Dave1089 Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 Hello all, I am in the final stages of building F-14B 163217 from VF-103's final Tomcat Cruise. I used a twobobs sheet for the main markings but had a bit of a disaster and needed replacement fuselage bands with the 'star 'n bar.' I bought a set of Jasmine Model 148008 for these, but i've noticed the sheet includes a decal that says 'Get 'er Done' and the placement guide shows that it should go on the upper right wing, just inside of the '103' digits. The Twobobs sheet did not include this decal. Can anyone shed any light on it? Or have Jasmine Model made it up?? Thanks Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VFA-103guy Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 (edited) Hello all, I am in the final stages of building F-14B 163217 from VF-103's final Tomcat Cruise. I used a twobobs sheet for the main markings but had a bit of a disaster and needed replacement fuselage bands with the 'star 'n bar.' I bought a set of Jasmine Model 148008 for these, but i've noticed the sheet includes a decal that says 'Get 'er Done' and the placement guide shows that it should go on the upper right wing, just inside of the '103' digits. The Twobobs sheet did not include this decal. Can anyone shed any light on it? Or have Jasmine Model made it up?? Thanks Dave Dave- Go with the Jasmine sheet. I have put in countless hours of research on the VF-103 last cruise jets, (hell I even released a decal sheet of all of them a few years ago) and Jasmine's is a nice rendition. I was working very closely with VF-103 at the time, and I was fortunate to have gotten a lot of information on these jets before, during, and after the cruise. Also, 163217 did not have a national insignia on the upper left wing. The Get Er' Done logo was put on the flap of the right wing,just to the left of the flap number. If you need more info on this bird, shoot me a PM. Edited January 22, 2013 by VFA-103guy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave1089 Posted January 22, 2013 Author Share Posted January 22, 2013 Thanks Brian, that's all the info I needed, except maybe a few pictures of the weathering on the upper surfaces...I'll drop you a PM now. Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VFA-103guy Posted January 22, 2013 Share Posted January 22, 2013 (edited) Some pics from the cruise.. Some pics of my model in progress Edited January 22, 2013 by VFA-103guy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
maveric043 Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Brian, hello! Excellent photos and model, you have photo of the bottom view and with top....... please!!! I too am going to do this board in 1/32. When I will do I hope to see you in advisers as you very well you know this squadron. Yours faithfully, Andrey. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VFA-103guy Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 Andrey- I do have those photos, but I can't post them or share them because they belong to another photogrpaher that I don't have permission from that individual to do so...sorry. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
maveric043 Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Brian of thanks. I understand! It is a pity! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Manuel J. Armas S. Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 I need to build that... one of my favorite Tomcats... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
maveric043 Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Yes, it is beautiful! But I want to become attached to concrete BUNO 163217, to find many photos and to try to make as it is possible an exact copy. Andrey Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VFA-103guy Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Guys- Since I have some free time at work today, I'm trying to dig up my refs on 163217 to post. Feel free to ask any questions about the jet. It's got a pretty intersting history! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rank11 Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 I must say the weathering on that model is spot on. Especially like the job on the engine access panel. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VFA-103guy Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 I must say the weathering on that model is spot on. Especially like the job on the engine access panel. Thanks...I've been working on this model a REALLY long time.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VFA-103guy Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 As promissed, here's a few of the pics I have of 163217..almost in time line format. March 2003 - One of the first 2 VF-103 F-14B's to get the Sparrow/Hawk HUD. March 2004 - 60th Ann markings Final Tomcat Cruise Quote Link to post Share on other sites
