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Differences in aires F14A and F14B cockpit sets


rohan

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Can anyone tell me what the differences are in the Aires F14A and aires F14B Tomcat cockpit sets? I thought they had no cockpit differences. Just the B had the different engines

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The early A and B pits were nearly the same since essentially the initially difference was basically the engine. Later in life, cockpit changes were dictated mostly by upgrades, not by A or B differences. Things like the LANTRIN control stick on the left rear side console and the square PTID in the back were associated with upgrades like the Bombcat mod. B's tended to get more of the mods later in life, so they were seen with more of the cockpit changes, but they were not strictly A vs. B model differences. Very late Bs got a Sparrowhawk HUD, which I believe was never fitted to the A models.

 

Regarding the Aires pits, if you are talking about the sets for the Tamiya kit (#2065 and 2080), they represent the early A and B. The only difference is one small PE subpanel on the front IP, IIRC. That's it. Both have the original round TID in the back, and lack the LANTIRN stick, or any upgrade applied to the B over time. If you want a late B cockpit, about the only option is finding the Teknics or Black Box/Avionix sets.

 

This is the Aires B pit:

 

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Rev3/2301-2400/rev2340-Aires2080/00.shtm

 

And the A pit:

 

http://s362974870.onlinehome.us/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=174161&view=findpost&p=1621930

Edited by Dave Williams
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A couple of years ago, I did quite some research on the Tomcat. I never had the guts to build one, maybe one day I will...

 

It's like Dave said: in the front office, there are a few differences: the B has a modernized HUD + most A-models have a handhold on top of the windscreen, the B doesn't have that. The right hand side console is different as well; with the aft 3 panels blank at the B-models.

 

In the back office, the B-model used to have the same round radar display as the A-model, but the upgraded B-model had a new big square screen, like Dave wrote.

 

Nic

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To make it clear, the Sparrowhawk HUD was something added on Bs late in life. They weren't born that way. Early in life, they had the same sight as the A models.

 

According to this, the first one didn't fly with the HUD until December 1999, and the B had been in service for a decade by then.

 

http://www.aviationtoday.com/mobile/getitem.php?item=1157

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Thanks Dave. So Id just keep the same HUD as A and just add the stick to the rear console and Id have a B cockpit?

It depends. What is the time period of the B you want do do? As I've been trying to say, what differentiates a particular B cockpit from a particular A cockpit is what upgrades have been applied to the B. What many people consider A vs. B differences are changes that were applied over time through mods and upgrades, not stock A cockpit vs. stock B cockpit differences.

 

If the "stick" in the rear cockpit you are referring to is the LANTIRN control handle, that was not an A vs. B thing. That was a modification that added the capability to carry a LANTIRN pod to the early F-14s.

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  • 4 years later...

what's the best bet for a late B-cockpit (Trumpeter)? i.e. VF-102 Diamondbacks in 2002 (OEF)

Concerning the Trumpeter kit, Aires only makes a cockpit for the Alpha and Delta versions....

Wolfpack makes a specific bath tube for the Bravo (#32020) but I do not know if it's as crispy detailed as Aires

Edited by Luca
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