Subject: Re: Submission F-14B Part 1 of 2
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:10:19 -0700

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com

Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: [email-masked] 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2008 7:19 PM
  Subject: Submission F-14B Part 1 of 2

  1/32 Tamiya F-14A Tomcat 
  Converted to F-14B Bombcat 
  Part 1 of 2 
  by "Douglas K. L. Chan"
  --------------------

        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 14B01.jpg here  

  Ever since I was a kid, I assembled tens of F-14 and F-15 in 1/144 scale (LS from Japan if I remember correctly). I particularly like the Tomcat because of its sweep wings, kind of fun to have the wings rotate forward and backward. Then, as I got older, the scale got larger, 1/72 at 14, and 1/48 at 17. That time, it was just a dream to have one in 1/32 because it was so expensive to a kid. I could easily recall how happy I was at 17, taking that large Tamiya box from the shelf high up in the model shop. Opening the box... wooowwwooo....... I said to myself that some day I would have my hands on this one. And then 10 years passed...........I have the Tamiya old version, 10 more years passed........ got a better hand, I have the Tamiya 1994 version, Teknics' cockpit and airframe conversions for a D-model. I didn't want an A but a B or D. Seeing you guys' good work at ARC created a kind of resistance for me to start the work. Panel line re-inscribe, engine mount replacement, .......... it sounds so difficult. Then a day I packed with enough research and courage, I started working on this one, making it a B model in VF-103 marking. 

  Here is a list of what I have added on : 

  (1) Black Box F-14A Tomcat cockpit set (CS32013) 

  (2) Teknics F-14D Tomcat/Bombcat Cockpit Superset (TK32012) 

  (3) Teknics F-14D Tomcat/Bombcat Exterior Conversion Set (TK32011) 

  (4) Eduard F-14 seat detail set MK GRU 7A (32502) 

  (5) Eduard F-14 Tomcat - exterior (32049) 

  (6) Eduard Mask F-14A Tomcat (JX030) 

  (7) Zotz VF-103 F-14B Tomcat decal sheet (ZTZ/32014) 

  (8) Crossdelta The Last Days of VF-84 "Jolly Rogers" (1994) decal sheet 

  It is well known that Tamiya F-14 is kind of sub-standard. Making one is like having a nightmare. There are many many wonderful articles in ARC on this model. So I would only talk about something I think are a bit special. 

  First, replacing the engine mount. I used the Tamiya Craft Knife (C shape) to cut the kit moulding. Using this tool ensured a clean and straight cut which was essential to reduce the filling and sanding work after mounting the new Teknics engine mount. 

  For the office, I used the BlackBox F-14A cockpit set, with modification. Fitting the BlackBox set into the kit forward fuselage was not too much a problem. I cut steps on the bottom of the resin tub so it fitted the forward gear bay assembly. The forward and rear tubs are separated by a gap of several millimeters. Do your measurement with the canopy for the proper positions of the tubs and side walls.   

  Click on images below to see larger images

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14B002.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14B002.jpg  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14B003.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14B003.jpg  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14B004.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14B004.jpg  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14B005.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14B005.jpg  

          

        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 14B007.jpg here  

  I opened the inflight refuel bay and scratch built everything with styrene bars and sheets. The result looked good. 

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14B006.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14B006.jpg  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14B008.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14B008.jpg  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14B009.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14B009.jpg  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14B010.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14B010.jpg  

  I used the seats supplied with the BlackBox set. They are the old seats with the ejection handles on top. Adding the Eduard set would enlightened the appearence very much. 

  Instrument panels were a mix of kit parts, BlackBox set, Teknics set, Eduard set and scratch build. I am satisfied with the result. 

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14B011.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14B011.jpg  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14B012.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14B012.jpg  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14B013.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14B013.jpg  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14B014.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14B014.jpg  

  Seals made of styrene sheets were added on the wing gloves. Center pylons were modified, again with styrene sheets. The anti slip walk way on both side of the intake duct were painted by #500 liquid putty. While the liquid putty was not yet set, sting a relatively hard brush directly onto the putty, lift up and sting again. This created a very rough surface which looked quite similar to the actual anti slip walk way, of course after painting and dry brushing. 

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14B015.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14B015.jpg  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14B016.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14B016.jpg  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14B017.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14B017.jpg  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14B018.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14B018.jpg  

  Last thing for this part, the gun bay. It was again all scratch build with reference to photos. 

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14B019.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14B019.jpg  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14B020.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14B020.jpg  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14B021.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14B021.jpg  Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 14B022.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 14B022.jpg  

  Photos and text © by "Douglas K. L. Chan" Feb 2008