Jump to content

CD48168 - 1/48 F-14 Tomcat - The Early Years


Recommended Posts

 This one is almost fully baked - I should be able to post the final draft in a couple of days or so. Markings for prototypes and early test & evaluation examples similar to the other sheets in the "Early Years" series. With this sheet, I have covered prototypes for all important US "teen fighters": F-14, F-15, F-16 and F-18.

 

The options on the sheet are:

-F-14A BuNo. 157980 No.1 (really short-lived, I know)

-F-14A BuNo. 157991 No.1/X (NASA 991 markings)

-F-14A BuNo. 157981 No.2

-F-14A BuNo. 157982 No.3

-F-14A BuNo. 157983 No.4

-F-14A BuNo. 157984 No.5

-F-14A BuNo. 157985 No.6

-F-14A BuNo. 157987 No.8

-F-14A BuNo. 157988 No.9 Naval Missile Center

-F-14A BuNo. 158612 NATC

-F-14A BuNo. 158616 Patuxent River

-F-14A BuNo. 158619 Patuxent River

 

 

Edited by KursadA
Link to post
Share on other sites

Cool!

 

The modex /nose number that is slanted font, is it "321", or "123" ? or did they do it like that on purpose? Same with the "68" , "86".

 

 

Edited by 82Whitey51
Link to post
Share on other sites
30 minutes ago, 82Whitey51 said:

The modex /nose number that is slanted font, is it "321", or "123" ? or did they do it like that on purpose? Same with the "68" , "86".


I believe those are meant to be individual tail numbers (1, 2, 3) not grouped modex numbers (123)

 

.

Edited by habu2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Totally awesome!:thumbsup:

 

So many options that I really hoped to see some day.

I have the early years F-15 sheet, hoping to build one. I have the early years Hornet sheet, more as a collector than really hoping to build one.

But from this one, I'll build several if live long enough.

 

Thank you, Kursad.:thumbsup2: 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for the comments! As Habu mentioned, the larger numbers 1,2,3,6 and 8 are the 25-inch tall aircraft numbers painted on the tails of the first few prototypes.  The “sigmoid” (shaped like a slanted S) was on one of the NATC aircraft (158619).

 

The bottom half of the sheet was designed to be a future high-vis F-14 stencilling sheet in the Basics line that I will release separately sometime later as I expand my Tomcat line-up.

 

Many of these jets have simple markings and are well documented, so I am pretty sure I got everything right. However, please take a careful look and let me know if you see anything. A couple things that you may ask about: The modex “200” seems to be slanted to the left on both sides of 158612. The additional national insignia is there because some prototypes curiously have been photographed with a national insignia on the under both wings.

 

The 1/72 version is also in the works, and should be finished soon.

Edited by KursadA
Link to post
Share on other sites
6 hours ago, KursadA said:

Thanks for the comments! As Habu mentioned, the larger numbers 1,2,3,6 and 8 are the 25-inch tall aircraft numbers painted on the tails of the first few prototypes.  The “sigmoid” (shaped like a slanted S) was on one of the NATC aircraft (158619).

 

Ahhh...OK, thanks for the "gouge". 🤙

Link to post
Share on other sites
2 hours ago, sierrascale said:

I believe the sigmoid S designated NATC Service Test. Yet another (not complaining) must-have sheet for test and eval fans.

 

 

Hi Bob,

 

Does that mean it read "S" on both sides? If so, I need to correct the design and make both sides identical. I was not able to find a port-side photo.

Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, KursadA said:

 

Hi Bob,

 

Does that mean it read "S" on both sides? If so, I need to correct the design and make both sides identical. I was not able to find a port-side photo.

Yes, "S" both sides, for Systems Test (corrected above.) NATC also used a stylized "W" for Weapons Test. 

Link to post
Share on other sites
43 minutes ago, sierrascale said:

Yes, "S" both sides, for Systems Test (corrected above.) NATC also used a stylized "W" for Weapons Test. 

 

Thanks, I will correct the S markings to be identical for both sides (as opposed to the mirror image they are now). This is why I post the drafts here before anything goes to print...

Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, pookie said:

Are I and II included in this sheet?

 

I listed all of the options on the sheet above. Not sure whether you mean aircraft 11 or aircraft 2 with "II", but aircraft #1X (the photo you attached in your post) and aircraft 2 are included.

Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, KursadA said:

I am redesigning this sheet to make it even stronger - stay tuned. PMTC and Phoenix missile test markings, some new optional details, etc.

 

 

Cool. I think stencils are sort of redundant, every kit has a good amount of it.

 

The F14B Super tomcat ( white and red) would be awesome to have as well.

 

Also, I didn't see the slanted 1 and 2 (II) on the sheet which is why I was asking about those two.

Edited by pookie
Link to post
Share on other sites
On 6/21/2020 at 1:18 PM, KursadA said:

The additional national insignia is there because some prototypes curiously have been photographed with a national insignia on the under both wings.


#3 (982) had the star/bar on the top and bottom of both wings, so a total of six insignia would be needed. I can send pics if needed, or just search for the infamous pic of the asymmetric wing sweep test. 

Link to post
Share on other sites
22 minutes ago, pookie said:

Also, I didn't see the slanted 1 and 2 (II) on the sheet which is why I was asking about those two.

 

Please note the giant slanted 1 right underneath "Naval Air Test Center" 🙂 . Aircraft number 2 was marked with "2" and not slanted II (which was applied to aircraft number 11 (BuNo. 157990). I will try to include that on the sheet as well, all it needs is a BuNo. and the slanted "II".

 

 

 

Edited by KursadA
Link to post
Share on other sites
1 minute ago, habu2 said:


#3 (982) had the star/bar on the top and bottom of both wings, so a total of six insignia would be needed. I can send pics if needed, or just search for the infamous pic of the asymmetric wing sweep test. 

 

Yeah, I noticed - part of the reasons for the redesign. I had to include a second, black insert for the striping anyway, so I am going to move all the BuNo.s and black modex numbers to the insert to add the new markings.

Link to post
Share on other sites
44 minutes ago, KursadA said:

I had to include a second, black insert for the striping anyway, so I am going to move all the BuNo.s and black modex numbers to the insert to add the new markings.


Does this refer to the thin photo calibration/reference stripes that run the length of the fuselage on some of the jets?

Edited by habu2
Link to post
Share on other sites
On 6/22/2020 at 11:54 PM, KursadA said:

 

Please note the giant slanted 1 right underneath "Naval Air Test Center". It is situated right to the left of a giant 2; which, as a fascinating mathematical coincidence, the next integer after 1.  :-). Aircraft number 2 was marked with "2" and not slanted II (which was applied to aircraft number 11 (BuNo. 157990). 

 

 

 

 

I saw it, but I could not find enough to do this one:

 

EDIT:

 

The (II) is completely different from 1, maybe that's why.

 

 

 

 

Edited by pookie
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...