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Unpacking the Trumpeter Tomcat


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well with all due respect. perhaps you're trying to take the fun out of the hobby from other people. ever thought of that? to some people, discussing these issues is just as much fun as building the kits. so people get together and talk about 1mm differences in length, does that hinder you from opening your box and having fun? you can still open the box and give your flying flip about the length. there is no one preventing that. and no one making you read all of this nonsense.

Just my opinion though,

Bill

Bingo!

Some of us enjoy fixing the little things the original manufacturer didn't think were important. I mean sure, sometimes a millimeter here or there won't bring the world to a crashing halt or anything, but always remember this: it's the rivet-counters of this world that ensure that we have better kits to work from or kickass aftermarket updates, for without their eternal vigilance, we'd all have F-14s that look like the Academy 1/48... And possibly worse. <_<

Edited by Admiral T. Jurisdiction
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Many thanks for the pics THX1138. Those wings look to be very interesting... it's a point in favour of the Trumpeter kit (the other one is the upper fuselage with beautiful surface detail) over the Tamiya kit, for the rest from what I've seen I think they have both some issues, especially in the forward fuselage. But fortunately they are not so manifest <_<

cheers,

Luca

Edited by Alpagueur
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This hobby is called scale-modeling, so exact dimensions are important. But to me not to the point of ditching a kit that doesn't get above 95% accuracy. Especially not an F-14. The shortcommings are only food for future aftermarket parts and ways people will try to fix these, which is great even if you don't go down that road yourself. Free choice.

In the end, the effort (and fun) you put (and get) into building it is much more important then it's exact dimensions. An inaccurate kit will still turn out better in the hands of a great artist, then a 100% accurate kit in the hands of someone f-ing it up.

I agree with this 100% <_<

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well with all due respect. perhaps you're trying to take the fun out of the hobby from other people. ever thought of that? to some people, discussing these issues is just as much fun as building the kits. so people get together and talk about 1mm differences in length, does that hinder you from opening your box and having fun? you can still open the box and give your flying flip about the length. there is no one preventing that. and no one making you read all of this nonsense.

Just my opinion though,

Bill

Point well taken

Happy Holidays

Roy

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Hey Roy, i hope that didn't come across as being rude because that definately was not my intention. once i came back to this thread and read what i typed, it could be taken that way. if it did sound like was dogging you, i sincerely appologize. just wanted to point out the differences of approaching a model.

have a great holiday.

Bill

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But do the mandibles toe in? ;)

Sorry, a little slip from a discussion about a certain model kit of a certain famous science fiction craft on another site.

This discussion has been pretty civil considering how bad it has gotten on some other models. As such, I applaud you guys for that. Based on what I see and have been told by many of you, if the budget for a Trumpeter F-14 ever materializes in my future, I am going to seriously consider getting one as they seem to at least have gotten it within a fudge factor range that I can live with.

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Feel free to buy the kit, build it and have fun.

Fly it around your living room in your underwear, make jet noises, strafe the cat. :P

Have fun!

Thanks for the canopy info Dazz!

I'm still wanting to see some additional overall photos, particularly a nice top view with all the major parts in place.

I'm still curious to see the intake/canopy/nosecone relationship as well as other major proportions/features of the kit (i.e. the rear fuselage/stab intersection).

A millimeter here and there can dramically change the way something looks...

;)

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I just opened my Trumpeteer and a couple of things I notice on the LH Front Fuselage...

1. The steps are square shape, not retangular. Plus the depth is shallow. It would have to be reworked.

2. The area in front of the gun is too short.

3. The upper side vent seems off dimension. Like it is not high enough. In comparsion to actual pics and the Tamiya fuselage, it is off. The tamiya is better.

4. The front edge of above the vent is too far forward. If you project it to the fuselage, it is way too close to the step.

If the step was the correct dimension size it would be almost hitting the edge if the step was in the open position.

Edited by JoeA
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Hope it doesnt get lost in all the mm discussion that this kit is pretty cool.

Just wanted to isolate exactly what it is that people are seeing that looked a little out.

