1/72 F-14A first prototype in flight

[colargol]

Hello,

 

I am starting a new project: the first prototype of the Tomcat, in flight, on the GWH basis.

I will use a F-14B kit to do so. Why ? Because I wanted to represent a VF-102 F-14B(Upgrade) with a HUD. But VF-102 never had F-14B(Upgrade) with a HUD ... but, I am happy to have the decals for a future Academy kit. And also, I've never build the GWH Tomcat and I wanted to see if the kit was worth it ... (because, I could have bought 2 Academy kits for the same price, and I would still have some money for extradetailling kits).

 

I have to confess that is not my first Tomcat. More like the 36th (I have already presented some of them here)

 

The F-14B kit from GWH includes the old fashion pancake, so it will be the basis of the tail of my future realisation, even if some modification are required (and also, the shape of the upper airbrake is totally wrong ...).

 

As there are only few photos of the prototype in flight, I can not assume that the wing configuration was not with flaps undeployed (triple negation challenge !), so I will represent the aircraft with flaps and slats deployed. Lucky me, GWH proposes this option. Unlucky me, they seems to have never see a Tomcat slat before. Normal, as no other kit producer had never not unproposed it (quadruple negation challenge !). It will certainly require some additionnal work.

 

As the shape of the front gear bay is wrong, I have a no regret to represent the aircraft in flight ...

 

First, a short list of required modifications :

 

1. The cockpit - I will take inspiration of the 157991 front cockpit. The copilot cockpit has to be "downgraded" because it does not require the rectangular screen, but the circular one (even if I am not sure of the cockpit configuration of the first prototype)
2. The top part of the cockpit, to include the windshield-HUD lense in the pilot one and the glass on the copilot one.
3. The gun nozzle (no gun nozzle)
4. The chin pod (no chin pod, just a tiny antenna)
5. the back of the aircraft, with longitudinal structures and plates over the wings
6. the foot of the left vertical tail
7. the formation lights (none of the top of vertical tails, two below each wing)
8. the pancake
9. some stuff about antennas

 

 

First remark on the kit : the receased line details are very fine. But there are some heavy mistake in details of the kit: for example, the aft part of the gun area piece is systematically the one with the NACA vents ... it looks the same on the new 1/48th kit.

 

Second remark: the RIO rectangular screen is supposed to be the same for the F-14B (red arrow) and the F-14D (green arrow) ... it is not the case in the GWH kit (the F-14D one seems more correct). 

For the pilot cockpit, I will remove the screens and the HUD structure (black arrows)

 

 

Other remark: the ejection seats don't look like GRU-7A. The headrest are to wide ...

 

 

I have compared it to other manufacturers productions.

 

 

The one that will fit the best in the kit is the Hobby Boss one. So, if you want to build a correct GWH kit, don't hesitate to buy a Hobby Boss for spare kit.

 

 

I put them in place in the cockpit tub. The pilots are from the Hasegawa pilot set

 

 

These are my interpretations of the cockpits and upper parts of the cockpits (not finished). I took the RIO bowl screen from an Hasegawa kit.

 

 

Third remark: there are some fine details behind the copilot, fine but wrong. There should be a thingy stuff here with a strange shape, but it is absent.

Second third remark: the wall behind the pilot should have a lot of details on it, like wires, boxes and clim vents. Nothing here, it is totally flat.

Academy, Hasegawa, Hobby Boss and Fine Molds have details on it. Not Fujimi. and not GWH.

 

 

 

I already begin to have a tiny idea of my answer about the question "is this kit worth its expensive price ?" ...

 

colargol

 

[colargol]

Hello,

 

I carry on with the wings.

 

The slats deployment rails are too wide (more than 1 mm. Taking the Hasegawa kit as a model, they should be more of less 0.75 mm wide). The first step is to reduce the width (from the red arrows to the green ones).

 

 

After that, I will have a lot of puttying/sanding to make the ejection sinks disappear ...

