Now I’m again back at modelling aircraft after some 1/700 US Ships including Trumpeter’s Blue Ridge and Tamiya’s Indianapolis. Recently I cleared some of my older 1/32 jets of dust and again took the plan to purchase and build another big scale fighter jet. Having already done Academy’s F/A-18C and Tamiya’s F-15E and F-16CJ I decided to try my skills on a Tomcat I found at a local hobby store. The Tamiya kit is very easy to build altough I had to fill some “leaks” on the fuselage, especially the bow/main body joint. I didn’t use any aftermarket set, in Switzerland they aren’t as easy to purchase and in my opinion, only the bad cockpit armatures could be improved.

My Tomcat carries a standard OEF/OIF loadout, comprising two AIM-9L Sidewinders, a Phoenix, a LANTIRN, two GBU-24 LGBs and two drop tanks. I added also two JDAM which I took from the F-16CJ, although I don’t know if there were any F-14As which could drop these munitions. I decided to build the nose section in open position to show the radar which I improved a little bit using some wire. Next I changed the position of the pilot, showing him now climbing into the canopy. The GBU-24 and JDAM were also improved by a coat of fire-resistant paint which I mixed of some “Decoupaste” providing a coarse, relief style surface and Tamiya grey.