Grumman F-14A TOMCAT
Carrier-borne Fighter (VF-14)
Hasegawa 1:72
by Don Murphy
FIGHTING FOURTEEN
Squadron Name: The Tophatters
Call Sign: Camelot
Date Received First Tomcat: July 1973
Fleet Location: Atlantic
Date Disbanded: October 2001
Kit: Hasegawa F-14A Tomcat in 1/72nd scale
The history of VF-14 dates back to the origins of Naval Aviation. Its
record of continous active service began in September 1919 making it
the Navy's oldest active squadron. Since its inception, the squadron
has flown 24 different type aircraft and operated from 17 different
aircraft carriers plus several battleships. Its carrier career started
with the US Navy's first aircraft carrier, the USS Langley in 1926. The
squadron, then designated Fighter Plane Squadron ONE, established a
record for carrier landings in a single day. Flying the TS-1 aircraft,
127 traps were completed. VF-14 proved to be a formidable foe during
WWII. While embarked in USS Ranger, they provided air support for the
invasion of North Africa. In November 1944, the squadron transferred to
the Pacific Fleet and participated in the Leyte Campaign embarked in
USS Bunker Hill. In 1949, the Tophatters received their current
designation as VF-14 with an all weather intercept mission. In May
1963, the Tophatters transitioned to the F-4B Phantom II. With the
commisioning of USS John F. Kennedy in 1968, the Navy's oldest squadron
found itself on the newest carrier. After four highly succesful Med
deployments, the squadron transitioned to the Navy's newest fighter,
the F-14A Tomcat in January 1974. Between June 1975 and January 1976,
VF-14 deployed on USS John F. Kennedy for the first Atlantic deployment
of the F-14A. October and early November 1983 found VF-14 logging
combat time in support of operation "Urgent Fury" in Grenada. This was
the squadron's first combat since Vietnam, and first in the F-14.
Click on Image to Enlarge
The extremely high-end
Hasegawa F-14 "Grim Reapers" kit is the base for this early bird. With
a box stuffed full of 180 plastic and photo etched parts, there's
enough stuff to do an F-14A, F-14A+, F-14B and F-14D Tomcat. Hasegawa
boxes this kit frequently for their special issues. This particular
special issue was entitled "Grumman F-14 Tomcat Bicentenial Markings."
Inside was a specialized decal sheet enabling the builder to make two
hi-viz birds: the red, white and blue stars and stripes of VF-124, and
this rare scheme from the Tophatters. For most of their career,
VF-14's tails have been plain grey with a black hat in the ring. But
this scheme sent things over the top. Using the Navy's Cold War
tactical paint scheme of Gloss Gull Grey on top and Gloss White on
bottom, things were pretty bright. Add Gloss White tails and nosecone
and it stands out.
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As previously mentioned,
there's 180 parts in the box with every option imaginable. So the
builder needs to reeeeeeeeally know their F-14's. Using the provided
parts, I backdated the kit to a 1976 F-14A. One of the exhaust cans is
in normal and the other in full afterburner. Notice the photoetch
engine rings! Just one of the many extreme detail parts that Hasegawa
gives you to send your bird over the top. Add upper and lower
airbrakes with the option to display them open or closed and you have a
winning combination. I used Testor's Modelmaster Jet Exhaust for the
exhaust cans and for the brake edges, I used Testor's Modelmaster Paint
Pen Gloss Red.
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Like all high-end Hasegawa
kits, no weapons are included. However you do get all pylons, two fuel
tanks, a TARPS pod and some dummy AIM-7 Sparrow missiles (counter
weight for the TARPS pod). Luckily I have a million of Hasegawa's
aftermarket sets and their Aircraft In Action Weapon Set Three provided
the six AIM-54 Phoenix missiles and two AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles for
this classic Tomcat air superiority loadout. Also notice the main
landing gears: there's about eight pieces for each one! Again, this is
not a weekend build. I was about 89% done with this kit prior to
having the house to myself and just touched up a few things that needed
doing and voila' - all done.
Click on Image to Enlarge
Although the kit does
contain parts to do every model and version of the Tomcat imaginable, I
chose to build her with the canopy closed. This shaved a handful of
hours worth of heavy duty work off of the total build time. Having
said that though, it is a shame when you glance inside the box at all
the stuff Hasegawa gives you! The Tophatters were one of the first
F-14A Tomcat squadrons so I chose to do an extremely early "A" version,
which again, the kit's parts support. By the way, the wings remove for
storage. You should build them either swept forward or back, but I
just leave them in there loose.
Click on Image to Enlarge
Fighting Fourteen would
remain users of the F-14A for their entire careers. With exceptional
sharpshooting skills, the squadron was in high demand as air
superiority and was retained in a fighter role. As a result, they
missed the bombcat equipping until later in their career. In December
of 2001 VF-14 became VFA-14 and transitioned to the new F/A-18E Super
Hornet. There are markings available (in all scales) of VF-14's "75th
Anniversary" markings, but prior to this kit, there was no Bicentennial
sheet available.
Cheers,
Don
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