Tomcat Crewmen

Bruzilla · Post by **Bruzilla** » Sun Jul 04, 2010 6:01 am

I'm a former Navy P-3C crewman who's working on building up an early 1980's F-14 from the JSI model. I got tired of looking for crew figures, so I asked my sister-in-law, who's an accomplished sculptor, to sculpt a pilot and RIO, in that period's gear, for me. I was going to have her make me one set, but I figure there are others out there who would like some as well, so I thought I would put out a post and see if anyone else is interested.

Like I said, these figures would have late-1970s-1980s gear, but I figure once she's got a base figure with gsuit, LPA, etc., done, she can always sculpt a new head for different helmets, masks, etc.

Let me know if you would be interested so I can figure out how to duplicate them.

exether_mega · Post by **exether_mega** » Sun Jul 04, 2010 7:25 am

That's a good idea ! I am interested by a 90' crew.

phil

AMERICAN_GRENADIER · Post by **AMERICAN_GRENADIER** » Sun Jul 04, 2010 8:21 am

how long before you have some pics?

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Sun Jul 04, 2010 9:24 am

Cool!!!!!

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Sun Jul 04, 2010 9:27 am

exether_mega wrote:That's a good idea ! I am interested by a 90' crew.

phil

Me too! A female pilot with the right Anthro Measurements. as in this kind not the other kind...LOL http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14427

YT · Post by YT » Sun Jul 04, 2010 1:34 pm

I may have interest depending on price.

dragon53 · Post by **dragon53** » Sun Jul 04, 2010 3:20 pm

BRUZILLA:

I'm interested, too, but it will depend on the price.

Three questions:
1. Will the figures be pre-painted?
2. I assume your sister-in-law's figures will not have articulating limbs, so will it be difficult to place the figures in the F-14 cockpit?
3. Since JSI apparently isn't going to include pilot figures with any of its aircraft, would your sister-in-law consider sculpting pilot figures for all upcoming JSI planes?

mcaulk · Post by **mcaulk** » Sun Jul 04, 2010 9:28 pm

I am very much interested so put me down for at least 2 sets!

You might want to contact deankleines. He has a thread dedicated to super-detailing the big cat at this site. I think he knows someone skilled at resin casting.

I have toyed with the idea of adapting the BBi F-18 driver to 80s Tomcat pilot/rio specs and casting them but have been praying someone would beat me to it. Maybe my prayers have been answered.

Regards,

Mike

bushande · Post by **bushande** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 1:26 am

Oh please please please do that.

I don't care if they are painted or not or fixed position or moving limps or whatever.

Main thing is, that Tomcat finally needs a crew!!!!

pizzaguy · Post by **pizzaguy** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 7:44 am

I would be interested as well.

Folkwulfe · Post by **Folkwulfe** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 12:39 pm

Ditto!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bruzilla · Post by **Bruzilla** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 12:10 pm

I guess I'm not the only one suffering.

No, the figures will not be articulated (I don't want to trade appearance for posability in a figure that's just going to sit it a cockpit). I discussed things with my SIL yesterday, and what we're going to try to do is cast a body, then arms, then head (like the 1/32 Tamiya figures). That way if you want the RIO and pilot doing something like grabbing the handrest, working buttons, etc., we can do different arms.

I gave her the cockpit section of my plane so she can sculpt the figures to be able to slide into the cockpit (again... like the Tamiya figures). I told her we might have to pull the ejection seats and put the seats/figures in together, but that's part of my plan anyway as I'm making shoulder and waste harnesses that'll actually connect the figures to their seats, which is far more realistic.

As for painting, I was thinking we could do painted or unpainted.

Anyway, as soon as I get more info I'll post it.

Bruzilla · Post by **Bruzilla** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 12:17 pm

VMF115 wrote:Me too! A female pilot with the right Anthro Measurements. as in this kind not the other kind...LOL http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14427

I've worked with female pilots, NFOs, and aircrewmen for the past 12 years or so, and when they've got a helmet, zoom bag, LPA/SV, g-suit, and chute harness on, I can't tell who's a guy and who's a gal. No problem when they're just in a bag and a uniform cap, but loaded up and ready to fly... I don't see how you can tell the difference.

Bruzilla · Post by **Bruzilla** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 7:27 am

Went to my SIL's house yesterday and saw a torso and legs wearing an LPA/SV2 in the front seat of my Tomcat. Can't wait till he has arms and a head.

dragon53 · Post by **dragon53** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 7:56 am

BRUZILLA:

Thanks for the update.

Since JSI is planning to release different aircraft (F-14, F-15E, SU-27, F-104, UH-1, etc.) from different nations (US, Iran, China, Japan, etc.), is there the possibility of modular pilot figures with interchangeable heads and/or helmets, etc. to produce a wide variety of pilot figures of varying nationalities/aircraft to help reduce costs?

As for paint, I vote for pre-painted figures.

fly-dk · Post by **fly-dk** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:40 am

SUPER

There is something wrong with the picture - when a Tomcat is hanging from the ceiling without pilots

Bruzilla · Post by **Bruzilla** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 1:12 pm

dragon53 wrote:BRUZILLA:

Thanks for the update.

Since JSI is planning to release different aircraft (F-14, F-15E, SU-27, F-104, UH-1, etc.) from different nations (US, Iran, China, Japan, etc.), is there the possibility of modular pilot figures with interchangeable heads and/or helmets, etc. to produce a wide variety of pilot figures of varying nationalities/aircraft to help reduce costs?