maveric043 Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Thanks, Brian!!!!! Excellent Cat!!!!!!!! Andrey. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 can you post pictures of the sparrow hawk hud parts so i can see what they look like and where they go? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VFA-103guy Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 can you post pictures of the sparrow hawk hud parts so i can see what they look like and where they go? My friend, if you have not gotten a copy of the DACO Uncovering the F-14A/B/D book, you need to!! It has excellent covreage of the Sparrow/Hawk HUD in it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
redcorvette Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 My friend, if you have not gotten a copy of the DACO Uncovering the F-14A/B/D book, you need to!! It has excellent covreage of the Sparrow/Hawk HUD in it. x2 The DACO book should be required for any serious F-14 modeler. Mark Quote Link to post Share on other sites
#1 Tomcat Fan Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 As promissed, here's a few of the pics I have of 163217..almost in time line format. March 2003 - One of the first 2 VF-103 F-14B's to get the Sparrow/Hawk HUD. March 2004 - 60th Ann markings Final Tomcat Cruise Hi Brian, I know you're the last person I should try to correct on VF-103 subjects but I believe you will agree with my humble comment. The first of the 5 pictures you posted actually belonged to BuNo.161435. As far as my research has taught me, 161435 carried AA103 markings till March/April 2003. The bird then became AA110 and kept this modex till its final flight to AMARG on 2005-01-25. 163217 replaced its predecessor becoming AA103 on april/may of the same year. Its first AA103 paint scheme was that of "60th Anniversary" with the missing "VF-5B" marking on the tail. The plane kept this modex number till its final days in AMARG where it must have been destroyed after 2007-01 which is the last record I have of this gorgeous and beautiful bird. Check out this awesome picture...even covered in snow and wishing he was still flying, this bird kept looking superb !! http://www.airfighters.com/photo/61366/M/USA-Navy/Grumman-F-14B-Tomcat/163217/ Boy its sucks every time I remember they destroyed every Tomcat (except the ones on museums of course), how I wish the NAVY had left at least 1 or 2 operational birds for air shows !!! The remaining 4 pictures belonged to 163217. Danny Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VFA-103guy Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 (edited) Danny..you are incorrect my friend. The first pic is of 163217. I was actually THERE and documented these jets pretty thoroughly. 161435 was Vic 103 until march of 2003 which is when I was there for CDR Williams change of command. I saw both jets and actually 161435 was marked up as 104..I saw it in the hangar the 3 days I was on the flight line..161435 did become Vic 110 later that year and remained 110 until the end. A good buddy of mine flew Vic 110 pretty regularly. But 163217 was painted up as 103..it was a new transfer from VF-101. Also, in April, I had asked one of the JO's to send me a list of BuNo's and the list he sent confirms the info and I would gladly provide you a copy. Oh..and btw you should check the walk around section of ARC before you call me out..plenty of pics if 163217 there that i took In march of 2O03...actually a full walk around. Here ya go:163217 Walk Arounds Edited January 29, 2013 by VFA-103guy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
#1 Tomcat Fan Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Danny..you are incorrect my friend. The first pic is of 163217. I was actually THERE and documented these jets pretty thoroughly. 161435 was Vic 103 until march of 2003 which is when I was there for CDR Williams change of command. I saw both jets and actually 161435 was marked up as 104..I saw it in the hangar the 3 days I was on the flight line..161435 did become Vic 110 later that year and remained 110 until the end. A good buddy of mine flew Vic 110 pretty regularly. But 163217 was painted up as 103..it was a new transfer from VF-101. Also, in April, I had asked one of the JO's to send me a list of BuNo's and the list he sent confirms the info and I would gladly provide you a copy. Oh..and btw you should check the walk around section of ARC before you call me out..plenty of pics if 163217 there that i took In march of 2O03...actually a full walk around. Here ya go:163217 Walk Arounds Hey buddy, as I stated on my opening line...you're the last person I want to correct regarding VF-103 stuff so I apologize. Why I posted my comment: I have a few pictures of 161435 flying over Croatia just a few months before you took this shot. At that time, Vic 103 paint scheme looked identical to the newly painted 163217. The black spots on the yellow area of the vertical tails made me believe they were a result from cruise corrosion. I never thought a freshly painted Vic 103 would have those spots on the tails but...I was wrong. Thanks for the explanation. