F-14D Super Tomcat by CDW - AMK - 1:48 Scale

[CDW]

33 minutes ago, Old Collingwood said:

What an  excellent idea,  so I guess  you  slide  the  tub assembly  in from  rear of the  assembly?

Wish more  kits  would  adapt  this  idea.

 

OC.

Yes, the cockpit and wheel well slide in from the back.

The are quite a few modern kits that are using slide mold technology already, though this is the first aircraft kit I've built where the entire forward fuselage is molded that way. On other kits, including this one, it's often found used in the ordnance pieces. In armor kits, the gun barrels. Flyhawk 1:700 ship models use slide molds as well.

[Old Collingwood]

6 minutes ago, CDW said:

Yes, the cockpit and wheel well slide in from the back.

The are quite a few modern kits that are using slide mold technology already, though this is the first aircraft kit I've built where the entire forward fuselage is molded that way. On other kits, including this one, it's often found used in the ordnance pieces. In armor kits, the gun barrels. Flyhawk 1:700 ship models use slide molds as well.

Ah  yes  of course  aka  Flyhawks  hulls   (I should  have remembered that)

 

OC.

[CDW]

33 minutes ago, Old Collingwood said:

Ah  yes  of course  aka  Flyhawks  hulls   (I should  have remembered that)

 

OC.

Your earlier question/comment made me realize I had not yet done a test-fit of the cockpit inside the forward fuselage.

Here are a few photos of a dry-fit test. 

 

I'm still debating whether to finish this kit as a bomber or equipped as in an air-to-air role....hmmmmm...decisions, decisions. 

 

[Old Collingwood]

That  looks  so nice  -  what a  nice  tidy  fit  mate.

 

OC.

[CDW]

I'm leaning toward finishing her as a VF-2 Bounty Hunter OIF, 2003. All these photos are from that squadron.

This gives me the option of incorporating micro-size magnets to my ordnance, that way I could swap it out to any configuration I choose. If I find out I have the wrong combination, no big deal, just swap it out using magnetic action. 

[CDW]

The Last WW2 Triple Ace, Bud Anderson, Dies At 102

 

Bud Anderson, the last World War II ‘triple ace,’ dies at 102 - Task & Purpose (taskandpurpose.com)

[DocRob]

Great progress with the big cat, Craig. The engineering of the AMK jet kits is fantastic and the fit of their MIG-31 kit was perfect, even on the most complicated parts, like the intakes. The only issue, I had with the kit, were the bang seats, which were horribly out of scale. I hope this is not the case with yours.

The pic shows the kit seat on the right, to the left is a seat from a Brassin refined SU-27 kit and in the middle is the seat with pilot, I used, I guess it was made by Aerobonus.



Cheers Rob

[CDW]

16 minutes ago, DocRob said:

Great progress with the big cat, Craig. The engineering of the AMK jet kits is fantastic and the fit of their MIG-31 kit was perfect, even on the most complicated parts, like the intakes. The only issue, I had with the kit, were the bang seats, which were horribly out of scale. I hope this is not the case with yours.

The pic shows the kit seat on the right, to the left is a seat from a Brassin refined SU-27 kit and in the middle is the seat with pilot, I used, I guess it was made by Aerobonus.



Cheers Rob

That's quite a dramatic difference between the three.

[CDW]

Here is a great site for future reference. Tons of info and photos.

 

VF Fighter Squadrons FITRON US Navy (seaforces.org)

[Egilman]

12 hours ago, CDW said:

I'm leaning toward finishing her as a VF-2 Bounty Hunter OIF, 2003.

Cool! You gonna put her USS Langley stripes on her? (VF-2 was the first squadron to fly off a carrier, hence the first assigned to the Langley, carrying the stripes was definitely a point of pride)

Edited May 22 by Egilman

[Canute]

This old WSO hopes you do this great bird in an air to air configuration. I moved a lot of mud, dropping assorted weapons, but my heart is always in air to air. flights.

[CDW]

2 hours ago, Canute said:

This old WSO hopes you do this great bird in an air to air configuration. I moved a lot of mud, dropping assorted weapons, but my heart is always in air to air. flights.

The way I'm thinking about doing the ordnance, I'll be able to switch out to whatever loadout I want. My plan is to use some micro size magnets to hold the ordnance in place on each pylon/station.

I learned this technique watching a modeler who builds on commission. He uses this to mount all the weapons and other fragile pieces because they tend to get broken off in shipping. Everything he builds has to eventually be boxed up and shipped out.

 

(158) Primedmodelworks - YouTube

Edited May 23 by CDW

[CDW]

I've got too many irons in the fire. Very little time has been available for the tom kitty but the cockpit is nearing a finish with some minor details, a little detail painting, and a dull coat to finish it up.

Somehow I managed once again to see a small part go flying off into the netherworld, never to be found again (yet). This time it was a shoulder harness strap. Hence, the rear seat has no shoulder harness straps attached yet. I will not attach the gun site glass pieces until the very end before the canopy goes on. These are all box stock parts from the kit, no aftermarket used at all.

[Old Collingwood]

That is looking so nice  mate.

 

OC.

[Canute]

The multi-function display screens really bring out the high level of detail in this beauty. And it's all stock. Wow.

[CDW]

Home improvement projects and a model club project for the month of June has this project on a temporary hold. Will return to it ASAP.

Thanks for following along.