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stormrider509
Clifford Keesler (stormrider509)
US

Scalemates F-14 Tomcat group build 2020

Comments

22 1 June 2020, 02:35
Maciej Bellos
Following!
1 June 2020, 03:04
Clifford Keesler
Welcome.
1 June 2020, 03:14
Slavo Hazucha
very nice "classic" work on the cockpit!😉
1 June 2020, 10:24
James C
That's an awesome looking cockpit 👍
1 June 2020, 21:17
Patrick Hagelstein
Off to a nice start, Clifford! 👍
1 June 2020, 21:28
Clifford Keesler
Thank you for your kind words and encouragement, Slavo,Jim Roland and Patrick. It means a lot coming from you guys. You all are hard acts to follow. LOL. I'm glad you like it.
2 June 2020, 02:14
Clifford Keesler
This thing is a PIG!!!, I wound up with almost a 3/16 inch step between the bottom fwd fuselage where the nose wheel well and cockpit join. I don't know how I am going to fix it without using 1/2 a tube of putty and wiping out all of my gun vent and fwd lower fuselage detail.
5 June 2020, 23:20
Guillaume Blanchet
Very detail, I like it.
6 June 2020, 01:06
Michael Hickey
Nice dry brushing on that pit, you did a professional job.👍👍👍
6 June 2020, 02:07
Michael Hickey
Read this about the Hasegawa kit, you might transfer some ideas to your Academy kit;
hyperscale.com/featu..onstructiondwa_3.htm

