Incaroad

"The instructions recommend putting strengthening strips along the wings to act as spars, so I've used some of the scrap backing material, cut in 90mm lengths, 2-abreast along the wings, being careful to avoid blocking the wheel well and flap area, just in case I do decide to articulate the flying surfaces." Is this what you are talking about? This really stiffened up the wings considerably, but I'm going to use Tamiya's Light curing putty as one fine gentleman from Japan told me about to fill the void and add somemore strength and to add the structure behind the flap well. Check his we

I've got a meager start to this very nice kit. I've also been scratch building a few components that I didn't like. The cockpit being one of them. Here is my Start to the Cockpit... And then a bit of the airframe: The reference I'm using is the Ginter book on the A2D-1. Has lots of good shots of the Cockpit and others as well... Good Luck with your effort, looks like you have a great start. I've yet to get all the parts cut out as I'm kinda stuck on what to do with the Engine intakes and exhaust... Cheers, Larry.

My pleasure Steve. I'm new to this forum and have seen some fine work. I love the Tomcat for it's pleasing lines and I've always thought the Monogram F-14A had the best look to it. I have been asked by the China Lake Museum to build Fast Eagle 107 that Admiral Vinlet was in at the Gulf of Sidra and I want to do it with the Monogram model. Cheers, Larry.

Very nice Tomcat. The Monogram Tomcat has some great lines to it. If it's not to late there is one thing that I think would make your Tomcat look a bit better... The Face curtain Pull rings on top of the seat. Can you cut m off and replace them with something a bit smaller. I use Copper wire or Solder that has that droppedlook to it... Makes them look more realistic at least to me... An example: Second shot obviously a Phantom II but the Face curtain pull rings are made with the same thing... I truly like what you've done with this kit. It ain't the easiest to build having built one wh

Thanks Ish. The sad part about this model which is a 1/48th Hasegawa F-14A when it first came out is; my X got it in the Divorce I just finished up with as of Jan 1st. It did however win 1st in Medium scale jets at San Diego IPMS nationals along with a Monogram F/A-18A (split catagory) in 1989, that unfortunately was distroyed by a heavy hand. I hope to finish a VX-9 F/A-18E XE-100 for the Nationals this year in Anaheim. A short 160 miles from China Lake where I reside... I was really pleased with the results of this Tomcat. I wish I still had it with me... Here is a MLG wheel well

Has to be VF-111! Then VF-41 Cheers, Larry.

Excelent shots Don... Thanks for posting Add this one as well as the color really pops to me... The green varied in color so anything close is good. I've used Metalizer with a touch of dark green to get the color I was lookin for. this pick of my broken F/A-18A FX-5 XE-31 1990... Hope this helps Cheers, Larry.

Absolutely not Murph! What I said was, the seeker heads I'VE seen at China Lake were all a green color that's anodized into the metal. If you saw, fired, handled one, ten, fifty or however many that were a different color, neutral or whatever then who am I to say, you should have rejected them, or they weren't whatever color you saw. I was only giving what I've seen here. If that's incorrect then I guess I didn't see what I saw as well? Here is an example... Cheers, Larry

This is well discussed and confused by some. I work at China Lake where this was developed and every seeker head I've seen was absolutely a Hard Anodized finish that is GREEN. The green does vary with who they get to do the anodizing but it's green. Most pictures don't capture the way it looks to the naked eye. The Museum at China Lake may have a good example I can go take a shot and see if I can get the real look that it has. Hope that helpls. One Henry Blecha (past IPMS secretary) worked with AIM-9 and would agree... Take it for what it's worth everyone see's how they see and some don't

Revenge was made with an F-14A+ (<_< and the scene's were filmed at the Trona Pinnacles, just 20 miles from China Lake. I got some pictures while they were filming... Man that was so long ago. I'll have to scan some and post them... One thing to consider about the Tomcat is: It never HAD to perform it's primary mission in anger! Pretty darned good deterant if you ask me. Congress could have helped buy supplying enough money when it really needed it to make it the most potent fighter in the world. Cheers. Larry.

Hi Phil. I've got the kit unbuilt and the instructions to boot. It will take me a bit to get them scanned but I can do it. Send me your email address and I'll get them to ya as quick as I can! My email; bigpapatootie@verizon.net

My pleasure to help. I've asked for some of the same info a week ago and didn't have any response so I'm glad that the help is here... Cheers, Larry.

Have you tried http://www.primeportal.net/hangar/fa-18_home.htm Some very nice shots here Cheers, Larry McCarley

Hi guy's I'm looking for some detail photo's of the outer leading edge flaps of the F/A-18E/F. I'm trying to decide where to cut the Revell parts out and need your help. Here is a link to where the place is I'm after. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y182/Inca...pyof0824064.jpg Thanks all Larry McCarley