Hi all,
I’ve recently purchased Revell’s 1/72 F-14D Tomcat – the one that comes with the book on Navy fighters. The kit comes with decals for a plane that was with VF-213 Black Lions (mis-identified as VF-123) on the U.S.S. Carl Vinson. This plane has a lion’s head marking on its nose, and apparently took part in the war in Afghanistan.
Does anyone have any pictures of that particular plane? I’m especially interested in photos of the nose.
Regards,
-Drew
Hi all,
I’m surprised that nobody seems to have a picture of the plane used on the box art for the model. Did Revell just make it up?
Regards,
-Drew
Well, here’s your airplane. It doesn’t have a lion on the nose but it might be more interesting to model it like this. I can’t say with absolute certainty that it is the same jet, (can’t see the serial #) but its the 101 aircraft, meaning its the squadron commanders bird, which is the same one from VF-213 that is modeled.
Perhaps it was only painted that way for a short period of time. CAG birds frequently get goofy audacious paint on them for certain events and time periods.
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Stories1/001-100/0014_F-14_Convertible/story0014.htm
You’ll find more pictures of the squadrons airplanes here, but they’re a bit older, none during or after OEF.
http://www.topedge.com/alley/images/f14d/f14dimg.htm
Ha! That would be interestig to model. 
I posted this question on another board and found out that the particular plane and nose are that come with the Revell model were featured in an issue of Combat Aircraft a while back.
Regards,
-Drew