This is 1/72 scale kit by Fujimi depicting an F-14D Tomcat from VF-2 “Bounty Hunters” on their last Tomcat cruise in 2003. The model did not have a lot of things to create an accurate F-14D, so I had to use additional parts from Hasegawa kits. The wing pylon for the Phoenix missile was taken from a Hasegawa kit. The BOL chaff dispenser (sidewinder rails), the LANTIRN pod and ordinance were taken from Hasegawa’s weapon sets. 

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I used modelmaster paints and coatings.  Light weathering was applied using thinned browns and blacks as well as pencil dust.  A carrier deck base was provided by “Richard’s Models”, an Ebay store.

I used the decals provided by the kit which depicted some interesting bomb count from “OIF”. I took a lot of references from Tony Holmes’ book on F-14 Units in Operation Iraqi Freedom (Osprey).  This particular Tomcat (VF-2’s CAG bird) was used a lot as a Forward Air Controller (Airborne) in the initial air strikes, that explains the high LGB and JDAM bomb tally on the nose.

Jorge

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