Tomcat; Tamiya or Trumpeter?

[tchwrma]

Hi, folks.

I built the Revell's tomcat, and the old Tamiya too. The trumphy I never saw, so lets compare the other two.

My copy of the Tamiya have raised lines and no much panel details. This gave me a lot of trouble to rescribe the panel lines and did the riveting. The other issue is the cockpit without any detail, based only in one decal, who obliged the modeler to use a resin cockpit or a PE set. I used resin seats and a PE cockpit, with many details made by scratch.

The revell kit has recessed lines, a lot of riveting and a cockpit who could be made OOB.

 

Between these two kits, I always prefered the revell kit. I purchased two more.

Perhaps some day I could buy one Trumpeter.

 

cheers, Paulo.

Edited March 12, 2016 by tchwrma

[LSP_K2]

Interesting observations here, I appreciate the inputs.

[LSP_Ron]

I built the Tamiya kit when I was 13,  I am now 47......that should say something.

[Guest Peterpools]

Ron

I built the Revell kit when I was in my mid to late 20's, I'm now 68 and feeling older every day.

Peter

[Lee_K]

I'm building the Tamiya Tomcat right now, converting it to a D model using Wolfpack Design's resin conversion set, Black Box resin cockpit, and Wheeliant wheels and tires. I knew it was going to be a big deal and it hasn't disappointed me yet: it's an awful lot of work. All the fuselage raised panel lines were rescribed and resin bits added. The biggest surprise to me has been the large seams that have to be filled, particularly the joint between the nose section and the mid-fuselage. I don't have any direct experience with the Trumpeter F-14 kits, but I have built many other jet subjects by Trumpeter and I have to think that this would be an easier path rather than working with the long-in-the-tooth Tamiya kit. I know the shape of the intakes are wrong with Trumpeter, but there are clever solutions documented in various build reviews that don't look too daunting. Both Kits will end up with impressive F-14s, but I think Tamiya's kit is the harder way.

[Darren Howie]

Having been down both roads I sold my spare Tamiya F-14's and replaced them with Trumpeter kits.

Apart from the intakes I can't see any issues and they actually did a far better job than Tamiya with the canopy.

Here is one done without Chris's intakes...cracker..

 

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal11/10001-10100/gal10056-F-14-Chan/00.shtm

[bushande]

Nice comparisons, many thinks. What do you mean by the "avionics bulge" being misshapen? Thanks.

Chuck

Here is what I mean:

The bulge should stretch just about short of the middle line between the bleed air openings way behind the end of the climate control vents (please excuse the bad quality; it's just a quick cell phone snapshot of an analoge image but you should get what I mean):

 

While Revell my not be perfect, they got that just about right. Tamiya is somewhat too long but with some filling and sanding and proper scratchwork you can correct that. Trumpeters bulge is just too short, too flat and too narrow. The only  way I see to correct that is gradually building it up with some putty or the like?!

 

Don't get me wrong. Trumpeter is a nice kit but for that amount of money I don't want to spend eons scratching my head about necessary corrections and just about the same amount of money I spent for the kit once again for extra resin and still have a lot of work to do.

Tamiya needs a ton of love and attention but in the end, all three options need that. There is a ton of things more to do but just for example here is my take on the turtle back of Tamiya:

 

 

You need to do a lot, and I really mean A LOT!!! but in the end you get a really neat result that is quite close to the original shapewise.

(I intend to build a Delta version with the extra GPS dome at the end of the avionics bulge which has not yet been done here and that is the reason why my bulge apparently runs out a little before the middle line of the bleed air openings but that is just optical in order to place the GPS dome on that place later on, hence it will fit again in the end but if you want to present a middle aged Alpha version you wont be needing that and can orient yourself on that middle line for the correct length right away)

 

I'm far far far from done and it may be a lot of small things that most people won't even recognice but for the real Tomcat aficionado I would claim that Tamiya is still the one that would eventually turn into the most authentic rendition of a Tomcat:

 

Here is another example:

Above is Tamiya, below the Trumpet:

You will need to rescripe a lot of panels on the Tamiya but at least 90 percent of the inner dimensions are properly met, while Trumpeters panels and details either have the wrong shape or are just misplaced in comparison to other elements like the canopy frame or the exhaust grids of the gun and the climate control.

 

There's just a lot more but I think you get the picture.

If you don't care too much about the little things and just want a nice interpretation of the Tomcat without too much work then by all means go for the Trumpeter. It will turn into something really nice. But honestly, with that attitude, why spend that much money on the kit. Then rather try to get a nice revell kit. A lot of decent bang for a lot less money.

Edited March 12, 2016 by bushande

[bushande]

Hi, folks.

I built the Revell's tomcat, and the old Tamiya too. The trumphy I never saw, so lets compare the other two.

