Complete build of the new Tamiya 1/48 F14 D tomcat with weathering 

How can you not be a Tom Cat fan?? Even the Navy wants it back

Hi, Andy. From what I have been reading of your efforts on your RU-vid channel, you, your partners, and staff have been amazingly busy. Congratulations on these remarkable developments, and may they grow as far as you lot can envision. Mike Reeves, thank you for your excellent build of one of the handful of excellent combat aircraft during my lifetime. On that point, when will Tamiya issue a 1:32nd-scale kit of the Grumman F-14D Super Tomcat USN carrier-based, air superiority fighter? Tamiya makes an older kit of the F-14A in this larger proportion, the early variant with various performance and maintenance issues; I understand that this latter, larger kit assembles to a good model, though rather like its real-world twin, it also could do with some improvements. Toward this, I would like us modellers to see a comprehensive mixed media (resin, photo-etch, 3D, masks, rod, wire, strip stock, etc.) detail set to correct and/or improve the F-14A replica. As I do not anticipate any top-quality 1:32nd-scale F-14D model anytime soon, I especially would like for us kit-builders to see a conversion set to update this F-14A model to the newer variant. BTW, in looking up the F-14D online, I have learnt that its full name is: Grumman F-14D Super Tomcat U.S. Navy carrier-based, supersonic, twin-engine, tandem two-seat, twin-tail, all-weather-capable, variable-geometry airfoil, air superiority fighter.

Thank you. Interesting techniques with spay bomb, the salt and the leveling thinner on the clears.

The hint about applying Tamiya Clear X-22 was very useful! Thank you!

Very beautiful build! For this aircraft, I pay most attention to the painting and weathering job. Also, this short video was a good chance to see a condensed presentation of the project. For a more thorough step-by-step presentation, I turn to the Tamiya F-14A build on Scale-A-Ton. However, that presentation is spread over about a dozen separate uploads, and takes days to watch. Yours is a nicely condensed overview of the build which allows familiarity to be gained with Tamiya‘s new release. Thank you for sharing your beautiful work! Oh, and thank you for the Tchaikovsky, as well.

Absolutely lovely panel lines! Very subtle. I'm bookmarking this.

Finished product looked great. I agree some people go wayyy overboard on the weathering. One was an absolute disaster it was so overdone.

Great build

hi Andy, i recognize you from a thousand years ago when you and your dad own that hobby store in El Cajon, CA. it's been a while. it is good to see you again. how is your dad?

Very beautiful and great job guys !

that aircraft, bullet 100, was the fac-a for us when my battalion pushed into northern Baghdad on april 10, 2003. they dropped danger close 500 lb lgbs block by block as we went..truly impressive

Excellent build, and I thought Mike as a commentator was actually really nice! My sort of voice for videos; subdued but not boring

Can hardly wait to pick one up! While I did miss seeing them on the flightline before I retired, I don't miss the feeling of getting blown into the safety nets on the roof!!

Bought this model yesterday, so excited to get into the build.

Excellent job & video too! Thank you for posting your video(s)!

Great job Mike.

That salt trick is pretty slick.

Tomcats forever baby!

I love the idea of having “guest modelers”, especially for subjects that aren’t your primary interest. Minor constructive criticism for Mike. Show us more building, and more close ups of the parts. Don’t just talk to a pile of parts, I want to see how you do it. Thanks for devoting the time to do the vid for us. I gave you a “thumbs up!”

Fantastic job!

Looks good, but I’m curious why you sanded off the rear step on the fuselage that’s supposed to be there.

Phase Hangar resin make great products. Mike had a a 400 gallon center tank for my A-4M. Only place to find that.

Poor Mike,always looks like a deer caught in the headlights when he's in front of the camera...LOL

Stellar work Mike.

Big Andy...Little Andy

Funny, I was just thinking you could do with a shot or 2 of Scotch to help with the shakes!

Great build. Cool salt technique

The Mr. Hobby leveling thinner for a slick surface is an old Matt McDoogle trick. He may not be the first to use this method but he made it famous.

Looks like most of the birds I used to see in the hanger bay on the carriers I was on.

Stunning work 👍

Nice build Mike

Brilliant video! Fantastic job MIke

Looking forward to see more aircrafts on your channel. Learned quite a lot from this vid. Cheers from Poland!

Great job Mike! Really like what you did.

Very nice build

Great show Andy 👍🇦🇺

Great build, but as an inexperienced modeler, I wish you would show us how you do your techniques, especially paint/weathering, rather than just showing the finished product. The Tomcat looks incredible!

Yet another amazing model. Great job.

Nice build Mike. Looks like you've got this model airplane thing figured out. Lol.

Nice. Thanks Andy

very cool!

Wundervoll, sehr professionell erklärt eine gute Idee ein Freund einzuladen. Thx

bad ass guys!

Beautiful build. I am curious as to when the Navy started using light and dark ghost grey. I know they were using light and dark gull grey and white depending on the timeline.

I already built the f-14a from Tamiya and i bought this f-14d recently. So in future i will have two brothers.

Nice kit.

Nice video thank you

Nice build mike! Enjoyed following it on mediocre modelers group!

Nice one Mike....you've got a great voice for this! You've got some awesome friends Andy! 👍🏻🤜🏻🤛🏻

Why wouldnt you use the leveling thinner and the X22 and bypass the laquer thinner,i never get dry spots when i use this method,just spray it on wet

F A N T A S T I C!!!

Why don’t you add the leveler into the mix with x22 and lacquer thinner!

looks good to me see as you post em

For me it looks reasonably right weathered, even if I prefer over weathered, but anyway, looks stunning

Full build vid would have been great...please, keep posting plane vids! Thank you

Andy, how much weight did Mike add to the front section to get the 'Cat to sit right?

Hey Andy, i like your channel. I am a viewer from India and i wish we had scale model shops over here, but we don't. Really love the work you put into the models. I would request you to to upload more aircraft model videos. Love those

Nice build. Would you make 1/18 scale Harrier?

nice job

damn, looks good!

Very good. Weathering is subtle and not as overdone as some others.

Nice work!😁

The F-14 is definitely a beutiful plane

Perfecto...!

Please check Aires AHM4745 F14D Cockpit set.

Looks like the wing spar molded in the extended position not swing wing I could be wrong

@Andy, that rotating base, and the "Airfield" base, could you give us us a Link and or part# please?

I want to ask if it has 2 pilots included

*_DCS F14 H Y P E_*

Do you sell tamiya rc?

When will this kit be in store

Can you do the m22 plz i would love to see a tiny tank to go along with the stuart

Como pintar las ranuras del avión como?

Great job Mike, I like your salt technique. Would you recommend any book references for the F-14? I liked and shared to my twitter account. Cheers. Give Mike a Beer!

Move over Andy !!

nice vid but didnt see the process for some parts

After market parts for old school gasers

I’m so disappointed by Tamiya on their F14 why they omit full flaps -spoiler-slat extend on the wings !! We can’t create a tomcat ready to be launch from carrier 😕

Nice plane, etc., but shots are held too long! They need to be broken up more during editing. Use "B" roll shots.

Did beetlejuice shrink his head .......... joke jeez

is it just me, or has he got really shaky hands?

Separated at birth

Great build!