Jesper, Heres a couple I've just found on the web

http://www.anft.net/f-14/f14-squadron-vf111.htm
http://www.topedge.com/alley/images/f14a/vf111aim.htm

Thank you very much, Allen! Looks great. It seems like the aircraft is just overall light grey. I might go with that look since the markings are so colourful.

No problems. You'll find most squadrons had at least one "colourful" bird which was assigned to the CO of the squadron. your could always checkout any of the photos here

http://www.anft.net/f-14/f14-photo.htm

theres bound to be one you'll like. some of my favorites are:

VF-31 Tomcatters
VF-74 Be-Devilers (they had some a/c in two tone camo scheme)
VF-84 Jolly Rogers (VF-103 Sluggers took the Jolly Rogers name later in life)
VF-111 Sundowners
VF-154 Black Knights
VX-4 Evaluators

Yeah some cool markings. Really good pictures. Including some of what appears to be only half a Tomcat on a carrier deck. Hope the pilots got out in time!!
"So that is how the engines really look without sheet metal around them..."

I noticed on the MATS site that there is an 'Agressor' bird with Russian markings under the 'topgun' section. Would these have been standard russian markings (which I could get from a MiG-29 decal sheet or similar, or were they specially made ?

Dave

I would say by looking at the Profile shot on this link that it looks to me a standard Russian Star. It's quite possible that the star was specially made as I doubt the USN would have been able to get any "original" stars from the USSR during the cold war.

Tomcat and I will be starting our 1/72 Tomcats this morning. Progress pics are to follow. Hows everyone else doing?

I beat the both of you with a few days then! I started Tuesday!

Ejection seats, plastic parts of the cockpit and a few other subassemblies done.

A question: Do you know if there is photo etch included in all of Hasegawa´s "new tool" 1/72 kits?

Regards

Magnus

All of my projects are on temporary hold.........Moving again, argh! Seems TWMBO here on Fort Carson Colorado can't make permanent decisions on where my company's barracks personnel are to reside; this is move #4 since September....>:[

Cool, no problem there's plenty of time. I started my 1/72 Cat today. I have painted the Verlinden cockpit thats going in it and sandwiched it into the front fuselage halves. Unfortunately the camera battery died so i'll get the pics up in the next few days

Magnus, I've checked the four Hasegawa kits that I own and the one Camogirl is building and out of these five, three of them have the etched parts. Two have stickers on the box saying "high tech parts" so its hard to say if this is the norm. All i can suggest is look in the box if possible to see if they are included.

Ive got the base colours onto the cockpit but no real construction done. I got majorly sidetracked (see vitenam campaign).

Hi all

Didn’t know if I would be able to join this campaign or not, but it looks like I’m in. I found a Revell-1/48 scale F-14A with a 30% off price tag and you know that goes. The kit (#5803) has its problems but that’s the fun part, right? The kit, labeled as a F-14A, only comes with a D version cockpit but a nice selection of chin pods and exhausts nozzles for both the GE F-110-GE-440 and P&W TF-30-P-414A engines. I don’t know which version I will build so I ordered parts for both the A & D versions. Markings are another matter altogether, I just started doing my research. So once again hello to all and lets have some fun!!

Welcome on board mstcls Sounds like a challenge is ahead for you. I also have a Revell kit that Camogirl got me for a birthday pressie and I found that with a little work and kit bashing you can get the Aries Cockpit set to fit in them. Unfortunately the engines (for both types) are pretty poor and the can is not deep enough. The only A/M engines I have found so far are mainly for the A variant unless you want FOD covered F110 engines (which to me negates the idea of A/M engines)

OK so far we have the following participants and their status.

Tomcat31 - Started
Camogirl - Started
Dirk-Danger
ehlikeyf
betheyn
magnusf - Started
wizard179
Wolfpack
SGTJKJ
Phantom2 - Started
SmashedGlass - Stalled
Littorio
trahe
caanbash
mstcls

If I have missed anyone or got their status wrong please let me know. The campaign section still isn't working at the moment and the only way to keep track of particpants is on this thread.

Have you decided on markings?

My Hasegawa kit will be an early scheme bird (ca 1975) from VF-114. I found a CAM decals sheet from MisterKit in Italy after a long search, they seem to be sold out almost everywhere!

