Massive 1/18th Tomcat

[mcaulk]

Santa left a huge 1/18th scale JSI F-14A Tomcat under my tree and I have undertaken the task of reworking it. This is a preprinted preassembled display model that would have looked really good had the manufacture not tried to weather it with dozens of random spots.

The forward fuselage left and right shots are after I painted over the spots with Model Master Flat Gull Gray. After the spots were gone I ran diluted Tamyia Smoke along the panel lines to bring them out. To give a textured weathered appearance I lightened the Gull Gray with 50% white and dry brushed each panel to varying degrees. All seams are being filed and sanded and the ejections seats have been removed for detailing. More to come.

Mike

Just to give you a feel for just how big a 1/18th Tomcat is I'll include a 32nd scale F-5 and a 32nd Mustang and for fun a $20.00 dollar bill.

The next shot shows the intake Before and After it has been reworked. The lips are way oversized and thick. Not really difficult to fix just a pain in the A*&(%$#!

This bird is really well detailed but somebody got juiced up on the Chinese equalvant of Jack Daniels and sprayed spots all over the finished bird in the name of "weathering" (See the inset pic.) After painting over the spots I ran thinned Tamiya Smoke along panel lines then dry brushed Gull Gray lightened 50% over this to get tonal variation. These birds get really corroded when out to sea even the Gull Gray ones.

The shot is of the rear engine area. These display models come prepainted but the seams are not filled so you have to full em sand em and paint em up. Rescribed detail after sanding. This goes for the wings as well.

This shot is from above showing the wing glove area and the insulation strip that appeared on ALL Tomcats but on few kits. Easy to fix however with a little liquid glue and some thin Ever Green stock.

Edited January 19, 2010 by mcaulk

[chuck540z3]

Cool! Thanks for sharing.

There's a little notch of gray in the front metal gun panel that's often missed. PM me if you're not sure of what I mean. The correct gray is FS 36375 on the bottom (Light Ghost Grey), not Flat Gull Grey, but this is likely splitting hairs.

Cheers,

Chuck

[tomthegrom]

I think tomcats from that era were actually gloss gull gray but they quickly weathered to a flat appearance. This is gonna be one epic kitty!

[mcaulk]

You are right about the gloss but they went flat and splotchy really fast in the salt air. My son just returned from the Persian Gulf on the IKE and he sent some really good shots of flight opps. He was a plane captain for VFA-131 Wildcats. Actually I'm thinking I may do this bird as the famous VF-111 Miss Molly. Zotz is contemplating doing those Sundowner markings and I may get a set. If not I'll stick with the Bones.

Thanks for the feedback,

Mike

[GreyGhost]

This should be a fun one to watch ...

Looking forward to more, Mike ...

Gregg

[mcaulk]

Hope to post some more pics this evening. Slow but steady progress.

Mike

[blunce]

In your next pics, throw something in the shot for a size reference. That thing looks HUGE! Looking good so far!

[mcaulk]

blunce,

Good idea. I'm going to take a few pics in a bit I'll throw in something for size comparison.

Regards,

Mike

[kaysersoze]

im not a fan of jets in general. but, i will be keeping tabs on this thread, cos i love the idea of the size of the beast and what you are doing to it

[mcaulk]

It is BIG!

[mcaulk]

This shot is from above showing the wing glove area and the insulation strip that appeared on ALL Tomcats but on few kits. Easy to fix however with a little liquid glue and some thin Ever Green stock.

[jester292]

Nice work! That sucker is BIG! And I can't believe the manufacturer's sad excuse of weathering. That looks more like the 1943 Luftwaffe camouflage.

Aaron (Go Blue!)

[Ken Middleton]

you did a fantastic job repainting it - I'm sure it will look incredible when done based on what you have done so far

[mcaulk]

They had a bunch of kids spot painting it. Just a shame because the rest of the plane is outstanding!

Mike

[mcaulk]

Ken,

Thanks for the kind words... it is fun but taking longer than I anticipated as always.

Regards,

Mike

[Aggressor Supporter]

Wow, an amazing project. Watching with interest.

[mcaulk]

  Aggressor Supporter said:

Wow, an amazing project. Watching with interest.

Had planned to simply despot and tweak a few details but is turning into a full blown build. More to follow.

Regards,

Mike

[mcaulk]

Spent the evening finishing the second air intake. The stock product is just to thick to look at. Hate filing and sanding but a necessary evil.

Here's the real thing.

The tails were are made to stand straight up but on real Tomcats we know they are slanted outboard. Application of a hot hair dryer and careful bending of the mounting tabs did the trick. Will require some filling and sanding when the tails are permanently joined.

As mentioned earlier this is a pre-painted pre-assembled display model and they do not fill the seams and joints so the modeler has to do it retroactively. The glove vane area was a little rough but cleans up nicely.

Want this to represent a fleet bird and when on station the salt air plays havoc on the paint. Maintaince crews use whatever gray paint available and often you end up with a patch work of various shades, panels and touch ups. Plan to add oil streaks later.

One last shot tonight of the prototype at a recent model show. Gives you a feel for just how big this thing is!

[mcaulk]

Began today with the mundane task of closing the seams along the rear Beaver Tail of the big cat. No way around it... is just work but worth the effort.

Here is a before and after shot to illustrate.

Before

After

I pulled the ejection seats out and began gathering reference material. The seats are the right shape and size just begging for detail. At a minimum the face curtain

pull handles need to be replaced as the factory version are way thick and poorly painted. The cushions are in need of detail and certainly harness and belts should

to be added.

The little version is a 1/48th scale seat I was working on for a Hasegawa Tomcat. One of my many partially finished birds.

The Next shot is of the engine nozzles both kit and real thing. Most of you already know that when the F-14A engines bled down one of the nozzles remained open and the other closed.

Shouldn't be to hard to reproduce it with the existing model. Will post pics of the finished product.

The last pic tonight again illustrates the size of this airplane. The smaller model piggy backing on the big one is the 1/32nd scale Tamiya kit that I started years ago.

[imatt88]

Where are you going to put it? :blink: Nice work

[bushande]

I'm really thinking about reworking mine into a Delta or at least Bravo. Everything on that babe just screams for conversion (all necessary antennas, BOL-rails, late type gun vents etc.)

If I only found someone producing at least the GE-burner cans in 1/18. I have a rough idea how to scratch build them but to be honest I'd rather spend some cash on some well made ones and save the work.

Does anyone else consider a conversion of their 1/18 Tomcat?

Edited January 26, 2010 by bushande

[mcaulk]

I plan on converting one of these into a "D" but since I teach high school that project will have to wait for summer. Scratching out the GE engines would not be that difficult but time consuming. If I do it I want to build them as master for resin casting so they can be reproduced and I won't ever have to do it again. I am secretly hopping someone will beat me to it. LOL

Regards,

Mike

[mcaulk]

Spent the day re-working the ejection seat. A few shots with the stock seat for comparison. Added more detail, texture and padding to the upper cushion area.

Weathered with dry brush and pastels.

Also thinned out the way oversize pull handles and repainted stripes.

Now waiting harness, buckles and hoses.

With a VF-111 driver ready to fly!

Edited January 30, 2010 by mcaulk

[Ken Middleton]

very nice - even simply adding the black stripes improves them

[mcaulk]

  Ken Middleton said:

very nice - even simply adding the black stripes improves them

Thanks Ken,

Tried a new method. Used Tamyia masking tape painted black and then cut in thin strips. After wrapping sealed with flat acrylic finish. Easier and quicker than other methods I have tried.

Regards,

Mike