1:72 F-14B Tomcat

The Tomcat that got new engines

The F-14B version came out of the need to get rid of the troublesome TF30 powerplants, which had given the US Navy worries in violent maneuvers from the start. They were replaced by General Electric F110-GE-400 engines with markedly higher thrust; thanks to them the aircraft left the deck with more confidence and the pilot could handle the throttle far more freely. The variable-geometry wing, the two-man crew and the long-range missiles all stayed, and in the 1990s the ability to carry a targeting pod and to fill a strike role was added.

Box contents

This is a combined set: one box holds several sheets that are otherwise sold separately, plus self-adhesive templates for the glazing. Both the cockpit and the external surface of the airframe are covered - instrument panels, seat belts, grilles, flaps and small items of fuselage equipment.

Working with thin metal

The parts are separated by pressing a blade against a hard surface, never by twisting. Bends come out cleanly in a bending tool, or at least over the edge of a razor blade held down with a ruler. Printed color faces are not varnished, they are only fixed with a drop of super glue applied with the tip of a wire.

When to fit the parts

The set assumes a part-built model and suits a more experienced modeler: a substantial part of the metal goes in before the fuselage halves are glued together, so plan the build ahead.

Looking after your tools

A blade used for separating metal goes blunt quickly, and a blunt blade bends the parts instead of cutting them. It pays to change it more often than you would think, and to work over a light surface, where a small piece can be seen if it flies off.