 

 

 

On the GWH kit, the rails of the slats are supposed to be inserted in gaps in the front part of the wings. It is not the case on the actual aircraft. These areas can be seen on some picture as metallic areas. I think the metallic part is just a cap to hide a gap where a pointy stuff goes (my lack of english vocabulary is a problem sometime ...) to improve the aerodynamic continuity between the slat and the upper part of the wing when the slats are up.

 

As the rails are to wide, these gaps are huuuuuuuuuuuuuuge. Even if I thought of using a part of Hasegawa wings, I decided to correct as I could the GWH kit. I filled the hole using evergreen plasticard, keeping a part of the holes to insert the rails of the slats. The inserted part would be metallic on a classical F-14 (to represent the metallic cap I talk about above) but it seems to be a red area on the pictures of the first prototype I have found.

 

 

This is the wings quite advanced in the process. The aft part of the internal spoiler (the one that does not move) has do be refined (yellow arrow) and some parts of the spoilers too (white arrows) to represent them closed.

 

 

that's all for now

 

colargol

 

[colargol]

Hello,

 

I am now at the gun stage. 

 

First, I filled the aft part of the gun piece with cyano glue (orange arrow), and I filled the spaces of the gun nozzle and the gun vents with styren pieces with Tamiya ultra-fluid glue (pink arrows)

 

 

But then, I realised that the gun bubble should not go that far ... I represented something like the yellow area below, and it should be like the green one.

 

 

Indeed, on first Tomcat (but not on the first prototype), the gun nozzle was shorter (see below).

 

 

It is not very difficult to correct, but I should look at pictures of the actual aircraft more often. I have also filled the 2 small holes below the gun 

 

 

colargol

 

[colargol]

I forgot to add that, as I am using a F-14B kit, their is a reinforcement plate around the RIO boarding step. It has to be removed by sanding (clear blue arrows)

 

[Thadeus]

Very nice project. That is quite a few changes from the available model kits. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for You.

[colargol]

Thanks 😉

 

I carry on with the pancake area, with the airbrake.

 

GWH F-14B kit proposes the pieces for the trapeze shaped pancake for old block F-14A. I will modify these pieces to have a trapeze one, but the airbrake by itself requires modifications. It has to be noted that even if you build a old block F-14A, you will need to modify this piece because the shape of the upper airbrake is totally wrong.

 

In the first time, I remove the triangular part (black arrow) to have a clear edge (white arrow)

 

 

Then, I fill the space with Evergreen rectangular strut (rawly)

 

top view ..

 

 

bottom view ...

 

 

This is the shape of the GWH airbrake, compared to the actual one (from Details &Scale book). It seems more adapted to the Batwing than to an F-14 ...

 

 

For the prototype, the shape of the airbrake should be this one.

 

I fill the gaps with cyanoacrylate glue (I prefer not to use the tamiya putty for this, because it has to much retraction when drying)

 

 

Then I rescribbed the shape of the prototype airbrake (yellow arrows)

 

 

colargol

 

Edited May 3, 2024 by colargol

[colargol]

Hello,

 

the upper part of the aircraft (#5 in the list of the beginning) is the main modification on the GWH kit to have a prototype.

 

I have measured on picture that the back part of the top covering should be between 4 and 4.2 mm from the aft part of the structural stiffeners (blue arrows). I put in that position a temporary structure, positionned here thanks to a 4 mm wide evergreen piece. You can note that I have removed the external stiffeners (green arrows). 

 

I put a piece of 0.25 mm thick evergreen sheet on each side, to be the basis of the modification (yellow arrow).

 

 

The I make a paper patron (black arrow) to help me to make the final 0.5 mm thick pieces (purple arrow)

 

 

As the GWH kit thickness is around 1 mm in the considered area, I put some 0.5 mm struct here (dark blue arrows)

 

 

These are the pieces in place

 

 

I kept the GWH external pieces (black arrows) , filled it with cyano glue (clear green arrows) and sanded it ...

