1/72 Hasegawa Grumman F-14D 

Tomcat Sunset VF-31 TOMCATTERS

 BuNo163904 Sept 29 2006

by Jean-Charles Goddet

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For my third post on ARC I choose to show you one of my Tomcats.  I'm a great fan of this plane (now retired) and I know I'm not alone in this case.  This plane is a Hasegawa 1/72 F14D Tomcat from the box and I added decals FTD72003 from Fightertown to represent the last Tomcat BuNo 163904 from NAS Oceana VF-31 TOMCATTERS.  This plane was one of two Tomcats that had been chosen to make the ceremonial last flight for the US Navy, it was in low visibility camouflage, the other was in full color markings.  I represented the plane shortly after Sunset ceremonies September 29 2006 when it landed for the last time at NAS North Island.  Just after it was transported to its final home in the Hawaiian Air Museum (It would be an interesting trip wouldn't it?)

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The Hasegawa kit is complete, all the F-14 D model details are represented (double chin pod under the nose, General Electric F110 engines, NACA inlets near the gun, ejection seats Martin Baker SJU-17 NACES).  I choose to show the plane with no external tanks and missiles/bombs as it was at the end of its career.  The camouflage is the standard low visibilty 3 colors Upper side Grey Blue FS35237 Gunze H337, noise and vertical stabilators Grey FS36320 Gunze H307, Lower side Grey FS36375 Mr Color H308.  I did a little weathering to the panel lines and structure lines.  Decals from Fightertown are nice, I like a lot the Tomcat badge US NAVY'S LAST FIGHTER in two parts to avoid mis-printing.

I hope you like my model, for me I never forgot this plane it has a specific place in my mind.  Perhaps because it was the star of a famous movie, but also one the best interceptor ever built with the couple of its radar/phoenix missiles able to track a lot of adversaries at the same time and at a maximum range.  My only regret is not to have the opportunity to see a real one in the sky (I have perhaps one chance in Iran, some apparently continue to fly, not easy but it is a dream). 

ANYTIME BABY.

Jean-Charles

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Photos and text © by Jean-Charles Goddet