DesTROYers Hobby Boss 1/48 VF-1 Wolfpack Tomcat First Cruise

[DesTROYer]

I turned 40 earlier this year and for as long as I can remeber, the F-14 Tomcat has been my favourite jet fighter. 40 years ago in 1975 The Tomcat deployed on its first cruise aboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65, not NCC-1701). I have always loved the Wolfpacks Hi-Viz scheme and have been building up to doing this kit for a long time. Lets see how I go.




Using the 1/48 Hobby Boss kit as a base, I've been collecting the different aftermarket PE sets and decals for a while.


Basic construction began well and progressed quickly, Sanding off the instrument panel details and some of the PE bits were as usual fiddly, especially getting the folds on the status indicator / fuse panels, right.


The seats went together well.



Painting proceeded next before sealing with a coat of future.



Instrument panels went in next and the side walls and instrument clusters too.

[hrtpaul]

Looking great young fella

[tor lives]

Awesome work on an awesome jet Troy!!!
Tomcat.....Anytime Baby!!!!
TOR

[DesTROYer]

Taking a cue from Eric, I thought I'd add some extra detail to this kit. The M61-A1 Cannon is not bad detail wise and with one of the PE sets Im using, extra detail is added. However there is one more bay, aft of the cannon next to the port jet intake that was empty. Checking out pics on 'The Home of M.A.T.S.' I found this pic of the bay in question and began to try and replicate it.


This is my result. It should paint up nicely.


Next up I had to assemble the front landing gear. I want to get it painted before I attached it to the cockpit and assemble the nose of the aircraft.




As you can see, I have also added some wire for cables and hydraulic lines to this too. Hopefully it paints up alright.

I've done the radar too, but seem to have not taken any photos of it.

[hrtpaul]

Way cool mate

[tor lives]

Looking good mate.
Speaking of Tomcats.....I always wondered what the outcome would have been if Iranian F-14s and USN F-14s had ever "mixed it up".
I would have thought the Iranians would have been in with a fair chance, and actually given the USN Tomcat drivers a run for their money....especially given that the Iranian Tomcat drivers had plenty of real world combat experience with their F-14s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP-jDEWNyrM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zpa820BNs8
In the end though, I guess the USN Tomcats would have had the upper hand with E-2/E-3 AWACS support, better weapons/systems, better Tanker support, etc
TOR

[DesTROYer]

Some more progress today.










I think this Tomcat is going to challenge my painting mojo, with all the bits that need to be painted before assembly and then prove to be almost impossible to mask up when done.

[hrtpaul]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tor lives]

Pretty dam impressive craftsmanship there Troy!!!
By the way, I reckon Enterprise's (CV-6, CVN-65, CVN-80, OV-101, NX-01, NCC-1701, and NC-1701-A,-B-,C,-D,-E,-F,-J ) all KICK ARSE!!!!
TOR
PS: My personal favourite....NCC-1701C, she just looks so right!!!

[DesTROYer]

Got some more work done today. Started by adding the photo etch to the wings, but then I decided that as the Slats and Flaps were positionable on the hobby boss wings, that I wanted the spoilers to be up too. So razor saw and scribe in hand, I made it so.







I then cut out and added PE to other sections of the underside.


I think these vents will require some detailing inside.



And as the engines in the Hobby Boss kit come with some detail, I though I'd open up the port side engine bay doors and show one off. A lot of extra detail will need to be added to the engine, but it shouldn't be to bad.