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I have zero interest in the F-14 but having built the Hase kit, I can tell you that it is a bear and the Monogram Tom is ancient. Why would you not want a new kit, one with state of the art details AND (hopefully) is much easier to build than the Hase version. I don't see a down side to this.

The Hase F-15 was well respected but the consensus seems to be that the GWH F-15 totally eclipses it.

Would the F-14 fans not deserve something similar?

No! No! No! No! Don't bring up the GWH F-15! You'll never hear the end of it!

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Which is very much of it's time, that is to say 30 years behind the current state of the art. To make it sit alongside a modern tooling and not look hopelessly out of place would involve amounts of money and time that most peopel simply have no desire to do, besides which how is that any better than the money and time you throw at a Hasegawa kit to get it to an acceptable standard?

I don't know, the Monogram kit can be built up to look pretty decent with minimal work. Of course I've built over 75 of them in my modeling time, so maybe it doesn't seem hard anymore. :D

318044_orig.jpg

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Since we have your ear, I know a subject that although the jet isn't flashy it would be a popular subject amongst a great number of modelers as it flew with so many air forces.

A 1/48 T-33! I have a references and access to several T-birds!

Oh, I'd love to see that (especially after not being able to find Fox Echo replacement fuselages for my three remaining T-Birds for which I still have loads of AM and decals). I have the Platz T-birds in 72nd scale but prefer 48th scale for Eastern European and Latin American sharkmouth schemes.

To return to the subject of this post, I am glad to see a new Tomcat out for those interested in 1/48th even if I prefer 72nd for USN/USAF/USMC aircraft.

Regards,

Edited by sharkmouth
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Jennings, I guess my run on sentence confused the statement. I have three remaining T-33s in 1/48th scale for these eight sharkmouth schemes (two will be 72nd scale using the Platz kits):

  1. Canadian
  2. Indonesian
  3. Mexican
  4. Guatemalan
  5. Ecuadorian
  6. German
  7. USAF
  8. Chilean

My point, which you quoted, was that I prefer 1/48th scale for my sharkmouth schemes (any aircraft) from Latin America or Eastern Europe. As of yet, I have not found an Eastern European shark mouth scheme on a T-33 (Yugoslavia or after the break up).

Again, returning to the subject of the thread, my Tomcat is 72nd scale. Based on the success of the 48th scale kit, here's hoping that other scales may be done. Why? Because the Fine Molds Tomcat doesn't make AMK money.

Regards,

Edited by sharkmouth
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Sio,

Since we have your ear, I know a subject that although the jet isn't flashy it would be a popular subject amongst a great number of modelers as it flew with so many air forces.

A 1/48 T-33! I have a references and access to several T-birds!

Scooby,

Another member JeffreyK, was talking about this with me. I cannot make it, but you may contact him. I don't steal other's idea, unless he is willing us to do so.

Note, some other manufacturers may also watching this topic too.

Cheers!

Sio

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Sio,

Since we have your ear, I know a subject that although the jet isn't flashy it would be a popular subject amongst a great number of modelers as it flew with so many air forces.

A 1/48 T-33! I have a references and access to several T-birds!

I'll second the T33 along with a good F80!! A good and accurate F100d would be most welcome as well. Actually the list could top a dozen easily

gary

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somewhere in this F14 quagmire, I'm rather certain we'll see a new and better kit than what we're stuck with right now. I personally want to do a good 1/48th F14 in Wolfpack markings of the 1975 era. Of course an F14d will do me zero good! I can only hope you (AMK) will give us an early F14 and of course the right markings.

Best of luck Sir

gary

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Sio,

I know a good bit about the Tomcat, especially the earlier versions. Brian knows his stuff on the later versions. Like Brian, I'd be happy to help in any way to see a new Tomcat model hit the market in 1/48 that is accurate and has ease of build.

Yeah..dem F-14B's are ma thang...especially them VF-103 F-14B's..I only spent the better half of 4 years traveling back and forth to NAS Oceana spending up to a week on the ramp each go documenting their jets..lol

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Well as others have said I would be happy with a new F-14. I have all of the other ones in 1/48 including the Academy version (yeah long story, don't ask :)/>).

I have built my Monogram kit and it was nice. Was not too crazy about the pylon/weapon combination but i managed. I have started my Hasegawa kit and it is now on my shelf of doom. I even picked up the HB F-14D kit some time ago only because it was a great price. Still not happy with some of the aspects of that kit (INTAKES). Anyway, the more the merrier I say and if it is an accurate and easy to build kit, I am happy.

As for versions, I sure would not mind the F-14A so I can build an F-14 with those wonderful markings from the grey and white days. VF-1 and VF-84 spring to mind :thumbsup:/> The new USN grey schemes leaves me very cold :(/>

By the way I already have the L29 and I am itching to start it. So if the 14 is anything like that, it will be great.

Edited by skyhawk174
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Though we'll probably see bones on all the kits appropriate, I'm hoping for some poorly covered subjects like VF-142 during the mid 80's, VF-2's first cruise, VF-103's low viz from '98, or VF-14 and -41 on the JFK in '97 or during Operation Allied Force.

+1 to the helmet decals, though I am hoping there are also crewmen to put them on.

