F-14D Tomcat by Tamiya

1/72 scale
Kit No. 60795
Retail: $50.00
Decals: Five versions
Comments: Delicate engraved panel lines, highly detailed cockpit, two-part canopy, functioning variable geometry wings, ordnance includes standard Tomcat missile armament: AIM-54 Phoenix (x 2), AIM-9 Sidewinder (x2), and AIM-7 Sparrow (x 2), plus four GBU-12 Paveway II bombs, one AN/AAQ-25 LANTIRN pod; two drop tanks

History

Originally developed as a carrier fighter with a heavy emphasis on the fleet defense role, over its 30-plus year career from initial deployment in 1974, the F-14 Tomcat evolved into a multi-role aircraft capable of attack and reconnaissance missions when needed. The Grumman F-14 Tomcat was a two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather air superiority fleet defense interceptor in service with the U.S. Navy from 1974 to 2006. Even before the demise of the General Dynamics F-111B program (for which Grumman Aircraft Corporation was to have been a prime contractor), Grumman had been working on a replacement interceptor more closely tailored to the Navy’s needs, but employing several of the F-111B’s design features, namely twin engines for increased reliability, variable geometry wings, and a powerful search radar. It was also a two-seater, but had tandem seating as opposed to the side-by -side arrangement of the F-111B.

The dirty little open secret was that from the outset, the Navy had vigorously resisted the very concept of the F-111B, the navalized version of an Air Force design for what was essentially a precision strike aircraft (translation: bomber — despite its F- designation) that Defense Secretary Robert McNamara’s 1962 standardization program had tried to shoehorn into the Navy’s requirements for a fleet defense fighter to replace the McDonnell F-4 Phantom. McNamara’s TFX program was not what the Navy had in mind.

Even before the demise of the F-111B in the Summer of 1968, a program had quietly begun to find a successor to the Navy’s F-4 Phantom II interceptor. Earlier concepts had proven unsuccessful: The Douglas F6D Missileer, which could track up to eight intruders simultaneously and guide six missiles to individual targets, was too large and cumbersome. Likewise the F-111B, whose heaviness outweighed the potential benefits of its cutting-edge variable sweep wing and dual engines.

Following the F-111B’s cancellation, the Navy issued a Request for Proposals for its Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program, and in 1968 the proposal of Grumman Aircraft was accepted. Work on what would become the F-14 Tomcat began in earnest.

Grumman’ s vast design experience showed in the smart variable geometry wing (also known as “swing wing”) design. The initial prototype — the first of 12 — made a successful maiden flight on December 21, 1970. The F-4’s AN/AWG-9 radar and AIM-54 Phoenix long-range missile combination were carried over from the Missileer concept, capable of simultaneously tracking twenty-four targets and firing upon six. The complex procedures involved required a Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) in addition to the pilot in a tandem two-seat cockpit. The Pratt & Whitney TF30 turbofan engines in early F-14’s unfortunately lacked power and were prone to compressor stalls; from the F-14B onward the powerplant was a pair of the improved General Electric F110-GE-400’s, a new high technology engine offering improved capability and maneuverability without throttle restrictions or engine trimming.

Design
Upon the introduction of the Northrop F/A-18 Hornet into U.S. Navy fleet service in 1984, the Tomcat’s pending retirement was taken for granted. But the F-14’s superb range and payload capacity meant that it would continue to serve for over two decades, especially after the introduction of the F-14D in 1992, which would take on new strike and reconnaissance roles from the soon-to-retire LTV A-7 Corsair II and Grumman’s own A-6 Intruder.

The F-14D saw major changes in weaponry and avionics. The upgraded AN/APG-71 radar offered digital processing at improved speed, and significantly enhanced detection range in a smaller and lighter package. It used the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS), allowing it to communicate over the Link 16/TADIL-J information link. Starting in 1996, the AN/AAQ-25 LANTIRN targeting pod provided GPS coordination and was effective at up to 40,000 feet. Further changes included the AN/AAS-42 infrared search and track system, a Navy-developed system that provides long range detection in the long wave infrared spectrum of both subsonic and supersonic targets, and AN/AAX-1 TV camera set in the underside of the nose (these were also an aid in external identification of the F-14D), the AN/AYQ-15 store management system and an upgraded mission computer.

