F-14c Strikecat

[coops213]

I've started another what-if F-14. This time it's to be a very early model. My idea is to paint it up in South-East Asia camouflage. I've filed down the nose a bit and converted it to a single seated, the theory being that it would be a fast strike aircraft with limited A-A capability.





For loadout, I'll try and cram as many Mk-82 snakeyes as I can underneath it. I think 12 will fit, distributed over one MER and two TERs. I'll put some rohet pods on the shoulder pylons as well as some sidewinders.

Chris

P.S. This ones 1/144 too

[AeroplaneDriver]

I love what you've done to the nose and cockpit.  It looks nothing like a Tomcat, but something earlier instead.

[coops213]

Thanks AeroplaneDriver. I think the nose turned out looking a little like one of those snub-nosed phantoms, just by clipping about 3mm off the end. The reasoning behind this was that for the strike role it would not need such a powerful A-A radar.

Chris

[GTX]

With the main radar changed and the RIO gone, you could do this as a down graded export version - kind of like how the Soviets (and even the west did to an extent - think F-16/79 proposal) used to do.

Regards,

Greg

[coops213]

I might have to make another one later as an export version then! I'm sure I saw a whiff model of a Canadian tomcat once. I think it was a single seater too.

But this one will definitely be USAF with SEA camouflage, I've been itching to do a tomcat in something other than boring grey for some time.

Chris

[noxioux]

SEA Bombcat?  Very cool.  It would be cool to develop some different whiff Naval SEA schemes as well. . .

[coops213]

A bit more progress on this one. I've masked up the canopy and glued it on. Hopefully I've patched up my surgery enough so it doesn't show.




I'm also going to give it some far less chunky nose gear. Probably something more like the F-15.


For markings I'm thinking of getting hold of some superscale F-105 Vietnam markings. I think this one would look awesome with an F-4 style shark mouth.

Chris

[Daryl J.]

Jolly good!   And, no, that is not a reference to VF-84.  

Love the idea.
Daryl J.

[elmayerle]

That suggests an interesting posibility, a "Strikecat" done up in the camo patterns the USN tested over Vietnam.  I could such a finish being effective for that purpose.  Hmm....

Anyway, it's looking fascinating so far.

[Maverick]

Looking good Coops, once again 144th and just bloody fine.

Don't know about USN cammies though, the schemes tested were found to be a pain on the carrier, which is why I believe they didn't continue on with 'em.

AF works for me, sharkmouth is a natch and a Thud or F-4 unit would be more than appropriate, although I'd lean more towards the Thud.  Maybe since there's a shark mouth involved, go 23rd TFW 'Flying Tigers'.  They were a Thud unit IRL over SE Asia.

Regards,

Mav

[elmayerle]

Actually, I thought the USN discontinued the camo efforts because they didn't appear to work that well and were a right pain to maintain in a carrier environment.  Certainly there were never very many aircraft tested in them, I know of only four RA-5Cs and I don't think many more of any of the others flew in camo.

I agree with Maverick, though, the markings of a Thud unit would be quite appropriate as would the camo pattern, though I could also see getting some inspiration from the F-111 SEA camo pattern.

[Shasper]

IIRC Ev, a couple of A-6s & some of the one-off F-4Gs were used in the camo trials ( I'd like to say there was an A-1 involved as well, but that might just be a figment of my imagination   ).

Coop, maybe this would help you w/t load-out arrangement:



If you need a bigger view drop me a PM.



Shas B)

[elmayerle]

Ah, yes,.  Thanks, Shas for that pic of the dumb bomb carriage trials on one of the F-14 prototypes.  As i remember, that's 12 500 lb bombs in four columns of three bombs each and the pylons looked liked mod'd Phoenxi pylons (at least that's what I'd use).

[anthonyp]

Actually, from that pic, it looks like three rows of four dumb bombs, with two more on either side of the arrestor hook housing (total 14).  Talk about a bomb truck    

[coops213]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

With regards to camouflage on USN aircraft, weren't there some A-7s during desert storm which had brown and tan camo? Not exactly camouflage for a marine environment mind you.

Shasper, after doing some test fitting with the bombs I intend to use I've found that 4 bombs side by side in the tunnel would be too tight a fit. So my plan is to put an MER in the tunnel wit 6 Mk-83s on it, and two TERs side by side up front just behind the nose gear. I'll also have TERs under the shoulder pylons with two rocket pods each. That's the plan anyway.

I also want to but the IFR receptor on the spine, but then where should I put the antennas and junk that normally live there?