Spanish Tomcat - FINISHED!

pyro-manic · August 07, 2008, 06:12:33 AM

Well, Spinners did it to me again - after seeing his gorgeous Spanish F-14 in his Strike Fighters profiles thread, I simply had to build it!

Here's the machine in question:

I'm using the Italeri F-14A kit in 1:72, and so far I've got the wings and fuselage together, and I'm going to try and paint the cockpit today before I attach it. The one frustration is that the kit comes with four Phoenix missiles, but only two of the streamlined pylons to carry them. The other two are supposed to go on the shoulder pylons (but then you can't fit the Sparrows). Very odd...

pyro-manic · August 07, 2008, 04:39:45 PM

Here's a shot of where I'm up to so far:

It's far easier to make progress on a cheap kit than an expensive one - this Italeri F-14A cost me about £8, and I'm ploughing through it. Conversely, the Fujimi Phantom FGR.2 for my other Profiles build cost me £20, and I've yet to start it (it's so pretty on the sprues that I'm scared of ruining it!). I will be using EdA decals from a Revell Typhoon kit, and the aircraft will be displayed in flight. After a little fiddling, I got the gear doors to fit properly in the closed position.

pyro-manic · August 08, 2008, 04:48:28 PM

Today's updates:

General view of the build, with the nose attached:

Cockpit is painted. Pretty rough and basic, but hey - it's the first one I've done, and it'll be covered by two crew and a canopy when I'm finished.

SPINNERS · August 09, 2008, 02:54:03 PM

Whoa! You move fast Pyro.

I've built this model myself many years ago and have two 1/48 scale versions in the stash. I can't remember any negatives but it was a long time ago.

As the rear Phoenix pallets are simple shapes can you make them out of platic card? Or a BiC biro carefully cut along its length (probably not wide enough).

Mind you, I do wonder whether Spain would use the Phoenix on their Tomcats. Weren't they £1M per copy about 20 years ago?!!

John Howling Mouse · August 09, 2008, 02:55:07 PM

As my wife (SWMBI: "She Who Must Be Insane") always says: "You can never have too many cats!"

Looking forward to more of this one.

pyro-manic · August 09, 2008, 04:59:35 PM

Thanks chaps - the more I look at the 'Cat, the more I love it! I'm definitely going to do a few more in the near future.

Spinners: I dunno, maybe they flew joint ops off a Nimitz-class? Spain couldn't afford a carrier to fly F-14s from, so maybe they had joint training with the USN and Marine Nationale? I thought the Yanks might be nice enough to give them access to Phoenix missiles if the midden hit the windmill somewhere. In any case, I don't have enough spare Sparrows to load her up with, so Phoenixes it will have to be!

No significant progress today - just tidying up joints, etc. in between coats of paint on my Hunter GA.14. Should be some more to see tomorrow.

pyro-manic · September 19, 2008, 04:06:56 PM

Finally bit the bullet and started putting paint to plastic.

Only the sand colour on so far, and it needs a few more coats (fuse has had two, wings have only had one).

John Howling Mouse · September 20, 2008, 12:42:30 PM

Love the look of this already....did someone relocate the original profile image (all I'm getting is the red x from Imageshack)?

pyro-manic · September 20, 2008, 05:03:54 PM

It's working for me - perhaps try clearing your browser cache?

A bit more paint:

Up next is the green, then back to fill in the patchy bits on all the main colours, then detail painting. I wish I had an airbrush.

pyro-manic · September 21, 2008, 04:29:04 PM

More paint!

Yeah, it's patchy as hell, but I'm going to go back and put more coats on every colour to sort that out. I'm just trying to get it moving along as much as possible, so I know I'm going in the right direction. Next, I have to find a spray can to do the light grey on the underside (no way in hell I'm doing that by hand!), and then I can start doing the details and weapons etc.

ysi_maniac · September 23, 2008, 05:48:41 AM

I do not see pics!

Are you as Radish?

Ed S · September 23, 2008, 08:40:38 AM

Stop teasing us. Where are the pictures?

Ed

pyro-manic · September 23, 2008, 10:43:59 AM

Works fine for me!

Here's the url for the most recent pic: http://img356.imageshack.us/img356/9126/camocatfl3.jpg

Hope that works...

pyro-manic · September 29, 2008, 07:21:59 PM

Nearly finished this model - a bit of detail painting on the aircraft, and then decals can go on, followed by weapons. The loadout is quite unusual.

No pics yet - charging batteries for the camera. Expect an update (and possibly the completed model!) after I come back from work.

Can people see the pictures in my previous posts, or are they still not showing up?

Brian da Basher · September 30, 2008, 01:51:54 PM

Pics show up fine to me, Pyro as well as that really sweet paint job! Nice work!

Brian da Basher