POST ALL JSE F-14 QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION HERE

exether_mega · Post by **exether_mega** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 8:02 am

pcoughran wrote:I think if anyone is concerned about the spots in the production photos, they should email Merit and ask them to get JSI to show a finished photo of a production model off the line. If there are some "on the way" then they have finished product that they could show to alleviate any concerns. If JSI is hesitant to show a picture of a production model then that speaks volumes.
Heres Merit's email:
[email protected]

If they are bombarded by people who have pre-orders that are concerned about these spots they may show us a finished product.

Already done.

phil

vulgarvulture · Post by **vulgarvulture** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 8:22 am

I've been holding back on commenting, but I can't take it anymore. Based on what I'm seeing, I"m actually considering canceling my pre-order. I never thought I'd be saying that. But that paint job is unacceptable.

thatf14guy · Post by **thatf14guy** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 8:26 am

no comment

Pa Deuce · Post by **Pa Deuce** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 9:03 am

I'm trying to look at these photos with eagle eyes and I think I am seeing that dichotomy of painting skill I've seen with the other JSI aircraft. Take a careful look at Badcadt's photos and you'll see assemblies on other aircraft that are weathered nicely - with just the right amounts of brushwork and shading, but on the same plane there are assemblies that just look sloppy - lack of quality control evident! I know there has to be some design of painting technique that gets the job done in assembly line fashion and that may not be true to the way the paint master is done - but pre-shading really isn't that hard. Have the people with minimal airbrush skill trace all the panel lines, as heavy as they want, they don't have to even be all that straight, but then let your more skilled people apply the overcoat and viola, panel weathering. The plane has enough surface detail that the weathering scheme doesn't need to be all that involved I think.

edit: seems that the formerly missing red fuselage line is now present

thatf14guy · Post by **thatf14guy** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 9:19 am

no comment

NWarty · Post by **NWarty** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 9:48 am

I just sent an email to Merit. I was polite

thatf14guy · Post by **thatf14guy** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 9:52 am

no comment

thatf14guy · Post by **thatf14guy** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 9:57 am

plus has anyone besides me been wondering why jsi has not updated their website. they haven't for months. whats up with that?

NWarty · Post by **NWarty** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 10:01 am

True, a lot of us having been saving for months for this bird, myself included.

I asked Merit to post a finished production picture. I think it's only fair since many of us are being charged this week for the product.

I'm not a nitpicker or rivet counter by any stretch of the imagination, but if the Tomcat looks like my five year old twins airbrushed it, it's gonna get ugly real fast between collectors and JSI, Merit and vendors.

At this point, I'd think somebody from JSI or Merit would try to play damage control regarding the pictures.

"All is well!!!!!!" - Kevin Bacon, Animal House

exether_mega · Post by **exether_mega** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 10:05 am

Also, when looking at the pic, I wonder if the nose cone open to show radar dish.

phil

thatf14guy · Post by **thatf14guy** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 10:08 am

no comment

Pa Deuce · Post by **Pa Deuce** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 10:19 am

NWarty wrote:True, a lot of us having been saving for months for this bird, myself included.

I asked Merit to post a finished production picture. I think it's only fair since many of us are being charged this week for the product.

I'm not a nitpicker or rivet counter by any stretch of the imagination, but if the Tomcat looks like my five year old twins airbrushed it, it's gonna get ugly real fast between collectors and JSI, Merit and vendors.

Agreed - imagine as a vendor if you couldn't move these things?

Sabrefan · Post by **Sabrefan** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 10:22 am

Maybe if they can't move them they will lower the price...

Post by **aferguson** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 10:29 am

i wouldn't cancel any preorders yet, just in case the planes do actually look a lot better than the pictures and then they sell out and you can't get one.

However, i would email the vendor you've placed your pre order with, when the planes arrive, and ask them if it has spots all over it and if so, then make your decision to cancel.

If it is just an initial stage in weathering, why spots? I could see lines which follow panel lines, but not just dots.

thatf14guy · Post by **thatf14guy** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 10:41 am

no comment

King O' Fools · Post by **King O' Fools** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 10:42 am

As has been said, the pictures show no panel weathering, just random dots. If they have already applied the tampo printed markings (and it looks as though they have), chances are this will be the real McCoy. Let's see how the guys who have preordered one like the actual weathering. At $230 (plus shipping), the F-14 should sport a toned down weathering if not an accurate/realistic one. Otherwise the thing is gonna look like this:

Pretty realistic, huh? High-vis indeed.

Maybe they'll include a matching ribbon with their Special Edition.

thatf14guy · Post by **thatf14guy** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 10:43 am

no comment

c44588 · Post by **c44588** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 11:09 am

Emailed my supplier and voiced polite concern at the paint quality exhibited at Merits site and asking for clarification....

Bait and switch is something frowned upon by the law...

I would think a rep of someone would step up and confirm or deny the status of this thing. Why let the rumors fly unless you have no control over the end product, which is maybe where we are in this....

"Come on baby...lemme roll an Eight the Hard Way..."

c44588 · Post by **c44588** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 11:13 am

PS- Cute pup, but Id ditch the spotted outfit....

....although Id pay $250 for the dog, spots and all, before $250 for a F14 SpotCat...

thatf14guy · Post by **thatf14guy** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 11:18 am

no comment

NWarty · Post by **NWarty** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 11:24 am

thatf14guy wrote:b-cat posted this after i sent them a email;
F-14 Odds and Ends

Here's the 'Cat's take on these posted pics:

1. The snow leopard spots shown in the work-in-progress photos are part of the paint layering process. They are intregal to the weathering of the model and will be brushed-out and muted when all is said and done

This may answer my question posted on page 11 in regards to the paint being brushed out. Let's hope so.

I do find it interesting though that they would tampo print BEFORE the final weathering was done, if what BCA is saying is true.

thatf14guy · Post by **thatf14guy** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 11:28 am

no comment

Post by **aferguson** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 11:30 am

guess we'll have to wait and see on the spots. They've added the markings but i guess the weathering would be applied over top of them too. Given that there other planes are painted properly it would be a shock to see a spotted tomcat.

on the topic of the special edition one: cool idea but why not have a conventional paint scheme on it....the name of the show on the side??

toyktdlgh · Post by **toyktdlgh** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 11:30 am

For once I agree with bad Cat. They should not have posted those photos. Especially as critical 1:18th collectors have been known to be. Hopefully they are right and the comparison to the other models they have produced does make sense.

NWarty · Post by **NWarty** » Thu Nov 19, 2009 11:39 am

I agree with BCA in respect that the photos were probably not this best idea, at least NOT with this set of photos.