Impulse buy - Revel Playboy F-14 - Opinions?

Is this the 1/48 kit? If so, it's the Monogram tooling, so search for it under Monogram. In a nutshell, it's okay, but be prepared for difficult fit around the fuselage/wings.

I bought one and built it as a "slammer" in two days. It's not Hasegawa (for which I'm probably grateful), but it fits, it goes together easily and it certainly LOOKS like a Tomcat, IMHO (and for the price, I have to say that if I wanted to showcase all the great schemes F-14s have worn, I'd have a row of Revell kits instead of Hasegawa ones...).

The great thing about the Playboy one is that it was a well-maintained showbird. It was gloss black and clean, so the raised panel-line thing shouldn't worry you too much. You can't see the lines from any distance, and the weathering is non-existent.

Overall, it's one of the most enjoyable kits I've built. No AMS, no "if I just fix _that_..." It's hanging up on small son's ceiling and he thinks that that's what a Tomcat looks like. And who am I to disillusion him?

Build it and enjoy in the spirit you bought it...

Bestest, M.

I haven't seen this kit, but if it's the Monogram kit without any updates, it would be an F-14A, and the jet as currently liveried (a rumor that the Bunny is back - I haven't personally seen the aircraft lately) is a D - take appropriate action on the conversion if required.

I built the Monogram A kit and found it to be a very good looking Tomcat. The kit cockpit is nice enough, and if you want to go the extra route, the True Details cockpit is certainly a great value and a nice chunk of resin.

As a point of clarity, Vandy One is NOT a show plane - it is a working test asset assigned to VX-9 Det PMTC and sees regular usage as such. And the original paint job was flat black with gloss markings. (They do like to keep it clean, though...) As always, consult your references to determine what/when/how you wish to depict.