Revell 1/48 F-14D Tomcat

Price: $13.95

Decals : One set for VF-124

Date of Review: December 1995

Comments: I have built a bunch of Monogram's F-14s so this kit was not a surprise. The extra pieces to make a D model were the afterburners, new IR seeker, and new electronics bay cooling panel. Unchanged from the F-14A kit is the RIO's (the guy in the back seat) instrument console.  According to the F-14 Tomcat Walkaround by Verlindin, this should be different to include the updated avionics incorporated in the F-14D, so you'll have to do some scratchbuilding or leave it the way it is and hope no one notices (thanks to CJ Hamilton for the RIO panel info). All the pluses and minuses of the Monogram kit were unchanged. The detail is very good and raised. The fit is good to poor, and especially bad around the cockpit and just aft of the wings. It makes into a nice, large kit. I used kit bits throughout, including the decals. The only alteration I made was to change the modex (nose numbers) from 4xx to 1xx to represent the aircraft assigned to VF-124 when the unit disbanded. There are now aftermarket sheets for the four units flying the D version: VF-2, VF-11, VF-31, and VF-101 Det Miramar. Since this was originally written, it seems that the Miramar det will be gone. This is due mostly to NAS Miramar becoming MCAS Miramar and the F-14s all moving to Oceana.

As previously stated, this is just a rehash of the Monogram F-14A kit. If you've built one you know what to expect. It is reasonably priced and can be made into a super representation of Grumman's fastest fighter. It is also the only reasonably priced 1/48 F-14D around.

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