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1/72 F-14D kit with Model Graphix magazine


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Thanks for stepping in with the information. :thumbsup:/>

As was mentioned, the F-14Ds in the linked photos can be identified by either the distinctive dual chin pod or squadron markings. VF-2, VF-31 and VF-213 were the only 3 operational F-14D squadrons.

Mark

VF-11 did a couple of years on D before moving back to B models.

And don't forget the RAG squadrons: VF-101 and VF-124.

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VF-11 did a couple of years on D before moving back to B models.

And don't forget the RAG squadrons: VF-101 and VF-124.

Ah, yes. Forgot about VF-11. Interesting that they moved to the D then B before transitioning to the SH.

Mark

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Ah, yes. Forgot about VF-11. Interesting that they moved to the D then B before transitioning to the SH.

Mark

Same as with the VF-211 getting some time on the B models before switching back to the venerable A models, before transitioning to the SH. :)/>

Edited by Platycqb
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So, the slats and flats are molded to the wings, that means if I want to model the aircraft in the launch position, I have to use the wings from the Hasegawa kit? And someone will need to hunt for the 1:72 low-viz vf-31 decals.

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I like the details ( 3rd pic from left) :

http://hlj.com/product/MDGMAG1507/Boo

So, the slats and flats are molded to the wings, that means if I want to model the aircraft in the launch position, I have to use the wings from the Hasegawa kit?

Yeah, I'm a little disappointed by that too. I wonder why FM decided against the separate slats & flaps. I mean if you're going to have such a detailed kit, why not throw in the slats/ flaps too? And if they are worried about production costs, just release those parts in another issue of the magazine. <_<

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That picture on the mag looks amazing! Even at 1/72 (not my scale), I'm really looking forward to this one. And yes, it's a bummer the slats/flaps are molded with the wing. Oh well, can't have everything I guess.

Rob

Edited by galileo1
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Sprue shots and decal options are out.

http://www.modelkasten.com/f14tomcat/index.html

VF-31 as always, but very surprised at the chosen markings. If I'm not wrong, they're from the late 90s? At least it'll be easy to paint, overall Gull Gray!

VF-31 never deployed with those markings... More specifically, they never deployed with the glossy poly gull gray, black tail, and yellow MODEX. That jet was BuNo 164348, and it was repainted to look like the markings depicted in the kit shortly after VF-11 left CVW-14 and went back east. VF-31 deployed with VF-11 in 1996 as a MODEX "2xx" squadron, and deployed next as the only F-14 squadron in CVW-14 with a MODEX "1xx" on the nose in 1998. By the time they deployed, 164348 had been transferred to VF-213, and NK100 was transferred to 164600. 164600 was given the black tail and ventral fins, but it did not have the flashy all-yellow MODEX and the skunk stripe, and it was the standard overall TPS paint job.

VF-31 NK100 164348:

f14d31bm_zpssg0mjcoa.jpg

VF-31 NK100 164600 on OSW mission in 1998:

NUTS2_zpseopfudiv.jpg

NUTS9_zpsior9xbua.jpg

It wouldn't take too much modification to make 164348 into 164600, marking-wise. One of the cool things about 164600 as a CAG jet from a modeling perspective is that we had an awesome loadout on that cruise. Note the Rockeye on the belly next to an AIM-54... Absolutely yes the F-14D carried the Phoenix, by the way...

GULFLOAD_zpstncwpywk.jpg

Edited by Neeko
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I'm prepared to stick my neck out and say the lack of deployed slates and flaps is, for me, a highlight of this kit, not a drawback. Apart from launch and recovery, you'll be hard pressed to find pictures of a Tomcat with them deployed, and certainly not generally when static. The slats were powered, not gravity operated unlike, say, a Skyhawk's, so it was much more common for them to be retracted. I'm also hoping for airbrakes moulded in the closed position! Commence firing!

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I'm prepared to stick my neck out and say the lack of deployed slates and flaps is, for me, a highlight of this kit, not a drawback. Apart from launch and recovery, you'll be hard pressed to find pictures of a Tomcat with them deployed, and certainly not generally when static. The slats were powered, not gravity operated unlike, say, a Skyhawk's, so it was much more common for them to be retracted. I'm also hoping for airbrakes moulded in the closed position! Commence firing!

someone-on-the-internet-is-wrong.jpg

:D

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I'm prepared to stick my neck out and say the lack of deployed slates and flaps is, for me, a highlight of this kit, not a drawback. Apart from launch and recovery, you'll be hard pressed to find pictures of a Tomcat with them deployed, and certainly not generally when static. The slats were powered, not gravity operated unlike, say, a Skyhawk's, so it was much more common for them to be retracted. I'm also hoping for airbrakes moulded in the closed position! Commence firing!

No I totally agree. I built the hasegawa and fujimi kits for that reason. The Hasegawa kit I built at rest; wings at full sweep and slats/flaps retracted. That was a bit of extra work that wasn't really necessary. Conversely I built the Fujimi kit on the cat with flaps and slats out. The kit also comes with a compressed oleo and pilots, which is a nice touch for that option.

4X3.jpg

Thinking about this logically, I think the FM/MG are aiming to be a very specific type of display model: an aircraft with its panels open inside the ship. If you are not concerned with that (i.e. want to build it sitting with panels closed), then you should basically go with the Hasegawa kit which can be obtained at far lower cost in Japan (there are a fair few of these kits on the shelves at local hobby stores.) Pre/post-flight aircraft are far better served by the fujimi kit.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Looking good!

