F-14 Tomcat

About 20 years ago there was an artical in Model Airplane News about the Blue Angles with plans for the airplane. I am not sure what airplane that was back then, F16, F14, ???, I have lost my magazine. It looks to me like the Blue Angles fly the F-14 Tomcat now.

Does anyone have 1/2a plans for an F-14 Tomcat?

>About 20 years ago there was an artical in Model Airplane
>News about the Blue Angles with plans for the airplane. I
>am not sure what airplane that was back then, F16, F14, ???,
>I have lost my magazine. It looks to me like the Blue
>Angles fly the F-14 Tomcat now.
>
>Does anyone have 1/2a plans for an F-14 Tomcat?
>
>Gary Weaver
The planes in this pic are not F-14s

Them's er them thar B-1-RD's I was a tollin' ya bout! (F/A-18's of course).

the Blue Angels fly the F/A-18 Hornet

>About 20 years ago there was an artical in Model Airplane
>News about the Blue Angles with plans for the airplane. I
>am not sure what airplane that was back then, F16, F14, ???,
>I have lost my magazine. It looks to me like the Blue
>Angles fly the F-14 Tomcat now.
>
>Does anyone have 1/2a plans for an F-14 Tomcat?
>
>Gary Weaver

Gary; It was probably more than 20 years ago, if it was a C/L stunt plane. American Aircraft Modeler published an F-4 Phantom stunter by Bill Simons, I think, that was in Blue Angels colors. The there was Larry Scarinzi's Blue Angel that was further back, and it was in Flying Models, I believe, but might have been in Model Airplane News.
Model Airplane news did a multi-part article on a ducted fan F-14 about 20 some od years ago, but it wasn't in Blue Angels finish, and the Blue Angels have never used F-14's.
Check the PAMPA bibliography for the correct info.
Dan McEntee

Even furthur back thare was a Bill Winters airplane which was a formation of four airplanes. Think it was RC but CL could be done. I think there was a cover picture. There was also an RC airplane called the Tamecat which had swing wings. Both in Model Aviation. I'll look aaround, but unfortunately my Model Aviations are not well organized.

LAST EDITED ON Nov-21-04 AT 11:34 AM (CST)
 
If your talking about 20 years ago, it most likely was the A-4 Skyhawk. The Blues flew them for a long time, was a perfect airplane for them.

The Tamecat was an R/C sport trainer by Jeff Troy, based loosely on the F-14. Model Aviation, 6/90. For many years, it held Model Aviation's record for the most purchased plan. It later became a kit, and was updated with an F-22 version. It never had a swing wing, but it would probably convert to CL pretty easily.

>Even furthur back thare was a Bill Winters airplane which
>was a formation of four airplanes. Think it was RC but CL
>could be done. I think there was a cover picture. There
>was also an RC airplane called the Tamecat which had swing
>wings. Both in Model Aviation. I'll look aaround, but
>unfortunately my Model Aviations are not well organized.
>
>Jim

That is it. I remember the cover page on the magazine that showed 4 blue airplanes all connected together as a flying formation. It had one engine on the lead airplane all the other airplanes followed like a wagon trailing along behind. All the airplanes were connected together with a large square shape wire. There was an airplane attached to each 90 bend of the wire. I remember it as CL with Lead outs on the wing of the 2nd airplane. I have no idea what type airplane they were. I was telling my Son about this and he wants me to build him one.

I remember Chris Gay (or someone else in the Chicago area) had a four A4 Skyhawks in formation model. They used it for their airshow team routine.

>Even furthur back thare was a Bill Winters airplane which
>was a formation of four airplanes. Think it was RC but CL
>could be done. I think there was a cover picture. There
>was also an RC airplane called the Tamecat which had swing
>wings. Both in Model Aviation. I'll look aaround, but
>unfortunately my Model Aviations are not well organized.
>
>Jim

It wasn't Bill Winters who did the 4 plane formation. It was Ken Willard and it was published in RCM.
Dennis

I believe F4 Phantom was Bill Saurez's. He kinda became "famous" for that plane. I also believe Tom Mcclain resurrected Bill's plane and campaigned it.

"I don't know about this tuned pipe business. I practiced on that thing until my lips turned blue, and I still can't play a stinkin note."
"Homer J. Simpson"

For the plans to a CLPA Tom Cat, see Flying Models, January 1972 issue, page 22. Vic Macaluso did the F14. Go to the flying Models online site and it will have the plan number.

As to the Blue Angels, they started out in the F6F Hellcat, then the F8F Bearcat, F9F Panther, F9F-9 Cougar (swept wing version of the Panther), the F11F Tiger, F4 Phantom II, the A4 Skyhawk due to the very high cost of fuel that the twin engined F4 used. (1st non Grumman plane), the A/F18 now. The F16 is used by the USAF Thunderbirds. Yo, Fly Navy.

