IRIAF Tomcats

[KarlW]

Been building one of HobbyBoss' F-14s, this one is the Persian Cat boxing representing one of the IRIAF Tomcats they managed to get before the regime change that saw US support end.
Decided to go OOB for this and handpainted the cockpit rather than use any of the excellent but samey AM stuff available.

 

[minitnkr]

WOW.

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Looking very nice indeed Karl
Nice to see you back around the place too
Hope all's well with you and yours.
Andy

 

[yak face]

Great job karl , its often the case that the kit details are just as good if not better ( due to not being flat ) than pe . Just takes so some very careful painting like here , cheers tony

 

[Mickc1440]

Great return to the daily life here, that is looking really nice

 

[Jakko]

Which scale is this, 1:48? I’ve been wanting to build an Iranian Tomcat in 1:72 for years but haven’t gotten round to it so far

 

[KarlW]

Looking very nice indeed Karl
Nice to see you back around the place too
Hope all's well with you and yours.
Andy

All is good here mate, your good self?
Work got a bit in the way of life for a while there but I am slowly getting more bench time again. So maybe start clearing some of my shelf queens.

Great job karl , its often the case that the kit details are just as good if not better ( due to not being flat ) than pe . Just takes so some very careful painting like here , cheers tony

I feel PE cockpits are becoming the "Hornet heads" of aircraft, good but everyone is using them, the new 3d printed stuff is boggling.

Which scale is this, 1:48? I’ve been wanting to build an Iranian Tomcat in 1:72 for years but haven’t gotten round to it so far

Yes 1/48, this one comes with the modified Hawks that the Iranians developed to try to keep what few Pheonix they had for special occassions.

Everyone else, cheers.

 

[Code no 10]

Surely one of the best cockpit I've seen so far, Karl.

 

[Airborne01]

That looks superb Kari - very nice job that really justifies your decision to 'go it alone'!
Steve

 

[KarlW]

A few steps on, closed up the front end, need to do the seams yet. HobbyBoss wold have you put the IFR probe in place now, deployed, absolutely asking for it to be broken off and fed to the carpet monster. Plus there is no detail inside the compartment, just two ejector pin marks that are really fun to fix being at the bottom of a narrow chanel, and there is no actuator arm either.
So after trawling through lots of pictures I finally found one of an IRIAF Tomcat with the IRIAF probe stowed, quick check it's not from a flight sim and I'm happy, I can stow the one here.
IRIAF F-14As are usually seen with the IFR probe deployed, leading me to wonder was the servo prone to failure and they just welded them in place, and they all have the cover plate/compartment door missing. Apparantly these are very easy to knock off during in flight refuelling and are not something you want getting sucked down into the starboard engine, so the Iranians put them all in storage, if read that the USN will also remove these doors for exact same reason, but tend to replace them.

 

[KarlW]

A few fit issues.....
Top one is easy enough, I just cut away the bit that was interfering with the upper fuselage.

The intake is going to need some heat and brute force, not enough contact area to hope the glue holds it in shape.
I've also carved out the glove vane slots.

 

[KarlW]

Double post.

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Coming along very nicely Karl,
...... Nice clean removal there,Razor Saw by any chance?!
The cockpit sits great in the fuselage there,with quite a lot still viewable by the look of those pics..... always a real shame when so much hardwork gets completely lost to the eye when assembled.
Andy,
( ..... and we`re all good too thanks mate..... well,apart from still having to work of course....... although i have managed to get it down to a 4 day week since about 12 months ago).

 

[Jim R]

That hand painted cockpit looks superb. I hope the fit issues get sorted.

 

[KarlW]

Coming along very nicely Karl,
...... Nice clean removal there,Razor Saw by any chance?!

Nope, just nibbled off with the sprue cutters.
Haven't decided on canopy up or down in this, down makes it easier to paint, and I'm all for easy things.

4 day weeks, I'm getting one of those next week......my travel time alone for each of the last 3 weeks was 30 hours......

That hand painted cockpit looks superb. I hope the fit issues get sorted.

Thanks Jim, having to bend things back into shape is always a worry, need to get it to bend in the right place rather than just curve it......but I have a cunning plan.

 

[Code no 10]

I've stumbled upon this very informative website of F14 Tomcat reference work. I hope it could be useful for anyone building the kit or thinking of doing so in the future.

Here's the link

HOME OF M.A.T.S. - The most comprehensive Grumman F-14 Reference Work - by Torsten Anft!

www.anft.net

 

[KarlW]

I've stumbled upon this very informative website of F14 Tomcat reference work. I hope it could be useful for anyone building the kit or thinking of doing so in the future.

Here's the link

HOME OF M.A.T.S. - The most comprehensive Grumman F-14 Reference Work - by Torsten Anft!

www.anft.net

Cheers, been jumping in and out of that one, of particular note was in the wheel wells everything was just sprayed white, going to use it a lot more for my next F-14A.

 

[KarlW]

A bit of bench time this morning in between taxi runs for kids, why has my 6yo a more active social life than me?
Sorted the intake fit issues, carefull application of heat and a form and everything sorted.


Also assembled the two engines, the two Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-412A where a bit underpowered meaning the afterburners were needed to get the earlier Tomcats in the air, not good for the JBDs (Or even signalling the carrier's location, not an issue for this bird though.) but looks cool.


Also assembled the two 6 part wings, the kit is really better suited to the leading slats being open but I've closed them.
One thing I am considering adding to this is a set of weighted resin wheels, kit ones have vinyl tyres and I've heard too many stories.
But then it won't be OOB......

 

[KarlW]

Beginning to look like an aeroplane.

 

[The Smythe Meister]

Beginning to look like an aeroplane.
View attachment 461756

I should co co ......
and a very mean looking one at that