 

 

The bottom looks like it. The lateral side is made with 0.5 mm thick evergreen sheet. It helps to have a smooth shape of the plate.

 

 

In the end, it looks like it (not glued - the right wing is represented with flap in the upper position to check the shape)

 

 

colargol

 

 

[RichB63]

Great looking jet! And very well researched!

[colargol]

Hello,

 

I follow with the dorsal fences, that are different between the prototypes and the production aircrafts.

 

At first, I thought that I could keep the internal ones, by just modifying their top shape. But it turns out that the aft part of the internal fence of the prototypes stop before the end of the dorsal plates. It is not the case on the production aircraft where they go over the edge or the dorsal plates (green arrows).

 

So I removed all the dorsal fence and rebuild them with 0.75 mm evergreen pieces (2 and 4 mm wide).

 

 

I rescribed the front part of the external fences (clear blue arrow) and build the lateral structure too (blue-violet arrows). The shape of the 1st prototype external fences is different from the ones of the following prototypes (more "linear").

 

The shape of the inflating cushion will be modified to fit with the aft part of the dorsal plate, but later in the build (orange arrow).

 

 

colargol

 

 

 

[colargol]

Hello,

 

I'm going to the small air intake at the root of the left vertical tail. This small air intake was only on the first prototype. From the second prototype to the first serial aircrafts, there was no air intake at the root of the left vertical tail. Then the air intake came bake as a small one.

 

 

 

before working on the main air intake, I had to modify the top of the aircraft, first with the suppression of the GPS antenna (no GPS in 1970). I used the piece with the GPS buble from the F-14B kit, sand it, filled it with cyano glue, then sand it again (white arrow)

 

On the upper air vents, I drilled the circular hole in which a small struct goes on F-14A and some former F-14A. On F-14B and D build as B and D, the GWH is correct and there is no strut generaly, so no circular hole (green arrows).

 

 

And now, the main air intake. At first glance, it looks like something extremely cleverly engineered. At first glance. In fact, it is especially wrong on a lot of points. Honestly, if I had to remake a GWH Tomcat, I would choose the closed air intake sversion (proposed in the kit) because what you can see through the air intake is not very good ...

 

The first point is the huge gap in the air intake, with nothing to block the view inside (red arrow). Moreover, the moving ceiling should be closer to the upper part.

 

 

The lip of the inner vane is shifted compared to the upper piece, when it could be more or less at the same level; these is a huge and very visible step on the walls on the air intake (red arrow for both points).

 

 

I will not follow the instruction sheet because if you do so, there is a good chance that the wires represented on both pieces are not in line in the end (yellow and orange arrows - the pieces are not glued here).

 

So I made a wall to block the view inside the air intake (honestly, the Academy design and the Tamiya one in 1/48 are very good on this point. The GWH is very bad ...)

I also modify the transveral strut in the upper air vent (white arrows). On the GWH piece, it is like they've look in the opposite direction when designing the piece.

 

I also build a vertical wall with a structure to represent the face of the inside structure. If it is not done, it is not very pretty on this part (pink arrows)

 

I also put styren roundels for help the first mobile ceiling of the air intake to be on the correct level to avoid unecessary filling and sanding ... (blue arrows)

 

 

I modified the mobile aft ceiling part (yellow and orange arrows) and the cone of the compressor first stages. I used the one from an Academy F-14A kit to replace the one from the GWH F-14B.

 

 

This is the inside of the air intake with the wall to block the view form the abyssal void of the GWH kit.

 

 

and a final view of the air intake (not glued).

 

 

Even if some modifications are not very difficult to perform, the huge step in the air intake is for me a black point on this kit. I was planning on buying a F-14D (not a B nor a A because of the poor ejection seat. For a kit of this price, it looks like a joke) but since I've rebuild of the air intake, except if I decid to represent the air intake in closed position, I will not spend money for this quality of model kit when I can have a Academy one for half the price ...

 

Nevertheless, I have to carry on on this build.

