john53 Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 (edited) In this picture why does NK 103 have the panel lines below the rear cockpit enhanced with what looks like a drafting pencil? None of the others look like that.---John F-14As VF-1-VF-2 on Enterprise 1975 by jvandeu53, on Flickr Edited January 9, 2017 by john53 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ishthe47guy Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 That's most likely leftover tape the maintainers use to seal the panels during a aircraft wash. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bushande Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 19 hours ago, Stefan buysse said: Hi, That's pretty cool. Speaking of No 1...I had a look at the prototypes in "Tomcat Alley" the other day. It's probably just a trick of the light, but it seems like the upper surface of the flap on 157980 is LGG and not white. I also followed your link to that 1/32 scale inflight diorama of VF-1 Tomcat launching a Phoenix. Awesome work. Cheers, Stefan. Thanks a lot Stefan, happy if it is still liked. As said, today I would do a crap load way differently. Anyways, your observation on the upper surface control panels in LGG on 7980 is actually rather a trick of light. I got shots of her roll out where it is clearly visible that 7980 has the standard white panels as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bushande Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 (edited) 8 hours ago, john53 said: 103 is 158990 and 106 is 158981. Aren't they block 70?---John I would assume, this shot has rather been taken during the 76/77 cruise. Which means that these were already other birds. Quote Also is it possible to backdate the Tamiya 1/32 Black Knights kit to a 80s bird? Are the early parts still in the box or I need resin? You can rework it but it needs more extras and changes than the 1980s edition of the kit. They included the fuselage halfes with the late NACCA gun grills and the beaver tail has the ECM blister. Edited January 9, 2017 by bushande Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stefan buysse Posted February 3, 2017 Share Posted February 3, 2017 Hi, Does anyone know when the "Original glove fairing with long outboard fences" was replaced by the "Modified glove fairing with short outboard fences"? The Aerospace Publishing book says the first one with the short fences was 158978 (first Block 70). I'm considering as a future project the first Tomcat delivered to VF-1 (158627), it would be an opportunity to use Steel Beach's original muzzle. Cheers, Stefan. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Darren Roberts Posted February 3, 2017 Share Posted February 3, 2017 1 hour ago, Stefan buysse said: Hi, Does anyone know when the "Original glove fairing with long outboard fences" was replaced by the "Modified glove fairing with short outboard fences"? The Aerospace Publishing book says the first one with the short fences was 158978 (first Block 70). I'm considering as a future project the first Tomcat delivered to VF-1 (158627), it would be an opportunity to use Steel Beach's original muzzle. Cheers, Stefan. I know the first production Tomcats had the standard fairing, which is referenced as the "modified" one. I believe the last couple (one?) prototypes had it as well. I know I've seen shots of what appear to be production aircraft with the short gun muzzle. I know of VF-1, VX-4, and VF-124. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anj4de Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Hello all Is this Fightertown decal sheet the latest and greatest on the subject? VF-1 Wolfpack 1973-1978 - Complete - 48014 I think to remember that some new decal sheets specially around the Tamiya cat were about to come out...but maybe wrong. thanks Uwe Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stefan buysse Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 8 hours ago, anj4de said: Hello all Is this Fightertown decal sheet the latest and greatest on the subject? VF-1 Wolfpack 1973-1978 - Complete - 48014 I think to remember that some new decal sheets specially around the Tamiya cat were about to come out...but maybe wrong. thanks Uwe Hi, Uwe. Yes, I'd say that's the one to get if you want to build one of these Tomcats. I haven't heard about this sheet being resized for the Tamiya Tomcat yet. It has been reissued a couple of times. There is a "48-014R" version, which is the latest and greatest but the difference with the "48-014" version is really minor. I believe it's just that the "F-14A" above the BuNo was too big on the main sheet of "48-014" and the correct size on "48-014R". Even then I have a "48-014" version with a tiny correction sheet with a correct size "F-14A". Cheers, Stefan. