Boatmans Super Tomcat F14D Build

[boatman]

I need to take my SWMBO to the hospital to get her hearing aids turned up or replaced, she can't hear me unless I'm less than 6 feet away and we're facing each other..
Pete

WOW Pete well im not that bad but send your wife my best wishes an this is a horrible affickion an can destroy your life as its difficult to take part in anything but jen is patient with me if i dont hear her an we hope your wife get some good aids as with me they wanted to fit a unit in my head but i dont like the idea of holes drilled in me napper no way an its nice to be able to take it out for a rest
ATB
CHRISB

 

[Gern]

an the big canopy which i think will cause me probs as there is a big ridge right over the center of it so i may have to see some of you guys on how to use that rubbin down compound to try an get rid of it an a little P/E View attachment 495577

I had a kit with a seam line on the canopy - can't remember which one. Like you Chris I was scared to death of trying to remove it, but it turned out to be fairly straightforward. I started with a 240 grit sander and worked my way through all the sponges and sanders I have getting progressively finer. Final polishing was done using toothpaste and an old brush on my electric toothbrush, then more toothpaste on a piece of soft cloth. It wasn't perfect but it was a lot better than the original seam and I guess you could do better with some proper polishing compound to get the final shine.

You will need to be careful you don't crack it by putting too much pressure on it. I was able to support mine on my little finger while sanding but I don't know how wide yours is - the canopy that is - not your little finger!

 

[Gern]

THANKS James for your kind words on my planes an i will fit on a couple pics of my 1/48 tomcat all lit up when the timer switches on it on with the other planes as they do look good as to me it brings the planes to life but my canon camera has bought the pics up brighter than they really are so its not OTT an my tomcat is an old acdemy kit of the pukein dogs sqr
chrisb View attachment 496226View attachment 496227

Did you ever get a job installing the Blackpool Illuminations? You should have! They'd have been fabulous!

 

[boatman]

I had a kit with a seam line on the canopy - can't remember which one. Like you Chris I was scared to death of trying to remove it, but it turned out to be fairly straightforward. I started with a 240 grit sander and worked my way through all the sponges and sanders I have getting progressively finer. Final polishing was done using toothpaste and an old brush on my electric toothbrush, then more toothpaste on a piece of soft cloth. It wasn't perfect but it was a lot better than the original seam and I guess you could do better with some proper polishing compound to get the final shine.

You will need to be careful you don't crack it by putting too much pressure on it. I was able to support mine on my little finger while sanding but I don't know how wide yours is - the canopy that is - not your little finger!

HI Gern love your post but i dont dare try an get rid of that canopy seam as its quite high about a qauter of a mm an the canopy is quite big about over an inch wide an about 4 inches long an quite fragile as just gently treid to hold it an it has not much strenght to it so i think as im a bit hamfisted id end up breakin it in two as remember im a novice model makin now. An on my acdemy tomcat lit up like blackpool lol there was no canopy seam so i was lucky there but yes i suppoce i could fashion a bit of balsa wood to fit inside it so there is no stress on the canopy but i havnt the confidence to sand down the canopy i think i'll leave it to the guys who have more exsperience than me doin that wow an just leave it as i dont want to mess up
SWMBO 'S exspensive xmas pressie or i'll get what for lol
ATB Gern
chrisb

Did you ever get a job installing the Blackpool Illuminations? You should have! They'd have been fabulous!

HI again Gern yes would love to have had that job lol but as ive said before im not that good at eletrics an the real planes are lit up like this at night with even more lights than ive shown on my 1/48th tomcat but on the real plane they have a weird thing fitted called a on off switch if flyin in a war zone lol
ATB SIR
chrisb

AN Just thinkin Gern that ive not fitted several yellow formation lights which are fitted on the real plane on both sides an at the back end of the fusealarge an up the tails verticals an more on the end of the wing tips as it would take several weak white leds an the cost oh dear so when plane built i will just fit the decals to represent them hows that
chrisb

 

[Jakko]

i dont dare try an get rid of that canopy seam as its quite high

You could practice first on clear sprue, though?

 

[boatman]

You could practice first on clear sprue, though?

