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F-14A VF-1 Wolfpack circa 1975


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This is my first in-progress build. I plan to build this as part of the Enterprise GB, but since my completion record for the last few GBs has been dismal, I reckon this would be a better place to post...

I found the decals for VF-1 Wolfpack :monkeydance: in a 1/44 Revell F-14A Tomcat boxing (04004) for the Tophatters I picked up from my LHS some time ago.

S6306213.jpg

The parts are unfortunately from the old molding (IMHO nothing to write home about), although the boxing was priced identical to the new issue :deadhorse1: Fortunately, r0t0rdr1ver sent me some 1/144 Revell... and one of them turned out to be a new mold F-14 (IMHO it looks better than the Dragon version). So, since I have the circa 1975 VF-1 Wolfpack decals, I will contribute a Tom Kitten for the Enterprise GB.

I will post pictures as we get along.

Cheers,

Giles

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Nice choice of squadron, Giles !

I love the WOLFPACK ! :woot.gif:

Gregg

One of my first serious attempts was the Airfix F-14 kit. I bought the first edition :D: and, did it in Wolfpack colours of course!

Now back to my Kitten... I decided to start in the cockpit like most of the 1/48 and 1/32 builds :woot.gif:

I want to (try) build a feline on a cat shot, so I need my Kitten crewed. Messrs Blobby & Blobby came to the rescue via Hong Kong (Dragon's F-14 kit)

Unfortunately, a quick test fit reveal that Messrs Blobby & Blobby had not the fattest chance to pass the Navy's pre-flight physical :worship:

S6306260.jpg

So, Messrs Blobby & Blobby were sent for remedial physical training and the ejection seats were jacked up to the highest limit.

S6306259.jpg

The overall effect after some plastic surgery is kind of satisfying...

S6306263.jpg

Cheers,

Giles

Edited by giles
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Giles,

surely that cannot be 1/144 etched parts for the Revell kit? Although I would love to think someone did that!

Tom

My thoughts too...... but if it is, then I´m impressed silly! :woo:

Awesome detailing, Giles!

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My thoughts too...... but if it is, then I´m impressed silly! :cheers:

Awesome detailing, Giles!

Sorry to be a wet blanket. AFAIK, there isn't a 1/144 etched set for the F-14.

All I did was scale down the eduard 1/72 set just for kicks : I reckon, the thickness of a high gram copy paper would be about right for scale thickness, but the fine details would be a b*#@h to cut out... I'll try my best to speed up the aging process of my eye :)

Actually, you can't see very much at this scale. So, I just aim to achieve a more appropriate sense of scale. I was initially thinking of getting the Matador white metal cockpit set (yes, someone is crazy enough to do AM for 1/144!) and some 1/144 pilots. I tried some plastic surgery and am quite happy with the overall effect of the seats and pilots. I will probably add some details to the cockpit but I don't think much can be seen once the canopy is down.

Cheers,

Giles

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I am keeping to my promise to speed up the aging process of my eye :lol:

I got bored. I did something I have never planned to do at this scale... in fact I have not even done it before in 1/72... the last time I tried detailing an undercarriage was in 1/48, and that was more than 20 years ago...

S6306254.jpg

I could not manage consistently thinner stretched sprue, so I used overscaled stretched sprue. I though the effect was OK - at least it looked good enough in black and white.

You could also see the shine of the caked CA. Hopefully, a few primer coats will take care of that.

Cheers,

Giles

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  • 4 months later...

With much inspiration from the builds of ChristopherC and FlyingLow, I revived my Revell Tomcat from its 4 month old slumber.

