rodney.cross Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 What is was the weapon layout for the bombcats during their bosnia cruise? Is there anything else i need to know about the Santa version of these jets? Were they pretty weathered and is there any photo's of them? Sorry about all the questions as i haven't made a model in 3 years and 1st modern a/c in many moons regards Crossy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rodney.cross Posted March 3, 2012 Author Share Posted March 3, 2012 It's the HAS 1:72 f-14, any hints and tips for the build? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
THX1138 Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 (edited) If you're going for the High Viz CO bird remember these were usually kept cleaner then the other birds. So less dirt and more gloss would be the choice. But it's not an exact science. There are no two Tomcats that look exactly the same. Loadout for the Bosnia mission would probably not include the LANTIRN pod, since VF-103 was the 1st to use this in 1996. The airwar in Bosnia ended around the end of 1995, when VF-103 was just about to get the Jolly Rogers heritage. And the Santa markings in the Hase kit are from around 2001. LANTIRN and LGB's probably were used in the Kosovo air raids in 1999, but the Theodore Roosevelt was in the Adriatic during those raids, and VF-103 was not aboard. If you Google for "F-14 Santa" and select images, you will get a few shots to show you what it looked like. Edited March 4, 2012 by THX1138 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jay Chladek Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 It looks like the "Santa Cat" markings were on that jet only for December of 2000. That would have been after the air war. Fightertown did three sets of markings on one sheet for that specific jet for the 2000 cruise and it did not have the Santa Cat markings until that December and they were off the plane by early 2001. The only pictures I've seen of it have the LANTIRN and its "Seasons Greetings" drop tanks and I doubt it ever flew with anything more than that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EX_Birdgunner Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 VF-103 also did a Santa Cat scheme at the end of the 1996 Enterprise cruise so it looks like the squadron did it twice. I have decals in 1/32 for that scheme and a couple of pics at home that took me a while to find online. I can send them to you when I am back home. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rodney.cross Posted March 4, 2012 Author Share Posted March 4, 2012 Cheers Guys, thanks for the great info. I'm also away so those photo's would be great mate. Anytips for building The has. 1/72 f14B? Regards Crossy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VFA-103guy Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 It looks like the "Santa Cat" markings were on that jet only for December of 2000. That would have been after the air war. Fightertown did three sets of markings on one sheet for that specific jet for the 2000 cruise and it did not have the Santa Cat markings until that December and they were off the plane by early 2001. The only pictures I've seen of it have the LANTIRN and its "Seasons Greetings" drop tanks and I doubt it ever flew with anything more than that. Right you are Jay. The Dec 2000 Santa Cat was painted after combat operations for CVW-17 had come to an end. The only 2 pics I've ever gotten from VF-103 came from the former CO "Grip" Williams and they were used to help produce the Fightertown sheets. Here are both pics (which are now all over the web). The pics were taken by CAPT Dana Potts, former CAG of CVW-17. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
EX_Birdgunner Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Here are the two pics I had saved from the 1996 VF-103 Santa Cat. I cannot remember where I found the pics so I can't properly give credit. Maybe someone else recognizes them. I found them somewhere on the web when researching the 1/32 Eagle Strike Decals I found. If I made a copyright violation just let me know and I will take them off or just post a link to my photobucket page. Anyway, proof that the santa cat existed at two different times. -Denis Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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