Darren Roberts Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 I was at the Tamiya HQ yesterday and one of their staff told me that the sample is partially made with 3D-printed parts because not all of the molds are ready. With that in mind, are they able to add details to the already existing molds? I'm thinking tail stiffener plates. There aren't any in the pictures, but there were two types later on. I guess that's the big question. Can more detail be added or are what we see in the sprue shots it? Link to post Share on other sites
toadwbg Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 I was at the Tamiya HQ yesterday and one of their staff told me that the sample is partially made with 3D-printed parts because not all of the molds are ready. I'm traveling to Tokyo Monday myself. Do I need to stop by the Corporate offices and straiten things out? Truth be told, this will be my first trip to Japan. I better leave room in my luggage to bring home some kits Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 I'm traveling to Tokyo Monday myself. Do I need to stop by the Corporate offices and straiten things out? :smiley-transport006:/> Truth be told, this will be my first trip to Japan. I better leave room in my luggage to bring home some kits :costumed-smiley-047:/> Be safe and have fun! I can't even imagine traveling to Japan. I'm pretty much a stay where I am kind of guy. Link to post Share on other sites
john53 Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 (edited) I am currently looking at a 30th anneversary Top Gun F-14A myself. I am guessing this is not appropriate for the '86 time frame? If I did buy the new Tamiya kit what would be needed to update it to a proper Maverick bird? Different boat tail and gun vents? I guess I could just revert to the good old Revell 1/48 kit. Thanks---John Edited May 15, 2016 by john53 Link to post Share on other sites
Type 40 Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 Truth be told, this will be my first trip to Japan. I better leave room in my luggage to bring home some kits :costumed-smiley-047:/>/>/>/> Hehe - I went there for the first time a couple of years ago... I actually had to buy a second suitcase whilst I was there in order to get my haul home! Thank god kits aren't really heavy, just bulky: exceeding your luggage weight allowance can be expensive. Ask me how I know... ;)/>/>/> Link to post Share on other sites
Type 40 Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 Be safe and have fun! I can't even imagine traveling to Japan. I'm pretty much a stay where I am kind of guy. Mate, you should reconsider - Japan is amazing! It's a completely alien culture to what you're used to at home, but that's half the fun; combine it with amazing infrastructure (300km/hr trains!), terrific food, and possibly the most courteous people on Earth, and you've got an experience you'll never forget. Get over there! :D/> Oh, and did I mention that pretty much every second shop is a hobby store? :woo:/> Link to post Share on other sites
a4s4eva Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 I've always wanted to do an Iranian Tomcat, this kit might be the ticket. Anyone make decals anymore for an Iranian cat? I know there used to be some sheets out there. Didn't one the recent Fightertown sheets have an Iranian F-14 sheet? I like their original (Asia minor?) scheme as well Link to post Share on other sites
DarkKnight Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 I was at the Tamiya HQ yesterday and one of their staff told me that the sample is partially made with 3D-printed parts because not all of the molds are ready. after all these years still not ready? I bet the AMK gets here first Link to post Share on other sites
Parabat Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 Didn't one the recent Fightertown sheets have an Iranian F-14 sheet? I like their original (Asia minor?) scheme as well Yup, sheet 48077, 'Best of the Best' has the IRIAF F-14A decals Link to post Share on other sites
gtypecanare Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 (edited) after all these years still not ready? I bet the AMK gets here first The designers were pretty busy with the amazing release of some sorta 32nd scale fighter last year... Look how that panned out. Edited May 15, 2016 by gtypecanare Link to post Share on other sites
Craig Baldwin Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 A bit sad how we can see some great releases from different manufacturers and somehow these threads turn into company bashing rhetoric. Link to post Share on other sites
Timvkampen Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 ....AND WILL THIS MEAN THEY SHALL FINALLY UPDATE THEIR FAMOUS AND INFAMOUS 1/32 F-14??? Link to post Share on other sites
MoFo Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 With that in mind, are they able to add details to the already existing molds? I'm thinking tail stiffener plates. There aren't any in the pictures, but there were two types later on. I guess that's the big question. Can more detail be added or are what we see in the sprue shots it? Yes. Injection mold toolings are a negative of the part, so you have to grind away a recess in the steel to add raised details to a part. Which is easy to do. Although my hunch is, they're more likely to leave the tails as-is and do any additional plates as a PE add-on, just like they did with the F-16. It means the kit is accurate for any tail type, and the modeller isn't forced to file away unnecessary details. And Tamiya's main design philosophy is ease of construction. I also suspect that the trees you see at Shizuoka are will be pretty much the same as the final release. They'll refine the surfaces - finish sharpening the edges and polishing the surfaces - and adjust the flow and cooling of the plastic, but modellers probably won't notice any substantial difference between those parts and the finished product. You're not going to suddenly get clear wing tip lights, or a dramatically different cockpit, for instance. Link to post Share on other sites
mlicari Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 A bit sad how we can see some great releases from different manufacturers and somehow these threads turn into company bashing rhetoric. Yeah, no kidding. I always figured having a choice among top manufacturers for a a particular plane would be a good thing! At any rate, not being much of a Tomcat fan, I'm content with the two Monogram kits in my stash! Link to post Share on other sites
B.Sin Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 A bit sad how we can see some great releases from different manufacturers and somehow these threads turn into company bashing rhetoric. Word Link to post Share on other sites
