F-14 Tomcat

[Taiidantomcat]

Yep, just as a quick note though it is tan, brown and dark green on the Asia Minor scheme....but black would look awesome! You can do a glass cockpit, its not that hard people replace instruments with glass a bunch these days because its cheaper to have screens. Iran treats their Tomcats like crown jewels, nothing is too expensive for them, a glass cockpit would be well worth the money.

unrelated note IAF Tomcat 1:100:

[GTX]

The Radar might get replaced with a newer Russian system, new ordnance adapters.  It'll still be a 14A at the base, so I can't do the glass cockpit, far as I know.

The radar change is a must, though you probably won't see any changes externally unless you open the radome.  A cockpit upgrade would be a must too and you could give it a Russian style IRST ball.   For a more Russian flavour (and taking the Flanker theme a bit further), you could also replace the glove vanes with canards and go triplane.  Another weapon choice (though I do like the R-27s) would be a pair of Kh-31s (either for Anti Ground Radar or Anti-AWACS).  Anyway, here is my quick drawing incorporating the AL-31FPs, canards and IRST:



As for scheme, I'm with Taiidantomcat on this - the latest blue/grey would be better (and still somewhat in line with the Flanker theme).  It is also what their F-14s are wearing now and thus would make people scratch their heads just that bit more when looking at your creation:




Regards,

Greg

[Sauragnmon]

True enough, a glass pit isn't too hard to do.  Radome Swap sounds good with no external change, could even get the radar from a 31E, that might fit in place, and would keep similar level of effectiveness.  IRST I could strip from the Fulcrum that already lost an engine for my Tigershark, same kit that'll donate R-27's.  Kh-31's is a thought, but I only have one now (the other's hanging under my Tigershark).  I don't know if the wing stations would hold Kh-31's to begin with, those would probably have to hang under the engines if anywhere, or a custom-hung centerline mount.

I'm not sure about the Canards, but I Think I can get a suitable looking idea if I pop the canards off my now defunct Su-34 Fullback.  I'll still have to search around the box and pray I can find the other R-73 somewhere.  The only reason I said F's instead of FP's is I'm not sure the visible difference between the two, and I'm popping my 31F's off the Su-34.

That blue/gray is quite a sexy paintjob, though I'll confess I'm going to have to approximate the blue section with a close paint I have, dark bluegray.  It's a close match, and I can put it against a gray which is good to set off the blue in it.  I still say that looks much like a naval strike scheme, but it's sexy as hell.

I'm sure if the Iranians could get the parts, they'd still have their full fleet in operation as well, especially if they could arm them fully instead of using them as AEW&C for lack of missiles.

[KJ_Lesnick]

GTX,

I really like this particular drawing


Even though it's a drawing it just seems to leap out of the page.


KJ Lesnick

[Taiidantomcat]

nice GTX! cool pictures and a great demonstration of the scheme  like the line drawing you did too 

I don't think the IRIAF is looking at color chips close is close enough im betting. i have seen some pics on Airliners.net that are painted an all (boring) gray

[Sauragnmon]

Close probably would count, and the colours I'm considering you can see on my Mightier Mo - the Aegis panels are done in the bluegray, and the pale gray that is the vertical surfaces would do a step towards setting off the blue in the gray, as opposed to my pale bluegray which turns up the gray in it more.

[ChernayaAkula]

Did FCM ever release the 144th scale decals for the AliCats? 

[Shasper]

Greg, could I offer a suggestion . . . Say a pair of Legacy Hornet style LEXs added to the leading edge of the intakes?

Shas b)

[GTX]

Greg, could I offer a suggestion . . . Say a pair of Legacy Hornet style LEXs added to the leading edge of the intakes?

Shas b)

Such that the intakes are shielded from above?

Regards,

Greg

[Shasper]

Yeah I guess . . . Here's a visual:







Shas b)

[dy031101]

This month's issue of Combat Aircraft magazine has an article and a series of illustrations on Iranian aircraft, including F-14 armed with R-73 and adopted MIM-23 missiles as well as F-4E with Kh-58.  Mentioned in the text included the latter's capability to use C-802K missiles as well.  I wonder how where on the Phantom the missiles are carried.

[Sauragnmon]

Yeah, I heard of an Iranian Tomcat adapted to carry a single Hawk missile in the tunnel.  I finally got my Tomcat, and I'm working on the cockpit section now.

Apparently the Iranians have managed to reverse engineer A-Model Phoenixes, there's a video on youtube of an Iranian Cat, in Modern Gray/Blue, being loaded with Phoenix Missiles.

Kh-58's aren't exceptionally huge missiles as I recall, only 15" diameter.  Similar size to a Harpoon or the C-802, they're probably carried either along the fuselage or on wing stations similar to the Standard ARM.

[Shasper]

Dunno about in the tunnel Sau, but at least 2 a/c (according to CA) were modded to carry the I-Hawk SAM on the glove pylons, but this arrangement hasnt made it past R&D. . . .

Hmm, Wonder if the Russkies would be crazy enough to sell the Ayatollahs the AA-9? Its said the Amos (and the radar used in the Foxhound) is based off the Phoenix & the AWG-9 system so in theory its possible to put the missile on the F-14.


Shas

[GTX]

Dunno about in the tunnel Sau, but at least 2 a/c (according to CA) were modded to carry the I-Hawk SAM on the glove pylons, but this arrangement hasnt made it past R&D. . . .

Yes - here's a pic of one:



Regards,

Greg

[Daryl J.]

Could one use the canopy and cockpit tub of the F-14 as a base to start a Lockheed CL-288 (variant) scratchbuild?     The upscaled F-104 derivative looks to have a F-14-like canopy.   


Daryl J., with not enough time to do this to the 1/48 Monogram kit