Painting another Tomcat

[SebastianP]

I got myself another Tomcat kit the other day - an F-14B that's *supposed* to be one this time, as opposed to the near-equivalent that was the Super Tomcat prototype.

Anyway, I've only just begun construction - intake trunks and main fuselage - and I was thinking about how I wanted to paint this thing, since scheme specified in the instructions is kind of boring. Ok, really, really, REALLY boring, since it's apparently supposed to be Light Ghost Gray all over, not even a TPS scheme. Screw that!

So I got to thinking (aided by the pic of the "VF-0A/S with Ghost" pictures on HLJ...): Take the original Gull Gray over white scheme - white bottom and and control surfaces, gull gray everything else - and replace the colors with Compass Gray and Ghost Gray. Ghost gray bottom, rudders, tailplanes, elevators and leading edge slats, compass gray top surfaces. Oh, and a ghost gray radome as well...

I know the perfect squadron markings to use, as well, but I sadly don't have any such decals - VF-1 Wolfpack low-visibility. I know VF-1 had a gray version of the original 1975 red scheme at one time - there's a profile on MATS. But does anyone know where I can acquire a set of them in 1/72? Or does anyone else have any similar options to consider?

SP

[cthulhu77]

wish I knew enough about jets to lend you some information...someone gave me a 48th Harrier and I spent the first hour looking for the prop.

         Sounds like an interesting mix of colours though !

                 greg

[Leigh]

There's always the venerable Ferris scheme for a slightly more interesting grey

[Eddie M.]

Here's how I dealt with the boring grey. I went through my Ranger pix and couldn't really find any good one of the Wolfpack in their gray colors. Most of our birds where still a light gray and red.
    Eddie

[SebastianP]

I'm getting along famously with this paint scheme, and I'm merrily chugging along, working on the wings and horizontal stabs. The latter are looking very nice as is, after the first layer of paint, while the wings need some assembly work still.

I decided I *would* go for the toned-down 1975 scheme - FS 36375 on the bottom and all control surfaces, and 36320 on everything else. This is going to look pretty sweet when finished, I can tell you that...

Due to a) lack of airbrush and b) lack of space to use airbrush, I brush paint all my models. A couple of years ago, I learned a nice trick that's done a lot to make up for the difference in quality - thin the paint severely, use the biggest brush you can get away with, always let the paint dry for a day before painting over - and rub it down with a soft nailfile afterwards. If I'm careful, I won't *need* to clearcoat before I decal this thing...

I've also got one engine done (on the outside, at least), and while it didn't turn out quite as nicely as I wanted, I'm still pretty satisfied. I might touch it up a little later...

No pictures yet. The camera is out of order (it keeps switching off unexpectedly, and that's on fresh batteries), and there isn't much to really show yet that I can't photograph later, before assembly. Stay tuned, though...

Say, did they ever stop flying Tomcats with air-to-air loadouts?

SP