The F-14 has long been a favorite subject for aftermarket decal manufactures as far as modern era jets go.

This is one of CAMs 13 offerings specifically for the F-14, with this sheet having markings for 2 long serving fighter squadrons.

             The instruction sheet is black & white line drawings, with one full side view and a ½ top view for each aircraft.   Both aircraft can be done from this sheet, which is defiantly a rarity.  There are two sets of common markings, national insignia, & formation lights.  Just about all the smaller stenciling is readable.  Both aircraft are overall light ghost gray, simplifying painting greatly for the modeler.  The Hasegawa & Monogram kits are recommended.

             The first a/c is an F-14B from the world famous & instantly recognizable “Jolly Rogers”, with the current squadron designation of VF-103.All the markings on this aircraft are either black or white. The smaller white stripe for the tail fins is provided as a decal, eliminating some of the need for masking & painting that area.  Four smaller sashes are provided for the external tanks.  The formation light decals are a very light gray/green color. I did find a small inaccuracy while looking at a Koku-Fan that featured several color photographs of about five VF-103 aircraft.  The fuselage sash on the actual aircraft does not actually touch the national insignia, as there is a thin, but very visible break in the sash above & below the nation insignia that allows the light gray color of the a/c to show through.  These particular decals on the sheet are all one piece, but a molder with reasonable skill with an X-acto knife should be able to correct it. 

             Next is the CO’s F-14D from the “Black Lions” of VF-213, a unit that can trace its lineage back to 1955 when it flew the F4D Skyray, completed several Viet Nam war cruises in the F-4, & was among the earliest fighter units to transition to the F-14.  The data on this a/c is the more typical dark gray, with the royal blue & yellow decals providing the only color in this scheme.  The modeler will have to match the blue of the decals to paint the fin caps.

             Both units still continue to fly their respective models of the F-14 today.

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