This kit was tooled in 1980, almost 40 years ago. Their 2016 1/48 Tomcat is hailed as probably the best fitting 1/48 Tomcat kit on the market. Don't deprive yourself of some awesome newer Tamiya kits based on errors that are from 40 years ago.
This isn’t the 1980, I had that when I was a kid and it wasn’t anything like this kit, this is the “mk2” revised version. But as for the 1/48, agreed, both awesome, I did the D as per box decals and bought top gun decals for the A 😀
Yeah, you’re screwing into plastic, but you don’t have to screw these parts down tight at all. If found this step in my build to be a piece of cake. And it still works perfectly 7 years later. You’re putting people off this kit, I’m reading folks are even returning theirs on the recommendations from these videos. As I said in a previous comment. Yep, this kit does throw up some challenges. But think of the bigger picture: 1. You gain experience in problem solving and large scale model building. 2. The satisfaction at the end of the build after overcoming said challenges. Maybe I’m old school. I grew up with kits from the 60’s and 70’s. Now they were challenging! My advice if you’ve bought this kit and are now having second thoughts after watching this video? Is go for it. Jump the hurdles as they appear, and smile at the finish line. A bit like life, right?
This model is exactly what I just purchased recently , after looking into this video review , I'm starting to get frustrated even if I haven't started the assembly yet ( " but you don’t have to screw these parts down tight at all. If found this step in my build to be a piece of cake. " ) did you mean you have actually built this exact model? F-14A Tomcat 1/32 by Tamiya? and succeeded anyway? without going through the struggles and frustrations that these reviews in the video are pointing out? ..... thanks
Whilst I understand the comments about metal into plastic, it has to be noted that this kit is over 40 years old. Yes, it is not up to their modern standards, but it’s still the best 1/32 version of this plane by a country mile. Here’s hoping that Tamiya launch a new tooling of this to go with their excellent 1/48 version
You do realize this kit is over 40 years old right? The molds were cut in 1976 and it was their first 1/32 scale kit. Tamiya makes some of the best engineered 1/32 scale aircraft, you can't judge them by the F-14, their recent kits are way way way better.
It’s a 40 year old kit and still the best 1/32 tomcat available. Image a newly tooled Tamiya f-14 based on their 1/48 which is the best kit I’ve ever built. I can only dream.
That's kinda my biggest issue. It's a 40 year old kit being sold at brand new prices. It really bites because an upscaled version of their 1/48 is something I'd drop cash on in a heartbeat!
I built this kit and was surprised that the Tamiya fit quality was lacking. Somewhat disappointing. I’ve got 3 more of these kits in my stash, and perhaps one day when I’m feeling a challenge I’ll start another. Great video. Subscribed.
Yeah.. that really is why there's a tone of grumbling throughout. :) I have many friends who are Tamiya fans and they (legitimately) point out the superior quality of the more recent works. Although, it is still a fairly large disappointment in this particular kit. It's rather akin to buying a Porche at a dealer at full price, only to find out they sold a VW bug under a 911 body. :) Thanks for the feedback!
First for all I love Tamiya. This kit is about 40 years old. I remember when it came out about 1982 or 1984. You should reconsider Tamiya is great company. By the way check out there retool of 1/48 Tamiya F-4B.
Thanks.. and I hear you. What I'm trying to get across is that before this experience, I'd pay whatever price there was for a Tamiya Kit of a subject I like. Now though, my perspective is that the brand no longer has that "by default, it's good" expectation. Here's my issue: the 40-year-old kit defense is made invalid by the price tag. The cost of the box is the same as a brand new tool kit, and by comparison, it's crap. It was good 40 years ago, but now it's barely adequate and definitely not worth the shekels. And yep, I've heard amazing things about the whole of their 1/48 scale range - had a conversation with Becker from Becker's Models about that very thing. They do have some super-great kits. All I'm saying now is - for me - Tamiya has the same rep as Zvezda: do the research before you lay out the cash. The kit might be awesome, or it might be a 40-year-old collection of frustration masquerading as a model. This one was the latter.
@@syrmalcolm Yes I agree about Tamiya 1/32 F-14A could be better. That wing on F-14 was a pain, but got to work in the long run. I just received 1/48 F-4 B I'm in wonder on this kit.
I think you got a bad batch, I did this kit last year, well…let’s say I got to 95% before my curious 18month old son thought it was a toy and destroyed it 😂, but most of the fit was pretty good and the problem you had with the metal brace didn’t happen to me.
It's nice to know that there are other ones out there that were not as much of an issue. I've since done the 1/48 scale version and THAT one was worth every shekel, and a joy to build. So.. I'm glad to hear. Thanks for sharing your experience.
I bought this kit from Amazon and I was so exited to start building it up, but after seeing your video, I decided to return it and I am very disappointed. Thank you for sharing this video and your thoughts. It helped me a lot. God bless you.
Just building mine and I had no issue fitting the metal wing support piece. Slotted on nicely with no force required at all
Mine is fine too.
This kit was tooled in 1980, almost 40 years ago. Their 2016 1/48 Tomcat is hailed as probably the best fitting 1/48 Tomcat kit on the market. Don't deprive yourself of some awesome newer Tamiya kits based on errors that are from 40 years ago.
This isn’t the 1980, I had that when I was a kid and it wasn’t anything like this kit, this is the “mk2” revised version.
But as for the 1/48, agreed, both awesome, I did the D as per box decals and bought top gun decals for the A 😀
Given the F-14s popularity you’d think they’d make a new kit
right?
