TwoBobs Aviation Graphics 1/72 VF-213 F-14D Tomcats
By Chris Bucholtz
It was only a matter of time before we began to see decals depicting the aircraft that took the war on terror back to the terrorists, especially since many of them wore nose art into battle. I received two photos of one aircraft, the CAG bird of VF-213, before the strikes began; on its tail was a discrete “I Love New York” bumper sticker-style display, a subtle but articulate way of expressing the emotions of the squadron.
Since I was using the photos as wallpaper for my computer, it was only a matter of time before I built this aircraft. Now, TwoBobs has provided me with decals so I don’t have to make up all the markings myself!
Three aircraft are depicted on this sheet: NH 100, which has yellow trim around the modex, Rampant Lion logo and modex letters, and NH 101 and NH 104 in the more standard subdued low-viz markings. TwoBobs had some accuracy issues early on, but they capture the nuances of these planes flawlessly, from the cursive “USS CARL VINSON” legends on the vertical fins to the slight slant of the “bumper sticker” art on the tail.
Each aircraft has its own “scoreboard” showing laser-guided bomb drops, and full data is given for the pilots and RIOs for the canopy sills. The decals themselves are printed well, with no registration problems in the few areas where more than one color is used on a decal
Best of all, TwoBobs gives you other material to help you build a better model. A sheet with suggestions for loadouts for the F-14 and F/A-18 is included, and the instructions point out that NH 101 was used to strafe Taliban troops, the first time the F-14’s gun has been used against an enemy ground target. There are also 10 small inset photos that should help you to place the decals accurately.
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