 

colargol

 

 

[bushande]

Just to clarify, do NOT rework the front cockpit based on what you have seen in that photo pf 157991. That has NOTHING to do with the cockpit of 157980!

157980 had a standard cockpit with the two screens. The RIO's cockpit featured an additional retractable HUD (several other prototypes had that too but that was removed later on as not being prcatical).

 

Ther was no downgrade or early grade cockpit for the prototypes at all! That image of 157991s cockpit is NOT representative of the remaining prototypes.

 

157991's cockpit was an explicit one off with the center screens removed for the gyro horizon because 157991 was used by NASA for spin test trials. that was all!

 

If it is not too late, better revert your cockpit back to the standard.

 

Edited June 13, 2024 by bushande

[colargol]

Thanks a lot for your remark !!!! I will correct the front cockpit (either using another kit screen or by using the decals ... afterall, the cockpit will be closed)

 

colargol

[Thadeus]

Very cool to see all that additions to the airframe. Very informative too.

[colargol]

On 6/13/2024 at 3:32 PM, bushande said:

Just to clarify, do NOT rework the front cockpit based on what you have seen in that photo pf 157991. That has NOTHING to do with the cockpit of 157980!

157980 had a standard cockpit with the two screens. The RIO's cockpit featured an additional retractable HUD (several other prototypes had that too but that was removed later on as not being prcatical).

 

Ther was no downgrade or early grade cockpit for the prototypes at all! That image of 157991s cockpit is NOT representative of the remaining prototypes.

 

157991's cockpit was an explicit one off with the center screens removed for the gyro horizon because 157991 was used by NASA for spin test trials. that was all!

 

If it is not too late, better revert your cockpit back to the standard.

 

 

Done 😉

 

 

I have used Hasegawa pieces to do so.

 

In the mean time, I also modified the vertical tails. I filled the hexagonal plates (clear blue arrows) and the formation light bands (pink arrows) with cyanoacrylate glue, then sanded it. GWH decided to add a formation light band on the inner side of the left vertical tail. I don't have the explanation. Maybe for the joke.

 

I also added the small antennas on the top of the tails (dark red arrows), using Evergreen 1.5 mm x 0.25 mm pieces.

 

 

Initially, I intended to represent the flaps fully down. But on the pictures of the first prototype in flight, the inner part of the flaps are in neutral position. It is not very common on the Tomcat, but it could happen. After seeing a nice picture of a VF-211 bird in this configuration, I decided to change my mind and to implement this configuration. As GWH proposed both configuration, I mixed them.

 

 

 

 

I have also filled the front part of the wing (that will be partially below the slats) using Deluxe Perfect Putty, diluted with water and using a small brush. I sanded it carrefuly afterwards, but without water (the putty is soluble in water and would have gone away) ...

 

 

I may begin the painting process now ... 

 

colargol

 

[colargol]

Hello,

 

I have begun the painting process. I started with a layer of Dark Sea Grey XF-54 Tamiya, diluted with 95° alcohol (yellow arrows). Specific areas have been painted in white (a first layer of Tamyia XF-2/95° alcool, then a layer of Gunze H-1/ X-20A).

 

 

The inside wall of the cockpit were represented using only paint (it will be invisible in the end).

 

 

For te cockpit consoles, I have tried to choose the one looking the best for a F-14A (considering the fact that I am using an F-14B kit, with F-14D pieces included in the kit).

 

I have decided to use H-308 (Gunze) for the basis color of the cockpit tub, even if H-317 is generally proposed, but I find this color to less bluish to my taste.

 

Screen are represented using the French equivalent of Future (Klir)

 

 

The vertical indicator for the pilot are represented on this part, not on the windshield oval (I am trying this option - white arrows). the pilot HUD lense is represented with gold color from Vallejo Metal Color and a droplet of Kristal Klear (purple arrow).

 

 

 

This are the seats (from Hobby boss) and the pilot and copilot. At this time, Grumman test pilot were wearing whiste-ish flight suits. 

