I came across this picture the other day.
It's a VF-1 Wolfpack F-14A Tomcat (the plane I'm building) being launched by catapult from the USS Enterprise. It's sometime in 1974 during the first deployment of what for its time was a cutting edge fleet interceptor.
Fast forward almost 40 years to 2013. This is the latest cutting edge plane being launched from a carrier. Except this one is like something from the time of the Enterprise of science fiction fame. This plane is the X-47.
It's unmanned. And it's being launched from the deck of an aircraft carrier. Now granted, it didn't get to land but it did two low passes before returning to land at an airport. Impressive stuff.
The stuff of science fiction but now reality. And the future of carrier aviation. Speaking of VF-1, here's the latest on my build (which I think is part 3) First, the missile, wings and tails finished up.
The aluminium leading edge on the wings was way too wide (thanks Ruari) so corrected that. Before...
And after...much better!
The fuselage got a white primer coat (like everything else) from a spray can which also acted as the white colour for the build. Probably not best for larger scales but good for 1/72 once I added Future on top to gloss it. The wavy pattern of Gull Grey was by using a 'wavy' mask and then gently removing the paint ridge afterwards (as i'm a brush painter)
And after painting the nose, wing sealing bladders and glare panels. Added the tails too (after a bit of fettling to make them fit).
And as she looked last night, with one side of her wonderful 1970s colour scheme decals applied. Some of the 'slime' lights are a little off - based on the moulding on the fuselage - but I think the old girl looks great! Now to do the left side..
