POST ALL JSE F-14 QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION HERE

Shin Densetsu · Post by **Shin Densetsu** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 12:21 pm

On a completely unrelated note, Shin, I recall how your signature used to say something like "Come on Hasbro, BBI 21c, PTE, give me an F-14..." Funny how that actually became a reality

Hell yeah tman

, seems like 5 years of wishing for something finally got somewhere hehe. It's a case of good things coming to those who wait. When I found out about the 1/18 Tomcat late last year, I was pleasantly shocked to say the least.

tmanthegreat · Post by **tmanthegreat** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 1:40 pm

I'll have to admit that I thought the signature was sort of retarded when you first used it several years ago, which is probably why it stuck in my mind. Back then a 1:18 F-14 seemed to be an impossibility and I think most of us were certain something that big never stood a chance of getting made. Glad your desire and the signature turned out to be somewhat prophetic

Shin Densetsu · Post by **Shin Densetsu** » Wed Nov 25, 2009 12:51 am

I'll have to admit that I thought the signature was sort of retarded when you first used it several years ago, which is probably why it stuck in my mind. Back then a 1:18 F-14 seemed to be an impossibility and I think most of us were certain something that big never stood a chance of getting made.

Yeah I can see why man, back then the biggest thing in 1/18 was the F/A-18 and it wasn't what we always saw on shelves, it was primarily internet only with a few going to Hungates and TRU(actually never saw it at TRU). Heh the norm back then was seeing the P-51 on shelves, which is tiny compared to the Tomcat.

Glad your desire and the signature turned out to be somewhat prophetic

Same here man! I hope it is just the 1st in a long line of many 1/18 scale aircraft(that everyone wanted) that no one thought would have ever made it into production. The announcement of the 1/18 Tomcat was a bright light in what was then a dim and bleak time for us 1/18 fans.

Black_Dragon_One · Post by **Black_Dragon_One** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 3:35 am

Shin Densetsu wrote:
I'll have to admit that I thought the signature was sort of retarded when you first used it several years ago, which is probably why it stuck in my mind. Back then a 1:18 F-14 seemed to be an impossibility and I think most of us were certain something that big never stood a chance of getting made.
Yeah I can see why man, back then the biggest thing in 1/18 was the F/A-18 and it wasn't what we always saw on shelves, it was primarily internet only with a few going to Hungates and TRU(actually never saw it at TRU). Heh the norm back then was seeing the P-51 on shelves, which is tiny compared to the Tomcat.
Glad your desire and the signature turned out to be somewhat prophetic
Same here man! I hope it is just the 1st in a long line of many 1/18 scale aircraft(that everyone wanted) that no one thought would have ever made it into production. The announcement of the 1/18 Tomcat was a bright light in what was then a dim and bleak time for us 1/18 fans.

it did make to tru but it took alot of spacw vs cost

aki · Post by **aki** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 8:08 am

I got an information that the release date has been changed to the middle of Dec.

SLRFAN · Post by **SLRFAN** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 1:37 pm

I just noticed that the phoenix missles on the photos released of the F-14 were white but the factory photo's show them as dark grey,anyone have any info on the change unless its because the JSI F-14A scheme is a late 1980's scheme so the missles whould have to match a dark low observation color.

thatf14guy · Post by **thatf14guy** » Thu Nov 26, 2009 1:44 pm

yeah i noticed that too, it makes you wonder what the final product will look like. merit still hasn't released a pic, perhaps next week.

supersonicfifi · Post by **supersonicfifi** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 4:59 pm

here is another pic of i hobby 2009 with an 1/72 tomcat !!!!!

NWarty · Post by **NWarty** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 5:19 pm

Stupid question

I know this may have been posted before, but does someone know why the picture above of the painted prototype shows gray-tipped, white Phoenix missles when the in-production pictures on Merit's site show gray missles with white tips? Is that even accurate given the High-Vis scheme of the late 1970's?

I hate to go down this road again, but....I'm just wondering.

thatf14guy · Post by **thatf14guy** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 5:27 pm

no idea, but it is a good question, and why, hopefully we will see a pic of the actual production tomcat to compare soon. plus a week ago or more didn't merit state they will post a pic for all to see, why all this secret stuff? all i have to say after all this, the production plane better look as good as the one in that pic or better.

