JASDF F-14J Kai Samurai Cat

[Fishbone]

Konnichiwa! Time for some What-if.

From Academy's 1/72nd scale USN VF-51 F-14A Tomcat into JASDF 3rd Tactical Fighter Squadron F-14J Samurai Cat. Decal will be design and custom by Fishbone Inc., based on the decals of F-2A and F-15DJ, I try my best to develop a set of decal just for this Samurai Car so no harm trying, it's a hobby after all!

Let's do this!

Academy F-14A Tomcat of VF-51 will be use for this project:


Before start a whole new What-if project, I'll habitually draft some concept arts:





So here's the decals, done the design & sent to print:


And I change the design of that samurai head into skeleton samurai, basically it's like Jolly Rogers + Samurai helmet:


Decals size-proofing before send to print, this is very important:




Done the design part, this is the cover art:



Now let's start dealing with the kit.
Academy kit, a good kit for you to train your sanding and putty-filling skill.



Fill the gaps with putty and sand like you mean it, sand till all the panel lines and details GONE so you need to spend time to re-scribe it later.


With my previous build - 1/72 Hobbyboss F-14D Super Tomcat VF-2 Bounty Hunter CAG:


Done major dry-fit:


After hours of sanding and putty filling and re-scribing.



Not going to change anything on the engine nozzles, maintain the TF30 engines:


Adding weight onto the nose by using fishing sinkers, cheap and useful:


I am not mean to be rude but Academy decals are really sucks for this version of F-14A! It'll peeling off when you touch it even after few hours!


AND since it's Whif and also JASDF theme, so I made some tiny lines on the nose cone just like JASDF F-2B:



Exhaust nozzles...not really happy with it so I think I will sand a little and make adjustment.


IMHO, this is a quite serious problems:


That's all for today and will be always updating the thread, thanks for viewing.

[DogfighterZen]

This is looking good.
That step on the underside seems to be a problem on most Tomcat kits, i've read about it a few times on reviews and other forums so yours is no exception.

[Dizzyfugu]

Inspired by this 1:32 Tomcat? 

https://www.facebook.com/Love.Scale.Models/photos/pcb.1651784761784309/1651784308451021/?type=3&theater

[Captain Canada]

Great work so far ! Love the Tomcat, and love that blue scheme, so this is going to be awesome !

[TheChronicOne]

Great idea, I can't wait to see it.  Blue-cat!   

[kantoku71]

wow this is awesome!
cant wait to see it finished!!!

[ChernayaAkula]

Cool project! 

Love the re-designed squadron patch. Truly inspired! 

[FAR148]

I love the way you think. Brilliant idea


Keep up the great work,
Steven L 

[Fishbone]

F-14J TF-40 Engine nozzle, tinted with clear blue & orange.


Pre-shading by Ultimate Black.


Anti-slip in progress.



C374 Shallow Ocean Blue.


Samurai Cat - C374 Shallow Ocean Blue & C375 Deep Ocean Blue. C374 シャロウオーシャンブルー & C375 ディープオーシャンブルー.











And done cockpit, a very simple one.

[KiwiZac]

Oh yes, I rather like this! That camo is superb!

[Old Wombat]

Looking good!


It scares me that some people plan their builds right down to decal placement before they put glue to styrene.

[NARSES2]

Oh yes, I rather like this! That camo is superb!

Totally agree 

Glad I'm not the only one who has multiple bottles of glue on his bench 

[PR19_Kit]

Superb work, but may I suggest smaller pics please? Your current ones are 3-4 times wider than most people's screens.

Restricting the width to 800 pixels or so fits most screens and doesn't degrade the quality all that much.

[silverwindblade]

This is beautiful! I love how right the F-14 looks in that colour scheme.
Great job with the decal planning too. It's going to look a treat when she's all done up.

I must second that picture re-sizing too though, smaller ones would not hurt.

[chrisonord]

WOW, this is looking very nice
Chris