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I'm looking to buy a Trumpeter F-14 and of the three options available, I'm not sure which to go for. If you were in my shoes, what one would you choose and why, or am I being an idiot and should spend my hard earned cash on something else?

Greetings everyone! I have been around the site for quite some time following posts and WIPs so I thought it was about time for my first large project. The following WIP will be my first in the 32nd scale and the first one in Large Scale Planes! As the title shows I will be trying my luck on an F-14B, based on the Tamiya 1:32 kit. Initially I was thinking of representing aircraft 105 from VF-41 with full low visibility colors however I changed my mind during the summer after seeing some wonderful shots of an F-14B 1:32 scale with the VF-102 Diamondbacks decals form Fightertown Decals. The decal set was particularly difficult to track, as it is out of print, however I managed to find a copy in a Japanese online store and in perfect condition no less. The aircraft that will be represented, flew with Diamondbacks during the OEF campaign in Afganistan in 2002. I will be using the 2003 version of the Tamiya kit which includes some updates in comparison to the 1994 and the 1980 versions. Also the following after market sets will be used accordingly: -Teknics ΤΚ32012 F-14B Tomcat/Bombcat Cockpit Superset -Teknics TK32013 F-14B Airframe conversion set -GRU-7(A) ejection seats from Avionix cockpit set BLC32039 -Aires 2099 F-14B/D Tomcat exhaust nozzles -If it is possible to get my hands on the exhaust nozzles form the 1:32 Tamiya F-16 they will be used instead -Hadmodels 432003 F-14B/D Upgrade photoetched part set -Crossdelta CD32002 F-14 Step area & Stiffeners -Master Model AM-32-031 F-14 Alfa Probe & Angle Of Attack probe -True Details TDP32202 1/32 F-14D Tomcat Resin Wheel Set (Late) -Eduard 32144 F-14A Tomcat exterior photoetched part set -Fightertown Decals 32009 VF-102 F-14B "Diamondbacks" OEF -Armament from the kit or Tamiya's F-16 The construction began with some modifications to the airframe around the cockpit area and the nose. Tamiya's mold in general includes not only raised lines but some panels as well. Initially I thought it was a mistake however it seems that very early Tomcats did have those. I could not find photos form both sides however at least on the right it seems that the panel was raised for some reason. In later photos these areas are not raised, so they were sanded down. One thing that is weird is how Tamiya chose to represent the refueling panel. In the kit it is neither closed nor open so since I would not doing it open it was covered with epoxy putty and sanded down while afterwards the panel lines were rescribed. Next, a characteristic electronics panel behind the cockpit was rescribed adding a bit of detail. An area on the Tamiya kit that can be improved are the NACA vents. The kit provides the correct gun vents for a late Tomcat however they are provided as one piece with the airframe. Using a rotary tool the plastic behind each vent was removed, the thickness of the leading edges was reduced and Evergreen plasticard was used to restore them. Eduard's PE was used for the gun muzzle blast fairing. HAD models PE set provides a replacement for the grills beneath the aircraft's ladder so the kit's detail was removed using a rotary tool. After the PE was in place, the area was rescribed and epoxy putty was used to restore the raised detail. The gun gas exhausts are provided in a slightly wrong position by Tamiya and because HAD models provided PE parts for the re-enforcement plates around them I decided to change their position. The old exhausts were filled with CA and sanded down while on the new positions the kit's plastic was thinned from the inside and new ones were opened accordingly. Initially the PE parts for the re-enforcements were used however I could not get them to glue properly in place so off they went! Two new pieces were created by using Evergreen plasticard and glued in place. Also HAD provides two pieces for the grills that are found inside them which were used. Eduard's set provides some nice details for the ladder in order to be represented in open position so it was the next area I started working on. Unfortunately Eduard provides a simple improvement to the kit's piece so a few additions were deemed necessary to be included. I worked based on photos of the real aircraft while Kai Wolter's exceptional F-14 build has been of great assistance and inspiration as well. Eduard's guide was not followed. Instead the two main ladder parts (1 and 2 ) were used to sandwich a piece of Evergreen in order to increase the thickness of the ladder while the PE steps (parts 73) were not used. Evergreen was used to create the two steps and to add the various small details. Parts 12 and 13 were used to create the handle mechanism. So ... that's about it for this time. Thanks for your interest! Andreas

Hi guys, Trumpeters 1/32 Phoenix pallets aren’t quite accurate, so I understand. Are Tamiya’s parts accurate? I am thinking of using those, or (trying to) make castings of them. My own kit is ah... somewhat buried under the rest of the stash at the moment. So instead of bulldozing my way through my personal plastic AMARC, I opt for the easy way out and ask you guys! Thanks for sharing your knowledge! Cheers, Erik B.

Hi! If you ever wondered how to arm your Iranian Air Force F-14 and you have run out of AIM-54s. Wonder no more! Do as the Iranians did and hang one or two Raytheon HAWKS under it =) As it happens I can provide you with those Hawks! They are available from my Shapeways shop (in 1/48 scale as well, but who cares, right?) https://www.shapeways.com/product/QZHTAHBND/hawk-mim-23b-missile-in-1-32?optionId=61879572 For those wanting to take a closer look on images of the 3D model they can be found here: http://imgur.com/a/iiyFv And if you want to read more about the story behind this there is some information here: http://theboresight.blogspot.se/2015/08/iran-satellites-and-tomcats.html (scroll down a bit) /Lars

Dear all, after my tamiya mossie, i thinked it was time for other stuff and after a jet in the form of a Mig-21, i was inspired by Tom Cooper and Farzad Bishop book "Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat" to make another jet in the form of an iranian Tomcat, probably, after the F-86, the most successful Jetfighter. Unfortunately the only 1/32 solution of the Tomcat was the Tamiya kit from the early seventys, but after all the kit was not bad at all for his forty years. Below some photos I take this afternoon with the help of central europe springtime sun, will try to do some better photos later. Open for all comments Cordially Serge

Greetings all. Didn't really want to start a thread for this, but my searching has come up nuts. Wondering if there is a decal set out there for the Tomcats of the aforementioned squadron. I have found stuff for the Phantoms they flew, and for the 1/48 Tomcats of said squadron, but not 1/32 Tomcats. Thanks in advance. Cheers, Dave

Now available! http://www.zactomodels.com/ Lately I've been busy working on a wrong scale project (http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=268873) and haven't had time to make any new patterns. I did take the time to adapt my Tomcat fuel tank pylons (from my Trump intake set) to fit the Tamiya kit. You will need to drill locator holes and remove the existing locator pins on the intake parts. Tamiya got these in the wrong location. Cheers, Chris

I'm aware of at least three pit sets for the big Tamiya Tomcat; Aires, Avionix and Teknics. Which is considered to be the most accurate, anyone know? Thanks fellas,

Before I drop a hundred bucks, can anybody vouch for Wolfpack's F-14B update and cockpit sets? Thanks in advance, Chris