David Hingtgen

IMHO, all PG wiring is either: A. Completely wortless. B. *Barely* adequate. Just solder everything. Quicker and easier than trying to use some combo of plastic and screws and springs.

All you really need is "left" and "right". Anyways--just ask here for any symbol meanings you don't get! BTW--which PG kits? I have a mini-FAQ for assembly tips for the W0C.

Technically, a leading edge flap could be anything. But it's generally assumed to mean Krüger flaps unless otherwise specified, and is how I usually read it. And a hinged leading edge is just that. Mainly because a flap is a small piece, but the "hinged leading edge" is the whole front of the wing, not really a separate piece. Could also mean droops, but they're downwards-only (being a specific type of hinged leading edge). (Being an airliner buff above all else, high-lift devices are a specialty of mine, airliners have used and invented most every type). Coolest flap name: Zap flaps! (Which are like sliding split flaps)

A bit overdone? Most groundcrew would be fired if they let a military plane get like that.

Up top, you say it has leading edge slats. Just a post ago, you say leading edge flaps. Which is it? And IMHO, it should have neither, but rather a hinged leading edge.

Wisconsin shows are always a possibility for me. Have to check exact distance and what's there. I'll drive quite a ways for a Tomcat, but anything less---I really have to evaluate rarity, how many times I've seen one, etc. Iowa totally sucks this year. A-10 demo only. (Hey, we had F-18, A-10, F-117, F-16, and the Blue Angels all flying last year, and a static Super Hornet) I'll of course go to the 45 mins away show, if for no other reason than the static displays.

That's amazingly cool. Not much more needs to be said. BTW--anybody ever watch the show "Viper"? (for those that didn't, it had hexagonal panels to change paint color)

Rare indeed for me to bump a thread, but BUMP! Also, Harrier demo schedule was added. Not that there's many, Harriers are even harder to find than Tomcats.

MiG-29? Doubt it. AFAIK, they've got a pretty piss-poor, weak radar. (At least the early ones, and I doubt top-of-the-line upgraded ones were around) Not the best thing for hunting stealths.

The Revell 1/32 MiG-29's are popping up everywhere around here. If you can find them in Iowa, you can find them anywhere. PS--I "lost" this thread, but in response to neova's question, an F-14D would give you all the parts you need, as would a Fujimi F-14D. (Except the prototype--never buy the demo-color white/red F-14B or D from anybody in any scale--they're almost always wrong for a production model--avoid the all-black ones as well) Most good F-14D kits just add in all the D parts, so all the A parts are still there. And that's what you need for Shin's, a D's body with an A's cockpit. And there's always a ton of aftermarket resin cockpits and seats, so you could buy just about any D and then add in a really nice A cockpit if you want. (Make sure it's a D with the rear fuselage fairings though).

Low stall/approach speeds are a characteristic of FSW. (not THAT low though) Just a nit-pick: you'd probably want the rudders to turn OUT for speed-brakes. Turn-in generally causes a pitch-up. See F-22 and F-18 for examples of both. PS--what kind of options do you have for flight characteristics tuning? If you've got it, try a lower angle of incidence. (While FSW incidence is generally typical, it behaves differently under load, and "averages" out to a lot lower value than normal planes while manuevering)

And yet another version of the story is that the F-117 flew the exact same track 3 nights in a row, low, above a high hill, getting just within range of a shoulder-fired rocket. If there's no IR or radar guidance to defeat, stealth is worthless. If you can actually see/hear the plane, and predict where and when it'll be, it's not hard to shoot it down.

Ironically, within hours of this first being posted, "The Final Countdown" was played on the radio for 80's night. Freaked me out.

::downloads pic:: ::looks at labels:: EEEEEEEEK! ::head explodes:: I think randomly applying labels from a glossary of aircraft parts would be only slightly less accurate. Why is the wing pivot inside the wing itself, near the outer tip? I don't recall the tips swinging independently of the main wings... (it's really the outboard hardpoint)

Wow, that IS a good kit to make the gear up--and you say the YF-21's even easier. Hmmmn, I'm converting my unfinished YF-23 to gear-up, maybe I should make a matching YF-21 to go with it.

I'd rather have an F-4G for that. Or F-16CJ.

And here's some nav lights, blue as blue can be. Left pic is the right wing's light, and the right pic is the one on the underside of the right wing glove. It's a Jolly Rogers F-14B, btw.

