Well- this is a populer topic is it not? Proof that the F-14 is a popular subject.
some 1/48th scale comments:
Revel/Monogram (Revelogram):
I’ve built the Revelogram kit about 7 times over 20 years. It’s great bang for the buck (I think it was about $7 10 years ago and still a bargain today at about $14). It builds into a very impressive kit but takes a lot of care.
Hasegawa
I just started bulding my first one, a F-14A+ and I am impressed. It is worth the money- it can be found for $30-$40 depending on which version. Hasegawa’s offerings give you the most options- chin pods, engines, dropped flaps/slats, boarding ladder, A, A+, B, D models. The detial is better than any other with the exception of the cockpit- which isn’t bad but if you’re going to display it open you may want to use an aftermakret set. Weapons are extra but you get what you pay for here.
Wow… bringin back memories here!
I built a series of 1/72 Hasegawa F-14s during Desert Storm. Just before the war, the USS Kennedy was in NYC and I got to see the Libyan MiG killer from VF-32. Still got some great shots of it. Anyhow, I built three Hasegawa F-14s. One was FLAWLESS (or as close as a model kit can get). Beautiful engraved panel lines, photoetch in all the right spots. It even came with the right decals for VF-32! Of course, being a nose art fan, when the “Miss Molly” kit came out a few weeks later, I grabbed that one too. BIIIG mistake. It was a previous tooling, had raised panel lines, decals for instruments and the canopy was all sorts of wrong. So, if you’re goin 72nd scale, watch which issue you get! If its pre-1991, it may be a bargain, but its gonna be a beast of a kit.
All this jet talk has got me wanting to build something without a rotor now… see what you guys have done!!!
Fujimi F-14A. Dont get me started on this kit. It is so bad it would take me a full page to explain it. Stay away from it. The Italeri kit is a rebox of the Fujimi kit. Again, stay away from it.
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I am assuming your meaning is on the 48th Fujimi F-14?[:I]
Because the 72nd one from Fujimi is excellent and equal if not just a little better than the Hasegawa kit. But I have both in quantity for future builds.
Fly Navy![8D]
DEMONO69:
Thanks for the help, i’ll be appreciated!!!
I’m from Lisbon, but i’ve born in the interior, on the border with Spain, and my hometown has the most beautifull countryside landscape i’ve ever seen…
Most of the tourist know only Portugal by Lisbon, Madeira and Algarve, but Portugal has a much, much more to be seen!!!
I know we all love our hometown and countries, but sometimes, the best things aren’t at immediate sight…
Well, this is getting a bit off-topic, so, if you want, contactme directly via e-mail: f14_fan@hotpop.com
GARYFO:
Well, you can be sure i’ll post some of the photos, since you all guys at this forum are so helpfull, that the least i can do is to share my anchievment…
But just a correction: The carrier itself it’s at 1/720, and i’ll just do a section of the landing deck at 1/72, with the CVW aircrafts and crew on it…
I want to do it, but i don’t have room to build an full 1/72 Enterprise…
Thanks to all!!!
I just stumbled across this topic and had to add my two pennies worth. I’m a big fan of the F-14 and I can honestly say the best I’ve ever had is the Hasagawa 1/48 kit. It’s loaded with great detail. However it is’nt without it’s fit problems, (the jet intakes do need a lot of work) I know a few people who started this kit-but never finished it due to the fit problems,but ask anyone who has finished one and I’m sure they’ll tell you it is well worth it![^]
As for the Hasagawa 1/72 kit, there are two versions: the standard one with raised panel lines(nothing special) and the Limited Edition, this is a fantastic little kit![:D] It comes with etched brass and fully recessed panel lines. There are not many around now, so if you see one-get it while you can.
The monagram kits are pretty much the worst I’ve ever seen, Now I’ve only had the one, but it was so awful, I would never pay for another.
I’ve never had the Fujimi kit as so many folks have told me to stay away and as for the Academy kit, I’ve never had one, but I’ve been told it goes togeter fairly well.
Which leads me to the Italieri kit. I’ve built a few of these, there’re cheap, fully engraved and go together quite well. Add some decent cockpit details, a decal sheet of your choice and you’ll be onto a winner. It is’nt as grand as the Hasagawa kit, but in my opinion it’s the best cheap alternative on the market
today.(just be prepared to do some sanding where the front fuselage meets the rest of the airframe). [;)]
I never get tired of building the 1/48 th Monogram F-14 kits. It’s by far one of my favorite kits. I have built the Revel 1/32 F14 also but. will always the enjoy the detail monogram applies to the F-14 cockpit.
