DaveJL Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 (edited) Hello all, As my 1st build is going well, i decided to put up details of my second entry. Hasegawa again and in 1/48 of course! This one will be a F-14D of VX-9 Vampires based in Point Mugu California. The kit; courtesy of Joel, (Bandwagon106): The parts: The aftermarket: Aires cockpit (though might swap this for a Black Box example), Fightertown decals, Eagle Designs Bombcat set, Master Pitot tube and Quickboost ejection seats. Will also be ordering a few other odds and sods. Some of the references: And the jet itself: (Please note these photos are not mine, they have been kindly provided by Brian from Fightertown decals and i'm using them as reference only) F-14D BuNo 164604 was the last F-14 made, delivered in July 1992 and served with VX-4 then VX-9 until it was retired in 2004. It is now a gate guard at NAS Oceana. Hope to make a start on this in the next few weeks. Love this scheme! More to follow. 'Freezer' Edited February 20, 2012 by DaveJL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 Brian from Fightertown decals also gave me some info on loadouts carried by VX-9. I have room to play about and mix 'n match with this one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bandwagon 106 Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 The test cats carried a really wide range of weapons. Be interesting to see what you come up with Dave:) Joel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 The test cats carried a really wide range of weapons. Be interesting to see what you come up with Dave:)Joel I've a few ideas floating around Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted January 24, 2012 Author Share Posted January 24, 2012 Just ordered a few more bits and pieces for this build. Might have got carried away slightly!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabat Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Tasty.... What bits you thinking of getting?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev1n Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I did wonder about loads - since a black bunny is on my hit list I shall watch and learn from this with interest... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 Tasty.... What bits you thinking of getting?! Wolfpack update set and a few other items i've never tried! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 I did wonder about loads - since a black bunny is on my hit list I shall watch and learn from this with interest... I've a few reference photos and information from Brian at Fightertown. I fancy a bit of a mixed bag! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev1n Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 any chance of sending this info in my general direction? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 any chance of sending this info in my general direction? The majority of photos i was sent are on the fightertown decals website. But when i start this build, i'll mail you some of the info i have gathered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev1n Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted January 30, 2012 Author Share Posted January 30, 2012 cheers no problem mate. Any info i have will be included in this thread hopefully! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 Hoping to make a start on this at the weekend, with the aim being to get the cockpit done. That's the hope anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted February 4, 2012 Author Share Posted February 4, 2012 Made a brief start after work this afternoon. Added the wing seal 'bags' and vents to the upper fuselage as well as filing in the defunct hole for one of the antennae: Then moved on and prepped the Aires Cockpit as the build almost revolves around how quickly this goes together! My example was in poor form, the throttle handle was broken off and is now missing and the triangular slide behind the RIO's seat location was also broken. But anyway, i sanded down the casting base, then sanded off the protruding parts on the sides: Added the etched dials to the instrument panels: A quick wash later and then i sprayed all the parts grey: That's all. More tomorrow. I'll leave you with this: 'Freezer' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Boy Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 Shame about the broken triangular frame on the back. I guess you can substitute it for the kit part as the kit part is not that bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted February 5, 2012 Author Share Posted February 5, 2012 Shame about the broken triangular frame on the back. I guess you can substitute it for the kit part as the kit part is not that bad. The broken parts can be repaired as the break was relatively 'clean'. It's the throttle control that is more of an issue! I'd love to have a kind word with the postie that delivered it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted February 5, 2012 Author Share Posted February 5, 2012 Up at the crack of dawn this morning so continued with the 'cat. Firstly i assembled a good few of the sub assemblies. The tail fins: The wings: The beaver tail: Also started painting the cockpit, firstly the instrument panels: As the jet will be shut down and parked up, i painted