As for paint, I vote for pre-painted figures.

The modular pilot plan shouldn't be a problem. She made a generic torso, that can be built up with any flight gear combo. Of course... it is a lot to ask a former Navy guy to do anything associated with the wingwipers (USAF).

I can paint the figures, but I gotta tell you it's a lot easier than you think.

Bruzilla · Post by **Bruzilla** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 1:22 pm

fly-dk wrote:SUPER

There is something wrong with the picture - when a Tomcat is hanging from the ceiling without pilots

Especially a VF-84 Tomcat as that high-vis helmet really stands out!

In addition to having my plane manned, i'm also going to have it launching a sidewinder, which is done by connecting an acrylic rod to the starboard sidewinder rail, and running it out about a foot past the front of the bird. A missile gets mounted to the end of the rod, and cotton batting gets pulled back along the length of the rod to simulate missile exhaust. The effect looks great!

Gotta love a Tomcat that's FOX 1.

mcaulk · Post by **mcaulk** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:03 pm

Really looking forward to the figures. Here's one I painted using the Verlinden 120mm pilot. Great detail but too big for the JSI Tomcat.

Bruzilla · Post by **Bruzilla** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 5:07 am

Nice looking figure! I would make two changes to it. I never knew naval flight personnel (pilots, NFOs, or aircrewmen) who wore a white t-shirt with a flightsuit. We always wore shirts that were a color associated with our squadron. I would expect to see a Sundowners pilot wearing a red shirt. Just as background, in the Navy, flight gear is not considered to be a uniform. They are considered as "organizational clothing", so while we had to wear white t-shirts with a uniform, org clothing was exempt from that requirement.

The other change I would make is he needs his flight gloves. If someone was in a flightsuit, they would always have their gloves. If they don't have them on, they're hanging out of the thigh pocket of the left leg. You stick the finger ends into the pocket, and let the open half hang out of the pocket.

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 1:09 pm

Bruzilla wrote:Nice looking figure! I would make two changes to it. I never knew naval flight personnel (pilots, NFOs, or aircrewmen) who wore a white t-shirt with a flightsuit. We always wore shirts that were a color associated with our squadron. I would expect to see a Sundowners pilot wearing a red shirt. Just as background, in the Navy, flight gear is not considered to be a uniform. They are considered as "organizational clothing", so while we had to wear white t-shirts with a uniform, org clothing was exempt from that requirement.

The other change I would make is he needs his flight gloves. If someone was in a flightsuit, they would always have their gloves. If they don't have them on, they're hanging out of the thigh pocket of the left leg. You stick the finger ends into the pocket, and let the open half hang out of the pocket.

And the boots need to be brown.....

Bruzilla · Post by **Bruzilla** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 3:00 pm

Brown flight boots are a fairly recent piece of gear. At the time the pilot this figure is based on was flying (1970s to early 1990s), all flight boots were black... except for a guy named Lawson.

I went to Pensacola with this guy named Lawson who had feet that were close to size 17!!! He wasn't really tall, but his feet were enormous. We got to flight gear issue, and they had no boots his size. The guys who worked there said they had to go "up in the attic", but they found a pair of size 16 brown boots that were left over from the WWII-Korea days that fit him. Those were the only brown boots I ever saw in all my time flying.

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Sat Jul 10, 2010 5:15 pm

Bruzilla wrote:Brown flight boots are a fairly recent piece of gear. At the time the pilot this figure is based on was flying (1970s to early 1990s), all flight boots were black... except for a guy named Lawson.

I went to Pensacola with this guy named Lawson who had feet that were close to size 17!!! He wasn't really tall, but his feet were enormous. We got to flight gear issue, and they had no boots his size. The guys who worked there said they had to go "up in the attic", but they found a pair of size 16 brown boots that were left over from the WWII-Korea days that fit him. Those were the only brown boots I ever saw in all my time flying.

Didn't they also wear boot laces that correspond with their squadron colors?

YT · Post by YT » Sat Jul 10, 2010 6:25 pm

Bruzilla wrote:
I went to Pensacola with this guy named Lawson who had feet that were close to size 17!!! He wasn't really tall, but his feet were enormous. We got to flight gear issue, and they had no boots his size. The guys who worked there said they had to go "up in the attic", but they found a pair of size 16 brown boots that were left over from the WWII-Korea days that fit him. Those were the only brown boots I ever saw in all my time flying.

That is a great story.

Bruzilla · Post by **Bruzilla** » Sun Jul 11, 2010 4:58 am

VMF115 wrote:Didn't they also wear boot laces that correspond with their squadron colors?

All I ever saw were black laces. The thing is that you can wear your flightboots as part of your working uniform (dungarees, working khaki, BDUs, etc.) so unless you want to be changing between black laces and coloreed laces day to day...

One other bit of trivia about boots is we were never required to shine them. Since shoe polish is flammable, some wonderful guy at some point in history, made the case that putting shoe polish on flight boots was a safety hazard as the boots could start burning in event of a fire. I doubt that could really happen, but it saved millions of fliers from ever having to worry about shining their boots.

Small Scale Military Headquarters

Tomcat Crewmen

Tomcat Crewmen

Air Crew

Unpainted Option