Hasegawa 1/48 F-14 Kits

[Viper88]

My understanding is Hasegawa box picture art is false advertising (ok missleading) that they show F-14B kit on the cover but really inside the box there is no bomb rails or bombs or whatever pods are required to build a true F-14B Bombcat, I hear the same about the F-14D. So my question is for the Tomcat experts what do I need to purchase and what AM companies or other kits can I get the parts required to build and accurate F-14B and D kit?

[Jay Chladek]

Which specific boxings? Hasegawa has done a plethora of Cats over the years and some have more parts than others. But considering Hasegawa sells both the pods and bombs separately in accessory packs, that is standard practice for them anyway. If you wish to stick LGBs and/or JDAMs, plus a LANTIRN pod set, You'll need their smart bombs weapon set which I believe has all of that plus the LANTIRNs.

[RedHeadKevin]

The only link you'll ever need for Hasegawa Tomcat model boxings. The link tells which sprues are included in each different version of Hasegawa's 1/48 Tomcats (among others.)

[Dave1089]

The F-14A 'lantirn' boxing is one of the few kits that has all the bomb racks, lantirn and BOL rails. The later Hasegawa 'cats all seem to include the Lantirn pylon and bol rails, but no lantirn pod of bomb racks. The way I always do it is to buy the F-14D CVW-14 boxing as it's usually the cheapest, then get the aftermarket to make a lovely 'cat:

Aires or Avionix cockpit

Wolfpack bombcat update set (has all the pylons, LANTIRN, BOL rails and bomb shackles)

Wolfpack B/D OIF update set (contains new wheels, GPS dome, exhausts, shrouds and a few other bits and pieces)

Decals as required

Then all you need are some bombs- GBU-12/16/31 or GBU-10/24 if you want a 'rare' loadout. You could also load it up with 500lb GBU-38's (used by VF-31 and 213 on the last cruise only) or regular 'dumb bombs'

If you really want to go to town with the aftermarket you could get:

Royale Resin fuel tanks

Royale Resin weighted wheels

Master Brass pitot tube

Aires landing gear bays

Steel beach FOD covers

I normally get the lot, except the Aires wheel bays. I've 7 F-14's in the stash and all have the aftermarket listed above.

Dave

[Viper88]

Why is the D the cheapest?

I live in Canada and AM stuff is very hard to come by in LHS. So on Sprue Brothers here is the list:

Hasegawa F-14D - $55

Wolfpack OIF update - $20

Wolfpack Bombcat set - $24

Aires Cockpit - $34

Decals - $12

Steel Beach - $10

Master Models - $8

Royal Resin - $20

So with Canadian tax that comes to $206.00 not including $36 shipping and any border charges. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dryguy]

And more if you want some air-to-air missiles as well. I just don't have that kind of money, which is why I went towards the hobbyboss tomcat. It is more detailed but with a few accuracy issues that can, IMO be corrected. Plus it comes with weapons. The number of customers hasegawa must be losing as a result of their ridiculous policy of not including weapons

[Daniel_B]

Why is the D the cheapest?

I live in Canada and AM stuff is very hard to come by in LHS. So on Sprue Brothers here is the list:

Hasegawa F-14D - $55

Wolfpack OIF update - $20

Wolfpack Bombcat set - $24

Aires Cockpit - $34

Decals - $12

Steel Beach - $10

Master Models - $8

Royal Resin - $20

So with Canadian tax that comes to $206.00 not including $36 shipping and any border charges. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You don't need all that stuff. Get the kit, decals, Steel Beach bombracks, and you'll have everything you need (and 1 or 2 Hasegawa weapons sets, depending on how you wanna load it). Aires, Royale Resin, etc., are just nicer versions of things that are already in the kit.

[Viper88]

Kind of sounds like the Hobby Boss is the better way to go, better fit, better cockpit out of box, weapons, pods, et. Where I am it the same price as the Hasegawa, can even just add an Aires cockpit, intake fod covers and done, may just be a no brainer.

[Andrew Maverick Taylor]

Viper88 - Just buy a Hobby Boss tomcat. I have two Hobby Boss 1:48 F-14B kits and you get everything included right out of the box. HB are due to release their 1:48 F-14D kit sometime between September and November this year so I would keep a look out for that also.

I have several Hasegawa B and D kits and for what it has cost me for the kit plus all of the aftermarket sets for cockpits, pods, fuel tanks, PE, I could have bought three or four HB kits by now.

[dryguy]

As I said earlier, the hobbyboss f14 is more of a compromise as far as accuracyis concerned, depends what your priorities are.