1/48 Scale F-14 Super Tomcat Prototype

[Skull Leader]

Thanks for the support, guys! (I need it!)

Andy, I'll probably do something with the rear pit as well, although I don't know what yet. My biggest concern there is covering up that awful looking box behind the RIO's seat.

[looks like he can fly]

WOW, great job Jeremy!!!! And yes, look at the time of the post, I AM NOT in school :wacko: Being sick sucks, but it has its perks B)

Keep up the good work

Dan

[Skull Leader]

I worked on the kit some over spring break. After some serious soul-searching, John finally convinced me to hack off the beavertail and bring it down to a more acceptable size (the way it is on the kit provides visions of flankers dancing in my head), it sticks much further out than it should. So I hacked off the smaller part with the ECM antenna and the fuel ejection port (I actually shaved a little off this piece after removal) and I grinded a few mm's off of the end of it, bringing it to a more acceptable size. Here's what I wound up with: (I appologize for the bad lighting)

[Skull Leader]

a few hours, some putty, and a considerable amount of sanding later, we have a beavertail that is closer to the correct length. Although not obvious from this picture, I rescribed the airbrake edge that I just barely had grinded off. That means the airbrake is probably a little on the short side now, but I'd rather have that than a way-too-large beavertail. (the wing surfaces were added to check the fit, they're painted in a basecoat of yellow so I can add a bright white over it and have a better idea of what's been painted and what hasn't.)

[Skull Leader]

since I'm building this kit as the A+ prototype just before it became the F-14D prototype (it still has the older gunvents on it), I grinded off the bullet-nose chinpod the kit comes hard-molded with (I believe this chinpod was only accurate for the plane as seen in the mid-1980s). I'm replacing it with the dual IR/TCS chinpod (from the Revell/Monogram kit), which Grumman had begun testing before it became the F-14D.

The parts didn't fit together well at all, I figured it would've been less of a hassle, but a lot of putty and sanding were required to set it right.

[kstater94]

Lookin good Jeremy!!!

[Skull Leader]

why thank you, sir

[GreyGhost]

Jeremy, I came across this pic, don't know if you have it but it might help you out ...

Your project is looking good !!!

Gregg

[Bullet101]

That picture is of the Pratt and Whittney F401-P400 engined bird, the A+/B prototype didn't last long with that fit. I also don't think Jeremy is doing that version as it would require some new nozzles and engine shroud, though i did suggest that he do this one.

Anyhow nice work so far Jeremy, hurry up and finish her so we can see it done!!!! :P

[Skull Leader]

Thanks for the comments guys, Ghost, I already have that picture but thanks! It is indeed of the ORIGINAL F-14B prototype in the late 1970s with the PW engines. No one manufactures (in a kit or aftermarket) those burner cans, so you'd have to get by with GE nozzles or build your own. The biggest thing with that one though would be the tail decals. I *DO* have the prototype kit and decals in 1/72 also though... I may work on modifying that someday! <_< I suppose a little history is in order:

Here it was in the late 1970s as the original F-14B proto. Updated Pratt and Whitney Engines but still the old style engine fairings. It was also rarely seen with a chinpod (there are several pictures of this configuration in the Squadron "Tomcats in Action" book... none with a chinpod) The paint scheme also had a light blue trim instead of dark blue:

Here is 157986 in the mid 1980s after it became the A+ prototype. The stylized "Super Tomcat" logo was adopted on the bottom of the tails and would remain there. The light blue was darkened to an insignia blue on the stripes. The GE engines are installed and the new engine fairings are added. Old style gunvents are still there, as well as older chinpods:

LATE in the 1980s, the A+ prototype began the testing for the dual IR/TCS chinpod and it carried this for the rest of it's service life (this is the period from which I am building)

Finally, 157986 eventually became the F-14D prototype. NACA gunvents were added. Strangely enough, when the plane was put in the USS Intrepid museum, old Pratt and Whitney TF-30 engines were put back in, but they left the GE engine fairings on. (the engines look like they don't fit very well)

(all photos courtesy of M.A.T.S.)

Maybe this will help clear some confusion up!

