Victory 105 - VF103 F-14B (from AMK F-14D) 1/48

[Red Dog]

Hello gents,

 

This will be my first ever group build participation, I usually am always off with project and GB dates but as I found this one I was in the process of building 3 tomcats in 1/48

 

The first two are started already: a Tamiya and another AMK. They were built side by side comparing Tamiya and AMK approach from a building point of view 🙂

The Tamiya is already completed as an inflight VF-84 F-14A

The AMK is in progress as a VF-2 F-14D

Both the above ones are out of the GB as they were started somewhere late 2020 unfortunately.

Luckily I have another box which is un-started and meant to be converted from a F-14D to a F-14B of VF-103

And this one meets the GB criteria 🙂

 

Model: AMK F-14D

Decals: Fightertown Decals: Tomcats at War Pt3 48086 & Fightertown Decals Tomcats stencils 48087

F-14B conversion: bits from the scrap box from old Hasegawa Tomcats

Diorama: on the shuttle, checking flight controls (pilots and flight deck)

 

Hopefully I will get close enough to something like this:

 

[Red Dog]

Unusual but I wanted to paint first 🙂

So I assembled the wings and painted the red under moving surfaces, assembled intake ramps (subsonic) and mated them to the bottom surface, assembled the beaver tail with closed speedbrakes and the tails.

I'll work separately on these sub assemblies until they need to be glued together. I know it's a risk but the kit fit is pretty good except maybe at the top junction between the rear cockpit fuselage and the back fuselage. but I accept to reword that area at latter stage.

 

All the top surfaces received a coat of MRP-105 as base color after a black preshading. I then sprinkled some salt and sprayed MRP smoke (MRP271) which I heavily diluted with Mr color leveling thinner. 

 

 

 

After the subtle smoke/salt, I painted some panels or panel lines with a lighter grey: MRP 97

 

 

MRP97 is also the colour used for the cockpit section sides.
The separation between the two grey is still quite noticeable in front of the windscreen but I'll work that out some more. I closed the AAR door and decide to leave it as it is. If it bothers me too much later i can fill the seam with superglue and re engrave it.

 

Steps and ladder doors were just closed before painting

 

 

The wings received the same treatment. One will have the spoilers up and the other the spoiler down as I want to show the moment flight controls are checked just before launch. Both will be dirty with flaps and slats down. 

[FASTEAGLE107]

Thank ou for sharing. Gorgeous paint job !  Is this Fightertown decals sheet still available? Can't find it in europe.

[Thadeus]

Nice, is the fit that good, or are You planning on touch ups later?

[Red Dog]

IMHO, the fit will not be a problem except maybe at one spot.

 

Just like the Tamiya, this one basically assemble itself and stay assembled in dryfit. Sanding should be kept to a minimum.

Here's a dryfit with green arrows for perfect fit and the junction that may create issue in red. 

 

From my testing, it appears that the red area is a problem only if something prevents the top and bottom fuselage to be pressed correctly.
Most of the time, the intake ramps are the problem and if you lose a bit of space in there you'll pay it at the red arrow.

The other possible issue is if the cockpit is not slide completely into the one piece fuselage, the rear small bulkhead of the nose gear well may conflict with the rear bottom fuselage preventing a good fit.

 

I'd say most of the time the intake ramps are the issue. we will see how I managed mine 🙂 but for the rest I am pretty confident there will be no touch up needed except at that possible red arrow area 🙂

[eraucubsfan]

Great job Red ! 

[Red Dog]

Thank you.

 

On 2/21/2021 at 7:57 PM, FASTEAGLE107 said:

 Is this Fightertown decals sheet still available? Can't find it in europe.

Got mine from Hannants before they closed sales to the old continent. But they are out of stock for now.

[Red Dog]

Continuing to paint the sub assemblies, I made the anti-slip walkway on the top of the intakes:

 

 

trying out a new product for that. I usually use Rust Oleum texturized paint but this is way too thick for 1/48. So when I found out this product I immediately thought about walkways and thermal coating for US navy bombs.
Using the decal as templates, I masked the walkways and applied a bit of paste in the center.

 

Then using an old brush I painted the walkway texture.

 

The product remains liquid long enough but is very elastic once dry, so masks should be removed as quickly as possible otherwise it may lift from the plastic on mask removal. That's usually not a big deal as it easily mate back to the plastic and offer an irregular walkway pattern simulating tear.

If texture is found to be too coarse, it can be sanded a bit.

 

Walkways were quickly painted with Gunship grey before masks removal and then the edges were fading in with the fuselage base colour. Still some more work required but I will leave that for later paint corrosion control. 

 

 

 

[crackerjazz]

Big fan of your action displays and realistic final products, Red Dog! : )    Excited to see what magic you work into your F-14s : ) 

[Red Dog]

On 2/23/2021 at 5:24 PM, crackerjazz said:

Big fan of your action displays and realistic final products, Red Dog! : )    Excited to see what magic you work into your F-14s : ) 

Thanks mate. This one might be a bit less dynamic than usual. Hopefully the catapult pose will help in that matter a bit... 🙂

 

Work continued on basic sub assemblies.
Bottom fuselage has been assembled with intake trunks, boat tail with closed speed brake, engine trunks and intake doors.
The whole was preshaded in black then painted with MRP-38 

 

 

Tails were also assembled, pre shaded in black, painted with MRP-241 and spot post shaded with a lighter tint and immediately decaled, this is always a great motivation factor. I must say, these FighterTown Decals are great. Super thin and sliding perfectly with absolutely no carrier film visible.

 

 

The MRP-241 painted bladders received some shadows (MRP Smoke) and highlights (XF-57 Buff)

 

And the reason why I wanted to start painting before assembling was to be able to weather the inner top and bottom wings before attaching them on their respective spars

 

 

This was done with Starship filth hand brushed in the pivot direction. 
Note the tail flap colored grey higher than the full flap position and scratched through the red simulating the friction of the moving parts
(Yes I lost an hinge ...)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[FASTEAGLE107]

Very realisitic paint job on the tails. Starship filth is the perfect product to render the USN jets worn/salt effect.

 

[Mr.Happy]

Red Dog,

 

Sweet build on the AMK CAT.

 

Looking forward to your completion.

 

Best of luck,

 

Mr. Happy 

[Curt B]

Wow, super cool work so far, Red!  I am really impressed!  I hope my F-14s look half as good as yours!