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F-14D VF-31 Hasegawa 1/72 - finished


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Hello,

That is my first in the Critique corner; Coming with my latest model : an F-14D in 1/72nd scale - Hasegawa and VF-31. Decals by Superscale..

Here I go with photos :

240558ARCfanaok1028.jpg

789615ARCfanaok3015c.jpg

314215ARCfanaok3444.jpg

286609ARCfanaok3661.jpg

412134ARCfana3480.jpg

Cheers

Eric B.

Edited by Eric B.
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Just following in the steps on Andy Mullen "show your collection : F-14" topic here are my Hasegawa 1/72 Tomcats. I also built 1 Academy F-14A Academy (VF-142 hi viz), 2 Fujimi F-14As (VF-14 lo viz + VF-31 lo viz), 2 old mould Hasegawa F-14A (VF-21 hi viz other one can't remember) but I have no photos of these.

Here are the photograpghs of the remaininf Tomcats - All Hasegawa new mold in 1/72nd scale... older to more recent (1991 - 2002 - 2002 - 2006 - 2007)

F-14A VF-84

160985ARCDSCN0893.jpg

F-14B VF-102

809383ARCF14Bimg025.jpg

F-14D VF-2

412459ARCfanaok3426.jpg

F-14A VF-31

711345ARCfanaok3441.jpg

I one had the aim to build for each squadron that flew the machine and ended with a max stack of 25 Tomcats (and piling up) but later revised my interest to build one model of every major version. Some kits were sold (all Fujimis plus several Hasegawas) and I now must have 6 - 7 boxes left but dozens of decal sheets.

I'll certainly build some more in the future but keep some other types building..

Cheers

Eric B.

Edited by Eric B.
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Hi all,

Thank you for your very kind comments..

Raptor supporter : carrier diorama bases are home made and is painted plexiglas, land base is plaster and was bought from a small specialised company.

VF-Guy : whoops I'd love too but I now have to turn my attention to other interesting a/c (yeah I know none is as interesting as the Tomcat ;^D)... Next Tomcat might be the black and white CAG VF-103 design. Brian I am happy I bought 4 of your combined 1/48 - 1/72 Jolly Rogers sheets. So I have the decals for the VF-103 project..

Gtypecanare and Saltydog : reply to your question - not that easy to explain in writing - hope it will help though - see below

WEATHERING

Weathering technique : there is no pre-shading and all weathering is achieved after the original TPS scheme is plainly applied (weathering over camo).

Technique follows a few simple principles. Origin is one of my friend, and master modeller once telling me : to paint a kit just figure out what happened in real life..

Based on that both F-14D (we are talking about TPS weathering here right?) are weathered a different manner because I guess no two Tomcats weathered the same way. Squadrons differ, operational conditions differ, environments differ !!

F-14 weathering is a result of an effect of time, paint touch ups, but also mechanic shoes strains, liquid spillage …

F-14 weathering doesn’t build in one day … and that is how I tried to do my kit weathering..

First step : paint the plain TPS scheme FS 35237, FS36320 and FS36375.

Then I start to work on panels, altering basic colours either darkening or lightening them with approaching colours. (exemple adding FS 36320 in FS35237 or WW2 Intermediate blue in FS3537). Panels are painted, starting to give model a patchwork effect.

Then I work on touch ups along panel lines. Airbrush tuned to paint thin lines I paint along panel lines again using approachnig but different greys (generally lighter greys)..

If possible all above is done in several days .. purposedly.

As in real life. You don’t paint the same way on different days. Your hand will be steady one day, not so much another day, your airbrush lines will be slightly thinner or thicker another day, you won’t use the same exact colour etc… Doing all the job on a given day will tend to give your model an even finish with symetrical effects .. and that is not what you want weathering your model. Let your weathering build slowly…

I then process decaling, sometimes blending some decals with a very thinned spray of main camo paint.

Panel lines are then enhanced with very thinned sepia, black or dark grey oil based paint as my base camo is Gunze aqueous paint. This means I can wipe out excess paint from my panel lines with no risk for my main paint as thinners are not compatible..

I now have a decalled, panel lined, touched up Tomcat but the strains of mechanics are still lacking.

A lot of people walk on Tomcats (pilots, mechanics), soles generally are dark, they use oil and generally all this leave some black strains and soot on the aircraft.

I use very thinned black paint in my airbrush : I would call this mix coloured thinner more than thinned paint. Airbrush is set to minimum width spray (1 to 1.5 mm ie 0.1 or 0.15 in – as narrow as I can).

I then spray all areas of they aircraft that mechanics or pilots tread : upper air intakes, main fuselage, upper wings (avoid spoilers, flaps and slats), centre parts of stabilators. Also areas under cockpit around hand grips or footsteps.. Spray print is so thinned that you have to remain on an area to see the dark colour build.

Then I touch up again with small light grey dots over the dark stain effect...

The idea is mechanics came, walked on an area, strained but later touched up again (clean, dirty, clean layers pile up – I believe that is how it goes.. )

All is then sprayed with a very thin uneven layer of matt varnish.

Below you’ll find photos of weathered wings..

aaf14dvf310519uf7.jpg

And below photo explaination of how I made some panel lines touch ups on VF-2 Tomcat (not used on VF-31 machine). Beware : technique actually used after model is painted in TPS Camo. Photos just to illustrate how I enhanced the panel lines touch ups on VF-2.

f14weatheringairbrushuj9.jpg

Hope it helps. Sorry it is not that easy to describe – I mean what I tried to do is try to understand what happened in real life.

Cheers

Eric B.

Edited by Eric B.
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Copy,paste, print, Microsoft Word.

I'll give this a try on my next TPS bird. I read your earlier article with the VF-102 and VF-84 birds, I wonder if the same technique can be applied to an overall 36440 scheme?

Thanks for the great tips!

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Thank you for comments Nick. ;^D)

Copy,paste, print, Microsoft Word.

I'll give this a try on my next TPS bird. I read your earlier article with the VF-102 and VF-84 birds, I wonder if the same technique can be applied to an overall 36440 scheme?

Thanks for the great tips!

Gtypecanare, there also was one on the VF-2 bird

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal5...ade/gal4964.htm

Basically yes this technique can be applied to an overall 36440 machine. Just keep in mind that light gull grey birds generally did not catch the same amount of grime or patchwork effect. You'd have to be far more subtle on the effects.

You welcome - happy if I can help

Cheers

Eric B.

Edited by Eric B.
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Hello Manuel,

Congratulations Man : I saw your fantastic job on Tomcats - great and inspiring.. And these great VF-Decals VF-103 decal sheets!!!

I also noticed VF-2 #106 at the bottom of your posts..

Cheers ... from Guadeloupe, French West Indies

Eric B.

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WOW!!!

The weathering on that 'Cat is just mind-blowing. Your observations as to how this builds upon real aircraft is spot on and such an obvious, but probably overlooked, way of tackling a model - brilliant

Thank's for taking the time to share your technique in such detail. Now, looking forward to progressing the painting on my 'Cat!

Awesome, keep up the great work,

Eng :blink:

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