1/32 Tamiya F-14B

Gallery Article by Chuck Sawyer on Dec 3 2009

 

F-14B VF-101 Grim Reapers

Here is another 1/32 fighter I recently finished, the Tamiya F-14A kit, converted to an F-14B of the VF-101 “Grim Reapers” training squadron, Bu No 163222, circa 2004.  In order to get it looking as accurate as possible, I used a lot of aftermarket items as follows:

  • Aires and Teknics resin and photo-etch cockpit sets (using the best parts of both for the cockpit and canopy)

  • Eduard seat detail and placards sets

  • Cross Delta structural reinforcements set

  • Wolfpack F-14D airframe conversion set

  • Tamiya F-16 GE-110 burner cans (X 2)

  • TACTS pod from a Hasagawa A-4E Aggressor kit

  • CATM-9 missile from an Academy F-18C kit

  • Wolfpack Late type wheel set

  • Fightertown decals, Gunfighter 101, circa 2004

  • Phoenix metal Pitot tube & AOA sensor

...as well as lots of other stuff I had lying around to do some scratch building of details for the intake and landing gear areas.  All painting was done using Model Master enamels.

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This kit needs a lot of work to get it looking good, like re-scribing every panel line, new rivet details, intake modifications, airframe conversion and replacing the Wolfpack burner cans with custom ones I made from the Tamiya F-16CJ kit.  I also did a lot of “salt weathering” to get the weathered look of a Navy fighter, just before the newer “show bird” black paint was applied.  Although this build was fairly difficult and it took me 8 months to complete, I think it’s still the only F-14 model at any scale that truly looks like a real Tomcat.  It will be interesting to see how the new 1/32 Trumpeter F-14D builds up in the future as a direct comparison.

 I tried to replicate this build as closely as possible to the real deal, so you won't find any tanks, live bombs and missiles on this Tomcat, since the F-14’s of VF-101 were used for training and they usually flew "naked".  Decal placement and painting was taken straight from the Fightertown decal instructions, since pics of this exact bird are almost impossible to find.  Even if there was no live ammo on these birds, you gotta love the sinister looking "Reaper" on the tail, which I think rivals the skull and cross bones of VF-84/ VF-103 for looking cool.  It was a long journey and I hope you think it was worth it!

A shark mouth is always cool too…..

The dirty and complex effects of salt weathering…..

Thanks for looking.  I took a lot more pics below for your further review.

Chuck Sawyer

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Photos and text © by  Chuck Sawyer