1:32 F-14A open & closed exhaust nozzles Trumpeter Kit

F-14A exhaust nozzles in 1:32 scale (Reskit)

This is a resin replacement set for the large 1:32 scale, not an airplane kit. According to the name it holds nozzles in both the open and the closed position, so you can choose how the engine section will look on the finished model, or combine both positions. The set is cut for the Trumpeter kit and replaces its plastic parts.

The real subject

The F-14A is a twin-engine carrier airplane with variable-geometry wings. Its exhaust nozzle is formed by a ring of overlapping petals whose diameter changes with the engine setting: on parked machines the nozzles tend to be open, and at higher thrust they close down. That is exactly why in modeling practice one nozzle is often built open and the other closed. In the large scale the whole ring of petals, the inner wedges and the thin trailing edges are clearly visible, and that is precisely where a plastic part out of a mold departs most from reality.

Building and painting tips

Wash the parts first in lukewarm water with a drop of dish soap, so that no residue of mold release agent is left on the surface. Cut the original plastic nozzles off along the inner edge of the rear fuselage and level the face on glass with sanding paper, so that the resin part seats with no step. Dry-fit repeatedly and add a check of the diameter; glue only once the part seats without being forced. The inside of the nozzle is painted in metal shades with a gradual transition into a smoked tone at the trailing edge, and the outer petals rather in a lighter metal with a fine difference between the individual segments.

Who the set is for

• Modelers building the big Tomcat who want a faithful engine section.
• Builders with experience of resin and of reworking plastic parts.
• Anyone interested in being able to build both nozzle positions at once.
• Exhibitors bothered by the simplified shape of the parts from the kit.

The set is an accessory, not a complete model. It is supplied unassembled and unpainted; the kit, glue and paints are not included in the package.