Monogram 1:48 F-14A (IW)

[Stuart]

I think you're going well enough on this not to worry about it. Tbh. I've only got the F-14 and P-38 because they were Christmas presents. Trouble is I'm too much of a wuss to build them - far to many parts LOL! Mind you, I'm beginning to feel the draw to 1/48th so they might get built soon.

Doubt it'll look as good as this though - a cracking bit of work.

I’ll take them off your hands if you’re afraid to build them….

LOL! Nope - you're alright, I'll get over it lol!

[cbaltrin]

Today I worked on reshaping the ventral fins with a sanding block. The way they come out of the box is with a irregularly curved leading edge (should be straight) and the port and starboad fins are inconsistent in shape when compared to each other.



Next up was the clean up the tail hook, which is quite nice, but the niceness is hidden behind 3 ejector pin marks and an ugly seam line...









A tounge/extension was added to the tail hook to allow the assembly to slide forward into the hook attachment fairing (just like on a real F-14)
This will make installation much easier (the OOB installation is very fiddly and weak). This could have been fashioned easily with evergreen sheet, but I am always and eager to see how tiny my 3D printer's .2mm nozzle can print things. I think this was it's limit. The resulting part was 'usable' and let's leave it at that
Note. Mr Cement Deluxe works great for gluing PLA Plastic to Styrene . Tamiya Extra thin had very little affect on the PLA though...

Side Joke: I am glad I finally had a chance to use Mr Cement Deluxe on something other than Decals



Modification also had to be made to the allow for the new hood configuration. The tiny hole at bottom also had to move forward slightly for the hook to mount in the correct position.



Test install looks good.

[BlackSheep214]

I've got a Hasegawa Black Bunny Tomcat in my stash that was started years ago but never finished. I may restart/salvage whatever is left of it at some point.

[Stuart]

Yeah.... Mr Cement and decals.

Lovely bit of work getting that all together Chris. Both the strakes and the modified tail hook look much better.

So what scheme are you going to go for on this?

[Medicman71]

Nice work! I've tried building this kit several times and it never works out.

You have to be the Rocky Balboa of Model Builders to tackle this kit, because the kit is going to be like this guy....

And break me it did. Three times!!

[Stikpusher]

Learn to embrace the suck...

[cbaltrin]

After Turkey Day, I have returned to my little Turkey...

I am having a bit of trouble with the Cockpit and I am stripping the paint for the 2nd time. After painting the underside of the cockpit tub in Mr Color White Surfacer, followed by Tamiya spray gloss white TS-26 (decanted and airbrushed just in case anyone was wondering..). I gave it a wash of Dark Grey Tamiya Panel liner. It did not look good so I took a brush dipped in mineral spirits to wipe away some of the pane liner and as I was wiping the Tamiya gloss white rolled up and started coming off like super thin decal carrier film
I don't believe the Mr Color White Surfacer was affected though...



Meanwhile ....





Rescribing the nose section nice and deep while I can still see where the panel lines should be. Hopefully most of this scribing survives sanding and filling...

[jeaton01]

Oh man, there's gonna be some pain here..I mean more pain!

[tempestjohnny]

One day I'll have to dig mine out. Haven't built one since the 80's

[cbaltrin]

Oh man, there's gonna be some pain here..I mean more pain!

But It's good pain John! I built a few of these when I was too young to know that all kits were not awesome. The imagination and excitement of a youthful modeler, building a kit of a plane he wanted to fly when he grew up, blinded one to a kit's 'problems'. So I am stuck with my nostalgic affection for this kit and brand..