TomcatFanatic123

Yeah, gotta agree there! Damn, now that means I've got to bust out the white paint again I hate white paint!!! Anyway, last fuselage shot... Note that nasty looking area where the gun panel is going to go. Doesn't that just look awful :blink:? I dry-fit the panel on there, and it seems to fit OK, so that shouldn't be a problem (I hope).

Just a couple more fuselage shots...

Now for the fuselage... As I said, I am using Darren Roberts' technique of building this kit. The surgery on the wings went a little bit easier than I thought it would, and I'm really pleased with the way they slide in and out. Just need to be careful not to pop the seam around that area.

This is the AIM-7 pylon (AIM-9 rail to be added soon). The kit came with the Sparrow already attached to the pylon, so since I wanted to do a bird w/o any ordinance, I chopped it off and filled the gaps. I'm not sure if this looks OK, though. If I need to correct anything or I royally screwed up please let me know.

Ohter side of gear bay/inner door.

Gear bay/inside of gear doors...

The other nose gear door...

OK, as promised more pics... First pic is nose gear door...

Thanks for all the compliments, folks! The only reason I have progressed so much over the last year is because of everyone here. I couldn't have done it without you guys! Thanks again, and I'll keep posting more updates. Today I managed to get the fuselage halves together, which was making me very, very . You really have to pound this kit into submission! :blink: Glue's almost dry right now, so pics will be on the way soon. ;)

This book has got pictures and a little paragraph on every Tomcat ever built. It was written in 1998, so it's a bit dated, but it has got some awesome info! If you love 'cats, get this book if you don't already have it... Photographic Roll Call of the F-14 Tomcat by David F. Brown.

VF-101 F-14A BuNo 162604 The decals look great, just hoping the bird turns out just as good!

First it was going to be a VX-9 bird, then it was going to be a VF-124 bird, now it's morphed into a VF-101 bird...sheesh Check out the PROGRESS PICS and see what you think so far.

Last one...

Pilot's office

RIO's office

Let me start off by saying that this has not been a very cooperative kit build-wise. The cockpit was great, but the cockpit to fuselage assembly was rather stubborn, and even though I followed Darren Roberts' awesome Tips 'n' Tools article on building this thing, the intake to fuselage assembly has not been pleasant either. I dread to try and do this without following Darren's modifications . Let's just say that this assembly would be a lot easier with recessed lines. Yes, I've managed to sand off a little little bit of panel line, but not too much. I can rescribe what I've lost with min

Nope, I ain't gonna find a NEW love, Not for me. I've always been a Tomcat fan, and will always be one till the day I draw my last breath. Even if they're all in the boneyard, I'll still keep building Tomcats. Say it loud and say it proud man! I dont care if they're all in the boneyards, gate guards or in museums, I'll still love the Tomcat, no matter what, no "new love" for me. But guys, look at this alright? there will be a day when F-14's are in civilian hands, look at the F-86,F-100 and F-4, there will be a day when the F-14 returns to the airshows to remind people just who was t

Is there any B model 'cats out there today that still lack the square PTIDS in the RIO's office? If so, does anybody have any suggestions on markings, and if not, does anybody have any suggestions on markings for an early "B" model?? Thanks :)

Oops... I forgot to mention this when I posted. The complete kit is the "A" model with the VF-142 box art, however I've got a ton of parts from the Revell "D"in the spares box that I got from a friend, including the updated engines, the proper chinpod, gun panels, etc. I even have the bits for the NACES seats (which obviously won't get used w/ this). I kind of really wanted to make this a "D," but without the square PTIDS RIO panel, I'm just going to make this an early "B" model.

One of my (hopefully) four entries into the GB is going to be a Revell 1:48 A model (the one with the VF-142 off of the USS America box art) converted to the B. I want to do weaponless, however the AIM-7s are already molded to the pylon. Would it be easier to slice off the missiles and use the kit pylons, or steal from the Hasegawa spare parts I've got lying around here? By the way, she won't have AIM-54 racks on her either. Just out of curiosity, anybody else leaving the Phoenix racks off? Thanks for the help! :wacko:

It doesn't leave a nasty residue?

As if I needed more motivation to get my F-14 GB stuff started... :D Awesome work!

I've rescribed 1 Tamiya Tomcat (pain in the ), but then I'm obsessive about my Tomcat detailing. Usually if it's 1/48th or smaller, I'll try to leave them alone if I can.

Probably for me would be clamps and rubber bands. Anything to hold two halves of fuselage together. Oh yeah, and my scriber. But an MGD is always nice, too.

Yup, Mike is a pleasure to deal with. Every deal I've done with him has gone without a hitch. Deal with this guy, and be confident that everything will go super-smooth.