1:48 F-14A Tomcat - Macross Zero - Shin Kudo custom

[spanner]

I had a 1:48 scale F-14A Tomcat model kit which I had the super talented MWF member Lancelot build up for me in Macross Zero - Shin Kudo colors!

Looks amazing! He did an incredible job! I can't remember what brand of kit it was (Revell) but it had been sitting in storage for a considerable number of years until being dug out earlier this year.

So rather than binning it or attempting a build myself I passed it on to someone who could do a proper job and here is the end result! Yes I know the variant isn't quite correct but its close enough and im stoked at the finished product!

Here are some pics for everyone to enjoy!

Edited December 16, 2015 by spanner76

[abbadon]

That looks fantastic, spanner! Wow! Great job Lancelot!

[EXO]

Gorgeous.

[eggy99]

Love the F-14! My fave fighter plane of all time. OF ALL TIME XD

[spanner]

yeah the Tomcat is one of my all time fav fighters too!

[derex3592]

Holy Badass Tomcat Batman!!! That paint job is ridic!!!

[spanner]

forgot to add a swept wing shot! I don't think those extending winglets (when the main wings are swept back) made an appearance in the anime but this is basically an unmodified kit so they were left functional.. And some may notice there is only one pilot and Edgar is missing. I might look around for a 2nd 1:48 scale pilot for it. Kinda looks weird with only the one pilot.

Edited December 16, 2015 by spanner76

[mickyg]

Looks VERY nice!

Yeah, those winglets were deleted very early in the tomcat's life. They didn't do as much as they had hoped (added stability was their primary function and they simply weren't necessary). As I recall, the later version of the Tomcat (at least the D types) had the internals removed and the "slot" faired over to save weight.

[spanner]

Yeah they did delete them and the later variants were built without them entirely I believe. I kinda dont mind them but then again the Tomcat does look way more sleek without them.

[mickyg]

At least your wings swing. The Hasegawa kits are fixed in either open or closed, so the wing seal bladders can be shown appropriately. Yes, it makes sense, but I'd rather be able to open and close them for display variation!

[spanner]

That sucks that the Hasegawa kits wings don't swing.. Problem with the Revell kits is they are kinda crappy to begin with.. the variable wings are the kits highlight! But Lancelot did a darn good job with it. He was saying the panel lining are raised lines and not actual grooves which made highlighting them tricky. And not coming with two pilot figures is pretty strange too! Really needs a RIO.

I wonder what the Tamiya kits are like? From pics I have googled they certainly look pretty good! I wonder if they have variable wings?

[mickyg]

Tamiya Tomcat kits are 1/32 scale. Very big, very imposing. Both in looks and in build. Apparently they are quite the challenge to put together convincingly. And no, the wings don't swing on those either.

Unless Tamiya has released a 1/48 I'm not aware of, that is...

[derex3592]

I had that Testor's 1:48 Tomcat "Black Bunny" as a teenager. It was super cool. Wings were fully adjustable and when you moved them, the front small ones deployed and retracted. I think I have some pics of it somewhere on my pc.

[VF-18S Hornet]

Awesome Tomcat Spanner, you captured the awesomeness of my favorite fighter. Nice job. Question though, when you do get second pilot figure, does the canopy come up?

[kajnrig]

Congrats to Lancelot on the nice job. I've got that same Revell kit, which is actually a re-issue of the old Monogram kit from the 70s/80s, hence the raised panel lines. Bad parts fit, raised panels, nasty seam lines, the works. (Although mine doesn't have the winglets... Well, it IS the D variant, so perhaps that explains it.) I've had it sitting on my desk unfinished for years now because I just do not look forward to all the work that has to go into it.

Given its age, all the more congratulations on such a nice job.

EDIT: Never mind about 1/72 Tamiya Tomcats, I was thinking of Fine Molds.

Edited December 17, 2015 by kajnrig

[spanner]

Tamiya Tomcat kits are 1/32 scale. Very big, very imposing. Both in looks and in build. Apparently they are quite the challenge to put together convincingly. And no, the wings don't swing on those either.

Unless Tamiya has released a 1/48 I'm not aware of, that is...

I think I saw that one of the Tamiya kits specified that it does have variable wings.. I'd love a 1:32 Tomcat! or Phantom or Super Hornet or an Eagle!

I had that Testor's 1:48 Tomcat "Black Bunny" as a teenager. It was super cool. Wings were fully adjustable and when you moved them, the front small ones deployed and retracted. I think I have some pics of it somewhere on my pc.

would love to see those photo's derex!

Awesome Tomcat Spanner, you captured the awesomeness of my favorite fighter. Nice job. Question though, when you do get second pilot figure, does the canopy come up?

Thanks mate! well Lancelot did all the hard work! The canopy is glued down but I should be able to open it back up. Just gotta find the pilot figure now..

Congrats to Lancelot on the nice job. I've got that same Revell kit, which is actually a re-issue of the old Monogram kit from the 70s/80s, hence the raised panel lines. Bad parts fit, raised panels, nasty seam lines, the works. (Although mine doesn't have the winglets... Well, it IS the D variant, so perhaps that explains it.) I've had it sitting on my desk unfinished for years now because I just do not look forward to all the work that has to go into it.

Given its age, all the more congratulations on such a nice job.

EDIT: Never mind about 1/72 Tamiya Tomcats, I was thinking of Fine Molds.

yes indeed this kit was a poor detail and fit. He did struggle to get parts to stay together in areas and the surface details were a problem too but he was able to work around it all and finished up with a nice bit of work!

He did ask me what I wanted to do with the small winglets (either keep or delete) which I chose to keep as I really don't mind them there but now im kinda regretting that choice as its definitely nicer visually and historically more accurate not to have them. But I can't backpedal on that now and the model looks great either way.

