StevenJ Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 I've started and I know I'm not leaving myself a whole lot of time to complete her and she won't be to the level that I typically strive to build to due to the limited amount of time. I have a lot of the sub-assemblies begun such as the intake inserts, wings, tails and a few other odds and ends. Nothing really worth taking any photos of as of yet though. The cockpit is started but not quite half completed. I have never built a 1/48 Hasegawa Tomcat before and already it's making me dream of some of the Tamiya 1/48 WW2 stuff! Trying to fill/sand the gap on the intake inserts was quite a task and still not complete though it's mostly there. The flaps look a bit too recessed to me, but what do I know. The slats don't seem to line up 100% and so some sanding has been done there (I'm building the wings swept back.) Since I'm on vacation, I'll have some time to put forth to this build but so far, it looks like quite a bit of work is needed. I'm under the gun and I'm working on her. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 Well, at least you're on vacation...you'll need it with that kit! But I think you'll love the results! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StevenJ Posted July 17, 2006 Author Share Posted July 17, 2006 I thought I'd follow up with some status and let you all know I'm still plugging away at the kit. Unfortunately I got a bad chest/head cold during vacation which kept me from building for the first week. Since this will be in all intents and purposes be a two-week build, it won't be to the level I'd personally want on my own bookshelf but should be good enough for an O-club display. My plans are to finish her up this weekend and then ship her out on Monday the 24th. I'll take photos when she's done. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StevenJ Posted July 21, 2006 Author Share Posted July 21, 2006 (edited) July 21 and still working on it as much as possible. This is going to be close! {edit} I've attached an image of where I am at. I'm so behind but doing my best to finish her as time allows after work and family stuff. A lot of the sub-assemblies are completed and I'm working on the meat of the kit, the fuselage. Since the decals are custom made, I printed to regular paper to size them and that's what you see on one of the tails. Edited July 21, 2006 by StevenJ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StevenJ Posted August 4, 2006 Author Share Posted August 4, 2006 I'm still working on it as time allows. Sorry I am late! The wings and tailplanes are now decaled but I have a few more bits to deal with before decaling the fuselage. It's getting there...it's close. Unfortunately I'm gone the next few days but it should be done next week. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted August 4, 2006 Share Posted August 4, 2006 Hang in there and keep at it...you'll get there! Besides...this ain't exactly comin' 'round again! We're here for you! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StevenJ Posted August 10, 2006 Author Share Posted August 10, 2006 I'm back in town and looking over my build. I don't have time to shoot and post any pictures but will have this one completed on Saturday and will get it into the mail that same day and will give it extra-speedy shipping. I was gone last Saturday but will have this Saturday free all to myself (and my Tomcat!) I'm even skipping the pre-season Chargers game to finish things up and that's a biggie... lol. Most importantly, to what address do I ship to? I don't have time to peruse all these threads at the moment and so I aplogize. Can someone PM it to me? Thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StevenJ Posted August 30, 2006 Author Share Posted August 30, 2006 Almost there! I'm sorry guys, I've just had one of those Summers. Getting sick on vacation when I planned on building this, the dog getting sick, surgery, the wife's company being sold and she's out a job, my license renewal for my work getting messed up and I owe hours and I've been away a lot. I even tried to do some building in a hotel room and ended up getting little done and losing the landing gear! So here she is today and she's so very close to completion... just a few didads. However, I'm out of town again tomorrow and so am trying to finish her up tonight so I can mail her out tomorrow. I'm not very happy with the quality but it should do for a display case at an O-club or wherever it may be. It's been so long since I've been on this forum I actually forgot my password and had to look it up. LOL. Hopefully things settle down again and I have time to catch up on all the posts. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 You've had more to deal with than you needed...thank you for your dedication! Looks like it's paying off too! Lovely! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Daniel_B Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 Looks great! One of the 3 or 4 best-looking schemes ever applied to a Tomcat. And considering everything you had to deal with, you should get extra props for still getting it built and fulfilling the commitment--unlike some of the folks who signed up back in March, then mysteriously disappeared and left it to others to try to make up for the slack at the last minute... Daniel Quote Link to post Share on other sites