I am assuming your meaning is on the 48th Fujimi F-14?[:I]
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Yes, I am talking about the 1/48 scale. It was one of the first F-14 released and doesn’t even look like one when completed. The landing gear is all wrong, the missile don’t even look like the real ones. The cockpit is very basic and looks like something out of a crackerjack box. The canopy is too flat and will not even attatch to the aircraft without leaving large gaps.
oggy4624. Around two years ago, I bought the Italeri 1/48 scale F-14A for my Granddaughter. When we got it home I discovered it was a rebox of the Fujimi kit. She was happy with it and we finished it as a VX-4 “Black Bunny”. If Italeri has released a newer kit of the F-14 in 1/48 scale since then, in that case I will retract my above statement. If not, I will stand by it.
Hasegawa’s 1/72 F-14 has sweet detail inside and out.
Testors made a 1/48 “Black Bunny” that was beautifully detailed on the outside but the inside was truly lacking.
Okay, let me get this straight, since I’m trying to convert a 1/32 tomcat from A to either B or D, I need some info. So here’s all I know so far: The D has different seats, the D has different engine exhaust… Okay, the above two can be taken care of by Teknic’s aftermarket parts. The D also have double barrel chin pods…any pictures of that? It has have a different gun vent and shape…any pictures of that? It has have glove antennas and sensors and different beaver tail…what does all those mean? Any pics?
How about the B version? Is the B version more closely related to the A (physically to the human eye) than the D?
In the eatly 90’s in Europe ,Italeri released their F14
It was a new release using their own moulds.
It sounds like yours could be a Testors re - box.
The only VX4 That is on current release is the Revell hunk of junkat.
My friend has just completed both using the Italeri kit and the Monogram/Revell
-collection of ill fitting parts masquerading as a tomcat- black bunny decals.
Needless to say the Italeri VX4 kit looks very nice - and the one by Revell may not be finished.I personally I would strip it and bin it.
Some kits just don’t diserve to be finished.
Don’ t read into this a an anti Revell attitude as I believe the Germans have released some top class kits in the last few years , but they have to stop recycling old junk .
When it comes to kits that are not on release any more like the Matchbox Victor
it is a blessing ,but when you are talking about kits that are on release with every
other manufacturer, it 's a different matter.
i remember the Fujimi Black Bunny released in the 80’s and it was not good, but to my knowledge was never sold here by Italeri.
The kit we bought was boxed by Italeri. When we got it home and opened it, on one of the wings, on the inside had “CR Fujimi, 1979”. It did not come with the VX-4 markings. I used decals from my collection with the “Black Bunny” markings because that is what she wanted. Being my only Granddaughter, she always knows how to get things out of me. [:)] I have yet to figure out why. [;)]
I have noticed over the last couple of years that some companies have done marketing deals with regards to using discontinued moulds from other companies ,mainly Airfix using Arii/Otaki and Revell Germany using anything they can get their hands on.
The latest from revell is a 1/48 Aichi Val that looks very Hasegawa to me.
If it is their own ,I am very imperssed .
The existance of the earlier Fujimi kit would explain why the advert I saw mentioned that it was a completely new kit ,which looks very nice considering the price.( I dropped the flaps and gave it AMRAAMS ).
Is Fujimi still in the land of the living,by the way.
I have not heard of any new releases from them in a long time, and I still have 22 F4K/M 's to build from their excellent 72nd scale line.
I’ve had the Monogram F-14A for nearly 15 years, often having “almost” started it several times. Something about it has always intimidated me but it still lurks in my model locker, challenging me to take it on. Oh yeah, I’ve also got the Revell “Hunt for Red October” F-14. Picked it up at some close-out sale somewhere. Is that the Revell F-14D that someone mentioned? Gary
Yeah, way to go Berny…A man after my own heart.
Just this morning I was telling my wife how much our collie has been “hounding” me for the new Hasegawa F-8.
Guess if I’m ever going to get any peace and quiet around here I’m gonna have to bite the bullet and order the dang thing!..[:D]