Peterpools

Thanks Carl, just a wonderful build experience as always. Next up on the bench if they arrive in time for my next project, should be two Tamiya /148 P-47D Thunderbolts, a Bubbletop and razorback with Quinta details for each front office. My collection of Jugs is slowly but steady growing, as they were aircraft built right here on Long Island during the war. The Republic in Farmingdale and Grumman in Bethpage factories back in the day were maybe just 30 minutes apart by car, as long as the growing Long Islands world famous traffic was bumper to bumper. If memory serves me correctly, I think both were on the same line of the old LRRR as well.

Martin. thank you so very much for the compliments on my Tomcat and build thread presentation. A tremendous kit, well engineering and yet Tamiya included many build challenges along the way. I do enjoy doing the updates and I'm guilty of spending a lot of time on the presentation and photographs, all of which are focused stacked and tweaked in both Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, to be sharp front to back and colors adjusted as needed.

Carl Looking so good and yes, the cammo does come shining through. Nothing like masking the old-fashioned way and just makes us appreciate paint masks more and more. Times and the hobby certainly has changed over the years and what ever happened to those wonderful, raised panel lines?

Thanks Mark, as it's my preferred way of building and finish, so as to be consistent in appearance with the balance of all the other models in my mini museum display case.

Thanks Rob, so greatly appreciated. A fun and very rewarding build - so worth the cost and then some.

Thanks Chris, I tip my hat to Tamiya for some tremendous engineering and no shortcuts. I found the panel lines to be of the same depth and size, making the application of the Flory and Ultimate washes easy and results consistent. And of course, all those stencils went down with no issues whether Tamiya or Furball. I have noticed that Tamiya's decals, even though they look the same from kit to kit, have greatly improved and no longer need to be replaced with the AM variety unless the kit schemes are not of interest. For my way of working, the key is the decal prep work and the smoothest, glossy surface to work on.

Thanks Kev. Pure and awesome Tamiya, as I looked forward to each work session at the bench. Getting ready to make room for the Big Cat in the Display case, as I have two more glass shelves on order and then it's full to the brim.

Thanks Fran for the review and photographs of the kit in detail. Ordered and waiting for the kit to arrive. Surely will be a summer build for me.

Thanks Paul, very appreciated. I found by breaking up the stencil work over a few days' time and having a goal to reach, it made the work go a lot faster and was actually fun. If I tried to do it all in once and from work session to work session, no question, I would easily have run out of steam and most likely still be doing them. 😉

John Excellent tutorial and I picked up a few tips and how to's myself. Always comes in mighty handy.

Thanks Scott .. Looking forward to your Tomcat crossing the finish line as well. Just a magnificent airplane.

Thanks Scott , so glad you liked the build. I have a soft spot for Tomcats, as I was able see the Tomcat on the final assembly line as a visitor at Calverton - impressive doesn't come close. Looking forward to enjoying your build thread and seeing your Tomcat cross the finish line as well. 👍

Thanks Gus, so very much appreciated. I 'm lucky that only about 15 minutes form the house is the Grumman memorial Park and one of the aircraft on display is a F-14A Tomcat. So, whenever the erg arises, I can drive on over and see the Old Gal up close and personal.

Thank John so very much appreciated. Nothing as rewarding as a completed Tamya kit, with no frustrations and of course a Cuss factor of zero 😉

The Big Cat was rolled onto the flightline today and is getting ready to take her place in my display case next to my first Tamiya 1/48 F-14A I built when the kit was first released. An absolute pleasure to build with not a second of frustration, truly an enjoyable build. Furball decals, MRP and Alclad paints. Additional photographs of the completed Tomcat have been posted on the build thread, Done and in the Books. update.

DONE AND IN THE BOOKS I’m calling the Big Cat done, in the books and ready for the display case. With the clear gloss final coats behind me, it was time to start adding the small and finishing assemblies. I forgot just how BIG and HEAVY the Big Cat actually is. With the Big Cat still on her back, all the loadouts and drop tanks were added. Then the landing gear and gear doors were next and with her Nikes on, she was finally ready to stand on her own legs. What a milestone. On her feet for the first time, the windscreen and canopy glass masking was removed, the ejection seats and Rio combing were added as well. All the final bits and pieces were now added, including the small antennas and probes – good thing Tamiya thoughtfully designed the frets to include extra ones, which were of course needed. Burner cans and exhausts required a good few days to be masked painted with various Alclads and then glued into position, oh so carefully. It was finally time to roll her out on the flight line. This is my second Tamiya 48th scale Tomcat, beautifully detailed, with excellent part fit, easy to follow instructions and absolutely is not a shake and bake kit. You have to very carefully follow the construction sequence and fit the parts as precisely as possible. Just never understood where the idea that Tamiya kits are shake and bake, as they are from it. What Tamiya is and gives you that most manufacturers fail to, is a kit where the parts will fit if done correctly, you don’t have re-engineer the kit for the parts to fit, a zero cuss factor and a wonderful building experience. For me, this is what the hobby should be all about. Of course, now the Tomcat is done, I found a few more items I need to add – par for the course these days.

Rob I'm ready and waiting and will be in the center of the front row for the entire build. Awesome choice for MFH build number One. 🍷

Chris Just ordered the kit from one of our sponsors: Hobby Nut. I've ordered a few times from HN now and the service is excellent.

Chris Glad you decided to buy the ResKit AM as they look so good. I've purchased a number of times from BNA and as you found out, their service from Oz is spectacular. I'm completely blown away by Speed Hunters stencil set and your plan on using all of them is going to surely be monumental. No question, you will easily pass my Tomcat stencil record by a mile. What I wanted to avoid at all costs was any silvering from the stencils and when I finished up, I was lucky and not a single bit of silvering. I just made sure I glossed the Tomcat to the smoothest finish I could, even rubbed out the gloss which I normally do not do, used the Micro Set and Sol on every stencil, then sealed all the decals with another few coats of clear gloss and then my final finish clear coat. Lots of work but it did the trick. Looking at the incredible stencil sheets and instructions, all the placement work is presented perfectly. I know you're right - a lot of work and time will be required but the final results will be incredible. With all that stencil data, I'm hoping you won't be covering any of it up under weathering. BTW, my Tomcat crossed the finish line earlier tonight and an update is coming.

Scott Your loadouts are looking mighty good. Looking forward to your Tomcat crossing the finish line, as you surely are closing in on it now.

Rob Brilliant progress and OMG, looking so good. I'm in with Hubert for sure: 🍷

Thanks Guys, so very much appreciate all the prayers and get well wishes. - Diane is lucky it wasn't a break, but a fracture and she is still hurting, with the healing process going to take about two months. Of course, being seniors we have so many other health issues, as it's just part of aging and out Golden Years. I know there is a rule on the forum about what can and can't be said and that goes for photos as well. If I posted an image of me in my nurse's work gear, I would surely be banned. 😉

Paul, right with you for sure.🏆

Chris Test fitting is looking mighty good. There are some very good 3D printed missiles, especially from ResKit which look brilliant. I haven't used them yet but from I've seen, they are the real deal. Eduard also has a great range of resin missiles that also looks excellent.

Thanks Chirs, I pretty much thought so and do that as well - the results look fantastic.