6 June 2020, 02:22
Jos Jansen
Great start....👍
6 June 2020, 06:10
Clifford Keesler
Thank you all for your kind word and encouragement. Much appericated. I have built 2 of these kits before and did not run into any of these problems. So got me. But I will not be defeated.
7 June 2020, 16:37
Augie
Wow, thats coming on a treat!
9 June 2020, 20:13
Clifford Keesler
Thank you Augie.
9 June 2020, 20:16
Clifford Keesler
Saved from the shelf of doom.
9 June 2020, 20:45
Daniel
oh, missed this, you did an awesome job in getting this all together 👍 used about 10% of the putty I needed it seems😢
And a beautiful cockpit!
9 June 2020, 21:31
Slavo Hazucha
This looks really good - but I always had the impression in all swing-wing models, the wings (or wing-stubs 🙂 ) have to actually be in before the north & south sides of the fuselage joins... How does this kit solve this topic?
10 June 2020, 10:15
Clifford Keesler
Thank you Roland, Daniel and Slavo. @ Slavo, I cut the meshing gears off and slot the wing so it can be slid over and snapped onto the locating pin, after painting and decaling are done. The wings will still move but not together. I usually display my "Cats" with the wings in the over sweep postion. Which is usually how they are when parked. My Hasegawa D will be built with everything hanging out. Got the wheel wells and intake trunks painted today, more pictures soon.
10 June 2020, 20:55
Clifford Keesler
Finally more progress. Maybe I will catch up. LOL.
12 June 2020, 23:46
Nathan Dempsey
Nice work so far Clifford. I like that trick you did with the wings.
13 June 2020, 00:17
Clifford Keesler
Thanks very much Nathan. I use that trick on all of my Tomcats. except for the ones that the wings are already slotted.(Hasegawa). I also cut the horz. stabs off my Revell ones. It makes it easier to work on the aft fuselage and nozzles.
13 June 2020, 00:37
Jos Jansen
Clifford, it's great to see how you solve the wing problems, so many tips & tricks in this GB ... awesome! Looking forward to your next step/phase...👍!
13 June 2020, 11:01
Greg Baker
Sign me up for this one!
13 June 2020, 11:44
Thomas Bischoff
another Tomcat! Cockpit does look nice - I understand it's completely OOB?
13 June 2020, 11:47
Treehugger
Interesting solution to the wing hinges. I will have to try copy that if it isn't too late (I've already started fiddling with the parts).
13 June 2020, 13:50
Clifford Keesler
Thank you Jos, Greg, Thomas and Treehugger. @ Thomas, it is OOB except for Scale Aircraft Conversions metal gear. SAC used the plastic gear from my kit for masters for their metal gear set. So they sent me the first set of metal gear. I had orginally planned on using a bunch of aftermarket stuff, but decided to save that for a later build. So yes basically OOB.
15 June 2020, 19:59
Clifford Keesler
P.S. nose and intakes sanded, and canopy masked. Ready for primer.
15 June 2020, 20:00
Paul Juliano
I'm in on this Clifford. Lookin' sharp so far!
17 June 2020, 19:58
Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much Paul.
17 June 2020, 23:24
Donald Dickson II
Well, you seem to be getting along OK. They sell Tamiya white in those larger bottles dont they?😉
19 June 2020, 03:36
Clifford Keesler
It got a coat of Grey today, finally. I use the 23ml bottles of Tamiya paints. It is that there is just so much of it that is white.
19 June 2020, 20:55
Clifford Keesler
At least it is finally grey. LOL.
20 June 2020, 21:17
Donald Dickson II
Woohoo! Progress! LOL
20 June 2020, 23:19
Clifford Keesler
Thanks Donald. Yea it's getting there slowly.
21 June 2020, 04:33
Daniel
Looking good!
21 June 2020, 09:59
Clifford Keesler
Thank you Daniel. Hope to get the metal bits painted today.
22 June 2020, 16:40
Slavo Hazucha
Some cool progress 👍 - what will the final config be - you can´t have them all on😉
22 June 2020, 17:39
Clifford Keesler
Thank you Slavo. The loadout on this one will be typical F-14 load. 4 Phoenix, 2 Sparrows and 2 Sidewinders. Next one will be either 6 phoenix and 2 Sidewinders, or 6 Sparrows and 2 sidewinders. I also have a "B" model Bombcat and several "D" models.
22 June 2020, 20:13
James C
Nice progress Clifford 👍
22 June 2020, 22:41
Nathan Dempsey
I agree. The build appears to be coming along rather well.
23 June 2020, 00:09
Greg Baker
I've got this kit recently (well, the bombcat version), so it's great to see you unlocking its potential.
23 June 2020, 01:38
Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much James, Nathan and Greg. Your kind words are much appericated. Hope to finish painting the exhaust cans this evening.
23 June 2020, 17:45
Clifford Keesler
Well another set back on this one. Painted the exhaust cans, and all was well until I tried to add a little Tamiya smoke to the ends of the nozzles. The paint was to thin and ran on me, so I tried to clean the runs up. But all I did was take the paint off down to the primer. So now I have to repaint the nozzles. So will try that again tomorrow.
24 June 2020, 03:21
Donald Dickson II
Ive done similar a few times. I just curse a lot, scare the dogs, get some more coffee and fix em up. LOL
25 June 2020, 00:03
Clifford Keesler
Yea, that's all you can do. They are fixed now.
25 June 2020, 00:53
Sergej I
Clifford, I too had to resand and repaint the cans. I am sure they will be great, do share when done! 👍
25 June 2020, 06:39
Clifford Keesler
Will do. I started clear coat this morning, hope to start decals tomorrow.
25 June 2020, 18:04
Clifford Keesler
Finally some progress.
26 June 2020, 18:14
Sergej I
Clifford, where did you get your reference for 54A's? Never seen them with yellow radomes, just gray or sometimes white...
26 June 2020, 18:27
Clifford Keesler
It is from a U.S. Air to Air weapons decal sheet. It gives 3 different color schemes. 1 is white with a radome tan nose. another is white with a gray nose and the third is gray with a white nose. If what I painted is incorrect, I will repaint the nose gray. Thanks for letting me know.
26 June 2020, 19:21
Clifford Keesler
I will re-paint the noses gray.
26 June 2020, 19:31
Augie
I've seen reference to tan noses on 54's..
26 June 2020, 20:02
Augie
Not that I can find it now 🤔
26 June 2020, 20:04
Daniel
Nice progress, the fins will look great, really like the pukin dogs design
27 June 2020, 19:23
Sergej I
Just noticing, pitot tube in stash is of later Alpha... the 159434 had the "old" triangular one...
[img1]
 
27 June 2020, 21:58
Clifford Keesler
Thank you Daniel. @Augie, I thought I had seen them with Tan noses also, but looked them up on line and all I could find was gray or white. So no big deal. @Sergej, I am going to use the kit one. I have decided to do this one OOB. I stuck all the aftermarket stuff back in the stash.
27 June 2020, 23:34
Sergej I
Clifford, I completely understand, OoB on the new Academy tool in 72nd is already more sharp and exact than I ever saw in that scale. I too will use stock nose point, would be totally waste to spend money on an aftermarket one. 👍
28 June 2020, 05:20
Konrad -
Hi Clifford it seems there is a cat build I've missed...
Very nice work mate, it seems it will
be a heavily armed one 😉.
28 June 2020, 05:58
Slavo Hazucha
I think I saw a tan nose on a Tomcat somewhere, long time ago. Not sure if it was a photo or a model, just a blurred memory 🙂 With all the F-14 related knowledge circulating here, that's really not worth much i guess... 😄

