1/72 Academy F-14A Tomcat

by Denis Belyanin

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The model shown here is the F-14A (Block 95), BuNo. 160414/"AJ-201" from VF-84 "Jolly Rogers". This plane was based with other units on the USS "Chester U. Nimitz" (CVN-68) in 1981.  An original photo was provided by and courtesy of Vladimir Nazarov (on Ru.Modelism also known as Nazar+) - it was shot by his father (a pilot of a Russian AF), so I am very grateful to him for real plane photos.

Actually my model was bought as a repacked by "Modelist" company (St. Petersburg, Russia). It is absolutely identical to Academy model, but the repack contains a very bad quality decals, while the whole kit is undoubtedly cheaper than Academy kit.

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So, as I planned to use aftermarket decals anyway, I bought this kit and saved some dollars:) For decals, I used decals from C.A.M. - Tomcat Alley, it has three very interesting variances of famous prototypes.  Besides I used a resin cockpit set from Pavla models and wheels from Russian firm Equipage.  I usually try to use wheels of this manufacturer as they usually give an acceptable quality and the wheels look as good as the real ones after painting and weathering.

I corrected the whole length of the fuselage by inserting a section made from 3-4 mm. plastic.  A comparison was made with drawings from "Aeroplane" magazine.  The canopy was vacu formed from clear plastic and washed in Glaenzer to make it more clear.  Some ECM warning antennas were removed from lower surfaces of a center-section, some scribing was done too.  Several little details like a fuel dump tube were scratch built.

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I used enamel paints Akan and Testors metallizers.  There was an attempt to make  "rain-marks", "weathering" and "tarnishing" to make the model look like a real carrier-plane.  The model looks very dirty, but it's supposed to, carrier-planes usually are more "weathered" than usual military planes.  Anyway I will be very grateful to you for criticize my Tomcat.

As a reference I used books:

  • - F-14 Tomcat in Detail and Scale;
  • -F-14 Aerodata;
  • -F-14 In action;
  • -F-14 Lockon No.18;
  • -F14 Walkaround No.3;

and a lot of shots taken from the Internet and from the best site about Tomcat I know - Home of M.A.T.S. (http://www.anft.net/f-14/index.htm). I hope you like the model too.

 Denis

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Photos and text © by Denis Belyanin