Subject: Re: F-14 Entry
From: "Steve Bamford ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 4 May 2003 10:50:57 -0700

----- Original Message -----
From: <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2003 7:54 PM
Subject: F-14 Entry

> Gallery Template #11
>
> "1/48 Hasegawa F-14A Tomcat VF-154 Black Knights"
>
> by "E.J. DeVivo"
> --------------------
>
> Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 01.jpg here
>
>
> This is my first attempt at scale modeling. I built a few kits when I was
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. .
>
> Click on images below to see larger images
>
> Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 03.jpg
here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo
03.jpg
>
>   Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 04.jpg
here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo
04.jpg
>
>  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 05.jpg
here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo
05.jpg
>
>
>
> 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.
>
>
> Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 02.jpg here
>
>
> 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.
>
> Click on images below to see larger images
>
> Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 06.jpg
here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo
06.jpg
>
>   Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 07.jpg
here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo
07.jpg
>
>  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 08.jpg
here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo
08.jpg
>
>
>
> 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" .
>
> Click on images below to see larger images
>
> Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 09.jpg
here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo
09.jpg
>
>  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 10.jpg
here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo
10.jpg
>
>  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 11.jpg
here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo
11.jpg
>
>
>
> Photos and text © 2003 by "E.J. DeVivo"
>
>

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