DIYer Recreated His Own F-14 Tomcat For $38K - It's Small, But Fast

One of the greatest pastimes is building and flying model airplanes, which folks have been doing for nearly a century. Typically, people will build from kits, reproducing famous aircraft like the legendary North American P-51 Mustang that helped the Allies achieve victory during World War II. Of course, the hobby isn't limited to military aircraft, but they nonetheless take up a large chunk. Almost all radio-controlled (RC) planes are small, propeller-driven aircraft that hobbyists fly for fun, at competitions, or to show off their work.

A rarer type of RC airplane is the one constructed and operated by Levi, an enthusiast who spent around $55,000 AUD ($35,000 USD) on his very own F-14 Tomcat, of "Top Gun" fame, though it's been out of service for some time. The United States Navy retired the F-14 Tomcat in 2006, bringing an end to the once-storied Naval fighter.

While no American F-14s remain in operation, as of this writing, that didn't stop Levi from creating his own. It doesn't just look right; it flies amazingly fast. Your typical RC plane flies around 70 mph, which is more than enough for most hobbyists. Levi's F-14 Tomcat RC plane hits speeds of 217 mph. That's significantly faster than anything you'd purchase at a hobby store, and the main reason is its dual intakes and large internal turbine engines. 

Levi showed off his creation to the Australian YouTube channel BeSnappy, where he went over how he made the aircraft and its specifications. When asked how much money he spent on the project, he responded, "I try to be ignorant to that; otherwise, I wouldn't fly it," he admitted before estimating the total cost at a staggering $55,000 — again, Australian dollars. Levi also made sure to put some wear and tear on his aircraft, so unlike most high-end RC planes, his F-14 features grime.

He modeled it off a 2004 demo aircraft, which was nearing the end of its lifecycle and was covered in oil stains and grime. That level of authenticity makes the 12.5-foot-long RC plane seem even more realistic. It uses 12 liters of jet fuel, while another 2.5 liters of smoke oil add the trail. It weighs 105.8 lbs. without fuel, so its takeoff weight is around 132.57 lbs. Just like the real deal, the RC F-14 has foldable wings. To achieve the highest speed possible, the wings fold back in flight into a delta shape.

Levi explained, "In flight, with the wings out and the wings back; it's like flying two totally different jets." Engineering the RC aircraft to work like the real-world fighter is impressive, and because it cost him so much time and money to build, Levi admitted that putting it into the air scares him, every time. Fortunately, he hasn't wrecked his creation yet, and it continues to impress everyone who has the chance to witness an F-14 Tomcat take to the skies once more, even if it's a scaled-down model.