gtypecanare Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 https://thekitbox.wordpress.com/2016/05/15/all-in-a-flap/ Link to post Share on other sites
Falconxlvi Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 https://thekitbox.wordpress.com/2016/05/15/all-in-a-flap/ I completely agree with Spencer's commentary and am ecstatic that Tamiya is going to release a Tomcat! Undoubtedly, it will be easy to build and highly accurate. Thanks for posting the "perspective check"! Link to post Share on other sites
Tom Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 The Californian's? Link to post Share on other sites
B.Sin Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 I completely agree with Spencer's commentary and am ecstatic that Tamiya is going to release a Tomcat! Undoubtedly, it will be easy to build and highly accurate. Thanks for posting the "perspective check"! Word Link to post Share on other sites
Shadrik Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 a question: is there really a need for an additional F-14 in 1:48 scale? What have HB and Hase kits that's not good? :huh:/> Well, the Hasegawakit is pretty long in the tooth now. It's not exactely a shake and bake kit and to bring it to the level of detail that the Tamiya kit will likely offer it needs a load of after market stuff. The HB Tomcat on the other hand is so inaccurate it's not even funny anymore. There is litteraly nothing in that kit that is accurate. And I really mean litteraly. Some things are just a little bit wrong, but most stuff is really wrong. Granted, I am obsessed with the Tomcat so it bothers me a lot. I mean, even the horizontal stabs are completely wrong in shape. It's basically as if someone really really talented made scale drawings based on only photographies and then they made a kit based on those drawings. But even if that were not the case, I would still be very happy about the Tamiya F-14. I like to build the same subject from different manufactures, it's the same aircraft but a different modeling experience. Link to post Share on other sites
jester292 Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 (edited) I'm not sure you know the meaning of literally. And if you want to go down that path, the Hobby Boss 1:48 F-14 has a two man cockpit, just like the real thing. So not everything is "literally" inaccurate. But yeah, pitch forks and torches, because, like, you know, Hobby Boss. Edited May 16, 2016 by jester292 Link to post Share on other sites
Jay Chladek Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 (edited) With that in mind, are they able to add details to the already existing molds? I'm thinking tail stiffener plates. There aren't any in the pictures, but there were two types later on. I guess that's the big question. Can more detail be added or are what we see in the sprue shots it? That will depend on if and when we see a sprue shot whether or not it is still a test shot sprue or a production one. The still have a little development time left. For a targeted release date of September, they would likely need to have everything wrapped up in preparation for production but about a month earlier (August). And by that I mean EVERYTHING from plastic, to box art, to decals, to instructions, to any little extras they might provide (a small photo etch fret perhaps for belts, mirrors and maybe tail stiffener plates). Then they spend the next month ramping up production and getting it all done in quantity so they have product to move to the distributors to fill orders on release day (which we still don't know exactly). That means from this day forward, they have another two to three months to tweak things. At the same time too though, in my experience when Tamiya announces a release date and debut a product like this, then over 90% of the work is done, so any last minute delays don't compromise the announced release date and they have the time required to address them. Chances are whatever production department is working on the Tomcat likely has all the molds cut by now. They are just doing the test shot tweaks to make sure the quality of the product is up to their standards. If they weren't ready, I doubt they would have firmed up a September release date. Edited May 16, 2016 by Jay Chladek Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 (edited) Well, the Hasegawakit is pretty long in the tooth now. It's not exactely a shake and bake kit and to bring it to the level of detail that the Tamiya kit will likely offer it needs a load of after market stuff. The HB Tomcat on the other hand is so inaccurate it's not even funny anymore. There is litteraly nothing in that kit that is accurate. And I really mean litteraly. Some things are just a little bit wrong, but most stuff is really wrong. Granted, I am obsessed with the Tomcat so it bothers me a lot. I mean, even the horizontal stabs are completely wrong in shape. It's basically as if someone really really talented made scale drawings based on only photographies and then they made a kit based on those drawings. But even if that were not the case, I would still be very happy about the Tamiya F-14. I like to build the same subject from different manufactures, it's the same aircraft but a different modeling experience. Hmm, the HB kit beats the Hasegawa kit in regards to cockpit detail. So, there's that. I don't know why people think the HB kit is so bad. I love the Tomcat and I think it's a decent kit. Are there inaccuracies? Yup. But in the end, it's a whole lot easier to build than the Hasegawa kit. I'm sure the Tamiya kit will be even easier. Of course, after building these...see below...anything is easy. BTW, those are all Monogram kits. Edited May 16, 2016 by Darren Roberts Link to post Share on other sites
Manuel J. Armas S. Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 Hmm, the HB kit beats the Hasegawa kit in regards to cockpit detail. So, there's that. I don't know why people think the HB kit is so bad. I love the Tomcat and I think it's a decent kit. Are there inaccuracies? Yup. But in the end, it's a whole lot easier to build than the Hasegawa kit. I'm sure the Tamiya kit will be even easier. Of course, after building these...see below...anything is easy. BTW, those are all Monogram kits. HB wasted their chance to make the best tomcat... Hasegawa is the King, not for so long... but is better than HB... I´m always dream with F-14 from tamiya... AMK is a newer Brand but they want to do the best kit. Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Fondlebottom Posted May 16, 2016 Share Posted May 16, 2016 ....AND WILL THIS MEAN THEY SHALL FINALLY UPDATE THEIR FAMOUS AND INFAMOUS 1/32 F-14??? Considering I'm building the Trumpeter one with Zactoman intakes I think I've done my part to make this happen! Link to post Share on other sites
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