TaiidanTomcat Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 (edited) Found this old toy F-14 that is roughly 1/32 (probably a bit closer to 1/35 though) I started it as a good practice "thing" when i got back into modeling a few years back. i have finished some kits since, but work on this keep stalling and its become one of those quagmire kits (giggity). It seems that every time i fix something i find two more things to do. This is what i have done so far that has taken years of on and off work: -Canopy made from clay, styrene, and epoxy. -removed electronics -filled screw holes -kept huge awkward box on the bottom because it controls the wing hinges -removed toy landing gear -smoothed out entire nose section, sanded, and filled, then did it again, and again, and again. -added new fins (it was going to be a kind of star fighter before that idea went stale.) The new plan is to make it a Russian jet a lot like a Flanker with a few other ideas here and there. Suggestions are welcome and I am hoping that doing it in-progress here on ARC will give me the Motivation to finish this beast once and for all! Semper Fi, Ben Edited May 23, 2008 by TaiidanTomcat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TaiidanTomcat Posted May 23, 2008 Author Share Posted May 23, 2008 Scratch built engine exhaust so far. built using tape, styrene, shampoo bottle lids, and super glue lids for internal detail: More to come later Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sv51macross Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 i didn't know Lego made model airplanes! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lock n' Load Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 i didn't know Lego made model airplanes! Then sir, you need to read more B) http://gizmodo.com/356469/giant-lego-b+1b-...awkeye-aircraft Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sv51macross Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 Yes, many people are obviously more skilled with the holy brik than me, look at this lego VF-1 Valkyrie From Macross: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...v%3D2%26hl%3Den Good luck on the build! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TaiidanTomcat Posted May 24, 2008 Author Share Posted May 24, 2008 Oops! forgot to mention that i added a Lego front to that giant underside box in an effort to either blend it, or make it look like a Sub munition dispenser...or something... thanks for the encouragement folks. Im thinking about removing those fins and adding scratch built fins that look more like a Flanker-Any Thoughts?? Semper Fi, Ben Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HOLMES Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 Ben I am open to new ideas where modelers show their talents and I like what you have done..look forward to seeing more( had a look at your photos on your imge sites, they are really great!) Wel Done...Great work.. HOLMES. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TaiidanTomcat Posted May 27, 2008 Author Share Posted May 27, 2008 (edited) Thanks Holmes! you don't miss much- You always seem to find my threads!! Anywho i made some progress this long weekend but havent taken pics of everything just yet. I made this from Legos (a staple for me) then covered it in Confetti, the cutting took a while and the whole thing probably took a good hour or two. Just like clear parts, the confetti is highly unforgiving so i had to do a few over and replace some panels. I based this off the F-35 EOTS and made it about the size of the chin pod on the F-14D. The finished product is on top, and that black lego blob in the pic is what i started with, i plan on running some thin black lines to clean them up more. F-35 EOTS can be seen here: More to come, Ben Edited July 4, 2008 by TaiidanTomcat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jack-Swiss Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 That's gonna be interesting!!!!! Keep it up Cheers Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TaiidanTomcat Posted May 28, 2008 Author Share Posted May 28, 2008 (edited) More Progress: This picture is of the new pancake tail, based on the Su-27. I made it using an 1/48 F-4 centerline tank and some round styrene for the spine and plan on adding more greeblies and maybe some Chaff/Flare dispensers again like the Flanker. I have decided to lose the blue tape on the engine cans that was added for detail. i was worried it wouldn't have enough detail for a part of the aircraft that is usually fairly complex, but i decided that since the cans are sub assemblies that can be added after the rest of the model is painted, that i can finish them in various metalelizers and get a good look with masking. This makes them a little closer to a Mig-31, rather than the AL-31s used on the FLanker. The Plastic tubes are based on the Sorbitsya Jamming pods that Flankers (and apparently seaplanes) carry on their wing tips but will have the same length and function as the BOL Rail on the F-14 (just need to decide what missile i want to put on it)i used "googley eyes" for the round ends. The small tube next to the Rails are the IRST systems that will actually be on each side (why not two?), again its round plastic tubes with a small google eye for the "Lense" and a larger one for the outside cover. Semper Fi, Ben Edited July 4, 2008 by TaiidanTomcat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TaiidanTomcat Posted May 28, 2008 Author Share Posted May 28, 2008 (edited) When i started this thread, i also made a list of all the things that have to be done on this model. Last night i went over all the things that are sub assemblies, or things that could wait to be painted after the main aircraft (canopy frames, engines, missiles ETC) My plan now is to finish only what is preventing painting. This may be a bit unconventional but when you have project that won't die, progress is very important. I'm hoping to have this primed (again) by tomorrow with a paint job decided on by then as well. Hoping for everyones input though: Green: Blue: And of course other ideas are welcome as long as they are Russian -Ben Edited July 4, 2008 by TaiidanTomcat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TaiidanTomcat Posted June 2, 2008 Author Share Posted June 2, 2008 Primed and ready!! Im pumped! going to pre shade it tomorrow, and decide on a paint scheme in the next 48 hours (leaning towards flanker blues at the moment) Semper Fi, Ben Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rjwood_uk Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 nicely done mate! flanker blues will be cool! Richard Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Aggressor Supporter Posted June 3, 2008 Share Posted June 3, 2008 Impressive working on this toy as a model kit. Looking forward to seeing more. