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Tamiya 1/48 F-14A: 6/17/18: DONE AND IN THE BOOKS


Guest Peterpools

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Yeah, that squares with my research as well.  I'm planning on a Block 95 bird, BuNo 160386 that I photographed at the Selfridge ANGB open house in 1977...  Been wanting to do a model of her ever since!  She was only a few months old at the time, and VF-84 had yet to take their Cats to sea when I took the photo!  Weathering?  We don't need no stinking weathering!

 

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Will have to do that bird for my mine as well, Selfrdige Michigan 1977, I was just being born in that state at the time!

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  • 1 month later...
Guest Peterpools

Hi Tom

Finally been back at the bench and new update  today. Thanks for checking in

Peter

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Guest Peterpools

B Starr

Much appreciated and I've finally been back at the bench and making progress.

Peter

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Guest Peterpools

Thanks Alan

And right with you. Just can't imagine what Tamiya could do in 32nd scale after turning out their 48th scale gem

Peter

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Guest Peterpools

Thanks Carl

A 32nd scale Tomcat based on their 48th scale kit: WOW! That would be the kit of the decade for me

Peter

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Guest Peterpools

UPDATE 5/18/18: ; PAINTING AND DECALING: HALF WAY HOME.

I've had a dickens of a time gathering up the desire to sit and work at the bench; simply lack of motivation to build is the closest I can come to explaining it. One day the desire to work is there and then it vanishes for days that seem to stretch into a week or more. I've missed both deadlines for the two IMPS contests but am still determined to finish the Tomcat strictly within the IPMS Out of the Box Rules- who knows, I may enter it next time around.

Not being a large scale build, I decided to forgo my normal build thread updates and just do a few as I reach major construction plateaus. The Tomcat surely has helped kick start the old mojo and turned on the lights in the cave.

The Tomcat is Tamiya: nothing more needs to be said about fit, detail and no road blocks; what a pleasure.

Once ready, I primed the Tomcat with AK758 Primer and Microfiller; no problems to report and no need for any wet sanding or polishing. The intakes were painted with Tamiya Gloss White, left to dry for 24 hours and then masked with Tamiya tape, which is still in place – fingers crossed. The canopy was masked with the mask set as provided – please Papa Tamiya, how about die-cutting the masks, it's 2018!

My original plan was to go with MRP Paints for the entire build and that plan fell apart nearly from the start. What I though was a full bottle of FS17875 Insignia White was more then half empty but I did have a full bottle of FS36440 Light Gull Gray. A quick call to Matt at Hobbyworld, confirmed what the website stated: backordered. Yikes; what to do?

I switch gears having full bottles of Mr Color Lacquer for each color. Mr Color was thinned with Mr Color Leveling Thinner: 40 drops of paint to 80 drops of thinner and 4 drops of Mr Color Mild Retarder. I kicked the spray booth into action and over the next week, the paint work was complete. Still absolutely no need for wet sanding or polishing – Mr Color goes on and lays down super smooth. I did use the F-14A Flap mask set from Furball and they worked beautifully.

I'm in Love with Mr Color Paints!!!!

I've compared them to my normal diet of MRP paints and it's night and day. Mr Color goes on smooth as silk, dried glass smooth and diamond hard! In under an hour, I mask right on top with no worries at all. Leave the paint to cure over night and it's bullet proof. Mr Color does comes up short in it's range of pre-mixed colors and the smell requires the use on my spray booth for anything but the shortest painting periods and then I use a respirator. Taking into account these two negatives I still can honestly say, Mr Color is the finest paint I've ever used! Cleanup is another story.

Naturally, I bent the pitot tube a number of times and finally broke it off in the spray booth, needing a replacement – no biggie, just all thumbs these days. The canopy was painted inside and out, then I proceeded mask off the radar dome, going with gloss black as per Furball's instructions and then masked off the antiglare panel, going with flat black. After glossing, you can still see a different shade between the two blacks!

The leading edges represent Coragard paint and not polished aluminum, with the plan calling for using Mr Color Gloss Black for the base, then AK aluminum.

For Clear Gloss, I tired Mr Color lacquer version and I was again simply blown away. Holy Cow, I've never been able to achieve such a super smooth, clear gloss straight from the air brush. The one drawback is Mr Color Clear Gloss come only in 10ml bottles, so I buy them in bulk 10 bottle at a shot).

Decals were provided by Furball and a dream to use. I'm about half way home with the decaling and taking my time .. loads of stencils to apply and not all will be used.

Next up will be finishing and sealing the decals with Mr Color Semi Gloss, high-lighting panel lines with Tamiya Panel Line Wash, stripping the Tamiya tape off, working on the gear and loadouts. Last on the list should be all the detail painting still remaining.

Wings and stabilizers are only being test fitted and will pop right off as soon as the Tomcat is back on the bench.

Thanks for checking in

Peter

 

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Edited by Peterpools
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Guest Peterpools

Thanks Brian

She is getting there and I really happy I finally am back on track and finishing a build.

Peter

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Guest Maxim

That's looking really nice! have to agree with you, Mr Color paints rock. Overall the best paint I have ever used. MRP comes in second. I have two of these F-14's in the stash and they will be VF-1 and VF-2 first cruise with the early beaver tails and gun ports.

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Guest Peterpools

Maxim

Very much appreciated. Same here, Mt Color has become my number paint of choice and MRP ans settled into the number two spot.

Very much looking forward to your two F-14 builds.

Wouldn't it be grand if Papa Tamiya decided to release this exact kit in 32nd scale - what a joy it would be.

Peter

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Guest Maxim

Maxim

Very much appreciated. Same here, Mt Color has become my number paint of choice and MRP ans settled into the number two spot.

Very much looking forward to your two F-14 builds.

Wouldn't it be grand if Papa Tamiya decided to release this exact kit in 32nd scale - what a joy it would be.

Peter

 

Agree! Just the thought of Tamiya up scaling their 48 F-14A to 32 scale makes me go weak at the knees of how much a beating my credit card will take. I'd be in for at least three or four. I really don't think Tamiya could keep up with the demand!

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hi 

good choice , this is one of my favorite schemes .!!!!! Ah , what a blessed time !!!!!! , when aircrafts were colorful  . Tamiya  san I want the same at the big scale  :rolleyes: ( does he listen to me :innocent: )...... great job Peter !!!!!!!!

Alain

Edited by alain11
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