David Hingtgen

Ok, Shin's F-14 is actually YF-14A #7(157986), in it's 3rd form, with AMRAAM's and a D's chinpod. It is thus basically an F-14, with F101DFE engines and custom engine fairings and burner ducts. Any Fujimi F-14+/B/D kits offers parts to do this, though the instructions rarely show it (unless you happen to find the very rare "F-14D prototype" release of it--which I think has the wrong gun vents). The main difference we're concerned about is the fairings/duct area. It's even shorter than a production B/D's, so an A's is WAY too long, about twice as long as Shin's. But Fuji includes the parts for a short duct, and new short fairings that are just right. To install them, you do need to slice off the molded-on ducts and fairings. But there is a deep line engraved on the kit just for this purpose. It also includes a different set of GE nozzles (not as nice as the ones in the later D kits), that fit the short ducts better, though the nicer nozzles are only SLIGHTLY smaller, and look fine--and better. Shin's F-14 also has a unique ECM bump arrangement, which is what Fuji says to do on F-14D's. 1 under each glove. Wrong, real F-14D's have none. (Hey, Hase says they have 2, like a B). But Shin's is unique, it has one bump, just forward of where the aft bump is on a B. Fuji kits come with both bumps, so if you want an accurate Shin F-14, slice them both off, and glue the "new" bump just forward of where the aft one used to be. (Later Fuji kits, and all Hase's, include an appropriate ECM bump to glue on) Shin's cockpit is totally an A, so no need to change anything. Be sure to use the later-style gunvents, which is the "other" forward fuselage half, included on the sprue with the nice GE nozzles. ok, I'll stop here for questions/explanations and what-not.