My copy of the Tamiya have raised lines and no much panel details. This gave me a lot of trouble to rescribe the panel lines and did the riveting. The other issue is the cockpit without any detail, based only in one decal, who obliged the modeler to use a resin cockpit or a PE set. I used resin seats and a PE cockpit, with many details made by scratch.

The revell kit has recessed lines, a lot of riveting and a cockpit who could be made OOB.

 

Between these two kits, I always prefered the revell kit. I purchased two more.

Perhaps some day I could buy one Trumpeter.

 

cheers, Paulo.

I really do like the Revell Tomcat. It can turn into something really really nice. While it may have some shape issues it in fact has some spots way better met than the other two more expensive options. It does need a lot of attention and treatment if you are serious about a "correct" Tomcat but if you consider that you will also need most of the expensive resin stuff also for the Tanmiya and the Trumpet, going the road of buying a relatively cheap Revell and then enhance it with a ton of aftermarket and some decent scratchwork may be a good way to go. You might not end up with a rendition as close to the original as a tamiya but in the end you can achieve some great and authentic result for max. half the money you would have to spend on the other two.

[LSP_K2]

I think I'm still leaning towards my first thought; Tamiya, with whatever I can throw at it in the way of AM (within reason), and re-scribing some to get a better overall look. As has been pointed out, virtually no one will know what's what anyway, and six months after it's finished, I won't know the difference either.

 

I have the Daco Tomcat book as reference (which I consider to be the best book there is on the Tomcat, as far as details are concerned), along with several other volumes, so I can probably sort out most of what I think is relevant.

[Darren Howie]

I see some pretty massive assumptions here that because Trumpeter is different to Tamiya with panel placements therefor it is wrong.

Even though we are talking what looks to my 20/20 eyes stuff I can't even see.

We all know where it goes from here etc etc etc

My personal thing is if it needs bright red lines drawn all over pictures to show me the issues they are not in fact issues as I can't see them without them.

If you want perfection enjoy the chase and hope to see you finish it one day Bushande!

I want to build more than one 32nd Tomcat in my life so no red lines for me but to those who enjoy repositioning panel lines by 0.75mm enjoy yourselves.

[LSP_K2]

I see your point, Darren, but for some, inaccuracies are just that, inaccurate, and therefore in need of corrections. I'm working on a '69 GTX right now, and AMT released the kit with a '68 Roadrunner hood. Some would be driven to madness by that, but I'm building it as-is, because it just isn't that big of a deal to me.

[Simmo.b]

Does anyone know if the Aires pit designed for the Trumpy will fit the Tamiya?

I have the Tamiya kit and have the chance to get the Aires pit designed for the Trumpy cheap, could someone who has both do a dry fit and see if it can be made to work?

 

Cheers

 

Brent

[bushande]

I see some pretty massive assumptions here that because Trumpeter is different to Tamiya with panel placements therefor it is wrong.

Even though we are talking what looks to my 20/20 eyes stuff I can't even see.

We all know where it goes from here etc etc etc

My personal thing is if it needs bright red lines drawn all over pictures to show me the issues they are not in fact issues as I can't see them without them.

If you want perfection enjoy the chase and hope to see you finish it one day Bushande!

I want to build more than one 32nd Tomcat in my life so no red lines for me but to those who enjoy repositioning panel lines by 0.75mm enjoy yourselves.

No assumptions here Darren, but the result from a thorough comparison to the original. Trumpeter is not just different from Tamiya which wouldn't be the problem but it is different from the original! The red lines were there for the reader. You can see the inaccuracies quite well with your own eyes right away if you look at the kit. It is just what it is. The inaccuracies on prominent parts of the jet just like the avionics bulge, the phoenix pallets, the misshapen intakes, the inaccurately sitting tanks are VERY noticible for those that are fond of the jet. If you don't care about such things but just want a model that somehow looks like a Tomcat, that is absolutely fine but why then dish out so much money for an in my eyes then overpriced kit and not rather buy a nice Revell for not even half the price?!

 

I also want to build more than one 1/32 Tomcat but for me modelling is having fun by calmly thriving for a most authentical representation of an original and not rushing together as many kits as possible that stuff my room. For me the biggest fun is not just having them on the shelf but actually the building process. But fun is just spoiled when inaccuracies become too prominent and most of all almost impossible to erase without having to dish out a crap load of money for extras after I had to spend a ton of money on the kit itself.

Edited March 13, 2016 by bushande

[Darren Howie]

Modelling is different things to different people.

If people enjoy picking the eyes out of F-14's or B-17's that's all that counts to them.

As I get older to "me" I get less and less enthusiastic about issues which to "me" mean less and less.

These days it's about ease of build plus solid shapes and detailing which doesn't need resin to replace it.

Good luck to the guys into them big time but to me ease of build plus time taken are the biggest issues.

To others that may differ but that's fine by me!

Horses for courses!

[bushande]

AMEN!