Hello fellows! This is my first article about the Fujimi F-14A Tomcat I have build last summer in VF-84 Jolly Rogers last cruise scheme before their disestablishment 10 years before in 1995 and I must say is one of my favourite VF-84 scheme.

The kit is from Fujimi which my personal opinion is that together with Hasegawa kit is the best 1/72 Tomcats in the market but need more detail in some points to have a nice in scale model of the Cat.

Before I start build this kit I decided to add more detail in the cockpit because the kit part provided wasn't satisfied me.
So I decided to remove all the detail from the side panels and put there photo etched parts from Hasegawa kit and leave both pilot and RIO instrument panels as it is.
My next step was to improve the GRU-7 ejection seats with seat belts from an Eduard detail set, parts of this set was also used to improve and the canopy.
After all this when the final result satisfied me I proceed with the other parts of the kit and finish the construction OOB with no major problems

When I finished the construction and double checked the joins I was ready to move on the painting stage
I have done a pre-shading on the kit and then I sprayed the colors of the painting scheme.
When the colors dried I started weathering with my airbrush and a lighter shade of the colors used on the paint scheme every panel of the aircraft separately.
Humbrol Colors used on the kit
When all colors dried on my kit I sprayed twice my Cat with Winsor&Newton Gloss varnish. Next stage was to place the decals which came from Superscale 72-814 sheet F-14 Black Tail Tomcats and when i finish the placement I sprayed twice again Winsor&Newton Matt Varnish
As my building come close to an end next step was to paint the exhausts with Testors Metallizer colors and start glue the sub assemblies like weapons and pylons, canopy wheels etc. and voila!!!!!!!!
The result of my 46 hours construction can be seen on the pics

Squadron Signal F-14 Tomcat Walkaround
Squadron Signal F-14 Tomcat in action
J.P.Monbazete F-14 Tomcat
The Bones of the Jolly Rogers,http://www.almansur.com/jollyrogers/
And many other internet sources

George

 

Photos and text © 2005 by George Matos

April 15, 2005

www.carrierbuilders.net