Chris

Havnt looked at the intake position yet but the front end fuselage looked ok when attached to the rear fuselage which may iadd is a totally superb piece of molding.

The tip of the radome is the same as tamiya from the rear edge of rear canopy so to me the only issue so far that to me looked alittle out is the location of the front canopy being a little to far forward.

By moving it back say 2mm it moves the highest point further back on the front fuselage which to me again looks far better than the Tamiya version.

This will i think make the canopy blend in a little better give the right nose front canopy relationship then some major sanding to make that nose downward curve more promminent and we are in business.

Super kit...

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But do the mandibles toe in? :)

Sorry, a little slip from a discussion about a certain model kit of a certain famous science fiction craft on another site.

Yeah I remember all that!

I will definately be getting one in 2010. It was a toss up between this and the Airfix Mosquito for Christmas. I went for the Mosquito , but i will get one of these.

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A millimeter here and there can dramically change the way something looks...

:wacko:

[/size]

And that is a fact when we look at the work done on the A-7 by Zactoman! Although that was more than one millimeter ;-)

I ordered a copy of this beast and if Zactoman has a final verdict for an upgrade I'll probably have to order one ;-)

Tim

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And that is a fact when we look at the work done on the A-7 by Zactoman! Although that was more than one millimeter ;-)

I ordered a copy of this beast and if Zactoman has a final verdict for an upgrade I'll probably have to order one ;-)

Tim

Hey Tim! :whistle:

I haven't ordered one myself and haven't decided if I will yet.

I'm still wanting to see some overall pics to decide if it's got shape problems, if so is it something that the modeler can fix or that I can do a correction set for or if am I better off sticking with the two Tamiya kits I already have.

:unsure:

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Here is a couple of shots I haven't seen yet, Nose on view of the Trumpy and Tamiya side by side without the radome attatched:

HPIM1081.jpg

HPIM1082.jpg

Tamiya is on the left and the trumpy is on the right. Looks like the trumpeter F-14 has amore triangular look to it or a little fatter cheeks. I don't have a reference to see which one is better

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From spending a lot of time loking closely at as many front end photos i can find i am convinced the Trump front end has far better shape than Tamiya.

The almost vertical sides on the TA kit miss those fatter cheeks that are really apparent in some photos but not so evident in other angles.

Like i said i have been a little surprised at the TA kit is as slightly out as the Trump kit front canopy position.

However for years i've admored many 32nd TA Feline builds and never really noticed anything being out until the last few days.

I think thats prtty indicative of the fact we are splitting hairs here and i think whether you fix it or not the Trump kit will build into a super looking F14.

Just like the TA F-14 which is also a great kit for its age other than the cockpit.

Given the choice ill be building the Trump F14 for the masive aount of extra detailing in so many areas and the beautiful panel work.

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If nothing else, this thread proves how popular this kit is!

Are you kidding? Are we not having "Turkey" for Christmas? :blink:

Merry Christmas!!

I think the Trumpy kit is a great improvement, shape problems? Sure, tell me which kit doesn't... The question should be - HOW serious are the errors!...

cheers,

Lawrence

Edited by Kriegsketten
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Hey Guy's, someone asked earlier in the thread about the fit of the removable panels on the front fuselage so I thought I'd post a few pic's show what it looks like. All I did was cut the parts off with the sprue cutter, make one pass with a sanding stick and put the panels in place. Fit is not too bad IMO.

Tommy

IMG_2211.jpg

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IMG_2210.jpg

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I hope Steve B doesnt mind, but here is a WIP.

Just started.

LSP F-14 WIP

Edit- Helps if I include the link

Looks great! I think that this is the new standard. Remember that there is still a ton of aftermarket that will come out to supplement this kit. I will be wishing for one in 2010!

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The fit on all the gun panels is just awful from what I'm seeing in the photos, and the NACA ducts are totally, totally wrong in shape, size, depth, proximity to each other... And truth be told, this is among the most easily visible, easy to photograph and easy to measure aspects of the Tomcat. This kit is looking more and more like a parts donor to my eyes.

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