If you only care about Shin's F-14, skip down to the next post. Well I spent pretty much the entire day going over my new 1/72 Hase F-14D. I'm going to try to keep this post orderly, but I'm almost certain to ramble a bit. Think it'll be easiest just to go front to back on the kits, then talk about Shin's at the end. From now until the end, Fujimi and Hasegawa will be abbr. as Fuji and Hase, or F and H if I get tired. Specifically referenced kits are the Fuji F-14D Bounty Hunters, and the Hase F-14D Bounty Hunters. They are both the most recent releases from each company. Most comments are for F-14's in general, but I'll denote when it's variant-specific. Other people's comments/reviews (I'll refer back to these on how to "fix" any major problem, rather than retype what they say): Fuji F-14A buildup: http://www.xs4all.nl/~designer/models/f14/f14.htm Fuji F-14A+/B review: http://www.topedge.com/alley/models/f14bmfua.htm Big long comprehensive Hase F-14 series review/buildup: http://www.topedge.com/alley/models/f14mhase.htm 0. Overall comments/build. The Hase has more fine, accurate scribing. Rivets, and zig-zag/hinge lines. Fuji has either squares or circles, nothing more complex than that, but it is nice and recessed. Honestly, the Fuji reminds me of most 80's Hase kits, panel-line-wise, while the Hase F-14 looks like the best Hase's ever done, surpassing any other release the past 10 years. So while the Fuji's fine, the Hase's is spectacular. I plan to get a Hase Super Hornet very soon, their newest jet, but from what I've seen it's got nothing on their F-14. 0B. Upper fuselage shape is identical, for how it's broken down. Forward fuselage similar, as is the rear fuselage/boattail. It's the lower part/intakes that it's different. Hase is like every other F-14 kit out there--a bit lower fuselage with the engine area molded in, with 2 big intakes that go from the very tip of the intake, back to where the big "NAVY" lettering is on the fuselage. Fuji is unique, but I do like it a lot, fit/putty-wise. No separate lower fuselage, just parts. Left glove underside, right glove underside, center tunnel underside, and the intake/engines. Intake/engines are split left/right, all the way from intake tip to exhaust nozzle. But they line up nicely, and there's no engine/intake area seam. There is a seam running straight back on a curved area from the wing sweep area to the nozzle, right above the h.stab. Hase has a zig-zag here. Pick which style you want to putty! 1. Nosecone. Fuji is more F-14-esque. 2. Cockpit. Well, Hase's is more accurate and detailed, hands down, by far. Like 5 different subtle panel variations, with 2-layer photoetched panels and ejection seat handles. And etched vents for the sidewalls. But the seats themselves--Fuji's are better. I notice the forward cockpit coamings (the shrounds above the instrument panels) are very differently shaped and sized between the two kits. Can't really find good photos at the moment to say who's right. (the RIO's are nigh-identical, either one fits on either kit) 2B. F-14D cockpit: Fuji doesn't do it, period. Hase: Got all the panels and seats right, but didn't do the new control sticks, nor a LANTIRN side-stick for the RIO. Hase RIO panel fits in Fuji coaming fine, and the Hase pilot's panel comes with a new pilot coaming, which will fit in a Fuji cockpit. (There's a gap, but it's on an utterly flat section--just fill with like .020 strip) 3. Forward fuselage. Muzzle opening on all are too large, but Fuji's is worse. For the gunvents, Hase (and Revell, btw) has a large section cut out of the fuselage, and offers various (flash-encrusted) panels to fill the gaps. Fuji has late and early forward fuselages for the major differences, and single small gaps with a single panel to get the exact variation. (Thus 2 fuselages but 3 panels for all variations, whereas Hase has 1 fuselage but 5 panels). Hase splits the forward fuselage/main fuselage right across the middle of the sparrow troughs, keeping the nosewell whole. Fuji keeps the sparrows troughs intact, but splits the nosewell area where the front and rear nose doors split. 3B. That is generally considered the biggest problem in all F-14 kits, and especially the new-mold Hase's. It is inherently difficult to align this section in any kit, but the Hase is really sad here. Check the review link up above. 4. Midfuselage, upper. Hase includes blanked-off heat exhanger vents as an option. No idea why, even YF-14's had them installed. And so do A's and B's and D's. Anyways, here's one of the few places I can note a real difference. The bypass duct opening on the Hase are much wider than Fuji's. And Fuji's right. (this is the big slot on top of the intakes visible from above the plane). However, Fuji has the forward part of the intakes themselves slightly too far away from the fuselage. 1 or 2 mm too far. But when it should be like 3mm, 1 or 2 more is noticeable. But the openings are right. 5. Midfuselage, lower. AKA the wing gloves. Not much to say, both are nice. Both companies mold on the "shoulder" ECM antenna, which is only on say 1/2 of Tomcats. (very common on B/D's though). Hase's is much more blended but is more of a "blob", Fuji's is more accurately shaped like an antenna, but too defined--should blend. They're equal, just in totally different ways. Hase's nav lights are much more accurate. The Hase split the main gear bay up a lot here, Fuji is one (rather featureless) piece. 