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VFA-103guy Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Hey buddy, as I stated on my opening line...you're the last person I want to correct regarding VF-103 stuff so I apologize. Why I posted my comment: I have a few pictures of 161435 flying over Croatia just a few months before you took this shot. At that time, Vic 103 paint scheme looked identical to the newly painted 163217. The black spots on the yellow area of the vertical tails made me believe they were a result from cruise corrosion. I never thought a freshly painted Vic 103 would have those spots on the tails but...I was wrong. Thanks for the explanation. This is the thing..there are those of us who have ACTUALLY been there and witnessed a lot of very important history aspects of Naval Aviation throughout the years. I was fortunate to have been at the right place at the right time, and the week of March 11-16 2003 was one of the most memorable times I spent with VF-103, 3 days of which were on the flight line. I fully had hopes of capturing 161435 in full color markings, but to my surprise, it was not. She was marked up as Vic 104. VF-103 had already painted 163217 up 2 days before I got there. The paint chipping off the tails is nothing new and happens more often than one would think. Those pics of 161435 over Croatia are dated incorrectly if they're saying March 2003. I have the originals and they are actually dated either late Sept, early October, maybe Nov 2002. I'll double check. It's all water undeer the bridge..no harm done. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PBoilermaker Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Dave- Go with the Jasmine sheet. I have put in countless hours of research on the VF-103 last cruise jets, (hell I even released a decal sheet of all of them a few years ago) and Jasmine's is a nice rendition. I was working very closely with VF-103 at the time, and I was fortunate to have gotten a lot of information on these jets before, during, and after the cruise. Also, 163217 did not have a national insignia on the upper left wing. The Get Er' Done logo was put on the flap of the right wing,just to the left of the flap number. If you need more info on this bird, shoot me a PM. Don't forget, we should all be thankful to that fine gentleman at AMARG who was kind enough to give us clear, definitive shots of those "GET ER DONE" flap markings before they were lost to history :salute:/> :thumbsup:/> Dave, if you get any of Brian's VF-Decals sheets or the subsequent Fightertown releases for the last cruise, you will be good to go as they worked from the same shared reference data (the best available). The TwoBobs sheet has some significant issues. Another thing you might want to make note of is the dissimilar yellow used on the vagabond stripes between port and starboard sides of the nose as well as the number of chevrons used on the port vs starboard tanks. -Mike (who has a great affinity for 163217). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VFA-103guy Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Don't forget, we should all be thankful to that fine gentleman at AMARG who was kind enough to give us clear, definitive shots of those "GET ER DONE" flap markings before they were lost to history :salute:/>/> :thumbsup:/>/> Dave, if you get any of Brian's VF-Decals sheets or the subsequent Fightertown releases for the last cruise, you will be good to go as they worked from the same shared reference data (the best available). The TwoBobs sheet has some significant issues. Another thing you might want to make note of is the dissimilar yellow used on the vagabond stripes between port and starboard sides of the nose as well as the number of chevrons used on the port vs starboard tanks. -Mike (who has a great affinity for 163217). You are absolutely correct Mike! I could never thank you enough for all the pics and info you sent concerning that jet. You and that fine gentleman at AMARG were a tremendous help! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
#1 Tomcat Fan Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 You are absolutely correct Mike! I could never thank you enough for all the pics and info you sent concerning that jet. You and that fine gentleman at AMARG were a tremendous help! Brian, did you publish your "GET ER DONE" shots on one of your Posts? If so can you send me the link to it please !!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anj4de Posted November 14, 2017 Share Posted November 14, 2017 Just found this threat...searching for AA 103... Great info, thanks a lot. I also have the VF-Decals sheet on the VF-103 birds, had it for years. Great to have the researcher/creator here in this forum. I have just managed to correct the bloddy intake mistake on a HB 1/48 bird I got for cheap and if the build goes along fine, the nose issue has to be solved, then it will become 103 "Final Cruise". The winter picture of 103, as sad a it is, is absolutely magnificent! I will use it to create my "season greeting" cards this year ;-) Now I have to research the "final cruise" since I want to know what weapons were loaded and what missions flown...no idea yet! Â thanks a lot Uwe Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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