Hobby Boss F-14D Tomcat VF-101

I'll try to do something like this...will see. 

Starting a new project, this is going to be a bit messy as I ain't following a specific order. Starting with the air intakes, changing the ramp configuration to parked (or subsonic flight) mode. 

Deepened the grove between the ramps to add flexibility to the part and sanded the clevis almost to the base. 

The 2 ECM antennas are not present in D model, so they're removed. Also covered the holes for the rear ramp actuator. 

The rear actuator should be pointing forward, and the top going through the upper vents. To avoid a big modification, just connected the actuator to the ramp but in an angle pointing backwards a passed through the holes. Also added the stops on both sides as a tinny improvement. Almost impossible to see once finished..."locuras del modelista" 🙂 

Engine inlet saga. Inlet ducts were ok, the seam was not that bad after sanding, but the joint with the fuselage another story. Requires much more sanding but will not end up perfect. 

Scribing sections of the inlets and correcting other lines. The kit's quality is poor in this area. 

Changing the configuration of the ramps add a new problem, it left a triangular hole in the inner wall that has to be covered. 

On one side it was added a piece of plastic to the fuselage, on the the other side I realized it was better to add it to the inlet and avoid the seam.
Also the inlet edges are plastic cutters! Trimmed them to have a more rounded section. 

Result after masking and painting the inner surfaces. 

...adding the plastic to the inlet was a good idea (upper picture), but still the seams are awful. 

So...more sanding.
I tried to fix just the front area painted in gray, to keep it simple 🙂 

Final? result, there are a few bits that I will fix later. 

 

 

My recommendation, don't attach the nozzle's movable leafs to the engine, I found out that the external nozzle hardly goes through. 

Main gear bays are so far the best of the kit, almost trouble free. Already painted and light washed. 

 

Before gluing the bay to the fuselage, I used it as jig to assemble the main gear.
I've removed a lateral pin that fix main strut to the bay, so it can be installed later. 

Adding a few pipes and the spring of one of the actuators. 

 

 

Another sanding saga, I decided to cover most of the riveting and other details from the wing and the horizontal tails (also removing its reinforce plates on the pivot point) 

One of the wings already primed in black ( I forgot to take pictures before that) and it was a back a forth of filling, sanding, priming, sanding,....... 

Trailing flaps, makes me think that this kit was designed by more that one person. While the wings have extra details, the flaps have none on the lower surface and they are made of two parts with the joint in an odd place. 

Again, more filling and sanding to then scribe the details of the lower surface....and again I forgot to take a picture before priming. 

Wings are almost complete. 3 more tips, the flaps hinges are OK if the flap is set down, but for Up position their look like bumps, so the extra material has been removed. Cut a section of the pivot's ring to allow the installation of the wings later. The leading edge surface requires serious trimming and sanding, so the leading edge flap lays flat with the wing's upper surface.  

Vertical tails before and after. Panel lines and rivets/screws, cover some, added others. 

 

With the fuselage's halves glued together, time to add a few details. 

Improvement of the sides, paneling and adding other details. 

 

Also adding a couple of access doors and vents on the bottom surfaces. 

Other improvements on top surfaces. 

Jump into the cockpit. Added the pedals, some of the levers and a/c pipes. 

More scratch building on RIO's console. Added the tape to simulate canvas' hem.
Also on each side there is a gap that I covered with a piece of plastic 

Tried to simulate the vents of the a/c with wiring, end result was not the best. Will have to think in another way next time. 

During the dry fit, I glued the side panels to the fuselage, it will make easier for painting and also to better align the upper part were the canopy seats. 

Plastic bits to cover the gap. 

 

 

A comment about instrument panels' decals. The assembly shows the right part, the sketch to positioning the decals something completely different (B model maybe). So some of them are useless. I cut and positioned each dial individually. 

All other bits done 

...and one more detail. 

Cockpit finished...almost, no seats, no flight. 

 

 

 

 

 

Scribing and additional riveting at the spine. Also added the base plate for the GPS antenna 

More scribing in front of the windshield. 

Take extra attention to the canopy and windshield. The fit is awful!
Lucky me I planned to keep it open. 

Added a piece of sprue to keep the surfaces flush when they're glued together.  

And final painting of the inlets and other areas that are more difficult to reach out once the front fuselage is connected.  

 

Starting to look like a cat. 

Moving to the weapons, the Phoenix missile looks good, but has 3 rings that I'm not sure what they tried to represent, so all were removed. 

Gbu-12 (by the shape and length, more likely gbu-16), this is my 1st attempt trying to replicate the thermal insulation using Mr hobby surfacer 500. 

Lantirn pod, covered one of the exhaust vent on the top and adding it on the actual position at the bottom. 

 

I've painted the color bands for the missiles, kit's decals are in 1 color only...black. if the 'C' after Aim-54 looks different, is because they come from spare decals from othet kits, I used them to replace the 'A' from the original one.
Also the numbers for the pod are from other kit's decals. 

That small notch is for the installation of a ECM antenna on the B-model and has to be filled. 

 

 

 

Vertical tails done and assembled onto the fuselage. More filler and sanding to cover the joint. 

Wings and horizontal stabs. also painted. 

Decals application completed. 

Ready for weathering. 

Wash and weathering completed. Didn't use oleo that much. Now time to paint the walkways and other details. 

 

 

 

More bits completed. 

Walkways painted, with higher ratio of paint in the mix. 

Jig ready. 

 

 

 

Final result. Wings almost ready. 

Small update, exhaust painting finished too. In sequence, black primer for both parts, then for the interior, painted strips with white insignia, then the other ones dark grey. Exterior, burnt metal. Finally, oils, sepia on the exterior, and black for the interior. 

Petals painted with a mix of steel and bronze. And after a long time masking, dark grey. 

After several tries, I found that using strips from a coke can is the best way to simulate the metallic ring around the exhaust. 

 

Stupid hands....time waisted repairing it. 

Last bit, the cord ahead of the windscreen.  

 

End result after almost 6 months.