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TaiidanTomcat Posted June 4, 2008 Author Share Posted June 4, 2008 Got off work early today, and knew exactly what to do! I bought a Sotar airbrush that sat in its case for months...well today was different. This airbrush is incredible. i used an Aztek 4079, before this and its like going from a geo to a Porsche, fine lines and it NEVER JAMMED any bad lines you see are certainly my fault and not the airbrush! This thing is exciting, and makes me want to finish a few more of those, built but not ready to be finished kits we all have here and there. (and i seem to have a ton of) I still dont know why they say the aztek is good for beginers it was not my first airbrush, but it was my first double action frustrating as hell, Why make someone new to airbrushing gnash their teeth and pull their hair?? Anywho Sotar Rocks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TaiidanTomcat Posted June 4, 2008 Author Share Posted June 4, 2008 Painted the bottom blue today, i think it came out pretty good. I'm also leaving myself some time to decide on the Camo scheme B) since the green camo version has blue undersides too. I actually forgot to pre shade the F-14's Right Wing (no thats not an election joke of any kind) so i just preshaded it with the same blue color which is cool i like being able to compare the two. 24 hours until base coating, Ben Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rjwood_uk Posted June 4, 2008 Share Posted June 4, 2008 nice job there mate! very smooth paint job! Richard Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sv51macross Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 Cool altered cat (no pun intended)! Really like the canted tailpanes and the rear radar/spine thing you made Can't wait to see paint or how the filled in underbelly works out (1st pic) Macht immer der guten Arbite! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PNW_Modeler Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 very nice! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TaiidanTomcat Posted June 12, 2008 Author Share Posted June 12, 2008 (edited) I decided on green. Evolution: Finished the black just now,this was a bit of a marathon airbrush session: the first Acryl MM black clogged the brush- disassemble/clean. I then tried polly scale, Same result disassemble/clean. i finally decided to go Tamiya Gloss black because that was the last option!! Its the reason the paint looks glossy in some areas and flat in others. it will become uniform after a flat coat. i held this heavy thing up with one arm while spraying with the other, while rotating it to get another angle the nose bumped an open bottle of rubbing alcohol which proceeded to spill everywhere!! set the finally working airbrush down and wiped up the spill, then reloaded the airbrush that tipped and fell spilling paint. needs a flat coat after decaling but that's for tomorrow...or next week... <_< Im wiped out! Let me know what you think! Ben Edited July 5, 2008 by TaiidanTomcat Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sv51macross Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 (edited) Aweosme paint job, looks alot better on the Flankcat (You said FLANKer influences on a tomCAT) than in that illustration. Looks really cool. It looks as if there's now room to put in a weapons bay for four Pheonix missiles/2000lb LGB's, or you can drill hundreds of dimples and get the look of Luftwaffe anti-runway dispensers. Either way, your 'starfighter' effect could be enhanced if you fabricate some vernier packs or integrated thrusters for the nose and back of the engine nacells, add a couple rocket booster pods, some podded weapons launchers... Sorry for geting carried away-ohh, just got an idea for my next build. Anyway, Great job, keep it up! Edited June 12, 2008 by sv51macross Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TaiidanTomcat Posted June 12, 2008 Author Share Posted June 12, 2008 Ha! well Flankercat makes sense. I was thinking its NATO code name would be FLEETSTAR. And i was thinking of making that box an anti runway dispenser, you read my mind! like a kind of Russian Tornado...Also Keen observers may notice the big armor slabs under the cockpit rail (based off the single slabs on the Flogger) i added them after i decided to do the green scheme, seeing as ground attack was more plausible for that camo. Ben Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sv51macross Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 (edited) Yeah, the Tomcat to me seems to be a Tornado on steroids; its not to manuverable, its extremely fast at all altitudes, and can carry 8000lbs of mud moving high-explosive (but a triple launcher of AGM-65's on the glove pylon would be cool) Fleetstar is admittedly more appropriate a name for real-life, but it seems a bit flashy, unless you built a 1:32 Admiral Kuznetzov to have the Fleetstar launch off of (silence as the size of such a large model is appreciated) Anyway, really cool bits and pieces you've added there, and the Taiidan Scout is a pretty cool...aircraft? Oh, and for exhausts, just get some resin or plastic 1:32 Su-27 nozzles and milliput them to fit. Edited June 12, 2008 by sv51macross Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PNW_Modeler Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 Ooooh! Wicked paint! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rjwood_uk Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 wow! I hadnt checked in here in a while. Thats come along great!!!! cant wait to see this all done. Such a great idea. Richard Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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