got the 'Omega' cross-section correct however it comes with the disadvantage of a canopy seam that needs to be removed. This was carefully wet-sanded, polished and finally given a dip in Future to restore clarity and shine

 

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/e66/Opsiras/DSCN8384.JPG

 

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DSCN8396.JPG

 

Result!

 

While all that was going on, the internal canopy frame supplied separately was also cleaned up and painted. Hasegawa 1/48 F-14s include a small PE fret that comprise the canopy frames with hooks and the internal canopy bows with mirrors

 

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Finally, I assembled the kit boarding ladder and it nearly did my head in. The kit supplies the access panel and steps in styrene but the two sides are in Hasegawa's PE. The steel PE is thicker and is less prone to damage than typical brass PE however in the case of the boarding step the curved side sections did not match the plastic panel shape too well. The bigger problem that I had was that the PE sides just would not stick well. One side would be attached then fall off while adding the other - madness. I then decided to sand the gluing side with some wet'n'dry and low and behold, they stayed stuck!

 

DSCN8389.JPG


DSCN8388.JPG

 

I replaced the upper steps with some brass PE as these looked better and I used stretched sprue for the lower ladder rungs. Apart from just looking better the kit parts were over scale and I was in no mood t o clean up the mold seams on these tiny parts

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

 

 

 

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Great stuff Pappy and some good tips!

I have started building a Hase Tomcat this week and had a dream model PE set for the cockpit but boy it really needs attention in order not to make it a proverbial trainwreck…

It will not be perfect but the cockpit will be closed on mine with the crew in it while taxiing.

 

cheers, Jan

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On 1/2/2022 at 10:12 PM, Roberto said:

Great recovery and a very good work!

 

Thank you Roberto

 

On 1/3/2022 at 11:46 AM, janneman36 said:

Great stuff Pappy and some good tips!

I have started building a Hase Tomcat this week and had a dream model PE set for the cockpit but boy it really needs attention in order not to make it a proverbial trainwreck…

I will not be perfect but the cockpit will be closed on mine with the crew in it while taxiing.

 

cheers, Jan

 G'day Jan,

 

Thanks very much. I would not use the PE set if the canopy will be closed and crew installed. The kit supplied detail is very nice and the biggest areas that lack detail - the side walls will be obscured by the crew who will also obscure most of the cockpit detail?

 

Still your model your choice,

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

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18 hours ago, Col. said:

More fine work and good progress :thumbsup:  Are you planning to keep us updated on your progress with this one?

 

G'day Col,

 

Firstly, thank you. I would have probably made the deadline with the extension were it not for a (self-induced) hiccup which meant waiting for AM to arrive to correct the mistake. As it stands, I am ready to start painting the main assemblies

 

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I don't plan on using it on this kit but Hasegawa include a TARPS pod so I thought it might be fun to play around with it and paint it at the same time as well

 

DSCN8399.JPG

 

I have not tried black basing before but I think this is more promising than pre-shading which I personally think is a waste of time (heresy I know) but I think most people can't pull it off as it either gets completely over painted  or the kit ends up looking like a tartan blanket. I used this approach as well as various weathering techniques on the jugs which I am pleased with

 

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The boarding ladder and cockpit access steps are also done

 

DSCN8402.JPG

 

As for your question I will keep working this kit until the end of my vacation time but with several overlapping GBs coming up (Matchbox 50th and the Hornet STGB) I can't see myself devoting much more time on it once these kick -off and will likely ask yo have this WIP moved to the Aircraft - In Progress folder

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

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Nice jugs :D Joking apart, you've added a nice level of interest to the tanks without making them look 'forced' or over-done, nice work.

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22 hours ago, Col. said:

Nice jugs :D Joking apart, you've added a nice level of interest to the tanks without making them look 'forced' or over-done, nice work.

 

Thanks Col,

 

G'day people,

 

I have made a start on the TPS using the black basing approach

 

DSCN8415.JPG

 

Just a couple more shades to go!

The TARPS has been painted up as well

 

DSCN8414.JPG

 

MPPs done as well, just awaiting stores

 

DSCN8413.JPG

 

Finally the front windscreen is on

 

DSCN8412.JPG

 

I didn't think the tinted middle section was that dark until it was placed over the black coaming. It looks much lighter when viewed from other angles. Still, it will add some colour to an all grey jet

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

 

 

 

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks very much Chris.

 

You do need some skills to put the Hasegawa kit together but I have found that it is nowhere near as a bad a kit as some would have you believe. If I am honest, most of the fit issues are a result of incorporating AM. The kit the does have its vices but by and large these can be sorted. I have a 1/48 Has F-14A which I was planning to sell to help pay for  Tammy wunderkit but now I am not so sure I want to sell it,

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

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I actually ended up nabbing another Hasegawa kit recently.  1/48 F-14 for $35?  Sign me up.  Yeah it may not be up to modern Tamiya standards, but at a 1/3 to 1/4 the cost I'm plenty ok with that.  It certainly looks to build up nice enough with a bit of patience.

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