Edited March 30, 2005 by Skull Leader

[Skull Leader]

The end is in sight! Got some decals on and the majority of the plane assembled. I've decided this plane will be in a "clean" configuration because none (repeat NONE) of the pylons, glove-vane or tunnel, have anything remotely close to approaching the right shape. The glove-vane pylons extend WAY further back than they should (I'll probably trim these down and install them at some point), and the forward phoenix pallets are way too short and stubby. I may get some R/M pallets and put them on at some point, but for now the plane will be completely clean.

The decals have been a holy terror to work with. The sheet must be an older one, because I am having one hell of a time separating the decals from their backings. I'm using VERY hot water and I wind up having to soak it for way longer than I'd like to... as a result, I've had some very minor breakage on one or two of the decals (nothing TOO bad, but it's really annoying). The good news though is that they're pretty thin and with future above and below it, they suck right in!

Here's what I've got so far: You can see my newly-scribed and filled engine fairings now that I've painted the barrels black.

[Skull Leader]

Here's a closeup of the damage. THere are a few breaks in the red band (looking for a suitable color match so I can patch that up) and the "c" on "Tomcat" took some damage. I can fix that pretty easily I think though.

That's all for now, hoping to have more of this done tonight or early tomorrow

[Shinigami]

Nice! I can only aspire to do that much on the Fujimi 1/48 Cat! Looking forward to more pics

[Skull Leader]

thanks Fuji... it's been a lot of work, but I think it's turning out pretty good after all the work I've done on it.

Here's a pic of where I stand tonight... the nose stripes were cut into 4 sections to reduce breakage/chipping and allow for ease of placement (and placing the nose stripes was something like disarming a nuclear weapons). The rest *should* be a cakewalk by comparison (just some stenciling, slime lights, and anti-glare to put into place now). It's almost there!

[Andy Mullen]

Ooh nice. Coming on a treat

[KRI76]

You´re doing a terrific job on this one!!!!

/Kristian

[Skull Leader]

another pic or two. Wings and h-stabs are done completely. Still some nose decal work to do and the ejection seats will have to be modified YET AGAIN in order to get them to fit right... canopy isn't finished either. Nevertheless, it's starting to look like a Tomcat, which is good :D

[Skull Leader]

ok, ok... slimelights still have to go on the wingtips, but other than that it's good :D I'm so glad I "circumsized" the beavertail... the whole thing stuck out WAY too far)

Edited April 28, 2005 by Skull Leader

[hawkhornet]

looking great skullleader

the white looks amazing

stav

[Skull Leader]

Got pretty much all of the stenciling done. Seats are in and cockpit is closed (even with the extra work I put into the cockpit, it still displays best closed, lol). I'm displaying it "clean" (no weapons/droptanks)... the glove pylons are WAY too long and stick out very far behind the wing glove, so they won't even be used.

All that's left is AOA probes. And somehow, I have thrown away the extended nose-probe the prototype uses! The plane will be submitted sans-nose probe, but I'm going to continue to look for an alternative (making one will be a real pain)

[Skull Leader]

I'm rather amazed how much better my pictures make it look than in real life, lol... despite the work I've put into this, it's still painfully obvious that it's the fujimi kit in some places.

[Skull Leader]

Mission accomplished! This badboy is done. Walkways and pitot tubes were added. I regret the loss of the nose probe, but I shall find another eventually. More pics will be submitted with the GB entry.

[The_Animal]

Mission accomplished! This badboy is done. Walkways and pitot tubes were added. I regret the loss of the nose probe, but I shall find another eventually. More pics will be submitted with the GB entry.

Nice looking Tomcat. Skull Leader. Hey, PM me. I think I may got somethin' for ya! <_< Just give me a day to package it up. You want the long one? I'm kinda leanin' towards the short on mine. (Irregular, but hey, it wasn't finished in time for the group build anyways...)

Edited July 1, 2005 by The_Animal

[Skull Leader]

you have PM, thanks Animal!

[The_Animal]

Not a problem, Skull Leader, Anyhow. I gotta make sure I package that thing up nicely so that the United ShotPut Society doesn't make a wreck of it. Gotta love USPS and Canada Post.

Edited July 1, 2005 by The_Animal