Deployment and Notable Events
While a production run of around 300 F-14D’s was initially planned, in the event only 37 new aircraft were manufactured. These were joined by a group of 18 additional F-14A‘s that were upgraded to the F-14D standard, for a total of 55 F-14D’s in fleet service. These were deployed beginning in 1992.

In May 1994 F-14D aircraft bearing the storied “Langley stripes” were deployed by VF-2 “Bounty Hunters” as they began a cruise with Carrier Air Wing 2 (CVW-2) aboard the U.S.S. Constellation, and May 1998 saw them in the colors of VF-213 “Black Lions” as a part of CVW-11. The F-14D saw action with both squadrons, the former in 1999 over Operation Southern Watch, and the latter over Afghanistan and Iraq, unleashing GBU-12/B Paveway II and GBU-38/B JDAM bombs in ground strikes during the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Evaluation squadrons also operated the F-14D, perhaps most memorably the “Vandy1” painted strikingly in gloss black and run by the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron VX-9 out of Point Mugu in the United States. The VF-101 “Grim Reapers” Fleet Replacement Squadron flew the F-14 until being deactivated in 2005.

As the shift to the F/A-18 Hornet continued and the F-14 was steadily withdrawn from active units, the Tomcat was formally decommissioned on March 10, 2006 with VF-31 and VF-213 — the last Tomcat squadrons — performed their last F-14 fly-in over NAS Oceana in Virginia. Although retired, with over 700 aircraft produced and countless tales of its aerial prowess circulating the military aviation world, the F-14 has made its indelible mark on aviation history.

For additional history on the F-14, including its combat debut and the Gulf of Sidra Incidents, click here.

The Kit

Tamiya’s F-14D Tomcat is injection molded in grey plastic and consists of 287 parts, including six clear plastic parts for the canopy and landing lights, plus three metal screws facilitating operation of the variable sweep wings, and two plastic washers making movement of the horizontal stabilizers possible. The cockpit is richly detailed with exquisite care in the form of raised relief on the main instrument panels, as well as on separate parts for the side panel instrumentation and the interior sidewalls.

There is a traditional control yoke for the pilot, and side-panel-mounted joystick for the radar intercept operator (RIO). The F-14’s partial glass screen main instrument panel is faithfully recreated. This is easily the most detailed “office” this modeler has seen in any 1/72 scake aircraft model, with the possible exception of Fine Molds’ recent F-4J Phantom II.

Construction is broken into the nose section, which includes the cockpit and nose wheel bay, the main fuselage including the gears for the variable sweep wings, and the sub-assemblies for the lower fuselage which include the upper section of the air intakes and the assembly for the main landing gear bays. Next come the intakes themselves which have a bit of internal trunking ending with the face of an intake fan. The rear fuselage focuses on the detailed engine exhaust assemblies, each of which consist of five parts each, plus an additional six parts for rear fuselage panels around and between the engines. The landing gear are well detailed, as is the sensor pod below the nose.

This kit may be unique in providing decals representing the scribing effect on the portion of the wings that disappear inside the fuselage when they are fully folded back, either for supersonic flight or storage on the deck of an aircraft carrier. The Tomcat’s trademark drop tanks are provided, along with guidance for application of decals.

Modelers will appreciate Tamiya’s meticulous detailing of the weaponry, which many kit manufacturers overlook. For armament, the kit provides two AIM-9L/M Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, two AIM-7 Sparrow missiles, two AIM-54 Phoenix long range air-to-air missiles, and four GBU-12 Paveway II bombs, as well as a single AN/AAQ-25 LANTIRN targeting pod. This ordnance can be depicted in a variety of combinations, five of which are detailed in illustrations on page 13 of the kit instructions, accompanied by a detailed painting and decaling guide on page 16. While weapons pallets are provided for four AIM-54 Phoenix missiles adjacent the center line of the Tomcat, a curiosity/deficiency of this kit is that it only provides two such missiles.

