FCM has been producing quality Tomcat sheets for all scale modelers for a few years and this one just adds to a growing catologue of fine kits. This particular sheet covers VF-211's late F-14As as flown during Southern Watch during late 1997. The two options on the sheet are both in the tactical paint scheme (TPS) with one being the commanding officer's aircraft and the second one a standard line bird.

The CO's plane is decked in a festive scheme with Santa Claus on the fin and their checkered tails in a appropriate red and green color scheme. Many units had specially painted Christmas aircraft, though the colors and artwork usually disappeared before the aircraft returned from deployment.

The decals are superbly printed by Microscale and offer sufficient markings to allow both aircraft to be modeled. This includes a rather extensive data suite. The full color instructions show exactly where all these bits will fit and also provide the weapons load used during this period. It includes cluster bombs mounted on the Phoenix pallets with a flir pod on one wing pylon and a Phoenix on the other. It really is a most interesting load-out.

A note in that these are late A model Tomcats with the NACA type canon air inlets so one needs to use Hasegawa 09884 or similar kits.