serendip Posted October 5, 2022 Share Posted October 5, 2022 Hi all, I need some expert advice on the following. I'm building an early A in VF2 colours, grey over white. This site below seems to show an A in grey over white with the later type TISEO pod under the chin and also the newer beaver tail - I'm wondering if that's accurate: http://www.anft.net/f-14/f14-squadron-vf002.htm. I thought the paint scheme changed to grey only before these modifications. Any experts that can advise? Below that (on the site above) is also a grey over white D version. Again I'm doubtful if that is accurate. Thanks all. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
scotthldr Posted October 5, 2022 Share Posted October 5, 2022 This explains the ‘D’ To commemorate the event Grumman repainted an a F-14D from VF-2 in the 1970's light gull grey and white camoflage scheme, adding a "25 years-The Cat is Back" logo on the inside of the tails. The second ‘A’ shows the aerodynamic cover that was fitted when the TCS was removed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tomthegrom Posted October 5, 2022 Share Posted October 5, 2022 (edited) The grey over white profile shows the wrong nose pod. The one shown is called TCS not TISEO. The grey over white jet may of had an early IR seeker there but mostly they have the every small alq blister. TCS pods came later. They had them for AIM/ACEVAL which was 1977. When the television camera was removed a bullet shaped fairing was attached in its black. The D has a dual cin pof with side by sirlde TCS and and IR tracker called IRST. As above, yes there was a grey over white D as a special paint job. Lots of photos here showing the white over gray NK tail code jets with the small nose blisters https://www.seaforces.org/usnair/VF/Fighter-Squadron-2.htm Edited October 5, 2022 by tomthegrom Quote Link to post Share on other sites
scotthldr Posted October 6, 2022 Share Posted October 6, 2022 Here’s a picture taken in 1974 of an early F-14 fitted with IR/ALQ-100 chin pod, although it appears the IR sensor has been removed for maintenance, credit Peter Foster Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CF104 Posted October 6, 2022 Share Posted October 6, 2022 18 hours ago, serendip said: Hi all, I need some expert advice on the following. I'm building an early A in VF2 colours, grey over white. This site below seems to show an A in grey over white with the later type TISEO pod under the chin and also the newer beaver tail - I'm wondering if that's accurate: http://www.anft.net/f-14/f14-squadron-vf002.htm. I thought the paint scheme changed to grey only before these modifications. Any experts that can advise? Below that (on the site above) is also a grey over white D version. Again I'm doubtful if that is accurate. Thanks all. Those illustrations aren't the greatest modeling reference. Always best to use photographic reference of the subject aircraft you're modeling if you want to be accurate. The illustration of the grey over white F-14A shows the wrong pod and has no BuNo. The only VF-2 Modex NK215 I could find was F-14A BuNo 158996 which was a block 70 jet. The block 70 had either the IRST/ALQ-100 or just the ALQ-100 chin pods. The TCS pod didn't show up until the Block 140 jets. Cheers, John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
serendip Posted October 6, 2022 Author Share Posted October 6, 2022 Gents, Thanks so much. The conclusion is that to accuratly model the Tamiya early F-14A (1976), it would be the TCS pod and the original beaver tail? Or is that the wrong way around and should it be IRST/ALQ-100 or just the ALQ-100 chin pods? - the thing is I'm not sure which block the Tamiya model portays so not sure what's right. Great model though - lots of fun. Thanks all, Marc. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CF104 Posted October 6, 2022 Share Posted October 6, 2022 (edited) 27 minutes ago, serendip said: Gents, Thanks so much. The conclusion is that to accuratly model the Tamiya early F-14A (1976), it would be the TCS pod and the original beaver tail? Or is that the wrong way around and should it be IRST/ALQ-100 or just the ALQ-100 chin pods? - the thing is I'm not sure which block the Tamiya model portays so not sure what's right. Great model though - lots of fun. Thanks all, Marc. Hi Marc, No TCS pod on the early blocks. The TCS wasn't on a production jet until FY82 (Block 125). If you're going to model an F-14A around the 1976 time frame you could find up to Block 90 jets. The Tamiya kit builds a late block 75 through block 100 with standard beaver tail, 7 hole gun vent and ALQ-100 chin pod. All blocks up to the early block 75 had the original beaver tail and variations of the IRST/ALQ-100 pod. The following link gives a good breakdown of block numbers with beaver tail, gun vents, chin pods and ECM gear. F-14 Block variant list In the end it all depends on BuNo and block number as to what you're going to build. Find a good photo reference and work from there. Cheers, John Edited October 6, 2022 by CF104 Correction Quote Link to post Share on other sites
serendip Posted October 8, 2022 Author Share Posted October 8, 2022 John, just what I need, thanks! Marc. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
serendip Posted October 8, 2022 Author Share Posted October 8, 2022 Somebody was really helpful and advised that VF2's squadron colours on tails and ventral fins, yellow and blue, are FS33538 (yellow) and FS38044 (blue) and I'm pretty sure that's right but another helpful guy advised that equated to MRP colours 051 and 300 of which I am less sure. I just love the MRP paints so if anyone can confirm or correct that indeed these are the correct MRP paints that would be appreciated. Thanks, Marc. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Quixote74 Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 9 hours ago, serendip said: Somebody was really helpful and advised that VF2's squadron colours on tails and ventral fins, yellow and blue, are FS33538 (yellow) and FS38044 (blue) and I'm pretty sure that's right but another helpful guy advised that equated to MRP colours 051 and 300 of which I am less sure. I just love the MRP paints so if anyone can confirm or correct that indeed these are the correct MRP paints that would be appreciated. Thanks, Marc. Can't help with MRP equivalents, but the FS595 colors you've quoted bear a couple of technical corrections. First, for the "high viz" era all the FS numbers should start with 1 (gloss finish), not 3 (matte). Also, the second digit of the correct (or any) blue in the FS595 nomenclature would be a 5. So the correct gloss dark blue is actually FS 15044 - often referred to by the unofficial nickname, "insignia blue." Likewise FS 13538 is the official gloss yellow used. Theoretically the gloss vs matte finishes should just mean the difference in surface finish so you could use the matte version and a gloss clear coat to achieve the same finished appearance (In reality there is some variation in hue between the gloss/semigloss/matte variations of some colors in different editions of FS595, but for the colors in question there is negligible difference, if any). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
serendip Posted October 9, 2022 Author Share Posted October 9, 2022 Thanks all, Found the below this morning - shows great listing of all the chin pod types the F14 had: https://navy-matters.blogspot.com/2017/12/tomcat-eyes.html Marc. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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