Progress looking good - cool markings indeed 👍
28 June 2020, 07:52
Clifford Keesler
Thank you Sergej, Konrad, Slavo and Roland, I started the other decals today. This set of Academy decals just don't seem to want to lay down right. A lot of wrinkles on the vertical stabs.
28 June 2020, 23:31
Clifford Keesler
Finally some decent progress on this one.
30 June 2020, 20:39
Slavo Hazucha
Thought the wrinkles were a temporary state... 🙁

But I am sure you will navigate through this little calamity to a satisfactory end!
30 June 2020, 20:58
Sergej I
Nice progress, Clifford! I will have to put my smaller scale Pukerdog on hold for three weeks (Iceland vacation 🙂 ), so by the time I'm back, yours will be elf on the shelf! Document weathering, really looking forward to see that... 👍
30 June 2020, 21:32
Patrick Hagelstein
It might sound counterintuitive, but keep hitting the tails with Microsol, eventually the decals will snuggle down.
1 July 2020, 14:05
Clifford Keesler
Thank you Sergej, Patrick and Roland. @ Slavo, I finally did get the decals to snuggle down. There are a couple of small wrinkles, but overall not bad. I will try and get the rest out.@Sergej, enjoy your vacation mate. Be safe. @ Roland, that it has been. A royal pain. What I do not understand is that this is the third Academy F-14, I have built and I did not have the problems with them that I have had with this one. The first one was their "Miss Molly" boxing, the second this boxing. I am thinking this is an earlier boxing. I bought this one first, but built it last. I don't know. LOL.
1 July 2020, 15:29
Clifford Keesler
Finally got some work done on this pig.
10 July 2020, 22:40
Gary Dahlström
Excellent work! Cockpit detail is a marvel. Now you've made me want to check my deep stash, I think I have this kit.
10 July 2020, 23:21
James C
Looking fantastic now that it's painted and with some decals applied. 👍
11 July 2020, 01:38
Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much Gary and James.
11 July 2020, 02:12
Daniel
your endurance pays off, looking great in all its colors&markings!
13 July 2020, 22:47
Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much Daniel. It pales next to yours.
14 July 2020, 03:30
Daniel
Hey, wouldnt say that as it is a completely different approach, I really like the puking dogs look. But Pic 7 reminded me of mine😉
15 July 2020, 16:31
Jos Jansen
Nice progress Clifford, turned out to become a real stunner! Great builds on this GB...👍
16 July 2020, 05:18
Clifford Keesler
Thank you Jos, I almost gave up on it a few times. I am glad you like it.
16 July 2020, 21:54
Clifford Keesler
Calling this one finished, except for clear green on forward windscreen center panel.
16 July 2020, 22:54
Augie
ooo like that.. really nicely done.
16 July 2020, 23:40
Nathan Dempsey
Lookin' great in the Pukin Dogs scheme there Clifford. Nice work!
16 July 2020, 23:54
Gary Dahlström
Bravo Clifford - well done!
17 July 2020, 00:50
Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much Augie, Nathan and Gary, your kind words really mean a lot. I was a bit discouraged with this one for awhile, but it turned out ok in the end. I still have time to do another one for the group build. Just need to decide between a VF-213 Black Cats "A" model or a VF-31 Tomcatters "D". Or maybe a VF-2 Bounty Hunters "D". Any recommendations? LOL.
17 July 2020, 02:00
Donald Dickson II
Excellent job sir!!!!

Well, if I ever actually get to mine, I am doing the non rabbit Vandy 1. Why dont you do the Black Bunny?
17 July 2020, 02:38
Michael Phillips
Wow, that turned out fantastic Clifford! Bravo!
17 July 2020, 04:30
Konrad -
Absolutely awesome looking cat Clifford 👍!! Congrats to this great looking build!
17 July 2020, 04:41
Slavo Hazucha
This turned out very nice indeed Clifford! - the paint job and finish really carries the spirit of early Tomcat photos 👍
17 July 2020, 05:49
Treehugger
Congratulations, well done. 🙂 I am a little stuck atm, annoyed by tweaking the nav lights. Have to fill in the initial holes I made and, try be more careful. 🙂 At some point I thought, maybe I'd just forget about doing anything about the nav lights, but then I realized I had already started drilling holes in all four places. 😄