>As to the Blue Angels, they started out in the F6F Hellcat,
>then the F8F Bearcat, F9F Panther, F9F-9 Cougar (swept wing
>version of the Panther), the F11F Tiger, F4 Phantom II, the
>A4 Skyhawk due to the very high cost of fuel that the twin
>engined F4 used. (1st non Grumman plane), the A/F18 now.
>The F16 is used by the USAF Thunderbirds. Yo, Fly Navy.

Amen. I love the Blue Angels. I grew up watching them every year. I think the F11F's were the neatest looking planes they ever flew - the "epitome" of a swept wing jet.

Unfortunately, the high cost of fuel from flying the Phantom's was nothing compared to the high cost of pilots. Up until the Phantom, they had never lost a pilot. The Phantom killed several.

The Phantom that was published in American Modeler did indeed belong to Mr Suarez.

As I understand it, the aircraft is still in mint condition, flyable and hanging in his home.

Bill is a PAMPA menber and is usually more than happy to talk about his work and assist anyone who is interested in duplicating his designs. In fact, if you deside to build a Phantom, he'll mold the canopy for you!

A nicer guy you'll never meet!

BIGS

" What constitutes the dignity of a craft is that it creates a fellowship, that it binds men together and fashions for them a common language. For there is but one problem - the problem of human relations."

>The Phantom that was published in American Modeler did
>indeed belong to Mr Suarez.
>
>As I understand it, the aircraft is still in mint condition,
>flyable and hanging in his home.
>
>Bill is a PAMPA menber and is usually more than happy to
>talk about his work and assist anyone who is interested in
>duplicating his designs. In fact, if you deside to build a
>Phantom, he'll mold the canopy for you!
>
>A nicer guy you'll never meet!
>BIGS

Hi Bigs,
Col. Tom McLain has built one of the Phantoms to replicate his own F-4 that he flew.
I ran into Billy Suarez several years ago at a Flushing Meadows contest. It was Joe Ortiz' going away contest/party. A great guy!
I ran into him again this summer at the WC. I had bought the magazine that had his P-38 in it when it was new ('65?) and was always intrigued with it. He graciously spent quite a long time talking with me and about the design. I definitely have it on my build list!
Truly, "A nicer guy you'll never meet!"
Bill <><

>For the plans to a CLPA Tom Cat, see Flying Models, January
>1972 issue, page 22. Vic Macaluso did the F14. Go to the
>flying Models online site and it will have the plan number.
>
>As to the Blue Angels, they started out in the F6F Hellcat,
>then the F8F Bearcat, F9F Panther, F9F-9 Cougar (swept wing
>version of the Panther), the F11F Tiger, F4 Phantom II, the
>A4 Skyhawk due to the very high cost of fuel that the twin
>engined F4 used. (1st non Grumman plane), the A/F18 now.
>The F16 is used by the USAF Thunderbirds. Yo, Fly Navy.

Indeed, Vic did produce a construction article about the F-14 Tomcat in that issue of FM. Then in August 1997, he produced an updated version using the SV-11 foam wing and tail.

Back issues and plans are still available from Flying Models.

The plane is really nice looking and I know that Dave Reyes is building one for Brodak's Fly-In next summer.

Ron King

Vic also had previously done the F-8 Crusader. The AAM that had Bill Suarez's Phantom also had Vic's Crusader. The articales started on facing pages with the two models facing each other on their respective pages. He also did a Crusader based on the SV 11 wings just before the F-14 second version.
All are really neat ships!
Bill <><

Yo! Been chased by any planes lately...Texarkana???? Yo! Go Air Force:+

Ha, ha ha. I had to read that one twice before I realized it was about me. Nope, not lately. That strange episode in Texarkana was the first and I hope the last time that ever happens. I do have another Profile Cavailer kit on order. Just too nice a flyer not to build another.

Here she is...on my favourite flying shirt.

LAST EDITED ON Nov-21-04 AT 09:20 PM (CST)
 
Well, on the cover of the December 1978 issue of Model Aviation there is a man, Ken Willard, holding four "blue birds" that are connected together in a diamond formation. They are radio controlled. The title is "For RC, Ken Willared's Blue Birds."
He called them the blue birds as a short name for the "Blue Thunder Angel Birds", a salute to both units. They are powered by a single OS Max .10 on the lead bird. His article also shows some 1/2A birds, and those too, are RC. Since Model Aviation is an AMA publication, I am assuming those plans are still available. You should have no trouble converting them to CL.
edit:In the back of the magazine, it shows the plan as #239-Blue Birds. The cost then was $3.75, and you just know it is higher now.