Rick's Hasegawa 1/72 F-14A Tomcat "Sundowners"

[rickoshea52]

I'm unable to have an airbrush and spray booth permanently set up so I build models in multiple. I get to a point where the model is at the paint stage and usually wait for a couple to be at the same point before having a serious spraying session. For various reasons lately, no spray painting is possible at chez Shea so I have an ever growing pile of assembled but unpainted models building up and this is the latest addition. I foresee a glut of models coming out of the paint shop ready for final assembly.

I bought it for £3.50 from a charity shop in Hook where I "work". This type of jet isn't usually my thing, I'd never have bought it from a model shop, but it looked nice and thought I'd have a go and it's not such a bad kit so far with only some minor filler required at the engine intakes and fins - it's actually quite simple to assemble and I'm quite pleased that I bought it.

I'll do this in the "Sundowners" markings but I'm not looking forward to all of the tiny stencil decals, I'm still recovering from the Nimrod experience! The only deviation from the box instructions will be a couple of resin exploding seats.

I added weight to the nose cone with Liquid Lead from Deluxe Models which has since been fitted, next step is primer, so yes, it's now in the paint shop queue!

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[flyjoe180]

Wow, that is a great score at GB3.50! Great looking work Rick, look forward to seeing it painted up.

 

[phikoleoputra]

Looking good so far. Great bargain for £3.50.

 

[rickoshea52]

Primer applied. There is one area to fill on the radome but that's it really. This is quite a nice kit.

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[flyjoe180]

Looks good Rick. I've heard good things about the Hasegawa F-14s. This is the older version with raised panel lines I believe? Seen it around, looks to be a good kit.

 

[Tibbs]

It does look good..... 2 questions though

1. What are resin exploding seats

2. Did you add wieght just to balance the plane for suspending?

Thanks

 

[flyjoe180]

It does look good..... 2 questions though1. What are resin exploding seats

2. Did you add wieght just to balance the plane for suspending?

Thanks

Amos, resin exploding seats refers to resin ejection seats. Weight is usually added to a tricycle landing gear aeroplane to make it sit correctly on it's nose wheel. Not adding weight can lead to a 'tail sitter', where the model tips back due to the model's centre of gravity being behind the main wheels.

 

[Tibbs]

Amos, resin exploding seats refers to resin ejection seats. Weight is usually added to a tricycle landing gear aeroplane to make it sit correctly on it's nose wheel. Not adding weight can lead to a 'tail sitter', where the model tips back due to the model's centre of gravity being behind the main wheels.

Thanks Joe

 

[rickoshea52]

It does look good..... 2 questions though1. What are resin exploding seats

2. Did you add wieght just to balance the plane for suspending?

Thanks

1. Slang for ejection seats. I bought a set of resin aftermarket seats, it's my only deviation from the kit itself.

2. Yes. The instructions specify 5 grams, I think.

Thanks for looking and I hope you stay tuned Amos.

 

[rickoshea52]

Looks good Rick. I've heard good things about the Hasegawa F-14s. This is the older version with raised panel lines I believe? Seen it around, looks to be a good kit.

The panel lines on the fuselage are raised but on the wings and tail plane/tailerons are engraved. The plastic is slightly different to the Airfix type, a bit stiffer maybe, but it has gone together well and I would recommend it.

 

[Tibbs]

1. Slang for ejection seats. I bought a set of resin aftermarket seats, it's my only deviation from the kit itself.2. Yes. The instructions specify 5 grams, I think.

Thanks for looking and I hope you stay tuned Amos.

Tuned til the end........ So let me get this straight, you can buy a model kit, and then theres an parts market, so you can buy various different parts or add ons, does this apply on all types of models, only got 4 kits and never thought to look for parts:rolleyes:

 

[rickoshea52]

Tuned til the end........ So let me get this straight, you can buy a model kit, and then theres an parts market, so you can buy various different parts or add ons, does this apply on all types of models, only got 4 kits and never thought to look for parts:rolleyes:

That's about it Amos. Not all kits attract aftermarket bits to improve what's in the box though. Typical extras might include resin wheels, ejection seats, canopies, decals and seat belts. It's not limited to plastic models either, I dabble in model railways and even with factory produced models people like to detail and add bits to personalise their pride and joy.

 

[rickoshea52]

I wrote about the primer I use being very similar to the colour of the plastic used in some of the kits I have on the go so I pinched Steve Kir's idea and added a drop of oxide coloured primer to the light grey and re sprayed the Tomcat...much easier to see where you are laying down primer.

In a break from habit I have pre-shaded this jet, but only the engraved detail on the flaps, slats and rudders. The small vents were also done.

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[flyjoe180]

Looks good Rick.

 

[rickoshea52]

Some masking on the tail and Dark Sea Grey by the trailing edge and Barley Grey on the top of the intakes, black for the cockpit combing - I'll mask up these before doing the all over Light Grey.


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[BBdave]

Love the Tomcat especially when it's in an inverted negative G dive with a mig:D


Dave

 

[flyjoe180]

inverted negative G dive with a mig

I've never understood that line from Top Gun. How can you be inverted, in a dive and pulling negative G? Unless you were pushing on the stick of course to recover from the dive... Anyway back to reality.


Looks good Rick, be interested to see how the pre-shading works out, I don't have much luck with it myself.

 

[rickoshea52]

Masking applied to the DSG and Barley Grey panels using a new 11 scalpel blade. I need to finish the ejection seats now and fit them followed by the canopy which will be closed. The paint masks arrived the other day so things are ticking along.


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[rickoshea52]

I also picked up a tube of AK True Metal paint yesterday at my LMS to have a go at trying something with the exhaust nozzles. This could all go very wrong!

 

[treyzx10r]

Just caught this one Rick ,going to be a great looking Cat! Looking forwarsd to the next update