One unusual aspect of this kit is that a key component of the cockpit, the ejection seats, are left until relatively late in construction, Step 39. Likewise for the two detailed figures of the pilot and RIO, which are accompanied by detailed painting instructions not just for their flight suits, but for their helmets, for which decals are provided. The ejection seats themselves are satisfyingly complex, seven parts each with decals provided for the seat straps. Once the pilots and seats are installed, the two instrument panel hoods, featuring raised relief detail and their own paint guides, follow. The canopy (which may be depicted open or closed) and small but important details such as the refueling probe, ladder, fold-out footholds and blade sensors come last.

Markings

The kit provides markings for five different versions of the Tomcat, with a large color plate provided for each one.
The first is the CAG Bird (aircraft flown by the Commander of the Air Group, or CAG) for VF-2 “Bounty Hunters” in the Persian Gulf in 2003 aboard the carrier U.S.S. Constellation. This carries high visibility red-white-and-blue stripes on the nose and tails of the aircraft, along with a skull on the vertical tails, and is painted in a scheme of Dark Gull Grey LP-36 over Light Gull Grey LP-37 (I am simplifying, because the upper surfaces actually call for a mix of three parts Dark Gull Grey and one part Imperial Japanese Navy Grey LP-15 — your choice). Yellow tips appear at the top of the vertical tails and the ventral strakes beneath the engines are painted Royal Blue and Yellow.

The second version is also a CAG Bird for VF-213 “Black Lions” aboard the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt in March 2006, quite near the end of the Tomcat’s service. This aircraft is painted in overall Light Grey with the top of the vertical tails and rudder painted in Blue (a mix of X-14 Sky Blue and X-4 Blue, the latter a decidedly darker shade, at a ratio of 14:1, respectively). A blue decal is provided for the anti-glare panel around the cockpit, so modelers will have the equivalent of a paint patch for comparison.

The third version is the only low visibility version in the bunch, but is from the same squadron as the CAG Bird above, VF-213 “Black Lions” aboard the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt in March 2006. The upper surfaces are a mix of
Dark Gull Grey LP-36 and Imperial Japanese Navy Grey LP-15 (ratio of 3:1) over Dark Gull Grey LP-36. All markings are in various shades of grey.

The fourth version is for an aircraft of VF-101 “Grim Reapers,” circa 2004, with a dark grey over light grey scheme, the upper surfaces are a mix of Dark Gull Grey LP-36 and Imperial Japanese Navy Grey LP-15 (ratio of 3:1) over Light Gull Grey LP-37. The cockpit anti-glare panel, vertical tails, and ventral strakes appear in Black, with the tails bearing a red strip at their upper tips, and the squadron markings on the tail and strakes also appearing in red. Decals include an image of a Grim Reaper holding a scythe on both tails. There is a option for a shark’s mouth decal.

The fifth and final version is for an aircraft of VX-9 “Vampires” circa 1997. This is the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron based out of Point Mugu in the United States. It is painted overall Gloss Black, Tamiya LP-1, bearing a row of white stars on the upper and lower portions of the vertical tails in between thin red stripes. Markings for “Navy” and “VX-9” appear in white.

Conclusion

Modelers may well be blown away by the level of detail in this kit. It is pricey at $50.00 but the level of detail combined with Tamiya’s reputation for smooth kit engineering makes it well worth it — a comment not often seen about kit prices at Hangar 47. This is a beautiful, crisply molded 1/72 scale version of the F-14, a scaled down companion to Tamiya’s 1/48 F-14A (with modifications). The only complaint is that Tamiya is not quite as generous with armament as Academy was when they released their 1/72 F-14B in 2022: it contained twice as many Sidewinder and Sparrow missiles. This point aside, very highly recommended.

References

• Kit instructions
• www.globalsecurity.org
• Hangar 47 archive
• www.wikipedia.org