"Alert 1 to Eagle 1, splash the Zeros!"- Tamiya F-14

[Peterpools]

Carl

The Kit World IP decal set does look good in your Tomcat - nice and busy. I've pretty much settled into using Quinta decal sets if there is a Quinta decal IP set available for my build at hand. They look great plus every set comes with a good looking seat belt set as well.

 

 

[KevinM]

On 4/21/2023 at 3:55 PM, BlrwestSiR said:

The detail isn't as sharp as the ones from Quinta are but they're also a lot cheaper so I'll take it. 

Look good from here Carl.

[BlrwestSiR]

Ok, time for an update. 

I received the Aires seats recently so I started on them. First up is the PE belts. As much as I generally don't like PE belts, the ones Aires include with their seats  work for me. They have great surface detail and being unpainted brass, I can anneal them to make them fit. 

One set of belts almost done. 

[BlrwestSiR]

I got all the belts finished. They just need painting and then installation on the seats. So I started on the seats themselves. 

First up was a coat of primer. I used Mr Aqueous Surfacer in black for that. Let's me skip painting the seats black after. The original seats are on the left. 

Then I painted the cushions and escape pack. 

Once that's dry, I'll finish off the detail painting and start installing the belts. 

[BlrwestSiR]

First seat is done. 

[DocRob]

Splendid work with the seat belts Carl, That's why they use these huge glass dome canopies, to show all the nice detail .

Cheers Rob

[BlrwestSiR]

Some more progress. The wings and horizontal stabs are together. I've filled the seams and once I do some re-scribing, they'll be ready for paint. 

I've also done some work re-shaping the engine nacelles around the beaver tail. To do so, I added some strip styrene inside the nacelle to reinforce it. Here's one side done. 

Compared to the stock one. 

 

[ScottsGT]

Looking good!  Due to the weather yesterday I got to get in some bench time on my tomcat project.  Did some priming of the small parts like missiles and landing gear doors.  
As predicted, bad time of the year for me to try and get bench time in with all the spring home projects.  I’m hoping one day I can retire from retirement. 

[Peterpools]

Carl

Nice progress on the ejection seat and harnesses - they do look so good. Just keep her underway and don't worry about the GB finish line.

 

[BlrwestSiR]

Thanks Peter! I'm still working away at the kit. In fact, I'm actually making decent progress on it. 

I've started priming some of the parts using Mr Aqueous Surfacer. There's a few spots that will need touchup but not a surprise. 

 

The MLG bays are now assembled and installed. 

[GusMac]

Looks good Carl. As a matter of interest what do you thin the Mr Aqueous Surfacer with? I like the lacquer based version but my wife hates the smell so if this works as well then I might change.

[Peterpools]

Carl

Nice progress on the Big cat - looking so good.

 

[BlrwestSiR]

On 6/2/2023 at 9:21 AM, GusMac said:

Looks good Carl. As a matter of interest what do you thin the Mr Aqueous Surfacer with? I like the lacquer based version but my wife hates the smell so if this works as well then I might change.

Gus, I'm using Tamiya X20A thinner for the Mr Aqueous Surfacer. It works well and is definitely less smelly than regular Mr Surfacer. 

[BlrwestSiR]

On 6/2/2023 at 10:21 AM, Peterpools said:

Carl

Nice progress on the Big cat - looking so good.

 

Thanks Peter. I feel like I'm finally making some progress. 

[BlrwestSiR]

Speaking of progress, I got the intakes painted and glued on. They needed a bit of persuasion to stay in place. 

I then started filling the seams between the fuselage and the intakes. 

At that point, I couldn't resist a mock-up of the fuselage. 

 

[GazzaS]

It's looking good, Carl.  I built somebody's F-14 when I was a teen...   But can't remember much of it.  Seems like a lot of jet models share the same problems.

[Peterpools]

Carl

Nice progress on the Big Cat. It's amazing how we forget Tamiya fit wasn't always 'nearly perfect' as they improved their science and technology over the years, always raising the bar. Even their P-51D I'm building presently, which is a good few decades newer then the F-14, is nowhere in the ballpark of their incredible kits being designed and produced today.

 

[BlrwestSiR]

A very brief update. I filled, sanded, filled again and sanded again the intake seams. Then re-scribed the panel lines I'd sanded off/filled in. 

Many coats of white later, the lower fuselage is painted. 

 

[BlrwestSiR]

More stuff painted white. 

It was at this point that I noticed that the paint guide for the decals I was using was slightly off. The layout was for the typical US Navy plane where the control surfaces are all painted in white. While watching the film again, I noted that during the film, the upper surfaces of the control surfaces are light full grey, same as the rest of the upper section. 

Rather than paint over all that white, I decided to grap a set of wings from another kit and do those in the correct camo scheme. The current wings will go into the other kit which I'm planning to do as VF-1.

[GusMac]

Hi Carl, I'd noticed this as well. The Tamiya 1/48 kit calls out all the control surfaces in white but the pictures I'd seen had all grey upper surfaces so I went with that as it fitted better with the weathering I was aiming for. Seems to be a moveable feast just depending on the exact time frame you're aiming for.

[BlrwestSiR]

Gus, you're right. The time frame around when the movie was filmed , the paint schemes were in a state of transition.

I masked off the wings and painted the light gull grey. I assembled the new wings and filled the seam along the bottom.

I then masked off the fuselage and get that ready for the gull grey as well 

Everything unmasked. 

 

[BlrwestSiR]

Time for another update. 

I got the new pair of wings painted. I then did the corrogard leading edges in silver.

With those done, I assembled the wings onto the upper fuselage half. The wings are mounted on a metal plate and pivot on brass bushings. 

I then glued the upper and lower halves together. 

I added the intake vari ramps. 

The underside of the fuselage along the intake area needed some filler so that was done next. 

Now to let it dry. 

[DocRob]

Nice progress Carl. I always have to smile, when I see the unbuttoned fuselages of F-14's. with their weird and in your case very sturdy wing sweep mechanisms. It started with an Airfix 1/72 Tomcat, when I was a youngster.

Cheers Rob

[BlrwestSiR]

Rob, I think I built the Airfix kit but it was in an MPC box. I'm fairly sure I did the Matchbox one. 

 

[BlrwestSiR]

More work done on the Tomcat. I know the clock is ticking and I won't make it but no reason to stop. 

I got the burner can section on the rear of the fuselage painted. I used Tamiya Gun Metal and Light Gun Metal for this. 

I also used some clear blue to give it that hot metal look.