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Targeting pod for F-14D in 1/72


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I am thinking about forthcoming F-14D from GWH, which seems to be beautiful kit, but without any A2G ordnance or pods. Following that I am going to use some resin aftermarkets available, but the problem is the targeting pod.

I know F-14D used LANTIRN AN/AAQ-25 pod, which is, as far as I know, not available in resin nor plastic.

Is it possible to use Eduard’s LITENING AAQ-28 pod, or maybe there is some other proper for F-14D targeting device available on the market?

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2 hours ago, Skull Leader said:

they tested with an ALQ-14 in 1995 before creating a pod that combined the two

 

So this pod is not suitable for operational aircraft.
What about AAQ-28? Eduard has got this resin available.

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1 hour ago, Solo said:

 

So this pod is not suitable for operational aircraft.
What about AAQ-28? Eduard has got this resin available.

No, the pods are different. The -28 has a straight air scoop while the -25 has an angled air scoop among other shape differences.

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I know the differences, but according to some source, this AAQ-28 has been used by F-14D.
Am I wrong? If so, I do believe there are no suitable targeting pods for operational F-14D available?

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2 hours ago, Solo said:

I know the differences, but according to some source, this AAQ-28 has been used by F-14D.
Am I wrong? If so, I do believe there are no suitable targeting pods for operational F-14D available?

No, the -28 was never used on the Tomcat.

 

I can't remember off the top of my head when the Litening Pod was cleared on the Hornet but it was only a few years before the Tomat retired and to my knowledge they were not even tested since the Tomcat was retiring and already had the Lantrin. I never saw any flight clearances for Litening Pod's on Tomcat's and part of my job was to track all weapon/store fleet flight clearances for all USN/USMC platforms.

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Haven’t thought about this in years but IIRC only the LANTIRN targeting pod (TGP AN/AAQ-14 ) was ever used operationally on the F-14, and the AAQ-14 was modded with improved targeting capabilites for use on the Tomcat

 

LANTIRN system was a pair of pods, the AAQ-13 was the Low Altitude Navigation pod (LANtirn) and the AAQ-14 was the Targeting InfraRed Night pod (lanTIRN), together they were LANTIRN. Since the F-14 only needed the targeting capability they only used the AAQ-14 half of the system. Since the mods were fairly extensive and the timing of availability of newer pods vs the impending retirement of the airframe, I doubt anything newer was ever integrated. 

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External appearance and in plastic AAQ-14 and AAQ-25 pods are practically the same. You're completely fixated on the designation and electronics which don't matter and maybe the stencil data which at 1/72 couldn't even be read.

Edited by Inquisitor
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The LANTIRN targeting pod for the F-14 was designated as the AN/AAQ-25.  The LANTIRN targeting pod for the USAF and other users was designated as the AN/AAQ-14.  There were slight modifications of the AN/AAQ-14 for Navy usage to include a panel in the rear cockpit.

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Ok, so now I understand that -25 and -14 do not differ externally and I can use AAQ-14 for F-14D.

Thankfully, I forgot I have got Fine Molds weapon set with AAQ-25, so I can use it.

It is funny, I have always thought those weapon set is so bad I will never use it.

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5 hours ago, Solo said:

Any picture of F-14D with AAQ-14? According to Skull Leader this pod has never been used on operational aircraft.

 

For what its worth, from Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LANTIRN#/media/File:F-14D_LANTIRN.jpg

States its cropped from a pic of a VF-213 F-14D. The article goes on to say that the pod used on F-14s was a modified version. So, technically I suppose you could say the the AAQ-14 was never used and the pic is of an AAQ-25. :dontknow:

 

Edit: actually, if you Google "LANTIRN F-14" you get quite a few pics of F-14D's with LANTIRN pods.

Edited by Mstor
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2 hours ago, Solo said:

LANTIRN for F-14D it is AAQ-25, not AAQ-14. See 2 posts above.

 

Yea, I refer to that in my post. If you Google "AAQ-25 F-14" you get the same pics as when you Google "LANTIRN F-14". I guess that technically it an LTS pod (LANTIRN Targeting System), which is a modified LANTIRN. As far as I can see, they look the same as the AAQ-14. So, from a modeling standpoint, if it is a pic of a "LANTIRN" on an F-14, it is an AAQ-25.

That does make you correct though :thumbsup:. The AAQ-14 was not used on F-14s. For modeling purposes, it really doesn't make any difference though, does it? :whistle:

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8 hours ago, LaunchRanger said:

The LANTIRN targeting pod for the F-14 was designated as the AN/AAQ-25.  The LANTIRN targeting pod for the USAF and other users was designated as the AN/AAQ-14.  There were slight modifications of the AN/AAQ-14 for Navy usage to include a panel in the rear cockpit.

 

I knew the AAQ-14 had been modded/upgraded but did not know about the redesignation to AAQ-25. Interesting. 

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4 hours ago, Skull Leader said:

it's a misnomer, but most people still usually call it the -14.

 

(smart people looking to avoid a banal argument about semantics just call it a LANTIRN and move on... probably the best idea here too.)

 

Wise advice. LANTIRN it is!

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4 hours ago, joscasle said:

Problem?

 

Eagle Designs makes an AAQ-14 with either F-15 or F-16 pylons. You'd still need to source the F-14 pylon from Fine Molds or Hasegawa.

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