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Though we'll probably see bones on all the kits appropriate, I'm hoping for some poorly covered subjects like VF-142 during the mid 80's, VF-2's first cruise, VF-103's low viz from '98, or VF-14 and -41 on the JFK in '97 or during Operation Allied Force.

+1 to the helmet decals, though I am hoping there are also crewmen to put them on.

Could not agree more, to be honest I am fed up of seeing those skull and bones on the first issue of a new Tomcat by a model company.

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Could not agree more, to be honest I am fed up of seeing those skull and bones on the first issue of a new Tomcat by a model company.

I understand how you guys feel. Unfortunately, the bones sell. Now, if there could be the bones PLUS some unique options, that would be a winning decal sheet.

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A new tool F-14 in 1/48 with accurate lines and intakes would be truly incredible. I already have two subjects I would like to build.

Once of them is a Swordsmen Libyan Fitter shootdown!

Looking forward to seeing more Sio.

Cheers,

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A new tool F-14 in 1/48 with accurate lines and intakes would be truly incredible. I already have two subjects I would like to build.

Once of them is a Swordsmen Libyan Fitter shootdown!

Looking forward to seeing more Sio.

Cheers,

YES :woot.gif:/>

They did the R-33 for their MIG-31, imagine an Aim-54A/C withs this level of detail...

10425362_447429135421919_7841488368184395322_n.jpg?oh=2ada14d5e23e33d3ea94dbfc551ea28e&oe=565AEE80

:whistle:

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YES :woot.gif:/>/>

They did the R-33 for their MIG-31, imagine an Aim-54A/C withs this level of detail...

10425362_447429135421919_7841488368184395322_n.jpg?oh=2ada14d5e23e33d3ea94dbfc551ea28e&oe=565AEE80

:whistle:/>

Good post, here's to hoping they make the 1/48 F-14 equivalent of the Tamiya F-16C!

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Could not agree more, to be honest I am fed up of seeing those skull and bones on the first issue of a new Tomcat by a model company.

Have a peek at what loki said in another thread about target audience

(post #80) I'm sure the same applies for Sio and AMK.

"At present the most voracious market is in China hence the fact that we must appeal to them foremost. I am sorry but we don't have the money to be choosy about what we make. However, my home market is your home market and I will be pushing hard for things "we" or rather "you" want. Once sales are looking good and the process honed better then we will start to look at some nice kits that we in the EU and Americas would like. There are some exciting ideas being suggested and we will definitely look at those.

We just ask that you have some patience whilst we build the brand."

Like it or not, the Bones sell.. most of the modellers here are already "hooked". The model companies don't need to reel you in because they know you will buy it if the product is good.. and you will go out and get the aftermarket decals/accessories to tweak your model the way you want. They are looking to catch the eye of new customers and new modellers who might not be familiar with aftermarket stuff..

Although I'm not living in China, I fall into that target audience and I can safely say that I would choose something cool looking like VF-84/103 markings over the Swordsmen/Tophatters/Bounty Hunters/Wolfpack etc etc (which ARE all cool squadrons as well, and I"m sure lots of people love them just as much as the Jolly Rogers!)

It's sorta like asking some kid if he would rather have a New York Yankees cap or uumm..a San Diego Padres one (as an example)

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For most hard core modelers the decal options should not make much of a difference. Most folks on this website are aware of aftermarket decal options and will seek them if necessary. If the kit is quality the hard core modeler will buy it, regardless of the decals (although quality decals of a lesser done subject would be a bonus.) On the other hand, a more causal modeler will usually just build what's in the box and buy based on box art. So from a manufacturer's point of view, why limit your appeal to a narrow audience that will probably not base their decision on decal options?

FWIW, I hate the Yankees too, but I understand their broad appeal to casual fans. The anology was spot on.

Edited by graves_09
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Yeah, I almost never use kit decals because the aftermarket is so alive. I have ridiculous stacks of Fightertown and Furball Aero sheets I will probably never have enough models to use. The last time I used kit decals on a Tomcat was the 1/32 Tamiya '94 version F-14A, and I was grousing the entire time because the kit represented such a narrow period (and the crew's gear was entirely another) and I didn't have the cash to spend on conversions to anything else. And I'll admit, I ended up using the VF-84 option because it was the least hideous of the three in the box, and one of the few VF-84 schemes I find attractive.

I don't dislike the skull and bones. VF-103 is one of my favorite squadrons. It just seems like everyone not in the know has this idea that VF-84 is somehow a legendary elite squadron. I remember a story relayed to me by a pilot from VFA-102 who was taking a trip on an airliner. The guy sitting next to him got very excited to learn he was an aviator and thought he was with the Jolly Rogers. The pilot had to tell him, no, he was with the Diamondbacks, and the man was immediately unimpressed.

Won't really matter to me what decals they put in the box, I guess. If that R-33 is any indicator of the detail we will see in the F-14 kit, I'll buy them until I am broke... which might get me two... lol.

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YES :woot.gif:/>/>

They did the R-33 for their MIG-31, imagine an Aim-54A/C withs this level of detail...

10425362_447429135421919_7841488368184395322_n.jpg?oh=2ada14d5e23e33d3ea94dbfc551ea28e&oe=565AEE80

If that R-33 is any indicator of the detail we will see in the F-14 kit, I'll buy them until I am broke... which might get me two... lol.

Sure! :D :D

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