JETs Vol 25-32: F-14A Tomcat

There is no release like a Tomcat release! 

We’ve acquired F-14 panels over the years from multiple places and collectors. One batch of Splinter panels (BuNo 161869) we received came with panels that were removed from an aircraft that was scrapped with Splinter and marked “A/C 11” on the back.

Unlike the fleet, NSAWC (Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center) used a 2-digit modex. Splinter was NSAWC 20, and NSAWC 11 was a modex used at the time of the Tomcat’s sundowning in Fallon - belonging to BuNo 159873. Thanks to some very passionate Tomcat (and “movie”) fans, we tracked down pics of Splinter being scrapped alongside NSAWC 11 (159873) in the early 2000s. 

In addition to serving with multiple USN fleet squadrons and ultimately NSAWC (Top Gun), 159873 was a screen-used aircraft in the original 1986 Top Gun and was painted with Cougar and Merlin on the canopy rail. It was also painted with the iconic “VF-1” squadron art on the tail. Full details covering this aircraft’s screen-use is posted at the bottom of this listing. 

JETs Vol. 25-32 features tags cut from two panels and is offered in 8 variants that commemorate 159873’s use at NSAWC (the USN Top Gun) and VF-1 (the movie): NSAWC Grey, NSAWC White, NSAWC Green, NSAWC Raw, NSAWC Stab, VF-1 Grey, and VF-1 Stab.

The VF-1 Grey JETs come with modex 03 on it, which was used on the jet (rudder) during filming. NSAWC JETs come with modex 11. Card art for 25-32 F-14s by James Martin.

Additionally, we've made a handful (50) MiG-28 JETs and a few Traps to round out this release. The have been cut from F-5 fuselage skin and come on a card by Ryan Quickfall. These are a separate 50 JETs release and are not included in the 200 F-14A JETs run. 

Sets/Combos

Filming

159873 was painted with Cougar and Merlin on the canopy rail and featured VF-1 tail art on the vertical stabilizers. The aircraft was filmed taking a barricade after the opening encounter with the MiG-28s, but the scene was ultimately scrapped. 

The jet is prominently featured in the final battle scene and is the aircraft that Tom Cruise's character Maverick "man's up" prior to being launched as an alert aircraft.