AN HI Jakko i dont dare as im a novice when it comes to something like this as i dont want to be like James is as he has treid to polish his big canopy an now he's goin to ask tamyia for another canopy an if they dont let him have one then he is stuck with his old one if you see what i mean as i dont think the seam will show to much when fitted on the plane an fair enough cowards way out lol but will do for me
chrisb

 

[boatman]

AN HI again guys regards this big canopy on my tomcat why do the manufactures build this seam in ?or is it to do with the moulding proccess ?
can any body give me an answer ? an im not goin to build this to the destruckions as to get this right im goin to fit in all the eletrics in firstly berfore i do any gluein of parts so the office will be later in build as im hopein to light up the controls in the cockpit but will see if possible firstly so quite a lot of exsperimenting goin on
chrisb

 

[Jakko]

The seam must be there to allow the canopy to be moulded, else I think even a fairly stupid designer wouldn’t want to put it down the middle of a clear part.

But what I meant is: you can take a section of the clear sprue that the canopy is in, and practice on that to remove the seam along its side. That way you can get a feel for how to do it, and only try it on the canopy once you’re confident about the technique.

 

[boatman]

The seam must be there to allow the canopy to be moulded, else I think even a fairly stupid designer wouldn’t want to put it down the middle of a clear part.

But what I meant is: you can take a section of the clear sprue that the canopy is in, and practice on that to remove the seam along its side. That way you can get a feel for how to do it, and only try it on the canopy once you’re confident about the technique.

WELL HI again Jakko an many thanks for your answer on the canopy seam but i just havnt got the confidence to do the seam as i will only bugger it up an spoil the model as guys like you have the knowagle on how to do it but i havnt a clue but OK say i was to try it what stuff would i need a list please below if poss ?
chrisb

 

[JR]

Wow you building a plane Chris, at least there is a drawing of a ship as well .
No electrics to drive you madder than you already are
I shall join the merry throng.

 

[boatman]

Wow you building a plane Chris, at least there is a drawing of a ship as well .
No electrics to drive you madder than you already are
I shall join the merry throng.

HI John matey an yes there is some eletrics but nothin like tiger an im havin a change of build from a ship till i can get next yr here to take tiger back to Norwich pond so got to fill these winter days with some modeling of this big tomcat an waya mean already madder than i already am LOL I'LL have you know im no madder than i was when i deciced to build tiger lol an yes jion in but dont bring any matches though lol
chrisb

 

[boatman]

HI GUYS well i made a start this afternoon on the big cat but before i could do anything had to check what leds i had left an to my amazement i havnt enough as i forgot i used several on tigers bridge so got to write out a list of what ones i need an order them an some piccys of these tiny leds that i will be usein but first pic of the 12v power unit i will be usein


an now the leds an they ae 2mm smd leds an you can see how small they are compared to my fingertip


white

AN a red goin pic a bit blurry as got camera shake

 

[boatman]

SO untill i can get some flasin ones an such i think tomorrow i can fit the red an blues in the wing tips for nav lights
chrisb

 

[Gern]

Gotta say I don't think you're gonna find room for that plug in your 'plane Chris.

 

[boatman]

Gotta say I don't think you're gonna find room for that plug in your 'plane Chris.

OH YOU ninny Gern that will be plugged into wall socket lol as the plugs in the plane will be mini plugs so its all under controll just keep watchin Gern an learn lol
chrisb

 

[JR]

Chris there's lights as well !
That of course comes as no suprise, I must have been daydreaming when I said no electrics .

 

[boatman]

Chris there's lights as well !
That of course comes as no suprise, I must have been daydreaming when I said no electrics .

YES you must have been John since when have i built a model without lights lol an have you taken your meds today if not then will have to get Matron onto you sir lol
chrisb

 

[Bri62]

Looks like a really nice kit Chris (sorry missed this)

 

[boatman]

HI Chaps well i have been as got a problem on fitting the wing tip nav lights as the wing tip is so thin like the real aircraft that im havin trouble fittin in a 1anhalf mm led as that what it measures out at an the wingtip is only 2mm thick so only got half a mm to play with so more today on how i can get around these probs as i looked up my academy tomcat build on my old p/c an it show the wingtip is a lot thicker so easy to fit led nav light an pic below of how i did it an it worked great an below the whole starbord wing with led in an wirein

 

[boatman]

Looks like a really nice kit Chris (sorry missed this)

HI Bri no need to apolagise as we all cant keep up on everything on this great forum so we all bound to miss something as there is so much happening on this forum an cheers for you kind words Bri
Chrisb