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aigore Posted May 31, 2017 Share Posted May 31, 2017 I'm actually in full swing with the VF-1 first cruise kitty.....sorry no build thread since I started it at our modellers summer camp last weekend and well since the buildability of that particular Tamyia gem is outstanding I got pretty far. https://postimg.org/image/vb678gxbn/ I'm using the boat tail with the dielectric panels in place. IRST pod 7 grill gun vent Haven't decided on an individual yet but #102 or #101 seems like likely candidates. Quick question, can I do them without extra tanks and the extra tank fittings? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bushande Posted September 20, 2017 Share Posted September 20, 2017 On 31.5.2017 at 8:50 PM, Aigore said: Quick question, can I do them without extra tanks and the extra tank fittings? YES! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aigore Posted September 20, 2017 Share Posted September 20, 2017 12 minutes ago, bushande said: YES! Nice...that's the way I did it :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aigore Posted September 20, 2017 Share Posted September 20, 2017 Finished product :P Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john53 Posted September 21, 2017 Share Posted September 21, 2017 (edited) Still just a wee bit confused on the Phoenix pallets. They were lifted aboard with the pallets on but the pic of 103 looks like they were removed? So I can safely assume that 103 had no pallets, cut out dielectric panels in the boat tail, ALQ 100 chin pod, and just 2 sidewinders? The pic of 103 looks almost like an IR seeker chin pod, I just can't see the details that well. Definitely no external fuel tanks or pylons for them.---John Edited September 21, 2017 by john53 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bushande Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 (edited) First off @aigore: Excellent build! My highest respect to your talent! @john53. I think you are pushing yourself too much about details here that are not worth to be taken too seriously. Esspecially in regards to those first VF-1 cruise jets you actually have all the freedom you want as changes and alterations had been made very frequently before, during and even after the cruise. Those Phoenix pallets are supposed to be removable equipment on the jet, i.e. those pieces are actually required to be taken off and on frequently depending on the mission profile to be flown. So one day you would see "your" particular jet with pallets strapped on and the next day you'd see the same jet without pallets standing on deck in order to acomodate AIM-7s in the wells that otherwise would have been covered by the pallets, just to see the pallets yet again being put on the day after that because the next mission profile would require AIM-54s to be loaded. Same goes for the IRST /ALQ combo: IRST was supposed to be a real treat but proved to be too unreliable and icky in use in those early days. It turned out to be useless drag and was rather quickly removed and stowed away during the 74/75 cruise. You would see most of the jets embarking with the IRST, and the longer in the cruise you would see the thing disappear from one jet after the other just leaving the ALQ100. Just after the cruise back at Miramar you would see the thing reappear occassionaly again. Most of the jets seem to have embarked with dialectic panels on theboat tail while many jets seem to have gone off the boat again with the dialectic panels removed. While there are shots of many VF-1 and -2 birds with the panels still on the tail on deck, most shots seem to show the jets without the dialectic panels already rather early into the cruise, i.e. they seem to have gone pretty quickly. I do have some nice shots showing VF-1 and -2 bird with the old finned tanks strapped on, sitting on the catapult and if you check the cruise book you can also find some B/W shots of birds of both squadrons with tanks on but I concurr; due to the issues upon a potential drop and the scarcity plus potential aerodynamic restrictions they seem to have been a rather rare occurence. Another factor in those early service days was, that there just wasn't enough available to equip all jets equally, i.e. crews were forced to switch back and forth between the jets. Grumman had already their fair share of problems with the bird itself and costs running into a proclaimed limbo, the first thing that suffered was provision of additional parts around the airframe, at least that is what congessional reports indicate. Hence you would see tanks, IRST etc. put on one modex today and the same stuff strapped to another ship the next day. You just depict your jet in whatever fashion you like and it will be most likely something you would have seen on the real deal at some point. Edited September 22, 2017 by bushande Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john53 Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 Thanks for the info, and BTW I am not really pushing anything. Just want to be as accurate as possible, that's all.---John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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