To prove that I keep to my word to Chris :sunrevolves: , here is a shot of the flaps detached from the wings. I tried to do likewise for the slats but it was late at night, may be I am tired, may be the slats are too tiny... my generic GP penknife slipped (see the white stuff on left wing). Oh well, I am an occassional modeler, fitting whatever I could in drips and draps. This will have to do for now. May be I have more time when I am on the road. The advantage of the small size of 1/144 fighter jets is they travel so well :sunrevolves:

S6300910.jpg

Giles

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ahem, there actually are detail sets in 1/144, expensive as hell, but surely they really kick the model up a notch :D

http://www.goffymodel.com/f-14-set-1-

http://www.goffymodel.com/f-14-set-2-new-w...les-with-racks-

http://www.goffymodel.com/f-14b-bomcat-con...eel-bay-covers-

looking good this tomcat of yours, keep it up :)

cheers

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ahem, there actually are detail sets in 1/144, expensive as hell, but surely they really kick the model up a notch :D

http://www.goffymodel.com/f-14-set-1-

http://www.goffymodel.com/f-14-set-2-new-w...les-with-racks-

http://www.goffymodel.com/f-14b-bomcat-con...eel-bay-covers-

looking good this tomcat of yours, keep it up :)

cheers

Hi Marko,

I know... :) The Goffy sets came out between my conceptualisation and execution...

I did toy briefly with the idea of the cockpit detail set (for another Cat), but it is frightfully expensive :D I wonder whether they will sell me just the vacuform canopy...

Giles

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This is where I am now today...

S6300924.jpg

Looks a bit rough with very sparing primer coat. Overscaled stretched sprue to simulate the bits in the well. Side walls are added in case someone peeks. Nose Gear cut down (probably not enough) for the crouched on the Cat stance.

Giles

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Looking really good Giles ... :cheers:

Before you cut down the nose gear any more, test what it looks like with one of the nose wheels in place ...

I think you're right that it might still be to tall but with the nose wheel, that will let you know better by how much ...

Gregg

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Before you cut down the nose gear any more, test what it looks like with one of the nose wheels in place ...

I think you're right that it might still be to tall but with the nose wheel, that will let you know better by how much ...

Thanks for watching me flap guys!

Gregg, thanks for the tip. Of course I did it with the nose wheel in place. But , I am also know for searching for glasses perching on my head :banana:

The position of my original cut was somewhat compromised (I needed to find a good solid cross section to cut to allow for a real solid joint afterwards). Although I think I shortened the correct length at the oleo (you could tell that the catapult launch bar looks too long), the nose of the bird sits too high. My kitten looks more like a dainty cat prancing in high heels than a menacing crouching feline about to spring.

Rather than risk cutting and redo the iffy CA joint, I cut the nose gear strut higher up and dug deeper into the gear well. Not that you could see much of that as it will be all covered up and buried in the nose gear well. Subsequent test fitting of the nose gear seemed to look better.

I am dreading the painting part. I haven't handled fine brush painting (for models anyway) for more than 20 years. The only completed model in the last 15 months was done with Tamiya Spray Cans (what a wonderful invention :yahoo: ). Yup. I sprayed the ejection seat as well as the pilot. Only his visor was done with a glob of gloss black applied by a toothpick. How am I going to do a believable job for the cockpit with Messrs Two Blobs? I really need to do that in order to close the fuselage...

I decided to do something else first. Here is a teaser...

S6300929.jpg

Giles

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please check your decals - Revell managed to turn things upside down a bit with the decals - either starts'n'bars or wolfhead is turned on one of the fuselage stripes.

Good call Seb!

The Wolf head seems fine. The Star is turned upside down in one of the stripes.

I have another Wolfpack (on board USS Ranger) decal sheet that came with a Dragon kit.

Hopefully Fightertown will release his VF-1 sheet (hint, hint, print a few in 1/144 as well please) before I get to the point. Brian, if you read this, at the rate I am building the odds are in your favour! ;)

Giles

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I tidied up the flaps. Kept breaking the added fine bits off while sanding Mr Surfacer :yahoo: . After X number of times of repeated sanding and breaking, the flap gets pretty close to scale thickness ... :yahoo: Can't break anything now!

This is a close up of one wing (pre final Mr Surfacer and sanding). Flap baby flap!

S6300981.jpg

Next... the slats

Giles

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