Some more photos and a little more light on the model would be nice to see.
17 July 2020, 08:21
Guillaume Blanchet
Verry nice build. Nice work!
17 July 2020, 11:22
Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much for your kind words, Donald, Michael , Konrad, Slavo, Roland, Treehugger and Guillaume. I am humbled by your remarks. I am glad you all like it. @Donald, that is a good idea, I had not thought of that one.@ Treehugger I will try and get some better photos. I am sure you will work out your nav lights. I remember reading you were drilling yours out, and I thought of doing the same but then forgot about it. LOL. Can you use Micro crystal clear to make your lens or did you fill the hole with clear plastic?
17 July 2020, 15:05
Daniel Klink
Looking great Clifford 👍 Beautiful Cat 🙂
17 July 2020, 15:12
Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much Daniel.
17 July 2020, 16:06
Gareth Windsor
Smashing the builds out Clifford. Another great build and nice to see a clean early F-14.
17 July 2020, 16:17
Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much Gareth.
17 July 2020, 20:05
James C
It may have caused you a few head aches but the result was worth it. Looks awesome Clifford. Nicely done. 👍
17 July 2020, 20:06
Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much James.
17 July 2020, 20:38
Patrick Hagelstein
Beautiful! Turned out very crisp! 👍
17 July 2020, 21:03
Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much Patrick. I am glad you likeit.
17 July 2020, 21:37
Sergej I
Great model! My 1/72 version of the pukin dog is still on hold, greetings from windy and rainy Iceland lol. Some vacation, let me return to my bench!!!
17 July 2020, 21:49
Sergej I
Actually more than the result itself, I am enjoying the progress of each of you mates, with ups and downs, then a shiny endproduct... reads like a crime novel hahah
17 July 2020, 21:51
Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much Sergej, it was indeed a journey. Sorry to hear your vacation is wet and cold.
17 July 2020, 22:10
Daniel
👍 for engaging this kit and coming out victorious! second 👍 for the result, a real defender of the fleet from the golden days of naval aviation, nice!
19 July 2020, 19:37
Clifford Keesler
Thank you very much Daniel, your kind words are much appericated. It does not hold a candle to yours, but I am glad you like it. I hope someday I will come close to your and Slavo's ability with oil weathering. It is a skill I have yet been unable to understand let alone master.
19 July 2020, 21:39
Slavo Hazucha
Old kit, old brush, an open window for the treacherous fumes (especially when using the "odorless" thinner), some towels & cotton swabs and an open mind to experiment...😉
20 July 2020, 09:57
Daniel
👍 thats all it takes, open window and mind is most important^^ Easiest technique imo for navy stains: black oil, brownish oil, blue and white oil, semi-gloss lacquer surface, make dots with a toothpick, take the ugliest, stiff brush you have, moisten with thinner (I use lighter fluid) start dabbing at the dots with more or less moisture and watch the magic unfold 🙂 lots of fun!
for more texture just start dabbing with dry blunt objects later. Cotton swabs etc🙂
20 July 2020, 10:31
Clifford Keesler
I will give it a try on my next Tom Cat, as it will be a D model more than likely, and in the 3 tone grey tactical scheme. I am trying to get the Mig-27 finished. May try some oils on it.
20 July 2020, 20:34
Sergej I
Haha Slavo I know what you mean with "odourless" thinner. Had a severe diziness once, after oil experimentation.. when I looked into mirror my eyes were just wildly turning for some ten minutes lol...
22 July 2020, 16:13
Clifford Keesler
Yea you have to be careful breathing that stuff. I used to build R/C model aircraft when I was younger. We used silk and dope to cover them with before they came out with the iron on coverings. I spent many an hour with my eyes going round and round. Smelly stuff. LOL.
23 July 2020, 01:25
Gary Dahlström
I still have a couple jars of Aero Gloss kicking around. Every so often I pop the top and use it as air freshener. *Good times*
23 July 2020, 18:43
Augie
I did aeromodelling in air cadets.. doping balsa aircraft.. I swear I was the one flying after that.
23 July 2020, 19:45
Clifford Keesler
I do not know if you can even get Aero Gloss, or any kind of dope anymore. I have a whole stack of balsa and tissue models.
23 July 2020, 21:25
Patrick Hagelstein
I like the new avatar Augie! 🙂 👍
3 August 2020, 17:02
Augie
thanks Patrick
3 August 2020, 19:22
Sergej I
Here we go, Cliffort, first cat-dog is on her feet. Beautiful! 👍 Bar is set, I will get back to mine after August. Still need to pick up a package of corona in Greece lol, hopefully I get the state-sponsored 2-week bench time.
3 August 2020, 21:57
Clifford Keesler
I will be looking forward to seeing your excellent build completed.
7 September 2020, 23:57

Project info

59 images
1:48
Completed
Scratchbuilt

Group Build

Scalemates F-14 Tomcat Group build 2020 in
Scalemates F-14 Tomcat Group build 2020

1. May until 31. December 2020

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