Yeah, you’re screwing into plastic, but you don’t have to screw these parts down tight at all. If found this step in my build to be a piece of cake. And it still works perfectly 7 years later.
You’re putting people off this kit, I’m reading folks are even returning theirs on the recommendations from these videos.
As I said in a previous comment. Yep, this kit does throw up some challenges. But think of the bigger picture:
1. You gain experience in problem solving and large scale model building.
2. The satisfaction at the end of the build after overcoming said challenges.
Maybe I’m old school. I grew up with kits from the 60’s and 70’s. Now they were challenging!
My advice if you’ve bought this kit and are now having second thoughts after watching this video? Is go for it. Jump the hurdles as they appear, and smile at the finish line. A bit like life, right?
This model is exactly what I just purchased recently , after looking into this video review , I'm starting to get frustrated even if I haven't started the assembly yet ( " but you don’t have to screw these parts down tight at all. If found this step in my build to be a piece of cake. " ) did you mean you have actually built this exact model? F-14A Tomcat 1/32 by Tamiya? and succeeded anyway? without going through the struggles and frustrations that these reviews in the video are pointing out? ..... thanks
Whilst I understand the comments about metal into plastic, it has to be noted that this kit is over 40 years old. Yes, it is not up to their modern standards, but it’s still the best 1/32 version of this plane by a country mile.
Here’s hoping that Tamiya launch a new tooling of this to go with their excellent 1/48 version
You do realize this kit is over 40 years old right? The molds were cut in 1976 and it was their first 1/32 scale kit. Tamiya makes some of the best engineered 1/32 scale aircraft, you can't judge them by the F-14, their recent kits are way way way better.
Agreed, I built this many years ago and had no problem with the wing mechanism. But yeah , super old. Not even remotely near what they do now.
It’s a 40 year old kit and still the best 1/32 tomcat available. Image a newly tooled Tamiya f-14 based on their 1/48 which is the best kit I’ve ever built. I can only dream.
That's kinda my biggest issue. It's a 40 year old kit being sold at brand new prices. It really bites because an upscaled version of their 1/48 is something I'd drop cash on in a heartbeat!
so correct bout 3 screw holes
Tamiya really should do a retool of this kit. The other 1/32 F-14 (Trumpeter, Revell) kits have significant issues. This could be a halo kit.
I built this kit and was surprised that the Tamiya fit quality was lacking. Somewhat disappointing. I’ve got 3 more of these kits in my stash, and perhaps one day when I’m feeling a challenge I’ll start another. Great video. Subscribed.
Yeah.. that really is why there's a tone of grumbling throughout. :) I have many friends who are Tamiya fans and they (legitimately) point out the superior quality of the more recent works. Although, it is still a fairly large disappointment in this particular kit. It's rather akin to buying a Porche at a dealer at full price, only to find out they sold a VW bug under a 911 body. :)
Thanks for the feedback!
First for all I love Tamiya. This kit is about 40 years old. I remember when it came out about 1982 or 1984. You should reconsider Tamiya is great company. By the way check out there retool of 1/48 Tamiya F-4B.
Thanks.. and I hear you. What I'm trying to get across is that before this experience, I'd pay whatever price there was for a Tamiya Kit of a subject I like. Now though, my perspective is that the brand no longer has that "by default, it's good" expectation. Here's my issue: the 40-year-old kit defense is made invalid by the price tag. The cost of the box is the same as a brand new tool kit, and by comparison, it's crap. It was good 40 years ago, but now it's barely adequate and definitely not worth the shekels.
And yep, I've heard amazing things about the whole of their 1/48 scale range - had a conversation with Becker from Becker's Models about that very thing. They do have some super-great kits. All I'm saying now is - for me - Tamiya has the same rep as Zvezda: do the research before you lay out the cash. The kit might be awesome, or it might be a 40-year-old collection of frustration masquerading as a model. This one was the latter.
@@syrmalcolm Yes I agree about Tamiya 1/32 F-14A could be better. That wing on F-14 was a pain, but got to work in the long run. I just received 1/48 F-4 B I'm in wonder on this kit.
The hole you are mentioning in the wheel wells is actually on the real aircraft. There are some plumbing wires that run through it.
aye..I found that out later. :) I do call it out later on in the series when I go over my very superfluous extra detailing.. but good call out!
Seriously? I'm always using tamiya kits and its great
I think you got a bad batch, I did this kit last year, well…let’s say I got to 95% before my curious 18month old son thought it was a toy and destroyed it 😂, but most of the fit was pretty good and the problem you had with the metal brace didn’t happen to me.
It's nice to know that there are other ones out there that were not as much of an issue. I've since done the 1/48 scale version and THAT one was worth every shekel, and a joy to build. So.. I'm glad to hear. Thanks for sharing your experience.
@@syrmalcolm I’ve actually just bought it again to do, hopefully I’ll get a decent batch!
Good luck! Hope so as well!~
Any idea if this is the same size as the GI Joe Skystriker?
I feel it's a bit smaller than that.. but it's been forever since I've seen a skystriker.
I bought this kit from Amazon and I was so exited to start building it up, but after seeing your video, I decided to return it and I am very disappointed. Thank you for sharing this video and your thoughts. It helped me a lot. God bless you.
thanks tips i have same model,working first time to day.......
Thanks! Hope it's helpful.. good luck and I hope it goes well!
Good review, modeler be warned!
Thanks. I try not to be too whiney.. but it really did catch me off guard. Now I know. :)