CAG Reaper

F-14D Super Tomcat

- Geoff Cooper-Smith

The Tomcat is an iconic aircraft, used extensively by the US Navy, initially as a fighter and then as a fighter bomber, for over thirty years until its retirement in 2006.

There are inevitably many kits of the F-14 in all the major scales. For this build let’s start at the end; the Revell kit offers a single option, a VF-101 F-14D CAG bird in 2004. This is an interesting but unusual choice as the Grim Reapers were the Oceana based Tomcat training squadron. Research on the t’interweb reveals lots of images of this machine, but none carrying any ordnance. This is probably because 164 was an air show display aircraft, something that needs to be born in mind during construction. The first stage requires you to drill eight holes (I used a 1mm bit) in the underside and intake cowlings, but beware as these are for a full weapons load out.

Stages two to six deal with the cockpit. Each NACES seat has four parts, with two moulded in belts and not much else. However the cockpit tub detail is good, with fine raised detail, which comes out well with painting, dry brushing, etc.

Stages seven to nine handle the assembly of the front fuselage. Unfortunately the panel lines do not align properly and this is most obvious just in front of the wind shield, so they were made to disappear. The under nose panel needs some Plasticard support on the front undercarriage bay walls.

Stages ten and eleven provides for assembly of the wings. The upper half has all the ailerons and flaps moulded in so that the bottom half is more an insert. This lower insert is a little short in terms of width and depth and so some Plasticard shims and a bit of filler are needed to improve things.