USN F14-A 1/72 from Academy

[Plastic Pilot]

I just started the model kit yesterday, and it seems very easy to build,

But I have to say that the quality of the kit is not the greatest. It comes with good details and fits well, but the quality of the decals are mediocre, the panel line seems ok.

I have painted the cockpit and transfer the decal, I was very difficult and I had to wig it, turned out like a botched job.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/academy-12471-usn-f-14a--1316568

I will post some more images as I progress. Wish you a nice Monday to everyone.

 

[Fishpot9]

Looks like the same old Fujimi mold

 

[Jakko]

If you check the timeline on Scalemates, it's not a Fujimi rebox. However, since it's a 1980s Academy kit, it could be a copy of that — I know Academy's 1:35 scale military vehicle kits of that vintage are nearly all copies of Tamiya ones, so why not Fujimi aircraft too?

 

[Littlemarten]

You can always look for aftermarket decals—though if anyone has a good source for them, I'd like to know.

 

[Plastic Pilot]

It was very cheap, like strange cheap, so I guess that it is an old kit, or maybe the shop want to get reed of it. I only can buy online, because the nearest physical shop it's 240Km away. So I got no solution, some time ago, I had the thought to create a moldelism club in my town, but my father talked me out of it, because you have to invert a lot of capital from the start and I make some simple calculations, and the store has to have a big volume of sells just to pay the rent. Guess I have to combine somehow the hobby with something else to make it work.

You can give me some ideas if you wish, like modelism and toys, or modelism and bookstore and comics, or modelism and stationery shop... it is kind of hard to figure it out.

 

[Plastic Pilot]

You can always look for aftermarket decals—though if anyone has a good source for them, I'd like to know.

Never gonna buy Academy kits again, it's the shitiest decals I've seen, not mentioning that they are all b/w, guess color are a whim.

 

[urumomo]

You can always look for aftermarket decals—though if anyone has a good source for them, I'd like to know.

https://www.scalehobbyist.com/catagories/Detailing_and_Weathering/browse.php?s=6&t=4&u=0
https://www.ultracast.ca/default.asp
https://www.dacoproducts.com/
https://www.bedlamcreations.com/custom-waterslide-decals/custom-model-plane-waterslide-decals/
https://www.oldmodelkits.com/index.php?cat=Decals

 

[urumomo]

and this one too ,
https://www.starfighter-decals.com/index.html

 

[blakeh1]

Academy actually released an all new tool F-14A a few years ago. The "Pukin Dogs" dogs one.

They have really improved their game compared to the older kits

It has the parts in it to build some of the other variants as long as you know which parts go to which variant so I am guessing they planned on reboxing the kit at some point with different decals and instructions for the other variants

That kit is actually a very nice kit. and the decals were good as well. Sucked down into the panel lines and look painted on

https://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/aca/kit_aca_12563.shtml

 

[Plastic Pilot]

I just messed up the horizontal stabilizers, I didn't use a ruler as I was scribig the elevators and did it freehand. The Tamya tool for scribing is very good, but what I'm sure is that I lack the skill. This is the last time I don't use a ruler.

I fixed some of the problems but it still got work left to do. I guess I'll call the day, see you soon