FEAR THE BONES!

Garry Tobiss builds Tamiya’s new 1/48 F-14A Tomcat straight from the box

BASIC BUILD F-14A TOMCAT

Surface detail on Tamiya’s Tomcat was rendered as fine engraved panel lines, with delicate depressions to represent rivers and fasteners.

The forward fuselage, plus the mass of parts that created the workstations for the pilot and RIO prior to assembly, which highlighted the moulding quality and detail.

Expectations are always high when a Tamiya kit arrives and its new Tomcat certainly didn’t disappoint. This F-14 package comprised ten light grey styrene runners, clear parts, two decal sheets and a small packet of metal screws, washers and poly-caps. Moulded detail was exceptional, with restrained panel lines and delicate rivets/fasteners in keeping with the scale. A foldout full-colour painting illustration was also provided. Scrutinising the instructions revealed Tamiya’s usual logical approach to construction, with everything engineered in modules. The fit of parts was excellent throughout; it was even possible to build the main sections (such as the forward fuselage), and complete them (including decals and panel line wash) before adding them to the rest of the model.