Damaged Tomcat has a new life VF-74

[Kroll777]

The plane I made for someone fell 17' tail first on a hard floor when the fishing wire broke. Needless to say, I built a new one for him and much stronger fishing line was used.

Here's how she looked as I started to rebuilder her.





















As you can see the tail looks great and is as strong as it was when it was new. I glued the lower speed brakes in for added strength. One of the loops that holds the tail hook is broken. I hope to make a mold of one of the nozzels since were unable to buy them from Skyworks. Anyway, it will be up on Ebay in the future. Oh everything is painted except the tail badge and the stars and stripes. Fightertowndecals.com scaled the tail badge up for me.

K-Roll

[granch]

Very nice work, greatings! Have you closer picks from the Top Gun F-14?

[Kroll777]

Heres a couple of the jets I've done. The VF-41 Jet you see is the one one that crashed and is now the VF-74 Jet. The Blue Splinter next to the brown jet is all taped up again. The light blue was the wrong the light blue should be FS 35190. I'm starting work on the F-16B again. Here you go.









This will be the #20 blue splinter. This is the one being repainted.





VF-41


Ferris/ Heater scheme.



This is the #30 blue splinter in my sons room.

[YT]

Wow those are some great looking planes. What test of fishing line was being used? I always worry about mine. I recently bought a plane for a repaint, how do you make the markings for the customs?

[plasticboy]

Can feel the busy on that table, love to see the aircrafts are ready for maintaining on that messy table.

[granch]

I've used 6 threads for 9 lb fishing line, never had any crash.

[Kroll777]

He was using cheap 30 lbs line. He was using a cool system of fishing line with a brass straight piece with a whole in it. It's the piece for a tie tack with a chain. You can get them from your jeweler. He would drill two holes in the top of the jet and suspend it from two lines . You can't even see the lines. He now is using 60lbs line. It looks amazing.

As far as how I make the masks look a the picture with the F-16b. I use my printer and print on the tape then cut it out. It works well however, it's not smooth as vinyal stencils like TKO uses. That would be the best way. I have decals for most everything I do but I like the paint better. I use decals for all the small stuff.

[pizzaguy]

Those are outstanding. Great Job. How did you make the clear canopy? Is it hard plastic or vacuum formed? I've been wanting to do the Topgun scheme, but I am nervous about messing up. Anyway nice job!!

[YT]

As far as how I make the masks look a the picture with the F-16b. I use my printer and print on the tape then cut it out. It works well however, it's not smooth as vinyal stencils like TKO uses. That would be the best way. I have decals for most everything I do but I like the paint better. I use decals for all the small stuff.

Thats a great system, do you just take model decals and scale them up?

[Kroll777]

Hi guys.

The F-16 and F-18 canopies are vacuum formed. The plastic is very hard (really thick) The only thing you can't get are the railings on the underside. So in this example they were made out of clay. I then made two molds of the canopy which ultimately did not work out. I've got a guy that will make new molds and casts. The canopy would be clear and have the railings. The project was starting to get way over budget. The vacuumforms look pretty dam good as is. I decided to just make them via vacuum form as I go. So the plan is to make about 2-3 F-16B. If BBI makes the F-18 again then I will make 2-3 F-18 two seaters. The F-16 is pretty much right on. The F-18 needs some fine tuning. Oringinally I was hopeing to make about 10 conversion kits for people. It was just getting out of control cost wise. Once I get these figured out I might do the conversion for someone but it wouldn't be cheap.

The topgun birds there are basically two different Blue schemes (10,30 are the same 30 says topgun though) (20 was a NSAWC bird) The brown jet had a few versions too. (13 NSAWC, 33 said topgun) Then was one that had Iranian markings. There really are 3 birds left I have not done (red 31, Power Puff, another Ferris Heater Scheme from VF-2 ) There are also the few Keith ferris splinters and two F-14Ds that were done during the gulf war. The only one that I might do would be Powerpuff.


As far as the decals go. I either purchase them from Fightertown make a copy of the things I can paint (modex #s) then things like Ejection triangles I use the decals. For the birds that I have not used the fightertown boys. I find a decals or profile shots of the planes online and blow it up on my printer. Print it on the tape let it dry and cut it out. I will say cutting things out is very time consuming. I like the painted look best. That being said Brain and Mike from Fightertown decals have been very helpful.

[Kroll777]

I re-taped up the Blue jet #20 and hit it with FS 35190. Heres how it looks so far. Lots of work to go.

[thatf14guy]

NICE!love camo cats! you should sell it to me.