NWarty · Post by **NWarty** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 5:34 pm

I get a little nervous when the caption reads "painted missles ready for packaging" and I don't know we haven't picked up on this before. Probably due to "LeopardCatGate"

Every picture I've seen, and I've got Google Images up now of various photographs, lithographs, scale models, diecast models of high-vis VF-84 Cats from 1977-early 80's showing white missles on the white of the Tomcat's belly.

I don't mean to blow this thread up again. But what's gonna happen if we end up with a Tomcat at the doorstep with a white belly and dark gray missles?????

NWarty · Post by **NWarty** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 5:34 pm

[EDIT] oops, double post

thatf14guy · Post by **thatf14guy** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 6:39 pm

they sure wouldn't look right, it makes me wonder if they gone as far as to change the paint scheme, but we've seen the production pics the rest of the plane seems to match the prototype. in several sites i have noticed the phoenix misslies were not the all the same from all white to gay tip to now dark gray with white tip? so, i'm scratching my head, and asking what the heck? but hopefully we will see soon, cause i want to see what this is actually going to look like now.

Black Lion VF-213 · Post by **Black Lion VF-213** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 7:36 pm

Don't worry about that big Tomcat arriving with a white belly because it won't happen. JSI is representing a 1988 VF-84 livery. The top, sides, and belly are all gloss gull grey.
As for the Phoenix missiles in Merit's pictures they do look way to dark gray to match. They look more like the tactical paint scheme indicative of the 1990's and 2000's for F-14s.

This picture in the link is the exact Tomcat JSI is attempting to represent:
http://www.almansur.com/jollyrogers/haynesf14atr.jpg

NWarty · Post by **NWarty** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 9:19 pm

Thanks BL213 and that makes total sense.

Was JSI trying to paint this darned thing? This doesn't make any sense...

https://protected.fatcow.com/warbird1/i ... enixm5.jpg

thatf14guy · Post by **thatf14guy** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 6:42 am

i've never seen a vf-84 tomcat in that color scheme with dark gray missiles, they were white, but i can fix that with some paint.

Black Lion VF-213 · Post by **Black Lion VF-213** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 3:42 pm

Here's the ironic thing about the grey missiles with white tips. VF-84's low vis jets (AJ202 and higher numbers, a la non CAG or CO) did carry that bluish gray bodied Phoenix and Sidewinder and Sparrow combinations with white tips. It's their CAG and CO that were gloss gull grey (which is closer to white) that carried missiles in the same like color with light grey tips. So yes VF-84 did carry darker grey missiles....just not JSI's representation.

Ferrari250GTO · Post by **Ferrari250GTO** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 6:37 pm

Well guys, here you go...
http://www.talesofthecat.com/journal/20 ... osted.html

NWarty · Post by **NWarty** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:14 pm

Well, those big arse spots are there. Go look at the photos on Merit's site.

And where are the drop tanks?.....

toyktdlgh · Post by **toyktdlgh** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:16 pm

The rear stabilizers are still pointed straight up. I thought this was getting fixed before production.

toyktdlgh · Post by **toyktdlgh** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:21 pm

The paint isn’t as striking and dynamic as the original test version but I’m pleased with its overall appearance. It will be nice to see it up-close and personal.

vulgarvulture · Post by **vulgarvulture** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:21 pm

http://www.merit-intl.com/merit/main.html

Well, when it's all said and done, I'm still good to go for this bird, imperfections and all.

NWarty · Post by **NWarty** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:21 pm

It honestly looks like they DIDN'T DO ANYTHING to mute those spots. Go take a look at BCA's store and blow up the large pics of the F-14.

The Spots are exactly like they were in the production photos.

toyktdlgh · Post by **toyktdlgh** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:28 pm

It’s really a bad angle for seeing them. I sort of see them. I wish we would have a dead-on top shot but I guess I will just have to see it in person. It doesn’t appear to be as dramatic as earlier. I guess all we can do is hope the ones we get have lighter spots.

Stug45 · Post by **Stug45** » Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:28 pm

This is not looking good

Small Scale Military Headquarters

POST ALL JSE F-14 QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION HERE

1/72 vs 1/18