Teknic's Resin Details Releases

Meteor Productions has kept the Technics line of detail sets growing. These new cockpit sets are works of art molded in medium gray resin (bubble free!) and photo-etch. Here's a look at some of their latest offerings in 1/32 scale:

Set TK32010 - F-14D Tomcat/Bombcat Cockpit Superset

If you've seen the magic that the earlier Teknics F-14A Cockpit Detail Set did for the Tamiya 1/32 F-14A Tomcat kit, you already know where this is going. This release replaces the cockpit of the later Tamiya F-14A release - the '1994 Version' of the Tomcat. As you can see here, you basically toss all of the Tamiya cockpit parts into the spares bin and replace it with two new cockpit tubs, two new NACES ejection seats, instrument panels (complete with acetate instruments) and loads of details. You also have your choice of rear cockpit displays, standard interceptor or revised MFD. This set is not designed for the beginner, nor is the Tamiya kit. If you want an accurate F-14D cockpit in 1/32, this is the only game in town and one that would be virtually impossible to beat. This set should be used with set TK32011 below.

Set TK32011 - F-14D Tomcat/Bombcat Airframe Conversion

If you've picked up the F-14D cockpit detail set above, you'll still need to re-engine your Tomcat as well. This set is designed for the 1994 Version of the Tamiya 1/32 F-14A Tomcat and provides new rear fuselage engine fairings, two new F110 engine nozzles, new nosegear door, the distinctive F-14D undernose twin sensor housing and the revised antenna blades. With this set and the set above, you'll have the basic F-14D airframe represented. All you'll need is the updated cockpit set TK32010.

TK32012 - F-14B Tomcat/Bombcat Cockpit Superset

This release replaces the cockpit of the later '1994 Version' Tamiya F-14A release. As with the F-14D set above, you basically toss all of the Tamiya cockpit parts into the spares bin and replace it with two new cockpit tubs, two new ejection seats, instrument panels (complete with acetate instruments) and loads of details. You also have your choice of rear cockpit displays, standard interceptor or revised MFD. This set is not designed for the beginner, nor is the Tamiya kit. To complete the conversion to the F-14B, you'll have to re-engine the kit with set TK32013 below.

TK32013 - F-14B Tomcat/Bombcat Airframe Conversion

If you've picked up the F-14B cockpit detail set above, you'll still need to re-engine your Tomcat as well. This set is designed for the 1994 Version of the Tamiya 1/32 F-14A Tomcat and provides new rear fuselage engine fairings, two new F110 engine nozzles, new nosegear door and the revised antenna blades. With this set and the set above, you'll have the basic F-14B airframe represented. All you'll need is the updated cockpit set TK32012.

If you're a Tomcat lover as I am, you've been frustrated by the unavailability of late-model 'cats in 1/32. Thanks to Teknics, you can transform the Tamiya F-14A kit much like the USN did to the basic F-14A airframe. F-14B or F-14D (or both), these sets are highly recommended.

Our sincere thanks to Meteor Productions for these review samples.