 

 

 

The color of Grumman pilot flight suit changed to yellow in the 70's and maybe orange later.

 

This is the cockpit in place. Seat and pilots are not glued. I am waiting for final adjustment (including ejection seat handles)

 

 

colargol

 

 

 

 

[colargol]

Hello,

 

I carry on :

 

I used painted photoetched part from Eduard (for the Hasegawa kit) for the ejection seat handles. As it is an old Eduard kit, both sides are painted 😉 (yellow arrows).

 

I also used Aizu masking tape to represent the belts (green arrows)

 

 

I am going now on the air intake. I didn't follow the GWH notice process as I explained earlier

 

 

 

These are the air intake in place, with the internal structure of the landing gear bays (black arrows - GWH and Academy are the only manufacturer to have represented this part of the landing gear bay correctly).

 

It is possible to see also the structure for the pole of the aircraft (yellow arrow).

 

 

 

 

Everything in place, with the structural pieces I've build to mask the bad fitting structure and to be closer to reality (orange arrows)

 

 

As I am using a F-14B kit, the jet exhaust are not correct. I am happy to have the correct engine fitting piece (included in the F-14B kit, but for the F-14A). I will use Fine Molds jet exhaust (with some sanding - light green arrows) and Academy post combustion stage (light purple arrows). The exhaust tube is the one from the kit. I don't look like a F110-GE-400 tube at all ... it is a shame for such and expansive kit.

 

I also modified the lateral fitting (yellow-orange arrow) to look like the one on the first prototype.

 

 

 

I improved the fitting of the engine part by sanding it (but without gluing it, I will glue these part after painting). I also modified the ECM bubble near the air intake to remove them (light purple arrows).

 

 

I took the canopy ejection handle from the Eduard set for the Hobbyboss F-14 but repainted it (and use only one handle piece for both cockpit, as it is supposed to be bend - white arrows). I also had to arrase some area for the fitting to be correct (pink arrows).

 

 

 

This is the cockpit ...

 

 

I have prepared the lateral pieces of the nose to simplify the positionning of the front gear closed doors.

 

 

And then I have closed it (the refueling probe door has been glued - brown arrow).

 

 

To prepare the painting process, I made a tiny scribbing on the radome, using the Academy radome as an example (because there is a specific scribbing on the Academy radome, very easy to sand, but so usefull for painting !!!!). To have the right angle, I put a 2 mm piece in the "upper part" of the GWH radome. You can see an arm of the radome articulation is missing on my kit, lost in the boxing ...

 

 

to be continued ...

 

colargol

 

 

 

[colargol]

Hello

 

I carry on. For the windshield blue color, I've decided to follow this tutorial : link

 

First, I tried on my spare canopy from the B-2A, using several colors, not only blue, but also a larger palette, to make provessive variation (for future canopies)

 

 

It's working ! So I go to the GWH Tomcat windshield ... first step : I put colors (a mix of blue, dark blue and dark green) on the interior oval of the windshield.

 

 

Then I Q-Type it. It requires several repetition to have the required color.

 

 

and voilà

 

 

This method is only applicable for light coloration. For a chopper sun protection in the windshield, it will not work properly.

 

For the canopy, I didn't represent the line over each seat (from the seat to the back of the half canopy) that is not present on the prototypes (and it seems to be absent on the first production aircrafts too, at least at the beginning of their career. I don't know if it is a lightning protection device or a pyro device to fragilize the canopy in case of ejection, both information can be found). I decided not to put a rear view mirror for the back seat. I am 95% certain that it is absent on the first prototype. I decided not to put rear view mirrors for the pilot either. I am less certain of that, but on the small number of photos, they seem to be absent (I could be understandable, to allow the pilot to focus on what is happening during the first fligths).

 

I had to sand a little bit the side of the front part to improve the future fit with the main fuselage (white arrows - I will paint the front part separately). The process used by Academy is perfect for this area, not the one of GWH (but better than the Hasegawa one).