Sorry but I'm not QUITE following how you mask the intakes. (And the fact that the demarcation line between the grey and white on the interior of the intakes varies by squadron doesn't help). Anyways---I actually like the Fujimi 1/72 for Tomcats, for they are like 95% as detailed as the Hase, but have the great advantage in that they FIT quite nicely. Also, the way they're designed, you can completely paint, decal, and clear-coat the wings and fuselage separately, and then attach the wings as the very last step of all. And still have a working swing mechanism. Finally, Fujimi's come with a full set of *nice* weapons. (I'm not knocking the Hase, I'm just saying why I go for Fujimi--honestly, the fit is 99% of why I buy them) My first decent F-14 was the Fujimi when it first came out, and I noticed the much superior fit right away. (The reason is, because it's assembled unlike any other F-14, in any other scale--I'll describe it if you want). I am simply not one of those "cockpit guys". I focus on the outside of the plane. Overall shape is usually my #1 requirement for a model. (That and fit). While the Hase's are more detailed, I do think the Fujimi's have a better nose-shape. (though the rear fuselage nibs are definitely more accurate on the Hase). I do wish they made canopy masks for the Fujimi's. I'm decent at canopy masking, but it's still very stress/fear-inducing. PS---Fujimi's come with photoetched canopy mirrors. Man, I kept a spare set for years, I'll see if I still have them and send them. (I don't think I do though, but I'll dig through the spares box). Fujimi's have raised instrument detail, and decent ejection seats. Certainly not resin-good, but good enough for me. PPS---I'm very tempted to buy a Hase 'Cat for the decals alone, it's impossible to find *good* 1/72 VF-111 decals, my fave squadron by far. And the newer Hase have Cartograph... (If anybody's got a Hase F-14 with good VF-111/Sundowners decals, and aren't going to use them, I'd gladly buy them off you) PPPS----I have an Italeri 1/48 F-14 I plan to build soon as practice. (I just happened to have one). Haven't decided what to build it as yet---don't want to spend much money on decals. Also haven't decided whether to do a really easy all-gull-grey scheme, or to do a tougher one for painting practice as well. I'm going to try out some techniques (including intake and well and canopy masking) on this one before I tackle my pile of 1/72's.

wm cheng: I'd appreciate it if you could focus on how you mask and paint the intakes, and the wheel wells, in your upcoming posts. Those have always given me problems. (And I've bought like 4 F-14 kits this month, many a well and intake to mask). Of course, since I think the VF-0 will be pure white, there won't be much to mask--make something in camoflage next! But any tips would be appreciated. Especially if you could help me to mask off the lip of an intake. (Especially round ones). The absolute hardest thing to mask, for me, is an airliner's engine---pure white nacelle outside, but a bare metal lip on the outside, wrapping around to the inside. And F-18's aren't much better. Anyways--before you get to the navigation lights, etc, I noticed something when looking at some of my F-14 pics. While they certainly glow green when on, when off, they're BLUE. Not blue-green, but BLUE. I think that all the Yamatos are actually correct, for "lights off". (The red ones are red regardless, but the green lights look bright blue when off). Something you might want to consider.

Invisibility, and time-travel, are quite different IMHO. The only similarity is that they both have warships. PS--when I got it on release day, Best Buy only wanted $17 for limited, $15 for regular. Yes, only 2 bucks difference.

Now that I look at it more, I'm getting a slight Virtual-On vibe from it. (That's a compliment, as I love the Virtual-On female designs, certainly some of the best chick-mechs)

That rocks. I don't like some 90% of fan-made TF's, but I like that a LOT.

Diecast will oxidize though, if it's simply polished and not coated with anything. Becomes kind of streaky/dark in spots. (Ask anyone who has Eastern or American airlines models)

They didn't make "Grand Canyon"-filling superglue, so I just used like 1.5 bottles of gap-filling on my 1701-B kit combined with many .020 (and .100) strips... (the only thing with worse fit than their Excelsior, is their modified Excelsior...)

Heh, I just ordered some F-14's via EMS. (Ehh, can either pay a whole lot of money to get it imported and shipped from a US place, or pay less for the kit but a LOT for shipping). I think cost of the kits and the shipping will be about equal though... Should have snagged a VF-1 while I was at HLJ's site...