6. Midfuselage, intakes. Already explained a bit above, more in detail here. Both have all the intake ramps up, but the Hase has the bypass ramp down thus showing some struts and such. There's a lot of ramp positions possible, but when shutdown, the ramps are all down. As they are, the Fuji is for subsonic speed, the Hase for low supersonic speeds. Think about wingsweep implications. (Very, very, very few people go to the work of lowering the intake ramps for shutdown or high-speed flight--just assume it's taxiing or something) 6B. Hase has full intake ducting. Not accurate, but it goes fairly smoothly from a rectangular intake to a circular fan---plenty good enough for me, shape-wise. But have fun filling the half-dozen seams. Fuji's got nothing, just your standard "fan in a bulkhead" and you will need to remove a rather visible mounting pin. But, due to the intakes being built completely differently, you can easily fill any seam, since you can access it from above prior to installation. (I plan to just putty in a small transition from the intake to the fan, just to eliminate the right-angle inside---in the Fuji, you can actually install the fan after you install/putty the intake) Intakes are probably the biggest difference between the two kits, both in design and detail. And like cockpits, intakes are the current "trend" in jet modelling--as in, that's what everyone tends to focus on, and spend time/money making it perfect. But I have always gone for the external shape of the plane above all else--the silhouette, basically. 7. Ventral fins, h.stabs, v.stabs are nigh-identical between them, though the Hase offers very early v.stabs as an option. (Which I'll put on a Fuji A for my Wolfpack VF-1). Hase v.stabs strike me as being slightly more accurate--about 1mm taller and thinner, a degree or two more vertical. Fuji's fit better though. (Just assume all Fuji parts fit better, I'll tell you if there's an exception) 8. Engines! The big huge main difference between F-14 variants. Both offer nice A-style engines and fairings. Now on to THE thing about Tomcat kits: 8B. GE engines. F-14A+, F-14B, F-14D. I'll just refer to D's, since that's what the kits are, but applies to A+/B's, too. Anyways--D's are completely different, basically aft of the h.stabs' pivot-point. (It's a great reference point for Tomcats, it never varies, and is easy to see, since the stabs always pivot leading-edge-up when the plane's parked). Hmmn, will actually need pics for this. Here's an A: And here's a D: Ok, on the pic of the A, see where the grey stops and the bare metal stops? That is the exact line where A's and D's start becoming different. In the drawing below (of an A, from below) I've marked this area in grey. Note it's a series of squares, arranged in a ring around the engine. Ok, so aft of that is the end of the afterburner duct. Blue here. Note it's made of many long rectangular plates, with a smaller series of plates at the aft end. Then the actual nozzle. Red. Small plates, then larger plates. Now, the vast, vast majority of F-14B/D kits like to simply stick a new nozzle, right where the old one was. Very, very wrong. First, GE-engined ones have new fairings on the engine sides. Highlighted in yellow in the diagram, and very visible in the pics above--they go on the sides of the afterburner ducts. Viewed from the side, an A's fairing tapers above and below, and the rear is rounded, and doesn't get all the way to the nozzle itself. B/D fairings are much more square, with little/no taper on the top and bottom edges. They reach right across the burner duct to the edge of the nozzle. However, the fairings themselves are not any longer, the duct is shorter! Long story how/why, but the burner duct on GE ones are 11 inches shorter, and thus the fairing can fully cover its lenght. Thus also means the nozzle is mounted 11 inches forward of the A's nozzle. The burner duct is also nearly featureless, not made of separate plates, and doesn't taper as much---an A's burner is rather conical, a B/D's is only SLIGHTLY conical. (Difference is subtle, but is there). Look at the pic above--it's just a smooth black short section of tubing, basically. There are 3 rows of itty-bitty rivets on the lower half, and that's it. Now, the Fuji F-14B/D is just wrong in this area. (We'll talk about Shin's further below--I think I'll make it a separate post at this point). Anyways--the Hase is VERY close, but not quite right. They did give a new fairing and squared it---but it still tapers too much, and is too long. It's too long because they made the new, smooth GE burner duct as long as an A's. Because of the slight taper of the burner duct, that makes the new nozzles slightly too small (since it's too long, the duct thus narrows a bit more than it should). (maybe only 1mm, but that'll come up in a moment). Ok, so the Hase has new nozzles, new fairings, and new burner ducts, but they're all SLIGHTLY off. (Enough that I notice). The big thing is, the Hase GE nozzles suck. Bad. The closed nozzles are full of interior sinkholes, protrusions, and are featureless inside. The open nozzles are made up of 6 segments of 2 nozzle-petals each. Each petal has 2 sinkholes and 1 ejector pin mark. (or viceversa). And no interior detail. However, the Fujimi GEnozzles are flawless, and have interior details and scribing. (And better exterior details too) They are also slightly larger. Sooooo, for my F-14B's and D's (I need at least 2, probably 4, maybe 6)---I plan to just fill in the Fujimi's burner-duct scribing with putty, and sand smooth. I will use the Fujimi nozzles, for they are FAR better, and slightly larger (which is right). Yes, they will be too far aft, being attached to an A's burner duct---but so are the Hase's, and AFAIK that means (unless someone scratcbuilt a duct) no 1/48 or 1/72 F-14B/D ever has the correct length duct. And the difference is only like 3mm in 1/72. (And with the fairings being lengthened to match, it looks right, even if its wrong). As for the fairings---I don't know if I will tediously sand off the Fuji fairings and attach "almost the right shape" Hase's (which will be the right lenght, since at this point both kits have A-length ducts), or just putty-sculpt my own REALLY squared-off ones directly onto the Fuji. I'll probably go with the Hase's, simply because I hate putty, and it'd be very very hard to be consistent across multiple kits, and getting the left and right engines to mirror each other. (Assuming I can order a half-dozen "N" sprues from HLJ--that's all I need from a Hase to make a B from a Fujimi D). For D's---do as above, and just use the cockpit parts from Hase sprue R, on a Fujimi. They fit plenty well enough. Overall far easier IMHO than trying to build a Hasegawa, especially the back end. And just as accurate. Whew! Shin-specific info below.

