Hasegawa 02293 Grumman F-14A Tomcat Top Gun

Hasegawa 02293 Grumman F-14A Tomcat Top Gun

Product Description

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy’s Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program following the collapse of the F-111B project. The F-14 was the first of the American teen-series fighters, which were designed incorporating the experience of air combat against MiG fighters during the Vietnam War.

The F-14 first flew in December 1970 and made its first deployment in 1974 with the U.S. Navy aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65), replacing the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. The F-14 served as the U.S. Navy’s primary maritime air superiority fighter, fleet defense interceptor and tactical aerial reconnaissance platform. In the 1990s, it added the Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) pod system and began performing precision ground-attack missions.

In the 1980s F-14s were used as land-based interceptors by the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force during the Iran–Iraq War, where they saw combat against Iraqi warplanes. Iranian F-14s reportedly shot down at least 160 Iraqi aircraft during the war, while only 12 to 16 Tomcats were lost; at least half of these losses were due to accidents.

The Tomcat was retired from the U.S. Navy’s active fleet on 22 September 2006, having been supplanted by the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The F-14 remains in service with the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, having been exported to Iran in 1976, when the U.S. had amicable diplomatic relations with Iran. Top Gun was fairly late in operating the Tomcat and did not really start to fly the type until around the time that F-14 squadrons started to be disestablished and so there were ‘spare’ airframes available. They were pretty much gone from the unit by the time the type was retired.

Features:

• Highly detailed, injection molded gray plastic parts
• Cockpit includes instrument panel and pilot
• Detailed landing gear
• Waterslide decals
• Illustrated assembly guide

One decal sheet with markings for 2 versions from the Navy Batting / Air Operation Center Navy Fighter Weapons School “Top Gun” Affiliation Machine:

• [20] Fallon Naval Air Base 2001 (Blue / Gray Camouflage)
• [13] Fallon Naval Air Base (Sand / Green system camouflage)

Includes: One plastic model

Requires:

• Assembly
• Cement
• Hobby knife
• Sprue cutters
• Paint

Specs:

• Scale: 1/72

Comments: Keep product safely away from children under 3 years of age.