Grumman F-14D Tomcat - 1/72

Grumman F-14D Tomcat

1/72 scale plastic model assembly kit of the Grumman F-14D Tomcat.

About the model:
- 1/72 scale plastic model assembly kit
- Highly detailed model
- Fuselage length: 265 mm
- Wingspan (with wings swept forward): 272 mm
- The flowing Tomcat form is recreated with aplomb, featuring a moving depiction of the variable sweep wing.
- Air bags and sealing plates are separate parts, with different components included for different wing positions, which can be interchanged after completion.
- Slide molded canopy and air intake sides give an authentic rendering of the complex shapes.
- Poly caps enable horizontal stabilizer motion.
- The model’s fuel probe and boarding ladder can be assembled stowed or deployed.
- Parts are included to recreate ordnance such as laser guided bombs, LANTIRN pod and air-to-air missiles.
- Comes with 2 seated figures and 5 U.S. Navy marking options. 

History:
From the 1970s until its retirement in 2006, the F-14 Tomcat was one of the most important carrier-based fighters of the U.S. Navy. Originally designed as a fleet air defense interceptor, it featured a powerful radar system and the ability to employ long-range guided missiles. With the end of the Cold War, the Tomcat’s role expanded during the 1990s to include air-to-ground missions, taking advantage of its considerable payload capacity and long operational range.

The F-14D represented the most advanced variant of the Tomcat family. It retained the F110-GE-400 engines introduced with the F-14B, offering improved performance and reliability. Its major advancement was a fully digital radar and avionics suite, providing faster data processing and significantly enhanced combat capability. These upgrades transformed the F-14D into a true multi-role aircraft capable of air superiority, precision strike, and reconnaissance missions.

With the integration of the LANTIRN targeting pod, the F-14D gained the ability to deliver laser-guided munitions with high accuracy at long range. Delivered to operational units from 1992 onward, the F-14D saw combat service in Afghanistan and Iraq. It remained a key element of U.S. Navy carrier air wings until the type was retired from active service in 2006.