And the box is often wrong! Review up soon, I decided to go pictureless, for I'd need like 50 of them and it'd take hours to write. Also decided to go more "general" than piece-by-piece. I'm 99% decided on what I'm going to do for MY Tomcats, but it's up to the individual on what kits they want to use.

I'm going to need GOOD pics to determine the exact type. (Show me the rudders, that's where a lot of the subtle differences are) There's about 5 types of A's, not many B's, several C's, etc. And then there's the Naval variants... Russia has been known to "produce more variants than airframes" some years, and the MiG-29 is no exception. If only there was a Fujimi MiG-29, then we'd know. PS--whatever it is, it's not a MiG-29UB. Those are two-seaters.

Hey, I hadn't even tried the wings or cockpit yet. At the moment, based on how the Hase is(n't) fitting together, as well as the burner duct being too short (F-14B's are 11 inches shorter than the A, but I'm the only one who ever seems to notice) I'm seriously considering doing what I thought about earlier---puttying over the engraving in a Fuji A's burner, using Fuji nozzles, but a Hase fairing. While the length would be slightly inaccurate, it'd be the same inaccruate length as a Hase, with less work. F-14B/D's have nigh-feautureless ducts. The upper half is UTTERLY smooth, the lower half has nothing but itty-bitty rivets. I plan to just putty over the Fuji's "A" engravings, and end up with a totally smooth burner duct. Sand off the fairing, and attach a Hasegawa's fairing. (I swear, the Hase fairing fits on a Fuji better than it does a Hase). Also, the Fuji and Hase cockpit coamings are designed identically, so a Hase "D" cockpit should practically drop in to a Fuji A. I just need to order a half-dozen sets of sprue N and R from HLJ.... (The Hase F-14D is nothing more than their F-14B with 1 new sprue R and an addendum instruction sheet--you actually get their F-14B Grim Reapers Instruction book, and an extra folded sheet showing the changes needed to make an F-14D Bounty Hunters) (Though they leave out a few--wrong ECM and spine antennas) Full review later!

Ever tried trimming a decal with a NEW blade after you've clearcoated them? Usually works quite well if a decal ends up being too long. I slice applied decals all the time. PS--could you give a comparison for the decal thickness? Home-made/laser-printer, microscale, cartograph, etc. PPS--what color did you use for the dark grey areas right behind the wings, where they sweep?

Well, as it is now, 986 is in yet another configuration. Has the D's chinpod, but still has A's cockpit. Has a D's rear fairings, but has gone all the way back to TF30's. I do believe that's the only F-14 ever to have F110 fairings with PW engines... Or those could be F401's, they are nigh-identical to TF30's---but when it had F401's originally it had A-style fairings, not B/D. PS--got my Hase F-14D, fiddling with it now. It's scary how many parts there are, I've put together battleships with fewer pieces. Still, to truly test to see if I can combine a Hase and a Fuji, I will need to slice apart a Fuji. Looks like it SHOULD work at the moment, but I'll have to use the Hase nozzles, despite Fuji's being far superior. (I'm going to try hard to see if I can get them to fit--the Fuji's are better, and much easier to use, but the exterior part of the afterburner duct MUST be Hase to be accurate) Overall quick comparison (the full reviews will be a new topic): Hase has more and finer panel lines, and a million itty-bitty rivets engraved. Fuji does not. Hase has far more detailed wheel wells, but this means there's about a dozen parts per gear to assemble, and 4 per well. There are no "wheel wells". There's a font, back, left, right, and top of the well--you build a box, then start putting the struts in. Eventually, you'll have a well, and a gear. Then repeat. In only slicing off about 4 parts, I've already encountered fit probs in the Hase. (hey, might as well try to use the Fuji nozzles, because the Hase nozzles won't fit the Hase burners very well either! ) The Hase has photoetched instrument panels, canopy rails, and consoles. Hase has separate Sparrow and Phoenix adaptors for the glove pylons, Fuji is Sparrow-only. (Neither offers Sidewinder adaptors for the lower position--it's not as common as a Phoenix there, but does happen) Hase's got a fair amount of flash--surprisingly a lot on the B/D-specific sprues, which is surprising since that mold should be "newer" than the overall F-14 parts. Overall, I've got to say the Hase is more DETAILED, not more ACCURATE. There's simply more detail in the panel engraving, gear wells, cockpit, etc. But the Fuji is utterly flash-free, has 1/20 the sink-holes and ejector marks (a Hase's D nozzles has 6 parts, each with 3 holes to fill--and there's 2 nozzles), and fits much better. The Fuji can open its nose to show the radar, the Hase can open its speedbrakes. Both are designed to have flaps down and wings forward, though both can be made flaps up pretty easily by slicing off the actuators. But only the Fuji has a sweep mechanism when flaps are up--a Hase with flaps up must have the wings back (oversweep I think, not "normal max sweep") and can't move them. (Though I don't think the Fuji can achieve oversweep, but it can sweep them) If you're talking F-14A's, the Hase is offering options even *I* don't recognize yet, will have to look them up. (Though the non-pitot radome looks really funky). A lot of the options seem to cater to REALLY early F-14's, nothing 1980's or later. No block-70 boattail though, maybe they only include that in an A kit, not a D kit (since no D has that). Full review to come later! (Though it can't be a FULL review because I don't plan on actually building two Tomcats tonight)

