Hi this is my second article here to ARC and hopefully more to come. First and foremost, I would like to say thank you to a good friend of mine Brian Plescia, who helped me so much not only with this jet but many others. Brian also set up a date for me on 04/04/04 to give this model to VX-9 at NAS PT. MUGU, CA. Not only did I get to give this model to VX-9 but I got to meet most of the pilots from VX-9 but also tour the flight line and see nothing but TOMCATS! Man is was great being up-close to so many TOMCATS at once. Got to take pics of my favorite 2 squads(VX-9 and VX-30). I had only seen VANDY 1 once when I was a kid but then it was  an A model. It looks even better in person. It's nice to be on a base taking pics when there's no one around except you friends like Brian and John Bibay and the VX-9 and VX-30 crews. After we were done taking pics we got to watch VANDY 1 and jet #201 from VX-30(NF-14D) light up there engines and go through pre-flight checks before take off. I was so excited because I had never been so close to any jet let alone the TOMCAT when there on and going through their routine. After that Brian, John, and my mom and I were taken down to the end of the runway by the great people from VX-9 to watch VANDY 1 and jet#201 take off. As we were waiting other aircraft took off such as E-2C, C-130 and a few other small transports. Finally VANDY and jet#201 took off, VANDY 1 first. It pulled up off the ground to only about 2 stories or so high, it was real low, pulled its gears up and stayed level coming straight for us. This thing was haulin' A$$, the afterburner was on as it got close and close I was just waiting for that beautiful sound that all of us TOMCAT fans love. Finally I flew over us staying at that low altitude the whole time. Man it was so loud, I couldn't believe how loud that was. The ground shook and my ears where def for a sec. I couldn't even hear my self think or talk. As it flew over us it pulled into a vertical climb, disappearing into the sun. As soon as I turned back the other TOMCAT pulled up a little short of the end of the run way and climbed right after VANDY 1 in chase. After that we went back to VX-9's office were I got a shirt and patches. This was one of the best days of my life, I got to make one of my Favorite Squads a model and got to get up-close to these TOMCATS that I like so much, all because of Brian Plescia. I wouldn't have been able to do non of this if it wasn't for Brian. So once again Thank You Brian for this I will never forget that day. You really are a great guy who did something great for me that really no other people get to do.  Thanks!!!!

Ok on to the model, it is the 1/48 Hasegawa F-14D kit. You its that that bad of a kit this being my 2nd one. People complain about the fir problems but there not to bad they just take some time and patience. It's the best game in town in 1/48, the detail is great, yeah it's expensive but worth it. I added the BB F-14D kit with some mods to the Lantirn control because there isn't on, so I took one from an F-18 kit and chopped it down a bit and put the Square PTDS screen.

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Painting and Weathering:
I used Model Masters Flat Black for the the whole plane. I sprayed it using my Aztec air brush. After that was dry I weathered the top by only doing a few panels here and there. Even though this bird looks clean it isn't. The top has faded panels but just not as much as the other Low Viz Cats. I then detailed the the wheel wells, front and back with different size wires. I also added wire to the gears but you can't see them in pics (I should have taken better pics). Put a few coats of Future on the wells and gears and they were ready for a wash. I used the Pastel Chalk and soap water technique and this works great. I used black chalk for the wells and gears. After that I painted the Anti-glare panel Flat Black and the window along with the canopy. I also painted on the walk ways and weathered those with drybrushing so light grey and white. Then I gave the whole plane about 3 coats of Model Masters Semi-Gloss Clear Coat and it was ready for decals.

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Decals: 

I used a combination of Both CAM and my own decals, as I make and sell my own. I use used the Hi Viz Stencial data and the 2 bands on the tail. I made the pilots names on the bunny on the tail my self.  Again this infor. was provided by Brian.  For some reason the set of CAM decals I had kept cracking and falling apart. So I had to get another one but I got these free as I explained my problem and these went on great. I gave them a couple coats of MR. Softner and let them dry. I then sealed it
off with 3 more light coats of Semi-Gloss.

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Scratch Built and Weapons:
I got the metal bomb rack from a friend. I had the Lantirn Pod but no pylon so the easiest thing to do was convert and Phoenix rail that comes with the kit. Cut it down a bit got the right shape and made cuts where the pod it's self would go and added the
little detail on it. I then scratch made the little adapter that goes on the pod by using putty and plastic card cut to shape and size.  
I then painted that up an made chips on the pod with my knife and gave that a wash. It came out great. I loaded it with 2 AIM-9's, 1 Lantirn Pod, 1 JDAM and 1 EGBU-28 which had to have the nose extended  and the body extended slightly. I painted it a bright Flousecent Orange from Infor. that I got from Brian. I told you he help out alot with infor. The intake and exhaust covers where made with Masking tape cut to shape and then paint black and adding stripes that I made on my computer.

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This is one of the Photos John Bibay took that he posted here on ARC a Couple of weeks ago and one of mine.

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That's it I hope you like it! I am almost done with my Tamiya 1/32 F-14A converted to a D model and it will be the 201 jet from VX-30.
Again thanks to Brian Plescia and to everyone at VX-9 for being so nice and having my mom and I that day.
Mike