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

 

[Littlemarten]

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

Thanks! All bookmarked. I knew of oldmodels.com, but not the others.

 

[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

 

[Plastic Pilot]

How can one tell if the color you painted your model is color-accurate to the real thing? I've been invited to a modeling contest, and the people organize the contest told me that the model has to be acurate to even taking part in the contest, not even talking about wining.

So I guess I have to look for pictures or videos, and figure it out. I've brush painted the plane with dark gray.... and I'm not happy about the result...

Please tell me what you think, if you want. Thanx.

 

[BarleyBop]

How can one tell if the color you painted your model is color-accurate to the real thing?

Wow.
The billion dollar question.
There are as many answers to that question as there are eyeballs!

Your aircraft colleagues will have good advice I'm sure. Basic schemes/ colour configurations / historical / manufacturing and technical guide posts.

In the end, I'm thinking you want to be 'in the ballpark'; complete exactness is a holy grail that is unattainable for a billion reasons.

I have a Spyder color calibration system for my monitor from my previous life as a visual designer. But it is affected by the color of the lights over my bench. The time of day. What I ate for breakfast. The source of the image on my screen, the light where it was photographed, the time of day, the equipment that captured it, what they ate for breakfast!

Cheers

 

[Plastic Pilot]

In the end, I'm thinking you want to be 'in the ballpark';

I myself work as a designer as well, but I have never used a calibration system for the monitor... they aren't worth it. The clients, I mean the customers, are the abomination of the capitalist system and the fundamental core of its existence.


So yes, that's the point of model building, from my point of view. I guess that achieving accurate results is why I started building kits and investing a lot of money in tools and materials. Because if you like fantasy, that is OK, go with it, but I got bored with the dynamic of doing the same thing again and again. At some point, I just wanted to do more practical things. So when I saw videos on YouTube of fellow modelers and their builds, and how complex it is compared to miniature painting, I got into modeling without hesitation.

It's the combination of craftsmanship, art, and design that I love the most. You have to know a lot about planes, vehicles, history, events, and people. You have to have an eye for the details, but I'm still a noob and I admit sometimes it's very frustrating. But with help from fellow modelers, as you say, it's fun to learn and share the work.

Guess I'll have to resarch a lot and use my "powers" to nail the right color.

Thanx.

 

[BarleyBop]

Yup, yup and yup. I mostly used my Spyder to appease corporate branding and accessibility types with their noses in standards, and to insure some continuity in my work between office and home monitors.

It's the combination of craftsmanship, art, and design that I love the most. You have to know a lot about planes, vehicles, history, events, and people.

I had a colleague who loved to say: " We are in violent agreement!!"

... hopefully a full court press to keep our minds sharp, our skills tuned, and our imaginations alive.

 

[Littlemarten]

You can get a fan deck of the FS color specification system. The fan deck is (or was, when I bought mine—years ago)l relatively inexpensive. If you know the FS color number used on the actual plane, you can use the fan deck to match it. Bring the fan deck with you to the contest. Anyone says your color is inaccurate, show them that it's not.

As BarleyBop said, you will never find that color on an actual plane, except maybe on one just out of the paint shop—if you are very lucky and the gods want to tease you. In fact, as a former paint technologist, I'd say his estimate of the reasons against is quite conservative.