F-14D to B backdating

[polybebber]

What does it take to backdate a F-14D to a B? Doable ? I have a HB F-14D which I would like to build as a B. I really don't want to buy another kit, but have these tempting decals for a B from VF-101 Grim Reapers. Any help is appreciated.

Lothar

[redcorvette]

Defintely do-able. Short list of changes would be backdating the cockpit & seats, chin pod, various antenna, gun vents, etc. As always, best advice is finding documentation of the actual aircraft you want to model.

Mark

[gb_madcat_sl]

It's quite a lot of backdating to do. The front and rear IPs have to be changed. So too the HUD. Seats have to be changed to the older GRU-7A. Chin pod changed to the one with the TCS. ECM bumps to be added under the wing glove.

Mark

[B2Blain]

It's quite a lot of backdating to do. The front and rear IPs have to be changed. So too the HUD. Seats have to be changed to the older GRU-7A. Chin pod changed to the one with the TCS. ECM bumps to be added under the wing glove.

Mark

I was thinking the same thing. I got my "D" at a pretty good price and don't really want to buy a "B" unless I can get it for the same price. I thought I so would use Eduard's "B" Cockpit set for the IP backdating and Hasegawa TCS from my stash. But how many of the other items mentioned are in the "B" Hobbyboss kit? Seats, antennas, ECM? Because maybe I should just b up a HB "B" kit.

[catfan]

i can help with this look at steel beach resin he makes the lumps and bumps u need for the f-14B

[toadwbg]

The instructions above all seem accurate but don't let the work dissuade you. Doing little conversions is part of the fun of modeling

[Neeko]

What does it take to backdate a F-14D to a B? Doable ? I have a HB F-14D which I would like to build as a B. I really don't want to buy another kit, but have these tempting decals for a B from VF-101 Grim Reapers. Any help is appreciated.

Lothar

Apart from the cockpit being completely different, there really isn't much you would need to change to make a B in the configuration you're looking for from a D donor kit.

I assume the black-tailed VF-101 jet in your banner is the one you are looking to do. If that is the case, externally the jet will have the taller blade antenna just behind the canopy, the two antenna blisters on each side of the intake, single TCS chin pod, GPS antenna on the turtleback, and the long elliptical antenna blister on the port NLG door. The gun vents would be the NACA style that the D had from the beginning. That port NLG antenna blister was also a fixture on the D from its inception. The third, very small blade antenna on the top of older F-14As and some Bs would not be present on this particular B (nor was it ever present on the D).

Like I said, the cockpit of the D differs completely with that of a B, however if you wanted to avoid getting an AM cockpit, you could just swap out the F-14D NACES seats with GRU-7s and swap the pilot and RIO IPs with someone who is using an AM cockpit for theirs. Better yet, you could find someone putting an AM cockpit in their Hobby Boss F-14A or B kit, and ask for the kit cockpit. The F-14B you pictured would also most likely have the later HUD that was installed in the F-14Bs. In 1/48 you could just use the pilot IP coaming and HUD from the F-14D cockpit, and you have the 95% solution (which to me is a 100% solution in 1/48).

Unless it was being decked out for an airshow or cross-country flight, this jet would not have external tanks mounted (pylons are ok), nor would it most often have LANTIRN mounted. VF-101 had a pod or two, but they had a lot of aircraft to fly it on. If you wanted to leave the pod and the pylon off and do a dual LAU-7 setup, you would have 101 configured as it was in the squadron at least 2/3 to 3/4 of the time.

hope this helps!