1/18 F-14 Pilots installation question

[USCGMK2]

I had a small Christmas and was able to open both my F-18 and F-14 to put on display. How in the world do you fit the pilots in on the F-14? I bought a bunch of the pre-painted F-18 pilots and tried to use those but what a pain! Any suggestions? I think there was a topic before but i can't find it.

[rschaap]

Try "Tomcat Pilot" in the search engine. There seems to be a lot of discussion on that. Good luck.

You might also try to pm "A-10LOADER" he was doing a complete ground up update of a F14 including pilots.

[A-10LOADER]

The pilot and RIO are NOT easy to install, especially with the canopy installed. I managed to get them into my VF-154 jet but, it took alot of patience and alot of doing.
If I remember correctly your going to have to open the canopy as far as possible without breaking it. This needs to be accomplished more so for the RIO. You will need to bend them at the waist slightly and work them into the seats also, bend their knees slightly. As you guide their legs into position you will be bending them at the waist more and pushing them down into the seat. I used a small wooden dowel for the pushing. Keep in mind as you get them going into the seated position you also have to manipulate their arms as well. I used modeling tweesers to bend / twist their arms, elbows and hands as I went along. You'll have to be careful of the ejection seat handels while doing all this so you don't break them.
I know this sounds like alot but, this is where patience comes into play. Take your time and don't force anything. They do fit very nicely once installed. I hope this helps and best of luck.


Steve

[tmanthegreat]

I used the BBI F-18 (Navy) pilot figures, having gotten a few when all the retailers had them available for individual sale. I softened them in hot water before inserting as even with those it was a tight fit!

[granch]

I've just seen this on eBay. Pilot and RIO. But you'll have to pay 68$ to get both, it seems to be resin cast, no articulation:
http://www.ebay.ch/itm/1-18-U-S-NAVY-F- ... 51d4864993

[USCGMK2]

That's what I have the BBI F18 Pilots (bought 6 of them, when they were under $10). I saw those Granch, thought about getting them too!

I ended up removing the lower legs at the knee joints, spread their legs a little and they went in fairly easy, although the RIO still was a pain with the canopy.

But thank you all for the help, especially A-10Loader.

[granch]

Well, I'm not a Tomcat owner. As A-10Loader wrote, patience is the masterword. To bent the figure easily and also to make the joints more moveable, drop your pilot figure in hot water for a while. I also used the microwave oven, for less than 10 seconds, but now I have so much BBI soldiers with repaired joints with small screws (espacially wrist) that I don't try this anymore, 'cause the repair is not visible anymore. An other thought, if you have anough pilot figures: why not separating the legs and bottom from the chest, cutting the pin knob to keep only the narrow part, and introducing both body parts separately, the remaining part of the pin used for a proper position of both parts?

[A-10LOADER]

Glad it worked out for you.
Shame you had to remove their lower legs however.

Steve

[USCGMK2]

Yeah, I wanted to keep them on but that seemed like the whole problem. I think in our hobby with aircraft, legs seem to get in the way. But it sits on a top shelf so all you really see is the shoulders on up.