Actually, I'm talking about 157986. Originally YF-14A #7. Modified with PW F401 engines to be the first F-14B. Red/white paint. Asides from nozzles, looks just like F-14A. (And nozzles look very much like TF30's). Then modified to Super F-14B configuration--same scheme, but now says "Super Tomcat" on tails. Has GE F101 (not a typo) engines. Also has the new "inbetween an A and a production B" rear fuselage and fairings. That's what the Fuji "F-14D" kit is. It was then modified to nigh-full F-14D standard (F110's and all) and flew many tests for that program, and asides from I think the chinpod, was identical to a modern F-14D. It is technically not "F-14D prototype" but rather "F110-powered F-14D test programme plane in F-14B prototype colors". But that plane is sold by both Fuji and Hase as "F-14D prototype". (The Hase kit is correct for that final configuration--but lacks the chinpod, as the real one did--the Fuji kit is that plane in Super F-14B config, with the unique F101 engines and rear fuselage parts) From what I can find, 157986 has never had under-glove ECM bumps, both F-14B and F-14D config. (Did gain the ECM bump on the boattail as an F-14D). Have no idea where Fuji got the idea for one mounted forward---even on the latest release with markings for a 2003 VF-2 plane, the instructions clearly show to remove the "normal" ECM bumps from the F-14B position, and place a single large one forward! Need pic of glove of true F-14D prototypes. (Though if they followed that, they would have either ended up with F-14A engines, or a TRUE F-14D engine, not F-14B proto) As for the glove--I actually mean the missile, not the pylon. (The pylon's fine, I just checked--that pic is at a funky angle, the all-white makes it hard to tell) Sparrows on F-14's are mounted with the fins like "+" from head-on, but the kit shows them like "x". Common mistake on F-14 kits, since it "looks right" to have an "x", since where would the upper fins go? Well they go inside the pylon itself, and are mounted like "+". The rear fin however, is just off-set enough that it's actually outside the pylon. But Shin's F-14 carries AMRAAM's like "x". I'm trying to go through pics looking for a real glove-mounted F-14 AMRAAM configuration---but most test pics show them mounted in the forward sparrow wells. ::checks:: Huh, only pic I can find of a pylon-mounted AMRAAM is this: http://www.anft.net/f-14/f14-detail-aim120-01.jpg which looks like it's mounted in "x" configuration. Maybe Shin's F-14 is actually right in that regard! Must stop now, brain ready to melt (and fingers hurting from thumbing through F-14 books)

I don't know if the Russian Knights are even still flying. There was a terrible crash where they lost half their planes (standard Su-27's). They didn't fly for a while after that, don't know if they ever started up again. The Russian military is to put it mildly "poor" at the moment. There's been practically no post-2000 airshow/demos. They show up at Farnborough/Paris, may do one flight, and that's about it. The simply don't have the cash to show them off. Most Flanker demos were 1995/96/97. PS---want a nice diecast Super Flanker with moving flaps, rudders, brake, canopy? From what I've read, they're well worth the price. And it is a Flanker, so it'd be as big as a 1/60 VF-1, if not larger. http://www.flyingmule.com/Merchant2/mercha...ct_Code=GC-8014 (they are about the only US-distributor, much easier to find in Hong Kong AFAIK, always sold out because everyone wants a Super Flanker) They also have a few other variants--Su-27, Su-34: http://www.flyingmule.com/range/model/diec...aft_collection/ PPS--yes, their site takes a little while to load, but it's nice once it's up, good pics of every model (they take their own), and I've bought from them before. Flankers sell out so fast, ebay might be a better choice, especially for the -35.

If you're talking about the Fujimi, don't bother, the 1/48 Fujimi F-14's SUCK they're like reboxed Matchbox kits or something with new nozzles. As for Hasegawa---their 1/72 and 1/48 F-14B/D's are practically scaled-up/down versions of each other. Heck, I think you could swap instructions and nobody would notice, sprues/parts are nearly identical too, I think. Very, very similar, comparing recent Hase F-14's across scales.