 

 

The nose is not glued here. I've closed the gear bays, but it requires some sanding on the main landing gear long door (pink arrow). A segment of the left engine pod is still absent because it is going to be painted separately (yellow arrow)

 

 

I had to rework the lower part of the pancake, I should have worked it better before gluing because there was a ungracious step here (putty using cyano glue, then Tamiya putty diluted with acetone and sanding)

 

colargol

 

[colargol]

Hello,

 

little update for the nose of the aircraft. 

On the first prototypes, there is a huge nose probe.  I first thought to use the nose probe pieces from the Hasegawa F-14B prototype kit, but they are too short. So I am using a string of steel of 0.5 mm diameter, with a part of seringe needle of correct diameter (not glued on the picture. The length of the nose probe is not even correct. It should be around 37 to 38 mm).

I used the nose probe piece from the GWH kit as a basis. There is a tricky part ... GWH proposes the 2 kinds of nose extremity : the simple cone (for the first aircraft) or the one with the pitot probe. Other manufacturesr are proposing the same option. But with the other manufacturers, the pieces are shorter and representing only the metallic part. For GWH, the basis of this piece is also a part of the radome ! Don't paint it in metallic shade to glue it in the end, it is not correct ! ... tricky I said. Moreover, there is a sense in the gluing (a top and a bottom to the piece, it is not symmetrical)

 

I also suppressed the right side temperature sensor (yellow arrow), mostly because it is a poor representation of this sensor and I will replace it by another from Academy of Hasegawa.

 

 

Then I glued the transparend pieces (using fluid Tamiya glue - green cap). First, the canopy, then the windshield.

 

 

I am quite ready to go to painting !

 

colargol

 

[colargol]

Hello

 

I was quite ready to start painting when I decided to prepare the arresting hook. GWH proposes one but I don't think it is for a Tomcat because it is not at the correct position (red arrow).

 

 

it is not difficult to correct to have a Tomcat one, but can we expect such an error on such an expensive kit ? (green arrow). I've also taken the fuel dump tube from the beaver I am not using (it didn't live long during the sanding process).

 

 

Then I started the painting process, using ASK production masks for windshield and canopy (very easy to use, unlike the Eduard ones). I painted in flat black the canopy and red (Gunze H327) the area on the wings, slats and spoilers. The liquid mask I've used is the one from Ammo Mig.

 

 

Then, I believed that the painting process of the horizontal stab would be easy by letting them on the sprues ... and suddenly (why ?), I looked at them and discover a strange shape (red arrows) ... it is totaly wrong and should be corrected.

 

 

The correction is not difficult (green arrows) ...

 

 

but it is important to check the fit with the engines fairings.

 

 

Honestly, I didn't expect such an error. 

 

The ratio quality/price of this kit begins to reach negative values ...

 

colargol

 

 

[colargol]

Hello,

 

I  began the painting process with sublayers of Tamiya grey XF-54. It turned out that the red color on the wings migrated through the grey on the wings ... so for the wings, I made a sublayer of tire black (gunze H77), then a new sublayer of Tamiya grey.

 

After that, it's a long process of white painting, with layers of gloss white from Gunze (H1) diluted in Tamiya X-20A or in 95° alcool, and flat white (H11) with 90° alcool ... it's long and I don't really like painting in white ... I try to make as many layer on each part, not to have "too white" parts and variations of shades ...

 

 

It is important not to forget to paint in white the lower part of the slats. Indeed, even if the front part of the slat would be in a metallic color, there is a small area at the rear part of the lower front part of the slat that is in the same color as the lower fuselage (white here - yellow/orange arrows).

 

Due to the huuuuuuge number of white layers, the light mark that I made to know the limit of the radome color completely disappeared ... I have to recreate it. Compared to the Academy radome, the distance between the nose and this limit should be 16 mm. So I've used 6 and 10 mm Tamiya masking tape to create this limit. I cut small part of these masking tape and positionned them on the nose. then I put a piece of aizu masking tape (maybe 0.5 mm) aligned on this structure. The front part of this Aizu tape is then at 16 mm from the nose tip.

