I need to go back to the construction of the fuselage. There was a area that I did not mention, but it is a trick I learned a long time ago. Probably no surprise to most of you.
I make all my own ordnance and tanks for my models. I make them out of "Estes Rocket" tubes and nose cones if I can find the right shaped nose cone. And I use 1/32 ply or plastic for the fins. Been doing this clear back to the kit days. They weigh almost nothing and are easy to make. Even dropped the tanks on my kit F-4's.
Now in this F-14 are some serious troughs for Sparrow missiles. It could carry four in the troughs in the fuselage, two more on a pylon that also held two Sidewinders. Although like all military aircraft it could carry various different combinations of ordnance, this is my favorite.
Now it shows carving these long troughs out of balsa on the plans. That must be fun. Look how simple it is to just use "Estes" tubes, cut open, and glued in place. I use a uncut section of tube when gluing them in place to make sure I have opened them up a little so the actual tubes I am going to use will fit in them. At the front of these tubes I just apply household sparkle with my finger and sand it to shape.
To be continued . . . .