F-14A+ arms question

[RKic]

Hi guys,

I picked up a Hasegawa christmas edition F-14A+ (or is it a B?)

The plane is from the early 2000s. I'm curious if by then the Jolly Rogers were flying strike missions with their F-14s?

In other words, would it be appropriate to throw a lantirn pod and some GBUs on the aircraft?

[GreyGhost]

Yes, I'm pretty sure VF-103 was the first LANTIRN equipped squadron ...

They actually started while still under the "Sluggers" moniker ...

-Gregg

[TomcatFanatic123]

<p>Definitely throw a LANTIRN and GBU's on it! And yes, the "A+" was dropped in favor of the "B" :)/>. If you're going for uber-accuracy, I'm not entirely sure if the "fishbowl" in the RIO office had been replaced by the square PTIDS screen, but I think by that time it was on the Bravos and Deltas.

Edited June 17, 2013 by TomcatFanatic123

[RKic]

Thanks very much guys.

I have some of the smaller type GBUs from an Academy kit. I think they're GBU-12 type bombs.

Would they be attached directly to a phoenix missile palette? I was thinking 2 up on the front palettes, Lantirn on one side, and sidewinder/sparrow on the other.

Does that sound Kosher? I'm mostly a WW II modeler, so know next to nothing about modern jets. You can tell me that 12 walleyes go onto an F-14, and I'd probably think "derp....ok George!"

[Andre]

Would they be attached directly to a phoenix missile palette?

Not directly - there's a BRU-32/A bomb rack involved, fitted to an ADU-703 adapter.

Details here:

http://www.anft.net/f-14/f14-detail-rack-bomb.htm

Pic of GBU-12's being loaded on an F14B here:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GBU-12s_loading_on_F-14.jpg

HTH,

Andre

[Darren Roberts]

You can pick up a set of resin bombracks from Steel Beach if they aren't included in the kit.

[VFA-103guy]

Since my friend Grip Williams was XO of 103 at the time, here's the scoop on the Santa Cat that he sent me.

1. This jet had the PTID screen in the RIO's pit.

2. It never carried any ordnance. The scheme was painted on the jet in Dec 2001 while the squadron was returning from their OEF deployment and did not see combat.

3. The bomb racks which consist of a BRU-32 fitted with the ADU-703 adapter. These are loaded in slots in the Phoenix pallets.

4. The load out you're wanting to use is pretty common for VF-103. 2 GBU-12's, 2 AIM-9L/M's, and 1 Sparrow was pretty much all they carried, even up to the last tomcat cruise (minus the Sparrow).

5. You will not need to modify the pilot's instrument coaming for the Sparrow/Hawk HUD. This didn't come on line until 2003.

Some side notes:

VF-103 was the first fleet tomcat squadron to debut LANTIRN in 1996.

[THX1138]

And don't forget to put the LANTIRN on the right pylon, since only that one is wired to carry it.