The Tamiya F-14A Tomcat set a standard for plastic model kits. If there is a drawback it is that the aircraft can only be built as a very early Tomcat. Well Quickboost has addressed most of the options to upgrade your Tomcat’s chin pod. All these chin pods were used on later F-14As and F-14Bs.

• F-14A/B Tomcat Chin Pod with ECM Antenna
• F-14A/B Tomcat Chin Pod-Early Version
• F-14A/B Tomcat Chin Pod with ECM/TCS Equip.

The first set, QB48790, is an early version of the chin pod with a bullet type blister on the nose. It has a red position light and an ALQ-100 antenna below it. The set is molded in light grey resin mostly and provides the pod with a more pointed tip and three ALQ-100 antennas. You only need one but they are very small and fragile. You also get three clear red resin position lights. Again, they are small and you will invariably lose one or two.

QB48791 has the Chin Pod with the Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) Antenna. Molded perfectly in the same light grey resin that is the hallmark of Quickboost resin. This set is similar to the early pod with the added ECM bulge on the bottom. The difference is the chin pod has a shorter and rounded tip. It also comes with three ALQ-100 antennas and three clear resin position lights.

The third style of Chin Pod features the ECM as the above set but incorporates the Tactical Camera System (TCS) in place of the bulges. This set comes with the same parts in grey resin, chin pod and ALQ-100 antennas. There are also three clear resin position lights provided. Since this set also incorporates a camera system there is a single clear resin camera window. BE CAREFUL as it is easy to misplace.

So now you can do a later version of the F-14A and early F-14Bs. These simple upgrades will stand out on the nose of your Tomcat better than most aftermarket parts. These chin pods and the Quickboost Beaver Tail will allow you to do most F-14A versions. There are still some modifications to the gun vents on the nose, but these are also available from Quickboost. The key will be to select your subject aircraft and then get the correct chin pod.

Highly recommended.

Thanks to Quickboost and IPMS/USA for the review copies. You can obtain yours by contacting them at www.quickboost.netor at your local hobby shop or online retailer.