all the screens gloss black instead of green (as they would be when powered up). Made a repair job in the main tub too. Replaced the broken/missing throttle handle with part of the kits control column. Also fixed the triangular panel at the rear: Moved onto adding the gun vents. As with my VF-84 entry, the vent is a rather poor fit: Anyway, i moved onto the fuel tanks: Ordnance: From left to right, 2x GBU-31 JDAM, AIM-9, AIM-54, AIM-7 and ACMI pod. Had planned to maybe add 4 GBU-31's, but i only have two! While i was doing all this, i was working on the intakes and main fuselage. Managed to get it all together in just over an hour: Still a pain in the bottom! As you can see, i was a bit heavy handed with the spraying, and forgot i pierced holes for the tanks so the paint leaked! DOH!! That's all for today. Next bit will be to completely finish the cockpit. I'll leave you with this: More to follow. 'Freezer' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 God job Freezer, you are a fast Tomcat builder ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 God job Freezer, you are a fast Tomcat builder ! Thanks Giorgio. I think i just have too much free time these days!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted February 6, 2012 Author Share Posted February 6, 2012 The other bits i ordered for this build arrived from the states today. Wolfpack update set (with very nice GE-110 exhausts) and Steel Beech covered HUD. Found some extra bombracks in the spares too. If anyone has 2x GBU-31's from the Hasegawa weapons set 'D' and could spare them, i would be really grateful! Hope to crack on with this later in the week. More to follow. 'Freezer' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted February 8, 2012 Author Share Posted February 8, 2012 Bit more of the cockpit painted: Just need do add some detail to the wiring, add the landing gear lever and the side walls! More to follow. 'Freezer' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 (edited) More done this afternoon. My main focus today was to finish the cockpit and assemble the front fuselage. In my haste however, i managed to lose one of the sidewalls for the cockpit! turned the palce upside down to find it but no joy. Will have to do without them i'm afraid. Anyway, the finished cockpit (minus rudder pedals, i like to add these after all the dry fitting) And installed: To get a nice fit, it is essential to dry fit like a madman! One small bit out of place can mess up the whole alignment. It is also essential to sand down the top of the front landing gear bay as far as you dare! I also added the forward sparrow recess: After this, there was a lot of resin to prep. Firstly, the Quickboost seats. Almost identical to the Aires ones that come with the cockpit, i prefer these as they have moulded in seat belts and thus eliminate the fiddly etched straps of the Aires ones. The lovely Wolfpack Designs GE-110 exhausts: Eagle Designs LANTIRN pod: Wolfpack GE-110 exhaust shrouds (still need painted inside) GPS dome added: Beaver tail on: Coming back to the exhaust shrouds, they are a very poor fit: Quite disappointing. Will need a good bit of work to fill those gaps and smooth it all out. Next up is to finish the forward fuselage, add the nosecone and attach to the main fuselage. More to follow. 'Freezer' Edited February 12, 2012 by DaveJL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted February 14, 2012 Author Share Posted February 14, 2012 (edited) A bit more progress. Attached the two halves of the fuselage and let it cure. As i mentioned in my VF-84 build thread, i like to add some filler at the join as i find it easier to clean up, though it is not necessary. The same goes for the nose cone. Just a personal preference. Gun vents added (fairly bad fit, hence the filler) Filler added to the hideous gaps around the exhaust shrouds. Shouldn't be too difficult to clean up. Added the bombracks to the weapons pallets. Vandy 1's pallets were light ghost grey, so i'll paint these separately and add once the black goes on the jet Built up the wing glove plyons: The Eagle Designs LANTIRN adaptor wasn't a perfect fit. I had to trim off maybe 0.2mm off the kit part to get the parts to line up. Nothing major! Final shot of the jet for this afternoon: Once all the filler is cleaned up and smoothed and a few bits added, it shouldn't be too long in coming together. I was reading through some information i have on Vandy 1 and noted this: 'Vandy one wasn't a show bird, more of a work horse. Some panels were a different colour to the rest of the airframe.' On that note, i was perhaps thinking of painting the jet all over satin black as opposed to gloss, just to give it that worn look. Adding a few gloss and flat panels here and there. Any thoughts on this idea? More to follow. 'Freezer' Edited February 14, 2012 by DaveJL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Yes, that tomcatwas quite worn, I like the idea of adding panels with different finish. An overall gloss black 1/48 tomcat would also look a bit toylike. On the other hand it wasn't as worn as say a lancaster, so I would stick with blacks instead of using greys as I'd do on a WWII bomber, letting the different gloss levels do the job Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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