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Tamiya F-14A decals


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I believe i asked this before but cant find the post, but can the hi-viz VF-1 bird be built from the box? If not are there any aftermarket decals out of there, ive only found one furball sheet and its sold out everywhere...

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A small handful of (late) block 85 Tomcats equipped VF-1 in the late "hi-vis" days, circa 1976-77. 

 

Here's one (note the gun vent)...sorry, I don't know the BuNo.

 

Rich

 

edit: oops, I'll have to post the picture later.

Edited by RichB63
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If you can find some pictures, look to see if the alpha probe is present on the tip of the nose. The first few jets with the gun vent like in the picture and on the Tamiya kit didn't have that probe on the nose, but rather a pointed tip. That tip is in the Tamiya kit and is used on the VF-2 markings. Have fun with the VF-1 markings. It's one of the best looking schemes on a Tomcat.

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From the Big E's 1976-1977 cruise. "Wichitas 103 & 106" with the later gun vents and, it appears, no alpha probes on their (all white) radomes, suggesting late Block 85 birds. If this is the case, then BuNo's would be in the 159612 to 159637 range. I wish I could be more specific.

 

Surely, someone out there must know!

 

IMG_9334_zps0z0ahaqc.jpg

 

Edited by RichB63
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Getting back to the OP's questions regarding decal availability...

 

Microscale just released a couple of Tomcat sheets in 1/48 scale:

 

AC48-0044, which includes early Wolfpack markings http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=AC48-0044&Store_Code=MD&search=F-14&offset=&filter_cat=&PowerSearch_Begin_Only=&sort=&range_low=&range_high=

 

And AC48-0039, a full data and stencil suite for "hi-vis" birds (Turkeys?) http://www.microscale.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=AC48-0039&Store_Code=MD&search=F-14&offset=&filter_cat=&PowerSearch_Begin_Only=&sort=&range_low=&range_high=

 

At first glance, these appear to be re-releases of sheets they did back in 1979. But in fact, they are all new and done to a higher fidelity (see my pictures below).

 

159461, "Wichita 115," is a Block 80 bird. So it sports a standard "beaver tail" (as Tamiya depicts) and the early radome tip (again, as provided by Tamiya).

 

An out-of-the-box build is not quite possible however, owing to the early cannon vents panel. But Darren (Steel Beach) offers a replacement piece!

 

So there's one option for you early Wolfpack fans...

 

IMG_9335_zpsm9ua8scm.jpg

 

IMG_9336_zpsohlcnmgn.jpg

 

IMG_9338_zpsvttcxrzp.jpg

 

IMG_9339_zpsd4ay7hca.jpg

 

 

 

 

Edited by RichB63
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Anybody know the backseater name for 106, cant quite make it out...

 

also the leading edges of the wings and vert stabs looks to be fiberglass or sonething other than bare metal, any ideas?

Edited by Brian 1
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10 hours ago, Brian 1 said:

Anybody know the backseater name for 106, cant quite make it out...

 

also the leading edges of the wings and vert stabs looks to be fiberglass or sonething other than bare metal, any ideas?

I see what you mean about the leading edges. In fact, it looks as if VF-2's jets have the leading edges painted in Gull Gray. 

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14 hours ago, Brian 1 said:

Anybody know the backseater name for 106, cant quite make it out...

 

also the leading edges of the wings and vert stabs looks to be fiberglass or sonething other than bare metal, any ideas?

 

RIO's name possibly....LTJG BOB ALSTON. 

This is a guess based upon the squadron roster shown in the cruise book http://www.navysite.de/cruisebooks/cvn65-76/178.htm

 

Rich

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