Fujimi's are designed to be "flaps down" and thus wings forward, but it is very easy to make them flaps/slats up (as opposed to the Hase, where you pretty much need to redesign the flaps if you want them up. Just a few snips and everything's fine, and you can install the "wings swept" parts in the fuselage, and the wings themselves have your standard "gear" to swing together. I plan to make most of mine flaps up. Current release Fujimi's: http://www.hlj.com/scripts/hljpage.cgi?FUJ28002 (I saw this one in a local shop a month ago, so I know it's actually "out") http://www.hlj.com/scripts/hljpage.cgi?FUJ28010 (I bought from HLJ recently) http://www.hlj.com/scripts/hljpage.cgi?FUJ72152 (might have new-style gunvents, not sure though) Remember the D isn't quite a D, but great for Shin or a late A! Older releases can be found cheap on Ebay, you can find the Iranian release for 10 bucks--which is great, because that release also comes with Sundowners decals. (But like most JP decals, the white is actually cream) Also, check this out: http://www.hlj.com/scripts/hljpage.cgi?FUJ72154 It's the F-14A, with all the later parts (gunvents, new ECM bumps) and a full ground-crew set for a carrier deck diorama. I will know tomorrow whether my future F-14 fleet with have "converted Fujimi" F-14B/D's, or pure Hase B/D's. (A's will be Fuji, I know that already--especially since I already have bunch) And my review will include photos of sprues, parts, etc.

1. Despite being the biggest fighter, it's almost as unstable as an F-16. Unstable=really wants to pitch up, rapidly. (it is not technically unstable--an F-16 is barely unstable, a Flanker is as barely stable as it can be, without being *un*stable. It's like +.01% stable) 2. Vectoring helps, but isn't all. Raw engine power is a bigger factor. Mainly, Flankers have massive tailfins, set well back. Basically, it pitches up so rapidly, and has so much energy/interia from its massive thrust, that it keeps going whichever direction was going, despite twisting about its axis. Think about a somesaulting gymnest in midair--they can twist about in all directions in midair, but they will overall keep going the way they were going when they launched into the air. This is the same thing, just with 25 tons of metal. So to do a kulbit, you just give full power and head up, then cut the power back and pull back as hard as you can--you'll keep going up due to inertia, but start flipping due to the very effective tailplanes. More power you have, the more you can flip. 3. You can over-ride the FBW in a Flanker, exceeding the normal limits on pitch rate and G's. (F-22's have had a similar feature installed--more like "normal/high" though, not "normal/whatever you can take") 4. The most commonly pointed out usefullness for all this is to get a missile lock on anybody. It's not defensive, it's offensive. If you can move like that, you can get a missile lock on anybody in any direction. Yes, if you do this defensively, you're likely dead. But if you do a mid-air-180 to lock on to someone and blow them up, you don't have to worry about your lost energy. 5. It's a Flanker. It can recover energy like *that*. Most powerful engines in service tend to let you do that. Same reason F-16's pull 9G all day long--bleeds energy in an instant, but they've got so much power they don't really care. PS--I have seen this on TV. Either TLC or The History Channel. Haven't seen it in a few years though. Even more impressive on a big screen. (if anyone ever sees that its going to be on, post a note here and tape it! Pretty much the whole show is Flankers) I'm going to see if I can find out the name of the show.

