Jump to content

Recommended Posts

I need your help.
I remember a thread about the three different styles of Tomcat main wheels but I cannot locate it despite having searched through all F-14 threads since last fall.

Last weekend I tried modifying a set of Tamiya main wheels with half of the white metal hubs from a Hasegawa F-14, but now I have my doubts as to whether or not I used the correct wheel hubs.

 

Can someone help me out here?

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Jens

Link to post
Share on other sites

Jens,

In order to pick a wheel, you need to know the time frame of the jet you are modeling. Like you said there are three different styles, which style you should use depends on the variant and time frame.

 

Left to right, YF-14A prototype, F-14D and, F-14A / B.

 

IMG_5494_zpsplgjekzk.jpg

 

Steve

Link to post
Share on other sites

Let's try these descriptions again as nothing above is totally accurate. 

 

1. Far left is F-14A only, from prototype until late 1970s. They remained in the system until late 1981 but by 1980 were in very small quantities. 

 

2 Middle. Standard F-14A/B/D wheel beginning late 1970's thru early 2000. (Possibly 1977 but for sure by 1978 and was same time tail stiffeners came out - The first picture I have of it was early 1978.) They would first go on new production jets and then work their way into the system in the fleet. 

 

3 Far right. All F-14A/B/D starting in 1994, possibly earlier. And at the end of the Tomcats life, most but not all B/Ds were using it. Brake hubs were produced by a Danish company starting in 2004 and I believe was the first foreign part made for the Tomcat. I remember a fleet memo about it because the current system was wearing out too fast and there weren't enough spare parts in the system to last until the Tomcats retirement.  

Edited by Brian P: Fightertown Decals
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 5 years later...

I went back and corrected my info. I was wrong about the late wheel. It was on all models - A/B/D and came out much earlier than I had written. First ones I saw were in 1994, but they were probably in the fleet earlier than that. 
 

brian 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Jens,

 i have some really nice Cutting Edge resin wheels and a set of Hase cast wheels with rubber tires you're welcome to. Let me know and I’ll ship ‘em. Iowe you guys since I bummed a Danish AF jumper at Karup!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...