What in the Sam Hill did the USAF do now?

[SigfanUSAF]

[PR19_Kit]

They could have done worse too......... 

Nice model there, it'll be even better with the wheels.  What scale and kit is it, etc. ?

[deathjester]

Really nice - reminds me of a colour scheme from Ace Combat Zero.  Far too much like common sense though, so no chance they'd have bought it!! 

[sturmvogel]

Grumman actually offered the F-14 to the Air Force as an interceptor as a replacement for the F-106.

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Looks good so far. Any kit details ??

Ian

[SigfanUSAF]

This is pretty much an OOB Revell 1/48 F14D Supertomcat

[kerick]

The AIM-54 Phoenix missles must have made too much sense for an air defence intercepter.

[PR19_Kit]

Of course the biggest problem for the USAF even thinking about using the F-14 was that it had 'N A V Y' printed all through it like a stick of rock!

I'm always astonished that they adopted the F-4!

[pyro-manic]

I must say I really don't like the camo scheme you've chosen, but that's purely personal preference. It'll be impressive when finished.

I would think about the RF socket - maybe move it to the top of one of the wing gloves, similar to the F-15? I'm not sure it'd actually work tilted to the side like that. Other than that, cool.

PS: Who is Sam Hill, anyway?

[SigfanUSAF]

The AIM-54 Phoenix missles must have made too much sense for an air defence intercepter.

I always wondered why the USAF didn't employ them like the USN.

[SigfanUSAF]

I must say I really don't like the camo scheme you've chosen, but that's purely personal preference. It'll be impressive when finished.

I would think about the RF socket - maybe move it to the top of one of the wing gloves, similar to the F-15? I'm not sure it'd actually work tilted to the side like that. Other than that, cool.

PS: Who is Sam Hill, anyway?

It's the Hill Gray II scheme, used on Phantoms. Easy, and better than plain gray.

That's where the refueling socket is on the USN F14s....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:F-14_Tomcat_preparing_to_refuel.jpg

I don't know as to the Sam Hill thing

[SigfanUSAF]

Of course the biggest problem for the USAF even thinking about using the F-14 was that it had 'N A V Y' printed all through it like a stick of rock!

I'm always astonished that they adopted the F-4!

I'm glad they did. My instructor in my "fundies" class at SAFB way back when was an ex-F4 Phantom crew chief. He had some great stories.

[PR19_Kit]

That's where the refueling socket is on the USN F14s....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:F-14_Tomcat_preparing_to_refuel.jpg

The F-14, as with all other USN combat aircraft, uses the 'probe and drogue' IFR system, you can see the probe sticking out quite clearly in your linked piccie.

The great majority of USAF aircraft use the 'Flying Boom' IFR system and that uses a 'socket', not a 'probe' on the receiver aircraft. The problem with mounting such a socket on the slant like you have depicted is it would need the boom on the tanker to articulate in two directions and the receiver would need to fly offset a specific distance from the tanker's centre line, not an easy task.

[SigfanUSAF]

The USAF thought of that one

[Logan Hartke]

If the USAF had gone with the F-14, they'd have given it a receptacle just like they did with their other teen series fighters (and their F-4s).

Cheers,

Logan