SPA Modeler

Posted: **Fri Feb 27, 2026 6:56 pm**

BlackSheep214 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 27, 2026 5:33 pm My first Tomcat was the vintage 1/72 scale Monogram kit.

Years latr in my late teens/early 20s, I built the 1/72 scale Hasegawa Tomcat.

That was my first Tomcat kit as well.

I want to say that this kit was the first one on the market. I built several more 1/72 Tomcats in the late 70’s and early 80’s…

and the original Revell 1/48 Tomcats as well…

not to be confused with the rival Monogram 1/48 Tomcats, which I have still yet to build…

Posted: **Sat Feb 28, 2026 6:32 pm**

Gary Brantley wrote: ↑Fri Feb 27, 2026 9:25 am So looking forward to seeing more of your steady progress on this 'Cat, Chris. It's exciting for me to see a quarter scale Monogram Tomcat underway, heaven knows I've "played" with mine a hundred times...still scares me to think of tackling it!

Thanks Gary. No shame in that. You really should love this airplane as well as this kit to tackle this one IMO.

Posted: **Sat Feb 28, 2026 6:34 pm**

Stikpusher wrote: ↑Fri Feb 27, 2026 1:09 pm
Looking great Chris! Your build on this is inspiring! The only 1/48 Tomcat that I’ve built was the old Testors/Fujimi kit 30+ years ago… and I just finally put the glove pylons with their missiles the other day for something to do while paint was drying on the Messa Schnitzel and I was 3d printing… small stuff to fill time in the middle… I’m due to build one of the multiple Tomcats in my stash sometime soon…

Thank you Carlos. If you want to build a Tomcat though, I would sell all your Tomcat kits and buy a Tamiya one. That's my recommendation to anyone who is not crazy like me

Posted: **Sat Feb 28, 2026 6:36 pm**

BlackSheep214 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 27, 2026 5:33 pm My first Tomcat was the vintage 1/72 scale Monogram kit.

Years latr in my late teens/early 20s, I built the 1/72 scale Hasegawa Tomcat.

I believe I had that one at one point in time back in the day. Don't think I built it though... I wonder how it stacks up against the Airfix/MPC one

Posted: **Sat Feb 28, 2026 9:32 pm**

cbaltrin wrote: ↑Sat Feb 28, 2026 6:34 pm
Stikpusher wrote: ↑Fri Feb 27, 2026 1:09 pm
Looking great Chris! Your build on this is inspiring! The only 1/48 Tomcat that I’ve built was the old Testors/Fujimi kit 30+ years ago… and I just finally put the glove pylons with their missiles the other day for something to do while paint was drying on the Messa Schnitzel and I was 3d printing… small stuff to fill time in the middle… I’m due to build one of the multiple Tomcats in my stash sometime soon…
Thank you Carlos. If you want to build a Tomcat though, I would sell all your Tomcat kits and buy a Tamiya one. That's my recommendation to anyone who is not crazy like me

Thanks Chris. I would not mind building a Tamiya Tomcat, but they are way out of my price range. Even if I sold all of my Monogram Cats, I don’t think they would cover the cost of a single Tamiya Cat. The Monogram kit is good enough for me

Posted: **Sat Feb 28, 2026 11:37 pm**

Scalehobbyist has Tamiya 1/72 scale F-14D Tomcat for $40 (currently out of stock but on sale for less than $40) ,Tamiya F-14A Tomcat in 1/48 scale is $97 (on sale for $89) Tamiya 1/48 scale F-14D Tomcat is about $104 (on sale for $95).

I agree the 1/48 scale F-14D Tomcat is pricey but it pays to wait longer for prices to drop or go on sale.

The D is on my wish list.

Posted: **Sun Mar 01, 2026 9:23 am**

BlackSheep214 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 27, 2026 5:33 pm My first Tomcat was the vintage 1/72 scale Monogram kit.

Years latr in my late teens/early 20s, I built the 1/72 scale Hasegawa Tomcat.

My son was given that 1/72 Tomcat kit when he was a little boy, maybe six years old. I "helped" him get it together and it remains the only 1/72 scale aircraft I've messed with. For the last 30 years or so, it's hung from the ceiling in my study:

Posted: **Sun Mar 01, 2026 11:30 am**

Now that my old Testors Fujimi Cat is finally fully armed, I guess I need to get some new photos of it. Although sadly the the Testors rattle can gloss and flat coats have taken on a seriously noticeable amber hue in the 15+ years since my original photos were taken…

Posted: **Mon Mar 02, 2026 2:02 pm**

Gary Brantley wrote: ↑Sun Mar 01, 2026 9:23 am My son was given that 1/72 Tomcat kit when he was a little boy, maybe six years old. I "helped" him get it together and it remains the only 1/72 scale aircraft I've messed with. For the last 30 years or so, it's hung from the ceiling in my study:

Splash the Zeros Gary, I say again, Splash the Zeros

On a serious note -- It's really cool to have those old builds still around! Sure wish I knew where my VF-41 Sukhoi Killer F-14 got too that I built back in the 80's

Posted: **Mon Mar 02, 2026 2:05 pm**

Stikpusher wrote: ↑Sun Mar 01, 2026 11:30 am Now that my old Testors Fujimi Cat is finally fully armed, I guess I need to get some new photos of it. Although sadly the the Testors rattle can gloss and flat coats have taken on a seriously noticeable amber hue in the 15+ years since my original photos were taken…

Did you say amber hue Carlos?

You may have done it sir! You may have cracked the code to the elusive 'real a6m2 zero color' we have sought after for decades!

Now, let me get this straight, Model Master Gull Grey + Model Master Clear + wait 15 years?

SPA Modeler

Monogram 1:48 F-14A (IW)

Re: Monogram 1:48 F-14A (IW)

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Re: Monogram 1:48 F-14A (IW)