I think I will try find a 1:32 scale Tomcat or similar aircraft of the era for another build up!

Edited December 17, 2015 by spanner76

[MechTech]

That kit came out great! Plus I love the custom tail decals!

I had the Monogram 1/32 kit and loved it! Variable wings and rubber tires. We have a couple assembled ones at the museum too. I believe the horizontal stabs are cross linked as well as having most ordinance as well.

Contracts on getting a great build!-MT

[spanner]

Those Monograms kits are hard to find now days.. I was looking at either a Tamiya or Trumpeter 1:32 F-14 preferably a "D" variant.. But not to paint up in Macross Zero colors. I want to have a real US Navy squadron paint scheme instead.

Also I see you can buy some detail up parts for most of these kits. Though not sure if I would bother with most of them.

I also looked at Super Hornets, Eagle & Phantom kits but the Tomcat is still my fav. Phantom is a close 2nd.

[David Hingtgen]

Looks VERY nice!

Yeah, those winglets were deleted very early in the tomcat's life. They didn't do as much as they had hoped (added stability was their primary function and they simply weren't necessary). As I recall, the later version of the Tomcat (at least the D types) had the internals removed and the "slot" faired over to save weight.

From looking closely at the real ones---I believe the A's and B's had them removed and sealed over. The D's simply never had them. How to tell? A's and B's have a bunch of putty/bondo covering where they were/should be---the D's have nice sheet metal with no evidence of a moving panel etc.

Those Monograms kits are hard to find now days.. I was looking at either a Tamiya or Trumpeter 1:32 F-14 preferably a "D" variant..

Unless there's a new version with massive corrections, the Trumpeter kit is the least-accurate Tomcat model for overall shape, etc. They missed a key point, and it looks like a MiG-25 or F-15 from head-on for it: They made the intakes straight up and down, tight to the fuselage. Which goes against the splayed gull-winged effect the entire F-14 airframe has.

Real F-14:

Trumpeter F-14:

I don't know how the rest of the kit even "works", with an overall shape that wrong--it must mean the gear bays and wing gloves are wrong too, if they "fit" with vertical intakes.

[spanner]

so you reckon a Tamiya 1:32 kit would be a better option?

[spanner]

I think I'll get the Tamiya 1:32 F-14A kit (60313) which looks well proportioned and has variable sweep wings!

[David Hingtgen]

Yes, the Tamiya kit is still one of the best F-14 kits ever.

[Skull Leader]

the original revell kit is not the same as the revell-monogram kit which ruled the mid-late 1980s (before Hasegawa put theirs out), but it was the basis for the kit.

I wouldve picked a better kit for the basis for Shin Kudo's jet (an F-14B or D kit for a start.... since the Macross F-14A+ Kai was a mix of the two), but you certainly turned out a nice result.

From looking closely at the real ones---I believe the A's and B's had them removed and sealed over. The D's simply never had them. How to tell? A's and B's have a bunch of putty/bondo covering where they were/should be---the D's have nice sheet metal with no evidence of a moving panel etc.

A models and refit B models had them locked shut and bonded over. New-build Bs (and for some reason, both refit and new-build Ds) had blanking panels put in place instead.

Having said all of this, a surprising number of A models made it through Desert storm with their glove vanes still functioning (I've seen photos of VF-1 and VF-154 jets deployed to the gulf with their vanes out), though upon return from desert storm, a *lot* of jets were cycled through NADEP and had them deactivated then.

[spanner]

yeah I certainly would have loved to have had a better kit for this but the Revell kit was all I had. Not accurate to the anime but still pulled off the desired effect.

[dart]

Love love love the Tomcat! It's easily my favourite aircraft and I love that it was chosen as a base for the Valkyries. Great model, as well. If I had space for one that size, I'd definitely build one.

[Dobber]

Yes, the Tamiya kit is still one of the best F-14 kits ever.

Problem with the Tamiya Tomcat is it has raised panel lines.

Chris

[kajnrig]

Hey guys. Contemplating my own Revell F-14D, what are some of the advantages of raised panel lines? I'm looking at all the raised surface detail and I'm not relishing rescribing everything. What was the impetus for the transition from raised to recessed panel lines?

[Dobber]

IMO, there are no advantages to raised panel lines....they are completely inaccurate and an eye sore. Which would be why kits have pretty much universally transitioned to recessed/scribed panel lines.

Chris

[MechTech]

If you guys need specific close ups of one you can't find online, we have one at the museum - just PM me. It's outdoors (with good paint) so the intakes and exhaust are sealed to keep out birds n stuff. - MT

[spanner]

If you guys need specific close ups of one you can't find online, we have one at the museum - just PM me. It's outdoors (with good paint) so the intakes and exhaust are sealed to keep out birds n stuff. - MT

I think that you should just go take some photos of that Tomcat regardless and post them up here for all of us to enjoy! so hurry along now and take some photos!

[P.W.Royce]

If that is the same kit as my Revell 1:48 F-14A, your friend put a bunch of work into closing up the gear doors. By the time I got mine faired in, I pretty much gave up on building the rest of the kit. That one turned out great. I love the paint and markings. Did the cockpit insignia come from a 1:48 Macross decal sheet?

[spanner]

If that is the same kit as my Revell 1:48 F-14A, your friend put a bunch of work into closing up the gear doors. By the time I got mine faired in, I pretty much gave up on building the rest of the kit. That one turned out great. I love the paint and markings. Did the cockpit insignia come from a 1:48 Macross decal sheet?

not sure about the gear doors but he did say there were quite a few things that either didn't fit or fit very poorly.. and the panel linings are raised not recessed which was also an detail issue. That Revell kit is looks cheap and crappy but he did a stellar job on it!