Review of FCM 1/48TH Scale
F-14A Tomcat VF-33 Decal
Set no. 48032
By Ray Mehlberger
Available at Sprue Bros for $15.49 marked down from $17.00
By Ray Mehlberger
Available at Sprue Bros for $15.49 marked down from $17.00
HISTORY:
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. It was the first such U.S. jet fighter with twin tails. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program after the collapse of the F-111B project.
The F-14 was the first of the American Teen Series fighters, which were designed incorporating air combat experience against MiG fighters during the Vietnam War.
The F-14 first flew on 21 December 1970 and made its first deployment in 1974 with the U.S. Navy aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65), replacing the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. The F-14 served as the U.S. Navy's primary maritime air superiority fighter, fleet defense interceptor, and tactical aerial reconnaissance platform into the 2000s.
The Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) pod system were added in the 1990s and the Tomcat began performing precision ground-attack missions.
In the 1980s, F-14s were used as land-based interceptors by the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force during the Iran–Iraq War, where they saw combat against Iraqi warplanes. Iranian F-14s reportedly shot down at least 160 Iraqi aircraft during the war, while only 12 to 16 Tomcats were lost; at least half of these losses were due to accidents.
The Tomcat was retired from the U.S. Navy's active fleet on 22 September 2006, having been supplanted by the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The F-14 remains in service with Iran's air force, having been exported to Iran in 1976. In November 2015, reports emerged of Iranian F-14s flying escort for Russian Tupolev Tu-95, Tu-160 and Tu-22M bombers on air strikes in Syria.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Interceptor, air superiority, and multirole fighter
National origin: United States
Manufacturer: Grumman Aerospace Corporation
First flight: 21 December 1970
Introduction to service: 22 September 1974
Retired: 22 September 2006 (United States Navy)
Current status: In service with the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
Primary users: United States Navy (historical), Imperial Iranian Air Force (historical), Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
Produced: 1969–1991
Number built: 712
Unit cost: U.S. $38 million (1998) ($19.2 million in 1977)
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. It was the first such U.S. jet fighter with twin tails. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program after the collapse of the F-111B project.
The F-14 was the first of the American Teen Series fighters, which were designed incorporating air combat experience against MiG fighters during the Vietnam War.
The F-14 first flew on 21 December 1970 and made its first deployment in 1974 with the U.S. Navy aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65), replacing the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. The F-14 served as the U.S. Navy's primary maritime air superiority fighter, fleet defense interceptor, and tactical aerial reconnaissance platform into the 2000s.
The Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) pod system were added in the 1990s and the Tomcat began performing precision ground-attack missions.
In the 1980s, F-14s were used as land-based interceptors by the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force during the Iran–Iraq War, where they saw combat against Iraqi warplanes. Iranian F-14s reportedly shot down at least 160 Iraqi aircraft during the war, while only 12 to 16 Tomcats were lost; at least half of these losses were due to accidents.
The Tomcat was retired from the U.S. Navy's active fleet on 22 September 2006, having been supplanted by the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The F-14 remains in service with Iran's air force, having been exported to Iran in 1976. In November 2015, reports emerged of Iranian F-14s flying escort for Russian Tupolev Tu-95, Tu-160 and Tu-22M bombers on air strikes in Syria.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Interceptor, air superiority, and multirole fighter
National origin: United States
Manufacturer: Grumman Aerospace Corporation
First flight: 21 December 1970
Introduction to service: 22 September 1974
Retired: 22 September 2006 (United States Navy)
Current status: In service with the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
Primary users: United States Navy (historical), Imperial Iranian Air Force (historical), Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
Produced: 1969–1991
Number built: 712
Unit cost: U.S. $38 million (1998) ($19.2 million in 1977)
THE SET:
FCM is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
This decal set comes in a self-sealing clear cello bag.
FCM is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
This decal set comes in a self-sealing clear cello bag.
It contains one decal sheet and color and marking instructions.
The instructions is 8 ¼” x 11” format, folded in the center to fit the cello bag, It is printed in full color on both sides on slick-coated paper.
The face side shows 2 side views and a top view of the F-14A Tomcats from VF-33 C.A.G. U.S.S. America -1992.
The first one is light-gull grey, with a black border around the cockpit that extends into an anti-glare panel in front of the cockpit and two all black rudders. One rudder has a yellow lightning bolt with a large white star atop it, with small yellow U.S.S. America at the bottom. The other rudder has a yellow A B on its flap.
The aircraft has a red no, 200 outlined in yellow on the side of its nose, black NAVY below the elevators and a black fuselage strake below the tail that has yellow VF-33 on it and is outlined in yellow. It is a F-14A-95-GR no. 160381. Under the elevator is the serial no. F-14A over 160381. It has a steel color exhaust cone.
The second Tomcat is a F-14A-75-GR no 159427 in the same color scheme, except for black serial no. 210 on the side of its nose. Its one rudder is light gull-grey with a yellow lightning bolt outlined in black with a large black star. The other rudder has a black A B down its flap. On the strake below the fuselage it has black VF-33. It has black serial no. F-14A over 159427 under the elevator.
The top view (good for both aircrafts) shows their nose numbers, 200 or 210 repeated at the rear of the wings in black and the inner flaps a dark grey and wing walks dark grey also.
A color illustration of the unit badge is shown too.
In one corner is the suggested colors listing. In another corner is a web address for photo references.
Artwork is by the owner of FCM: Felipe C. Miranda. The set was made in Brazil and printed by Micro Scale.
The reverse side of the instructions has application instructions for the stencil markings as a 4-view line drawing.
The face side shows 2 side views and a top view of the F-14A Tomcats from VF-33 C.A.G. U.S.S. America -1992.
The first one is light-gull grey, with a black border around the cockpit that extends into an anti-glare panel in front of the cockpit and two all black rudders. One rudder has a yellow lightning bolt with a large white star atop it, with small yellow U.S.S. America at the bottom. The other rudder has a yellow A B on its flap.
The aircraft has a red no, 200 outlined in yellow on the side of its nose, black NAVY below the elevators and a black fuselage strake below the tail that has yellow VF-33 on it and is outlined in yellow. It is a F-14A-95-GR no. 160381. Under the elevator is the serial no. F-14A over 160381. It has a steel color exhaust cone.
The second Tomcat is a F-14A-75-GR no 159427 in the same color scheme, except for black serial no. 210 on the side of its nose. Its one rudder is light gull-grey with a yellow lightning bolt outlined in black with a large black star. The other rudder has a black A B down its flap. On the strake below the fuselage it has black VF-33. It has black serial no. F-14A over 159427 under the elevator.
The top view (good for both aircrafts) shows their nose numbers, 200 or 210 repeated at the rear of the wings in black and the inner flaps a dark grey and wing walks dark grey also.
A color illustration of the unit badge is shown too.
In one corner is the suggested colors listing. In another corner is a web address for photo references.
Artwork is by the owner of FCM: Felipe C. Miranda. The set was made in Brazil and printed by Micro Scale.
The reverse side of the instructions has application instructions for the stencil markings as a 4-view line drawing.
This is one neat decal sheet. It will be of great interest to modelers who are planning to build a F-14A in 1/48th scale and aircraft historians alike.
I want to thank FCM and its owner Felipe C. Miranda for this review sample.
All FCM decal sets can be viewed on their site at:
I want to thank FCM and its owner Felipe C. Miranda for this review sample.
All FCM decal sets can be viewed on their site at: