Tamiya 61114 Grumman F-14A Tomcat 1/48 Scale Plastic Model Kit

Tamiya ventured into the modeling business in 1948, with a scale wooden ship model kit. Since then, Tamiya has been striving to offer merchandise that can truly be called 'First in Quality Around the World.' Now Tamiya is offering more than 300 different products, both in the fields of precision static models and high performance radio control vehicles. These products are not only sold in Japan but also exported in vast quantities to the United States, Europe, South East Asia, and to many other parts of the world. The standard of excellence achieved by Tamiya is regarded as among the very finest in the world of model hobbies. This finely detailed plastic model kit requires assembly and painting. Item is brand new and in its original factory packaging. Listing images are stock pictures provided by the manufacturer or the distributor. From its first test flights in 1970 through to its retirement in 2006, the F-14 Tomcat is a carrier-based fighter that has captured the imagination; its variable sweep wing allowed automatic adjustment for optimum performance and an impressive combination of speed and maneuverability. It had a powerful AN/AWG-9 fire control system that could use AIM-54 Phoenix missiles to take on multiple targets from range. 477 of the 632 Tomcats supplied to the U.S. Navy were the early F-14A variant; their delivery to units began with carrier squadrons in 1973, and its combat debut was in the 1975 evacuation from Saigon. It was later in action in conflicts in Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan. Seventy-nine F-14As were also supplied to Iran before the 1979 Islamic Revolution and some still remain in service today. This specific model kit depicts the F-14A Tomcat variant. The F-14A was the initial two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather interceptor fighter variant for the U.S. Navy. It first flew on December 21, 1970. As a U.S. Navy fighter it fulfilled the dual roles of long range interceptor and air superiority fighter, and later bomber. Deployed from 1974 to 2006, it successfully employed a 'swing wing', which offered variable sweep. The F-14A, which covers most of the early variants, was the most prolifically-produced variant of the Tomcat. 79 were exported to Iran before U.S.-Iranian relations began to deteriorate, and later took part in the Iran-Iraq War.