StevenJ Posted August 31, 2006 Author Share Posted August 31, 2006 I'm gluing some of the bits together and after some frustration I thought I'd pop in and see what's going on in here and I see two of you left a few kind words. Thanks. I have to say, overall, I'm not happy with this build at all and at this point it's a complete rush job. Well, the whole thing has been a rush job whenever I got time to actually pull the kit out and work on it. If I was building this for my own bookshelf, it would not have progressed this far and I'd have started over. This is my first 1/48 Hasegawa Tomcat and it's not been an endeavor of love. Anyhow, as to what I'd said above I realize it's nothing compared to what some people have to deal with but to me, it has been enough to derail me on and off this summer. One of the things that has really sucked up my time is taking the wife through a crash-course in my work so she can potentially end up getting her own appraiser's license and maybe one day we can go into business together but it's about a 2-year thing before you can get your own license so we'll see how that goes. Anyhow, I really wish they weren't having a "competition" at this event and if so, I might as well tell the judges to walk on past my build and save your time. It should be just fine in a display cabinet though. Oh, one of my problems was that I built this using Tamiya rattle cans. The paint is great and all that but I discovered a problem in that if you want to make some minor touch-ups later on, the cans do not allow you that kind of control. ugh! So keep that in mind if you ever decide on the rattle can route. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted August 31, 2006 Share Posted August 31, 2006 Minor touchups from a spray can....my dad always said to spray some into the paint can's cap, then use a small brush. Unless you need the fog line.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 Steven, your WOLFPACK Cat is looking Fine !!! Fortunately and un-forunately, life gets in the way of plans, I think it's Great you're doing your darndest to get this one off to the Sunset .. Don't beat yourself up on what you percieve as being a bad build, I bet it's going to set on display and most will say, "Cool, WOLFPACK!" and not nitpick ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jay Chladek Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 I think she will look fine. The pictures don't show any of the flaws and its position in the case should hide the others. Guess I'm one of the last ones who needs to finish now then. If my completed VF-124 bird looks at least as good as your VF-1, then I'll have succeeded. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 Well, 3 weeks and counting, plus a day and a half. Hard to believe. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 Too bad we couldnt have done a model of the first Tomcat. With the Vandy 1 F-14D built, that represents the last Tomcat built....would have been nice to have #1 sitting beside it. Not a bad idea. Why didn't you think of this earlier??? -Andrew (looking for someone else to blame ) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jay Chladek Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 (edited) The only problem with that is the prototype Tomcat airframes had some subtle differences that are tough to render in plastic. In 1/72, at least Matchbox did a kit of the prototype configuration F-14. But in 1/48 scale, no such kit exists. It would take a lot of reprofiling to the center fuselage around the wing pivot points to pull off (and that is just the most obvious shape difference). Aircraft #1 never got assigned to a squadron anyway (not even a test squadron for evaluation) as it crashed on its second flight. Edited September 1, 2006 by Jay Chladek Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted September 1, 2006 Share Posted September 1, 2006 The only problem with that is the prototype Tomcat airframes had some subtle differences that are tough to render in plastic. In 1/72, at least Matchbox did a kit of the prototype configuration F-14. But in 1/48 scale, no such kit exists. It would take a lot of reprofiling to the center fuselage around the wing pivot points to pull off (and that is just the most obvious shape difference). Aircraft #1 never got assigned to a squadron anyway (not even a test squadron for evaluation) as it crashed on its second flight. Hey, bring it on, I enjoy a challenge! :D (watches as everyone else pulls up a chair to watch him crash and burn after that statement....) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Skull Leader Posted September 10, 2006 Share Posted September 10, 2006 I've got an old kit that I'm re-furbishing in just such a fashion. I've sanded off the wing fences and filled in the glove sealing plate feathers. My next step is to re-shape and extend the contour of the edge of the glove plate (sheet styrene). I'll then replace the tail (got an interim beavertail out of a Hasegawa kit) and alter the gunbarrel and gunvent. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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