SPA Modeler

OMG how I missed this...Sorry...

The BEST Aircraft ever made.... looking really really super cool

Give us more

Looking very nice!

The Tomcat is really a big beast!

- Kari

Gary Brantley wrote: ↑Mon Aug 24, 2026 8:06 am I see a Tomcat taking shape! Looking really good, Chris!

Thanks Gary.

FullMetal wrote: ↑Mon Aug 24, 2026 8:58 am OMG how I missed this...Sorry...

The BEST Aircraft ever made.... looking really really super cool

Give us more

Thank you sir! I have learned a lot about the Tomcat over the years and I can say it's definitely NOT the best aircraft ever made, but it may be the most beautiful one and most capable one of it's generation. The aircraft itself was a maintenance nightmare, very hard to fly and to land on the boat. Hat's off to all the aircrew who flew her and the sailors that kept them in the air.

KSaarni wrote: ↑Mon Aug 24, 2026 10:35 am Looking very nice!

The Tomcat is really a big beast!

- Kari

Thank's Kari -- Yes it is!

cbaltrin wrote: ↑Mon Aug 24, 2026 5:43 am I tried to accent the flap/spoiler detail on the wings. I knew from the past that the old monogram details were too soft to successfully do this so I am not sure why I tried At any rate, I repainted the wings as a result. Then I could not resist 'test fitting' stuff. I may try to re-wash the wings, but being careful to avoid the spoilers as that is the main problem area.

Sorry I missed this Chris - that really is looking superb. It's such a great looking aircraft!

I know I am going to kick myself for this... But the fresh paint looked way to sterile... Never weathered a TPSish schemed Jet before as it's sort of a fools errand in my mind, but at this point the alternative seems worse (Long live gull grey and white!). So at any rate, here we go... first layer of grunge (which will be mostly removed, leaving, I hope, a slightly weathered/dirty look to the paint). Also retrying the control surface wash, staying away from the soft spoiler detail this time....

Stuart wrote: ↑Wed Aug 26, 2026 6:26 am Sorry I missed this Chris - that really is looking superb. It's such a great looking aircraft!

No worries my friend -- I'm not here seeking attention
It is a great looking aircraft indeed!

None of us are here, that's one of the reasons I like the place.

Liking what you're doing with the grungingup!

Mr Surfacer 500 son...
Nothing else in the world smells like that.
You know, one time we put Mr Surfacer on a model and let it dry for 12 hours. When it was all over, We didn't find one of 'em, not one stinkin' gap or seam..
I love the smell of Mr Surfacer in the morning...
Smells like...Model building

This is really not part of this build, just some spare stabilizers I had laying around... gonna paint 'em and decal 'em for a future project...

The F-14 underwent many upgrades during it's service life. The most obvious being the B & D models with the new engines & ejection seats (on the D). I don't get excited about minor detail like tail stiffeners and ECM bumps, but obvious items like the TCS pod on the later A models would be a glaring omission. As long as the model has the right chin pod, engines, and ejection seats, I am fine with any other minor inaccuracies.

Here I have robbed the TCS pod of the otherwise useless Academy kit