F-14B Tomcat - 1:32 Trumpeter

[Caledonia]

This will be my next project after a short 'break' for some DIY around the house, thats what my orders say anyway.

Should really entitle this 'Unpacking the Tomcat'.

First the Box, or should I say small suitcase.

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Opening the box you are presented with a pile of very well packed sprues.

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34 Light Grey Plastic Sprues

2 Fuselage halves

2 Rubber wing root gloves

Removing the fuselage halves, we are presented underneath with 7 sprue bags.

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On the right hand side of the box we have 3 large sprue bags and underneath those 13 bags of sprues, mainly missiles and tanks.

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Opening the central box we have: -

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Tyres

Metal struts for the U/C

4 Clear sprues

2 Individually wrapped intakes

2 Ejector seat sprues

1 Two piece canopy

1 PE for seat belts, mirrors etc

1 Nose cone

Comprehenseve painting and assembly instructions booklet are included.

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And finally there are 4 sheets of decals.

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At the moment I plan to make this an out of the box built.

Cheers Derek

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[takeslousyphotos]

That's a project and a half Derek......... I'll look forward to seeing it done. The Trumpeter kit's are always a pleasure to work on, everything seems "spot-on" with them.

Peter

 

[Gern]

Well that should keep you off the streets and out of trouble for a while! Looking forward to seeing this one done.

Gern

 

[papa 695]

Looking forward to seeing this monster being built Derek

 

[Dave W]

That is some kit.First time Ive seen one with a handle on the box!.i will definately be watching this one.

 

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

Very nice looking kit will watch this one eagerly, I recall building a small 1:72nd Jolly Roger

Adrian

 

[Ian M]

Thank heavens for Microwave popcorn.....DING!

OK I'm ready.

Ian M

 

[James Q]

That looks a hell of a kit! Cant wait to see the progress, and never seen a model box with a handle before!

 

[flyjoe180]

Your mates will see you next Spring then Derek? That is huge. Look forward to the build thread. Mmmm, popcorn.

 

[Plastickitbasher]

Wow that's some monster of a model, looking forward to seeing the photo's of the build

 

[tr1ckey66]

Looks a good kit Derek with plenty of detail. I don't know anything about this kit but I hope it's one of Trumpeter's more accurate releases.

I know you'll be making a fantastic job of this and I'm looking forward to this seeing this impressive model when complete.

all the best

Paul

 

[delmonteman]

Wow. Just wow.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[yak face]

Super looking kit derek, very impressive. I cant wait to see this done, i know it'll be your usual superb standards ,cheers tony

 

[Caledonia]

Thanks for your kind wishes chaps, have been wanting to do this model for ages. A moment of madness in a local model shop last year made me buy it. Cheers Derek

 

[Caledonia]

Finally got back to some modelling.

Been doing a lot of research and decision making before I started this kit, have decided to go for this Aircraft.

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The Trumpeter kit comes with just about every possible weapon used in their various combat missions, so unless you want to show the unarmed aircraft with all the weapons layed out, there is a huge waste. Like the Tornado, I think the Tomcat looks best fully loaded with flaps/slats and spoilers fully extended. So I am going to make the aircraft with the wings extended and all the above deployed, as well as full armed. I plan to show the aircraft as if it has just been caught by the arrestor wire, so the nose wheel is at minimum height (two options are provided with the kit). For this I need crew so I have ordered up the following kit, and am awaiting delivery.

http://masterdetails.com/images/stories/32007_AD_label.pdf

I don't want to start the cockpit until I have the above crew so that I can identify any problems before assembly. In the meantime I did some research on what is a likely payload for a ground attack role would be, since it is a 'Bomb Cat', and below are the munitions I have chosen for the model, they are: -

2 off AIM-9L

I off AN/AAQ-25 LANTIRN Pod

1 off AIM-54 Phoenix

2GBU-12

2 GBU-31

2 External Fuel Tanks

Below is a shot of the above munitions which I have made up ready for painting; note I have filled the fwd section of the fuel tanks with some blue-tack as this kit will need a lot of ballast to prevent it 'tail sitting'

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I am moving onto building the Engines now. Cheers Derek

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[Caledonia]

Finally found some time to get back to modelling.

A few shots of the Ejector Seats, have deviated from the kit colour scheme and used internet photos.

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A few details of the Master Detail Pilot Figures, a bit of cleaning to do, and don't know why they have used a white metal casting for the head.; as you can see from this trial fit photo the Pilot is sitting too high so some major surgery needed on his rear.



Fitted most of the cockpit and primed with Tamiya Light Grey Surface Primer. I plan to keep this colour as the background colour for the cockpit (it's darker than the photos suggest), again I will be using internet photos instead of the Kit colours. Incidentally, the cockpit colour instructions is poor, and you are left guessing what colour to use.



Cheers Derek

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[0ne48thtel]

Hell that is some kit and well presented, Will be watching this come together

 

[Ian M]

Funny that. While shuffling some thing like 2000 posts around the forums, I saw this one and wondered what you have been doing with it.

Good to see you back at the bench.

hope all is well.

Ian M

 

[Polux]

Nicely work so far!

Nice to see you modelling again too!!

Cheers. Polux

 

[flyjoe180]

Nice work so far Derek