davetur

The last one is from a Japanese book, it seems the most accurate. Regarding the leading edge, I am not 100% sure since I painted it some time ago, but I think it is Gunze C-08 Silver (for sure not the Aqueous H-8). Happy modelling! Davide PS: PM inbound

Hi Pappy, here's the scans from three different books:

Hi Pappy, if it may help, I've just finished a Trumpeter late RA-5C in 1/72. I think most of the issues I've found also apply to the 1/48 case. Regarding your questions: Point 1: thanks, I did not notice that!!! I'm still in time to correct it on my model. Based on different drawings in different books, I've made some rough calculation and the trailing edge should to be 2,5 to 3 millimeters lower (in 1/48). Point 2: I'm almost sure it could carry external fuel tanks, although I don't recall having seen any photo of the RA-5C with them. Just on some A-5, but that's anothr

Glad that my misleading reply led you to provide a more complete answer than the one you provided on December 31st... 🙂. I live in Italy and I try to help with the references I have, for sure I've never been so lucky as to work on a real F-14 like you did! Cheers Davide

Apart from the P&W engines replaced by the GE ones (for which you could find a 1/48 source in here: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/katran-k4818-f-14d-exhaust-nozzles-opened-amk--1276170 or https://www.scalemates.com/kits/katran-k4819-f-14d-exhaust-nozzles-f-110-ge-400-amk-kits--1276172) I think the main difference in the cockpit between the A and the A+/B is the HUD. In the A the symbology was projected directly on the front windscreen , while the A/+B had a real HUD with a combining glass.

First... which scale? 1/32 or 1/48? There is a big difference in reply. Cheers Davide

Fantastic build... with the right back backdrop and natural sun illumination it will be mistaken for the real aircraft! Cheers Davide

Just for completeness, the only other picture I've found (later) of F-14s and RA-5Cs on the same deck is this, found on a 1980 book "CV: Carrier Aviation". This one: Interesting also the presence of an F-14 in Ferris scheme

Thank you, Erik Thanks Dutch! I don't know, I have got photographic proof of Tomcat and Vigilantes sharing the Nimitz deck from this thread: https://www.fightercontrol.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=109865 From what can be seen, the only fighters on board seem to be Tomcats, of VF-41 (those are the decals I'll use, HAD 72217) and VF-84. Intruders and Corsairs as attack aircraft, plus Vikings

Here's my modest Vigilante, one of the most beautiful airplanes ever designed, just one step below the SR-71, in my opinion. The Vigilante is one of the first efforts of Trumpeter's mad riveter... It is a good build when viewed from a distance (not too close) but overall I'happy with it 🙂. Few aftermarket (Aires exhausts, Master pitot and AOA sensor) and few mods shown after. Decals HAD Models 72200 - Fleurs RVAH-6 Squadron USS Nimitz. This is intended to be displayed together with a still-to-be-built F-14A of the same period, one of the few where Vigilantes and

Hi Wardog, I have seen now this exchange last July on the Punchers & Tigers Instruction Sheet. Could you be so kind as to share with me the scans of the instructions you have? The decal sheet is since long sold out, but I might be able to reproduce it in some way... I am particularly interested in the camouflaged scheme. Thank you very much. Davide PS I will send you my email address if you send a PM that I ca n reply to. Your profile is not accepting PMs at the moment.

Wonderful model... the weathering is outstanding, overall and especially the exhaust stain on the tail! Something I would never try myself is the yellow and red striping on the intake covers: that's simply insane 😊 Cheers Davide

Excellent build, Jan! Regarding Photobucket, it's an annoiance... I switched to Imgur a long time ago, and posted images are there since 2017, without having to pay one cent. It's not difficult to use. See: Cheers Davide

👍 That's most probably how I did it 😉... more than 30 years ago!

Hi Bastian, I measured 8 mm diameter. Don't ask how I chose 8mm because I can't remember... I filled the hole with a simple transparent disc... it has yellowed with time. I also put some shiny material below it. But in case you want to do something better, in this thread I found this interesting link to a page showing the SR-71 Astroinertial Navigation System. Cheers