The Fujimi 1/72 F-14 rocks. I build them instead of the Hase. They are a new, recessed line mold, and very nice. Rubber tires, photo-etched canopy mirrors. (plastic tires also included). Fuji and Hase were in direct competition at that time--they both brought out nice, new 1/72 F-4 and F-14 kits the same year. Fuji's fit MUCH better, and include the best Phoenixes you can buy.(many people buy Fuji F-14's for weapons, and put those on Hase kits). However, the Hase's had slightly more accurate cockpits, and you know how airplane modelers like cockpits, even if you do need a quart of putty to make a Hase fuselage smooth. Quick Fuji 1/72 F-14 reviews: The A kits---include early and mid gun vents. Has all late ECM bumps. (Just slice them off if you don't need them--but you'll need them for 1982 and later). The aft "armpit" bump is a little bit off---later kits (mainly F-14D's) include subtly different more correct ones to replace them with. Decals are typical Fuji/Hase style--thick, but useable and nice. Comes with Phoenix decals, always useful. I have a stack of Fuji F-14A kits. (Though I do plan to snag 1 Hase A for the boattail for my Wolfpack kit, as the Fuji doesn't offer the pre-block 75 tail option, but I don't think Hase has the pre-block-75 gunvent---gotta kitbash if you want a 1974/75 Tomcat) Most Fuji kits come with decals for 3 different squadrons. Current releases are Jolly Rogers re-release (also has Black Aces decals, and Swordsmen) and Black Knights. (pretty sure that one should have the new ECM bumps and new forward fuselage for the new gun vents--but you never know, I don't personally have that release) A+/B kits: so rare you don't really need to bother, basically the D kit minus the chinpod. Fuji F-14D prototype, red/white scheme. This is what Shin's plane is. Kit is RARE, went for 35+ bucks new. Has new nozzles, and new rear engine fairings. You have to slice off the back end of the original kit (nice scribed lines inside to do so), and install the new "F-14D" back end. But these new parts will not get you a production F-14B/D. Current Fuji F-14D kits, 2003 Bounty Hunters markings. Includes all the F-14D parts mentioned above, plus the dual chinpod. No D-style cockpit at all. Realizing the prototype has a different back end, the instructions don't have you use the "F-14D prototype" back end parts, and include new, better nozzles. But you still have an A's afterburner duct, and fairing (the fairing is the most visible difference, after the nozzles). Also includes a new left forward fuselage, with late-style gun vents. (Some late A and A+/B kits include this new fuselage as well). Will make a GREAT late F-14A kit, like the Black Knights and Black Lions had. Also a nice source of GE parts, since you get 4 fans, 4 burners, and 4 exhausts per kit (trust me). I use the burners on F-16 kits, since Hase F-16's only have PW burners, even if they give GE nozzles. Or basically--the Fuji F-14D's are like nearly every other "almost" F-14D kits--new nozzles, but not the engine/fairings themselves. But make the best late F-14A's, since you get a whole new forward fuselage, as opposed to the various "insert" pieces the Hase uses to make the new gun vents. I myself have a Hase F-14D arriving tomorrow, and am going to see if it's easy enough to use the Hase's back end/cockpit on a Fuji, to see if I can make accurate, well-fitting F-14B/D's. (Due to the "cutting lines" for the prototype F-14D being present in ALL Fuji F-14 kits, it should be very easy to slice the back end off--which is right where the Hase back end should start--and since there is a slight "step" there in the real thing, they need not fit perfectly) Fuji F-14's fit together very well, and the flaps/slats are much easier to assemble, both up and down. So... If you want Shin's F-14, at the moment any Fuji F-14D would be perfect, so long as you cut off the back end of the engines at the obviously scribed line, and use the prototype F-14D back end. (Only the prototype F-14D release says to do this, but all F-14D and even I think some A+/B releases include the parts to do so) And I will post a nice Hasegawa 1/72 F-14D preview tomorrow too (assuiming UPS is on time), as I'm sure many will be interested in that, since that would also be pretty close to Shin's. (And I know the D kits have some A parts as well--you might be able to make something VERY close to Shin's easily) PPS---the Fuji's build unlike every other F-14 there is. Most kits have the the actual engine area molded to the big lower fuselage half, with a long "3/4 intake" you attach to the lower fuselage, right where the fan is. Fuji's have the entire intake and engine area together, but split left/right. There is no lower fuselage piece. You have the left glove, left intake, center tunnel, and right glove and intake. And all those separate parts attach to the upper fuselage. But because of this, it FITS. (Though you do need to smooth out the inside of the intake, putty between the nozzle and inflatable wing sweep area, and remove a very visible mounting pin--but that is a lot easier and less work than puttying a Hase intake, engine, nose, and wheel well together IMHO). The forward fuselage is very similar to a Hase, but more of a zig-zag cut.

I wasn't aware there was any sort of argument going on. Sorry if you interpreted my comments that way.

Well, I was going through some pics in my Macross folder and realized I hadn't taken a good look at Shin's F-14 since before M0 Ep1 actually came out. Anyways, looking closely, I realized it is AMAZINGLY close to a Fujimi F-14D prototype kit. It is *so* close to a Fujimi F-14D kit, that I think they actually made the CGI model from that. I mainly believe this because it has the same error(s) that AFAIK has only occured in Fujimi F-14D kits, and no other----and that no real F-14 has this combination. (I've learned a lot about subtle F-14 differences over the past year, with models/books/airshows and what-not). Anyways: 1. Shin's F-14 has a single ECM bump under the glove. This is known as the armpit location for F-14 ECM bumps. However, they never ever come alone, always in pairs. Also, it is "one bump-length" too far forward. F-14D's do not have any in this location at all, and late A's and all B's have two there. And the one Shin's has is in the "wrong" spot for anything. BUT---Fujimi's F-14D kit is like this---a lone bump too far forward. Hmmmmmmmn. 2. While the rear fuselage fairings are more squared than an F-14A's, and it has GE engines, they are still too round and too short for a B/D, and have too short of an afterburner duct. Only one F-14 ever had ones like that---the F-14B prototype, which was later converted into an F-14D prototype. And that is what Fujimi's F-14D kits are based on. (This is why everything I've ever read says the Fuji F-14D is accurate--it has parts for a "new" back end---however, it's not a B/D back end, it's the B/D prototype back end--but nobody but me ever notices) 3. The AMRAAM's are attached to the glove pylon wrong, 45 degrees off. Want to guess what kit has the glove-mounted missiles 45 degrees off? (Hint, starts with "Fuji") 4. You know how Shin's got the cockpit and seats of an F-14A? Guess what style cockpit and seats Fuji mistakenly puts in their F-14D kits? 5. In otherwords--Shin's F-14 is *exactly* like what you get in a Fujimi F-14D kit. Close, but not quite an F-14D---has an A's cockpit, fictional ECM arrangement, and the engines of an F-14B/D prototype, not a "real" F-14B/D. 6. Based on all this, I'm betting they used a Fujimi F-14D kit as *the* reference, and actually intended Shin to have an F-14D. (Unless they actually did want Shin to have a one-off F-14, and knew exactly what the Fujimi kit was---but then why follow it so perfectly, and not just make your own Tomcat?----if you want something unique, don't exactly copy something else no matter how unique it may be)

