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01-21-2019, 12:57 PM | #1 |
ARAH Customizer
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Fredericton N.B.
Posts: 95
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Skystriker XP-14F(B)
Interceptor-Fighter The F-14 Tomcat is a Navy jet. No other US service branch ever operated it, in large part because it was designed specifically for use on an aircraft carrier. Now technically, the Skystriker is not an F-14, it's an XP-14F, which could be some Air Force variant of the airframe since it's clearly based on the same jet. But since the Joes have the USS Flagg, and since the Tomcat's airframe is so clearly built for aircraft carrier operations, it's a Navy plane in my Joeverse. The Skystriker is actually a very good scale model of the Tomcat, in 1/32 scale. The only thing that's really out of scale is the interior of the cockpit, which allows two 1/18 scale figures to sit in it. Or rather, the original fit two figures. Since modern-era figures are substantially larger than ARAH Joes, when the modern Skystriker was released it only had room for one pilot. Since Tomcats are always two-seaters, and since I was using ARAH-style figures, I know I had to make it a two-seater again. So I took the seat assembly from a Rattler and shopped it up to make it fit. I kept the upper part of the modern Skystriker seat, both because it has the nice ejection seat detailing, and because if you remove it entirely the nose of the plane will not stay in place. The Skystriker being a Navy plane did create a dilemma. Since Ace is a USAF pilot according to his filecard, I was going to have to either give the Skystriker a new pilot, or make a change to Ace's background. Since Ace not flying the Skystriker would be tantamount to heresy, he's now a Navy man in my universe. And since all Tomcats require a RIO (Radar Intercept Officer) to fly in the back seat, I created Scope. Other than the seats, the only other non-Skystriker part I used are the Sidewinder missiles. I had a small Lanard plane that came with missiles that are nearly identical to the Sidewinders that came with the Dragonfly, except black in colour and the holes aren't quite as wide. They needed a small amount of modification to fit on the Skystriker. The Sidewinders that come with the Skystriker have extra flangey bits in the middle which don't appear on real Sidewinders, so I prefer to use the Dragonfly version (or a close approximation) when possible. Airframe, Sparrow missiles, Phoenix missiles – Skystriker (modern version) Sidewinder missiles – Lanard the Corps! (modified) Cockpit interior – Rattler (modified) |
01-21-2019, 02:03 PM | #2 |
Hisstank.Com General
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 17,123
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I think I'm gonna try this out. I just have to get the Rattler tub and see if I can make it look just as nice as yours.
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Nighthawk's Feedback | HasLab figures FS Wants: female Hiss driver from HISS Haslab My Ebay auctions: kalwin_woo | eBay |
01-21-2019, 04:19 PM | #3 |
Tomcatter
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Greater Houston Area
Posts: 728
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I love the Tomcat, and you made some good improvements on. I will have to copy your two seat design and hope it will fit the ME Joes.
FYI, about 80 F14A's were sold to and operated by the Iranian Air Force with good success. This was before the takeover by that radical jihadist, dunno his name, when the Shah was still in office. Cool little fact for those who dont have time to look it up, they couldn't buy more Phoenix missiles, which were designed as fleet defense for carrier groups and the tomcat was specifically designed to carry, because of the arms embargo. The missle had an effective range of about 80 miles, a long range for the 1980s, and was very, very accurate. One Iranian pilot was trailing 3 migs but coulnt tell because he did not have a visual and was relying solely on radar. He decided to take the shot believing it was a large aircraft, possibly a bomber. Since the migs were so close, almost wingtip to wingtip, it destroyed all 3 with one missile. Anyway, the upgrade on this is awesome. If you customize another, please do the VX9 colors, my avatar, or Jolly Rogers. I will bump another thread that had some awesome tomact customs for those who are interested. No it is not my work, but it is phenomenal. |
01-21-2019, 06:24 PM | #4 |
ARAH Customizer
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Fredericton N.B.
Posts: 95
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My favourite tidbit about the F-14 and the Phoenix is that, despite the fact that the Tomcat was in essence originally designed as a platform specifically for the Phoenix, American pilots scored exactly zero kills with the missile in its lifetime. The Tomcat far exceeded the usefulness of the ordnance it was designed for.
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01-22-2019, 09:07 AM | #5 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 3,021
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Quote:
I love the Tomcat, and you made some good improvements on. I will have to copy your two seat design and hope it will fit the ME Joes.
FYI, about 80 F14A's were sold to and operated by the Iranian Air Force with good success. This was before the takeover by that radical jihadist, dunno his name, when the Shah was still in office. Cool little fact for those who dont have time to look it up, they couldn't buy more Phoenix missiles, which were designed as fleet defense for carrier groups and the tomcat was specifically designed to carry, because of the arms embargo. The missle had an effective range of about 80 miles, a long range for the 1980s, and was very, very accurate. One Iranian pilot was trailing 3 migs but coulnt tell because he did not have a visual and was relying solely on radar. He decided to take the shot believing it was a large aircraft, possibly a bomber. Since the migs were so close, almost wingtip to wingtip, it destroyed all 3 with one missile. Anyway, the upgrade on this is awesome. If you customize another, please do the VX9 colors, my avatar, or Jolly Rogers. I will bump another thread that had some awesome tomact customs for those who are interested. No it is not my work, but it is phenomenal. I bought an extra Skystriker at a yard sale just to try a 2-seater custom and gave up real quick when I saw how difficult it would be. Difference here with this custom is that since he designed the cockpit to hold vintage ARAH figures, he had some wiggle room to work on the seating. So, this custom looks great with or without the figures in it! Awesome work. I love your comments about Ace being USAF and flying a Navy plane. I've said this for years - you have an USAF pilot flying a Navy plane from an Army base. In my 'Joeverse, I really don't even use the Skystriker. I put Ace in one of those Toys R Us Raptors and Slip Stream is now my Navy Pilot in the World Peace Keepers Hornet. Jason |
01-22-2019, 11:00 AM | #6 |
Hisstank.Com General
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 17,123
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Yeah, I made the one that only looks good with figures. However, I got a Rattler interior for $5 so I'm gonna play around with it to see if I can make enough room and have it look decent without figures too.
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Nighthawk's Feedback | HasLab figures FS Wants: female Hiss driver from HISS Haslab My Ebay auctions: kalwin_woo | eBay |
01-22-2019, 03:13 PM | #7 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 3,021
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Quote:
Jason |
01-22-2019, 04:41 PM | #8 |
Hisstank.Com General
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 17,123
|
Yeah, so I don't know if I'll be able to pull it off but gonna try it when the Rattler seats arrive.
Here's what I did with my extra Skystriker instrument panel and controls.
__________________
Nighthawk's Feedback | HasLab figures FS Wants: female Hiss driver from HISS Haslab My Ebay auctions: kalwin_woo | eBay |
01-22-2019, 06:20 PM | #9 |
Tomcatter
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Greater Houston Area
Posts: 728
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http://www.hisstank.com/forum/g-i-jo...ersion-17.html
here is the link, hope it works. |
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