1/48 Hasegawa F-14A Tomcat

VF-154 Black Knights

by E.J. DeVivo

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This is my first attempt at scale modeling. I built a few kits when I was b about 10 or 11, but lets consider this my first at sanding, priming airbrushing etc. Feel free to criticize or compliment, I'm a big boy and will appreciate the advice. First of all I'd like to thank Doug, Carl and J.C. of Warrick Custom Hobbies in Plantation Florida for all the help and support they gave me, the major share going to Doug who walked me through airbrushing over the phone! Okay onto the kit. Be it know that squadron VF-154 is pounding Iraq as this article gets submitted. An F-14 was lost a couple of weeks back from VF-154 in the Iraqi desert behind enemy lines.  This was due to engine malfunction. The pilot and his RIO ejected successfully and were rescued which was great to hear. The detail of this kit impressed me overall. I first started with the cockpit of course, and for this I used a custom cockpit set by Aires. In my opinion, the detail Aires provides in amazing. The gauges next to the LCD readouts are photo - etched metal, with thin plastic film underneath to simulate true readouts.  Unbelievable. The ejections seats were good, although I like Verlindens better however the seat belts are also photo-etched metal, which is nice because you can contour the way you want the belt to lay. The ejection handles, petals and other details were also photo-etched metal. The only complaint I had was the resin moulds are paper thin, and you can easily ruin the piece even if your carefull cutting. Delicate care must be taken, but worth it. My next project is an F-14D, and I already bought the stronger Black Box set, although Aires provides a little more detail. I also used landing gear wells by Aires, and they were a nightmare. The resin is way to thin here, and you have to literally cut the main piece of the kit with a small saw to accomadate the main wells. They are all one piece, not seven or eight like the kit. I thinned the squadron putty using acetone, and brushed in the gaps neatly to minimize mess. .

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After the sanding was complete, I primed the model with Model Master gray primer, waited a few days then painted the plane using MM Dark Ghost Gray.  For this, I used a Paasche double action VL airbrush. Very easy brush to use and clean (I'm a first time user.)I applied two coats of primer and the plane was starting to look a little dark, so I gave it one thin coat of MM DGG. Make no bones about it, I made mistakes along the way but you bet I learned from them. My friends at Warrick showed me so many tips and tricks that I can't wait to employ on my next F-14.

I airbrushed the burner cans first with MM Burnt metal, then a light coat of burnt iron. Weathering was done with a brown pastel chalk, scraped to dust with an X-Acto knife and brushed into the panel lines. Overdone perhaps, but then I thought, hey, these are old warriors that have been around for almost 30 years! They have flown everywhere and have been through wars over oil fields and what not. The Tomcat is the true workhorse of the Naval fleet.

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I got some silvering here and there but hey, Im still new at this. I practiced my airbrush strokes on an old Revell kit I had laying around. In closing I had a ball building this kit. Yes, it got so frustrating at times, and I remember a few times me running into the store with my cockpit set crying to Doug and Carl that it wouldn't fit, but they told me what to do and I'm happy with the end result. I have another F-14A, D and an Su-27 Flanker as my next projects. I set up a nice area in my garage and I'm really enjoying this. Here is a picture of my two cats. F-14A Tomcat VF-154 and "Noodles" .
E.J. 

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Photos and text © by E.J. DeVivo