 

 

I've removed the 6 and 10 mm tape pieces and put another part of Aizu band next to the previous one, on the front side. The aft part of this new Aizu band is then at 16 mm from the nose tip.

 

I've removed the first Aizu band and used the second one as a reference to put some Ammo mig flexible masking tape (in blue).

 

 

I've painted the nose in radome color (H318 by Gunze).

 

The fuselage is FS16440 (of FS26440 - Gunze H315 and H325). The limit between grey and white is made using cartoon mask, positionned using patafix and close to the fuselage (1 to 2 mm).

 

The anti-glare area is made in black. It is longer on the first protoype than on the following aircrafts.

 

The engine aera is painted using gloss black (Tamiya X-1, diluted using Tamiya X-20A) and then Vallejo Metal Color steel color, mixed with Prince August dark red-brown, diluted with windshield wiper liquid.

 

The leading edges are painted using Dark Alu from Vallejo Metal color, diluted with windshield wiper liquid.

 

 

Some corrections are still required (grey on the white area and white area to correct - pink arrows). I also have to blend the white to avoid the difference of shades ...

 

 

colargol

 

 

 

[Mr.Happy]

Truly an amazing transformation and backdate.

 

Keep building,

 

Mr. Happy 

[colargol]

Thanks 😉

 

I carry on by gluing the nose and the fuselage. It requires some grey painting to have an homogenous color (pink arrow).

I have also glued the engine parts, filled it with putty (Perfect Putty), sand it then painted it (clear blue arrow).

I have also ligthened the radome color (using a mix of H11, H313 and H34 by Gunze - yellow arrow).

 

I've discovered that their is a formation band represented on the left part of the aircraft (red arrow) whereas there are no formation band on the right side. And I prefer to have none for the steps to come. Another bad point for GWH : no formation band on the right side, and a formation band on the inner side of the left vertical tail ... mmmmhhhhh ...

 

 

 

The arresting hook does not have the same pattern as to one on most of the old days operational aircraft (less stripes).

 

 

This is a test with the dummy Sparrow (from Academy with some light modifications)

 

 

The engine nozzles

 

 

and the wings. The sides are painted using Prince August red colors (red, and "fire red" - apple green arrows). It is also possible to see the white area on the wings (brown arrows) that are painted that way only on the first prototype (according to my interpretation of the few available pictures)

 

 

Then I spayed the varnish (Starwax product - a kind of Future, but more dense - diluted at 50% with X-20A and windshield liquid)

 

next step: the decals ...

 

colargol

 

 

 

 

 

[lgl007]

WOW.... that's a lot of work but I can't wait to see it finished... looking amazing!

 

-Greg

[colargol]

Thanks !

 

After the varnish, I've put the decals, the verticals tails and some antennas (yellow and white arrows). The fitting of the vertical tails are not as good as I thought it would have been on a so expansive kit.

 

 

 

Most of the decals are coming from the Academy decal sheet (new model). The star and stripes insignas are not at the same position as on the operationnal aircrafts, as well as some of the stencils.

 

The BuNo is a puzzle from various decals sheets (Easy decal - a copy of the one of Hasegawa K39 - for most of the numbers, but the old Airfix kit sheet for the "7"). I think I have used a Superscale decals sheet for the formation bands (they have to be 5.5 mm long and the one from the kit are not very nice).

 

 

 

 

The formation light for the wingtip are from a Twobobs sheet, but they didn't bend at all and didn't have the correct size. I corrected it with paint (white, yellow and a light touch of zinc chromate green from Prince August).

 

The red line on the flaps are made with decals.

 

 

The photos were taken after another coat of varnish before panel lining.

 

To be followed ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Thadeus]

On 9/3/2024 at 9:27 PM, colargol said:

 

 

 

 For a while I thought You will leave it as is to create some weird (and quite interesting imho) pattern.

 

Nice work overall. Makes me want to build an F-14.