Indeed a bit baffled by the lack of posable slats/flaps but the FM Tomcat is still a must have in my book. :)

Edit: I may be way off but from looking at the sprue in the background it does look like the wings are somewhat modular?

But that may be more of a construction aspect with upper and lower wing section and not a way to offer separate parts.

Edited by Anders_Isaksson
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I'm prepared to stick my neck out and say the lack of deployed slates and flaps is, for me, a highlight of this kit, not a drawback. Apart from launch and recovery, you'll be hard pressed to find pictures of a Tomcat with them deployed, and certainly not generally when static. The slats were powered, not gravity operated unlike, say, a Skyhawk's, so it was much more common for them to be retracted. I'm also hoping for airbrakes moulded in the closed position! Commence firing!

It was more common to see the flaps and slats deployed. Not sure where you got that info from..every F-14 I've ever seen on the ramp during my visits were typically parked with the wings swept back, or if the wings were out, the slats and flaps were deployed.

It was a rare sight to see them not deployed.

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I think I'll be getting a 1/72 Tomcat for the stash...

This looks cool and worth getting. A few issues I see with the decals but nothing that 99% of us will matter too to much. ;) NAVY's are off - A should be a different font and all letters more spread out, the national insignia for the early 100 option should be larger. Hopefully the RESCUE and data box text is in red. I'm not seeing gear or canopy names. The modex is too spread out and corners too slanted. Buno is the wrong font. Flap numbers are too big... But like I said, who'd notice that ^_^

What's with the 1/48 scale AOA probe?

Just stirring up the pot. Looking forward to this.

-brian

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It was more common to see the flaps and slats deployed. Not sure where you got that info from..every F-14 I've ever seen on the ramp during my visits were typically parked with the wings swept back, or if the wings were out, the slats and flaps were deployed.

It was a rare sight to see them not deployed.

Actually looking through 200 or so pics line I've just done, it was very rare to see a Tomcat on the ramp without the wings either swept or in oversweep, thus by definition being packed away. Of the two pics I found of them swept forward one was packed away and one was deployed. I'll defer to your knowledge in the everyday as you clearly spent more ramp time with them than I did (a couple hours with Pukin' Dogs

B models at Yeovilton in 1994!), but pictures show its rare for the wings to even be in a position to deploy the slats and flaps when parked. But thats Google image search! ;)/>/>

Nah, I'm happy those wings don't have slats and flaps separate!

Edit:- just repeated the exercise on airliners dot net. Of the first 225 photos I looked at, not a single parked and unattended Tomcat even had the wings swept forward, never mind with deployed surfaces! So I'm happy on all the photographic evidence I have retracted slats and flaps is far more common than deployed.

Edited by Dmanton300
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I'm so looking forward to this kit (even with my stash of 4 Hasegawas languishing away).

Great video showing the details! (fastforward to about 9:10)

Hey if anyone is willing to create a new set of 1/72 Jolly Rogers, I'd happily apply those instead. (It's hard to find a decent set of VF-103 decals in 72 scale that is in stock anywhere)

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Actually looking through 200 or so pics line I've just done, it was very rare to see a Tomcat on the ramp without the wings either swept or in oversweep, thus by definition being packed away. Of the two pics I found of them swept forward one was packed away and one was deployed. I'll defer to your knowledge in the everyday as you clearly spent more ramp time with them than I did (a couple hours with Pukin' Dogs

B models at Yeovilton in 1994!), but pictures show its rare for the wings to even be in a position to deploy the slats and flaps when parked. But thats Google image search! ;)/>/>/>/>/>

Nah, I'm happy those wings don't have slats and flaps separate!

Edit:- just repeated the exercise on airliners dot net. Of the first 225 photos I looked at, not a single parked and unattended Tomcat even had the wings swept forward, never mind with deployed surfaces! So I'm happy on all the photographic evidence I have retracted slats and flaps is far more common than deployed.

Dude..I won't disagree concerning the model, but I've been in the know and pretty tight with enough aircrew and maintainers since 2001, sometimes making multiple visits to Oceana during the year. Was it rare to see an F-14 on the ramp with the wings out? Yep, but typically when they were, the flaps and slats were deployed.

Regardless, if you'd like I'd be glad to send you a reference CD of every F-14 pic I've ever taken..maybe it can help you with your future model projects.

1002.jpg

105.8_zpsuei9mxfz.jpg

Just a couple of examples of the norm..

Edited by VFA-103guy
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The only reason that an F-14 would be parked on the line with the wings not in oversweep was to facilitate a maintenance or inspection requirement- normally involving the flaps, slats, or spoilers. If the wings were out on a parked jet, the flaps and slats would be deployed unless there was a specific reason to keep the wings slick (like replacing a crunched eyebrow door or something like that). I can't recall many or any time really that I saw a parked F-14 with slicked flaps and slats and wings out... Not saying it wouldn't or couldn't happen, but there would have to be a specific reason why this would be.

Now that being said, a taxi shot like what I posted further up on this page is a perfect example of wings out/flaps and slats slick... but that is a lucky shot as the jet was going into oversweep shortly after the pic was taken.

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Great info here. One point I'm still unclear about: If the wings were out and engine off, do the flaps and slats drop under gravity? Dmanton's earlier post indicate that these are powered (unlike A-4). But if no power, what happens?

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