I have always been a fan of the B,C. comic so the aardvark (it´s actually "Zot" himself on the fin!) fits the bill perfectly. Actually, I wouldn´t mind one for a pet: Keeping control of the termites (if we ever get them to Sweden) and sleeping between me and my wife in the bed...

My second F-14, a Fujimi Bombcat, will probably be built in whatever Bombcat scheme there is in the box.

Regards

Magnus

Hi all!




Yes, I have decided for a VF-84 Jolly Rogers F-14A Tomcat, full color insignias over the classic Gull Grey / White scheme.

If this squadron´s markings ain´t colorful, what is?

I have done what I call "basic assembly", i.e. glued everything that doesn´t have to be painted first, creating a mass of subassemblies as wings, weapons and pylons, tanks, rear fuselage, tail-fins and -planes.
Some smaller assemblies have been painted (radar, burner cans and exhausts).

I examined the contents of Black Box cockpit and was amazed by the incredible detail in this set, simply stunning!
Before I knew what was going on, I had removed the casting blocks and started painting!

So my build is flying high now, I´ll get some pics for you soon!

Anytime Baby....

Stefan E

I've decided that the 1/72 Hasegawa kit might be the CAG bird for VF-111 "Sundowners" for a change When i get round to doing my 1/48th one it'll be done in VF-31 "Tomcatters" scheme

Hi all!

As I promised earlier today, here´s some pics of my work so far.

Radar assembly completed;





Exhausts painted with Alclad II Steel;



In this kit you get a updated and more detailed version of the "old" exhausts, nearly aftermarket class on these pieces!

The Cockpit "half-way", basic colors painted and today I glued the remaining pices (the yellow ones!) in place.

Pilot´s office;







RIO´s office;



Seats, note that the belts are different!
That´s attention to detail!



Front and rear Hud covers (?), not such a good pic but you get an idea of the detail on the parts!



Side covers;



All parts still needs some paint, a wash and some drybrushing before they are finished.

If you want a one-stop reference book, I´ll recommend this one;



It´s not cheap, but you won´t need any other book on the Tomcat!

Anytime Baby...

Stefan E

Some nice work there stefan. I agree with the one stop reference, Camogirl got me it for Christmas and i've read it twice now

Hey everybody

Need some help here!!! I had hoped to model “Fast Eagle 107” from the USS Nimitz CVN 68. I came aboard right after the Med cruse when 107 shot down a Libyan SU-22. So I ordered the True Details resin cockpit (#TD48480) thinking it was for the A version. VLS has it listed as a F-14A cockpit but Squadron has a picture of this set and it looks like a D version (I cant tell, it is a poor picture). Anyone know which version this set is? The Aries cockpit is a little pricey for an $11.00 kit, but…

You are right Allen F.O.D covers are out; I will just do the best with what I have. If the appropriations committee authorizes a budget increase, I may get the Aries exhaust nozzles.

The picture from the squadron site (after saving and zooming in) looks to me to be for the A variant. The main differences in the cockpit is the A's and earlier B's had a round radar display whereas later B's and the D's has a square one. The Rios panel in the picture has a round panel so you should be able to build an A or early B variant Tomcat. Hope this helps.

Seems a lot out there think grey birds are boring. Try these on for size!





IAN

Good news the campaign is now listed on the campaigns page under the now forming area. Dont forget to enlist on there aswell.

Some nice Cats there Ian.

The Campaign is now forming. So can all that said they are interested in participating in the campaign please "officially" sign up Here.

Hey Guys & Dolls

Here is an update on my progress to this point. I have ordered all of the after market parts that I will need. That is I hope I have, you know how it goes. I would say that 90% of my research material is in hand or on the way. The majority of my research will be from the web on this build; there is just so much out there. The kit has been opened and I have given it a quick over view for missing parts, bad casting Ect…. This weekend I hope to scrutinize the kit in detail. All that remains is to decide what aircraft to model. I have narrowed it down to four choices all in 1/48-scale.

1. VF-41 #107 (One of the F-14s that shot down a Libyan SU-22)
2. VF-84 #200 (Jolly Rodgers CAG bird)
3. NSAWC #20 (Adversary aircraft from Fighter Town U.S.A)
4. One of the Iranian Tomcats.

My biggest problem is finding markings for #107’s tail codes. I may try to use a 1/32-scale decal for the spade but it may be too big. Any help in this area would be greatly appreciated.



One last thing I came across this little tidbit while doing some research.
How much does it cost to produce an F-14 Tomcat