Grumman F-14D Tomcat A Refined Cat VFA-213 “Black Lions” Wing Commander

Award-winner built and painted famed Grumman F-14D Tomcat VFA-213 “Black Lions” Wing Commander`s aircraft. With a realistic heavy weathering finish. Add on 2 pilot figures. Beautiful 2 tone color scheme with accurate unit marking. Top building quality with incredible detail overall and super accurate scale on each part. Captures F-14D features such as F110-GE-400 engine nozzles; vertical stabilizer stiffener plates and dual chin pods. Metal stickers were included recreating fuselage side reinforcing panels and rivets. Moving depiction of variable-sweep wing interchangeable depict sealing plates and airbags with the wing in the fully swept and fully forward position. Beautifully cockpit details. Intricately detailed wheel wells and landing gear. With updated missiles; laser-guided and standard bombs; LANTIRN and TARPS pods; jamming pod parts. With individual parts to depict camera in a reconnaissance pod. and more add on details.

★Top building quality with superb detail overall.
★Designed with access to real Tomcats for superlative accuracy.
★Fuselage length: 398mm; Maximum wingspan: 408mm.
★Add on two pilots figures with realistic poses and gear.
★The model features faithful depictions of the vertical stabilizer stiffener plates.
★F-14D-specific features at the front include the dual chin pods and gun gas purge vents.
★The crystal clear canopy is openable with sharp detail in and out.
★The cockpit has depictions of F-14D ejection seats; and crew in newer uniforms.
★F-14D cockpit features such as updated forward and aft displays are accurately captured.
★With depictions of F-14D ejection seats.
★Separate parts are included to depict the fuel probe on the right of the nose extended or retracted.
★The wing moves smoothly between 20° (take-off; landing) and 75° (parked); thanks to two gear sections.
★2 sets of parts depict wing sealing plates and airbags in fully swept and forward positions.
★Sealing plate and airbag parts are marked on their reverse to help avoid confusion when attaching.
★Single part depictions of F110-GE-400 engine nozzles for superb realism and fuss-free assembly.
★Recreations of updated AIM-9L/M; AIM-7F and AIM-54C missiles; plus GBU-12 and GBU-16 guided bombs.
★Also included are depictions of GBU-31 JDAM; AN/ALQ-167 jamming pod; AN/AAQ-25 LANTIRN; and TARPS.
★Wth ordnance for Std.CAP; bombing; reconnaissance missions and more!
★TARPS reconnaissance pod features a separate recreation of the internal camera; for max realism.
★Sidewinder launcher also features a different design to that of its counterpart on the F-14A.
★Fully Weaponry built and display.

Buffing and polishing to remove mold seam. Base color with primer and putty for better surface detail. Airbrushed and painted with multicolor. Add clear paint for good finishing on decal applying. Wash to enhance the surface detail increase the appearance of depth including panels; doors; rivets; and more. Brushing to emphasize and highlighting texture with edge for good wear; tear and fading. Filter out the contrast and blend color effects with airflow marks. Real-life nozzle burned multicolor representing. Great detail paint job on grease with staining appearing and more on real-life weathering. Final protective layer for long-term collection.

You choose any of the 4 different Squadron marking options comes with this kit.

Strike Fighter Squadron 213 (VFA-213) Blacklions is an aviation unit of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station Oceana; Virginia. It was established in 1955 and is currently equipped with the F/A-18F Super Hornet. The squadron is assigned to Carrier Air Wing Eight and uses the radio callsign Lion.

The F-14D(R) Tomcat is a supersonic; twin-engine; variable sweep-wing; two-place strike fighter manufactured by Grumman Aircraft Corporation. The multiple tasks of navigation; target acquisition; electronic counter measures (ECM); and weapons employment are divided between the pilot and the radar intercept officer (RIO). Primary missions include precision strike against ground targets; air superiority; and fleet air defense.

As a Strike Fighter; the Tomcat is capable of deploying an assortment of air-to-ground ordnance (MK-80 series GP bombs; LGBs and JDAM) in various configurations; while simultaneously carrying the AIM-7; AIM-9 and AIM-54 air-to-air missiles. The F-14D also has the LANTIRN targeting system that allows delivery of various laser-guided bombs for precision strikes in air-to-ground combat missions and for battle damage assessment. With its Fast Tactical Imagery (FTI) system the F-14 can transmit and receive targeting/reconnaissance imagery in-flight to provide time sensitive strike capability. This F-14D is also capable of carrying the Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) providing in-theater tactical reconnaissance.

The National Air and Space Museum`s Tomcat (BuNo. 159610) was built as an F-14A-85-GR and was one of the few Tomcats that was modified as an F-14D(R) in the early 1990s. It is credited with one MiG kill which was earned on January 4; 1989; near the coast of Libya.

On January 4; 1989; near the Libyan coast; Two VF-32 F-14As flying CAP from the USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) are alerted to a pair of Libyan Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 Floggers. The MiG-23s had taken off from Al Bumbaw Airfield near Tobruk. The F-14s locked the MiGs with their powerful AWG-9 radar. Normally such a radar lock resulted in the MiGs retreating back to Libya–not this tme. The Tomcats were threatened by the AA-7 Apex missile-carrying Floggers and were cleared to engage the MiGs. During a lengthy six- to eight-minute air battle; the MiGs continued to threaten the Tomcats and finally; after several attempts to evade the MiG radar threat; the incoming pair of MiG-23s were declared hostile and the F-14 crews were cleared to engage. The crew of the lead F-14A; AC202 fired an AIM-7 Sparrow missile which did not stike its target; while the second F-14A`s; AC207 (BuNo. 159610) AIM-7 found its target destroying one of the MiG-23s. The lead F-14 re-engaged the remaining MiG-23 firing an AIM-9 Sidewinder heat-seeking missile which detonated in the tailpipe of the Flogger. Both MiG pilots ejected safely from their destroyed aircraft.