Italeri F-14A Tomcat - Completed!
Comments
31 August 2015, 18:28
Maciej BellosGreat build. I have the Monogram edition of this specific aircraft also from VF-33 but with hi-vis decals.
31 August 2015, 20:33
Clifford KeeslerIt looks great Michael. How did you like the kit? I just finished the same kit, mine is done in VF-84 markings. I did the same thing with my vertical stabs. Did not realize it until it was to late to do antthing about it. Yours looks great.
1 September 2015, 03:05
Michael PhillipsMany thanks Clifford, I appreciate the kind words. I checked out your Tomcat pics and I must say I love it! As you must know, I very much approve of those markings! Those are my 2nd favorite markings for VF-84, with only the black and white 1991 CAG being above it. 🙂 I would have done a VF-84 Cat, but I want to wait until I am a bit better modeller before I tackle my favorite squadron.
Your weathering is a little more of what I was going for, but mine got a little heavy-handed when my sludge wash did not perform as hoped and actually stained in a few places, despite having a nice layer of clear below it. I even waited over a week to apply it. Oh well, it just looks like a well worn bird after a long deployment. LOL
As far as the kit is concerned, I felt it was a very easy one and a good choice for a beginner such as myself. I had no real trouble spots, but the canopy did not line up great and I did not really do an adequate job of fixing that. The tail mix up was the same issue as you, I thought I had it right, applied the decals, then dry fitted them to the kit and then realized... Oops! The gun area is really kinda janky, and there really was not much I could do to make it look better short of major surgery and kit bashing, but I am not ready for that kind of advanced modelling yet.
While this is the first COMPLETED kit, it is actually the 2nd one I started. The first one was a Monogram Tomcat, but while filling seems in the forward fuselage, I obliterated all of the raised panel lines. So I tried to rescribe them, and that ended badly. I now know I HATE rescribing, and will stay away from raised lines as much as possible. So now that half assembled Monogram Tomcat is my paint technique test dummy.
My next project will be a Monogram A-10. Going to go completely OOB, including the decals. I know I said I would not go with another raised panel kit, but I already had this and I want to see if I can build this with as little putty, sanding, and line obliteration as possible. If I fail, well, then I have another paint test dummy!
1 September 2015, 12:58
Michael PhillipsThanks Bernd, Maciej, Michael, malakh, and Roberto for the kind words, I really appreciate it. Your words have encourage and excited me to begin working on my next project. Stay tuned!
1 September 2015, 12:59
Clifford KeeslerThe Revell A-10 is a nice kit and goes together well, I think the only problem area was around the engine mounts, and that wasn,t that bad.
1 September 2015, 15:07
Christian RistitsUh I missed this one! Awesome 'cat with an amazing paintjob! Love it!
9 November 2015, 17:07
Michael PhillipsThanks Christian! Makes me feel good to hear that. 🙂 I feel like that year I spent planning and researching the techniques and acquiring the right tools is what allowed me to get off to a good start with this kit. Even though I failed on the Revell F-14D I started with first, what I learned from that allowed me to be successful on my following projects.
9 November 2015, 19:59
