1/32 Trumpeter F-14A Tomcat

[Guido Schrijvers]

The AIM-7 is half a square too long after comparing with real photos. You could cut it in two, cut away 5 mm or so, and glue it back together...

[Mark Jackson]

2 hours ago, Guido Schrijvers said:

The AIM-7 is half a square too long after comparing with real photos. You could cut it in two, cut away 5 mm or so, and glue it back together...

 

Thank you although this project has changed more directions than a long-tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs; open bays so no armament.  

[Mark Jackson]

 

 

 

 

 

[Crew Dog]

Excellent attention to detail, sir! I'm especially enjoying the LOX bottle and SPR panel that you added (being a Crew Chief, servicing points were daily sights for me)

[Mark Jackson]

Thanks but the detail is a bit hit and miss and more for effect than accuracy.  I'd show one of the engines removed as Trumpeter provide a fairly crude offering but the engine cowling before it fairs in to the body is not provided.  

[Mark Jackson]

I've been busy and can now say that the two intakes are attached to the lower fuselage!  The fit of the Trumpy parts is poor but with some pre-planed plastic strip supports and re-enforcing points you can obtain a fairly convincing aerodynamic line.    Of course you will need copious amount of filler and lots of sandpaper.

 

One area which was bothering me was the underside of each pylon; no AIM-7's meant that the connection point details would need to be created.  Good old Trumpy just give you an open area which would be covered by an AIM-7 missile.  

 

 

 

 

 

I actually managed to airbrush without tears, tantrums or blood spillage!  

 

 

Vallejo white primer then model color white with thinner and airbrush flow improver.  I adjusted the pressure so that when spraying it was about 20psi and it was an enjoyable experience.

 

All the control surfaces have been filled and sanded, at least Trumpy had the sense to place the seam on the undersides.

 

 

 

 

[Scale_artisan]

On 6/28/2020 at 12:05 AM, Mark Jackson said:

The fit of the Trumpy parts is poor.

And just when I was thinking that the Trumpy is better than the Tamiya F-14, reading the past 7 pages made me change my mind. If the only thing that's missing from the Tamiya kit is the better cockpit then I'm willing to spend $100 to buy one!!!

 

Keep up the good work Mark and don't "surrender"!!!!

[Mark Jackson]

Trumpeter tempt you, their models in big boxes promise so much and to a certain extent they provide a good kit, but......

 

Often in the areas which are designed to be detailed and on show they seem to let themselves down.  Yet in other areas where you think that the design and mould process would be impossible - they nail it.   There's only 2 1/32 Trumpeter kits sitting in my newly aquired stash - an A-7E Corsair and A-6E Intruder.  2 Tamiya - F-15E and F-4J, 2 Hasegawa - A-4E/F and F-104G.  Revell - 2 x Tornado's and a super hornet.   

[Scale_artisan]

I always wanted to buy the A-7E but, every time I was looking at that #@$%&!  air intake I was getting mad!!! I mean come one! it's 1/32th scale!!! and they have repeated this particular error in all scales!!!

Edited June 29, 2020 by Scale_artisan

[Marcel111]

Impressive work overall and the additional detail you are putting in looks great!

 

Marcel

[Mark Jackson]

Thanks, I have a choice of 7 different squadrons/time periods/blocks and schemes.  I opted for one as it is that time in the build when a decision has to be made and would you believe it... the one I chose is missing.  I've gone through the decal box several times, all of the workroom drawers, boxes and every single model in the stash.  I'm thinking of applying to the Magic Circle as I've made it disappear!   I've mislaid parts before now but never a set of decals.

[AlbertD]

Wow, the detail and workmanship is just amazing. Thanks for taking the time to post your build.

[Andreas Tomcatter]

Excellent work and craftsmanship!

[Stokey Pete]

Impressive detailing work, I love it. 

[dsahling1]

Out of curiosity (and apologies if i missed it) what did you use to fill the panel line on the flaps?