More likely a YVF-1A. (But then again, where's the YVF-0?)

I honestly think the massive amounts of old Monogram and Airfix kits here in every US hobby shop is part of the reason lots of kids don't get into modelling. They should just be banned. Most "beginners" just walk into a hobby shop, wanting an F-14/15/16/18. 90% of the kits will be cheap ones, and they buy those, while the $20-30 Hase/Fuji/Tamiya sit on the shelf. The encounter horrific fit and basic molding problems, and never try again. If people started with Tamiyas, things would be different. (Tamiya beats ALL for fit) It's like the opposite of how it "should" be---beginners need high-end kits so they can learn how to build, while more experienced (and masochistic) people can buy the cheap kits and add a quart of putty to them... (Sorry for the hijack/rant, but I do feel I wasted a lot of money, time, and effort on bad kits when I was younger---all my Hase's and Fuji's turned out better, but it took until I was in my teens to realize the good stuff came from Japan, and cost more, no matter how Airfix-Monogram-Revell-centric the local hobby stores were) And then there's the whole "you mean there's OTHER paint/glue/tools besides Testors?" great discovery.

Hey hey, this was supposed to be an "ooh and awe" thread at the fancy moves. Not a tactical air combat manuevers discussion.

Yeah, it's edited like a WWE match IMHO. Show move, then crowd reaction. Repeat. Anyways--most Su-35/37 demos are from a big European airshow (Paris, Farnborough), though that one strikes me as likely being at a US base in Japan etc. Plane itself is Russian Air Force. Many Su-27 demos you see will be from the Ukrainian Air Force.

::edit:: Never mind.

Unlike most Super Flanker videos, this one's of very high quality, though they tend not to show the recovery of the moves: http://bemil.chosun.com/movie%20link/SU-35.wmv Well worth the download. Doing "manuevers"---like most Flanker moves, a lot of the stuff isn't named yet, and I can't describe them, other than "holy sh*t". http://www.archakov.com/video/su37.mpeg Low quality (quick download), but still the single most impressive thing I've ever seen. 1 minute in: a *double* kulbit manuever. Think 4 cobras semlessly linked together PS--you know, since smoke tends to trail out from BEHIND a plane, imagine what must have happened in the preceding 2 secs before this pic was taken:

Despite the fact that I am obviously rather anal about aircraft details/accuracy, I have learned over the years that the number 1 thing that annoys me in kits (unless it's so inaccurate it's just sad) is BAD FIT. I refuse to buy poorly-fitting models nowadays. Fit is the only thing I'll sacrifice accuracy for--which is why I buy mainly Fujimi F-14's, not the Hasegawas. I will sacrifice a little accuracy for a lot of fit. (not a lot of accuracy, but a little). And I have hated every Airfix I've ever built, and do not plan to ever buy another. I'm sure they make a decent kit somewhere, but I've yet to encounter one. (Their 1/144 L-1011 was almost decent)

Thanks so much! After checking online, it seems the new Revell one even has the markings I'd like to do. (Ukranian AF, airshow demo colors). Now I just have to find one... (many of the more recent Revell kits seem impossible to find--they're everywhere for a few weeks, then utterly disappear--like the new F-16C kit)

Don't think this has been mentioned yet: Temjin test-shot. Seems they'll be 1:100. http://www.hasegawa-model.co.jp/VIR/ank/ANK2.html Looks to be all 'extreme closeups' not any overall pics.

Honestly, I think your wingtip antenna looks better than the kit's. Maybe you want to break the other one off and replace it? Seeing this build-up makes me want to build a Flanker... (my local shop has a Hase 1/72 one with very neat decals, but $40 full retail is a LOT for any 1/72 plane)