Few carrier aircraft have the visual presence of the Tomcat, and on a flight deck diorama it earns every centimetre of space it occupies. With its variable-sweep wings, twin tails and sheer size it was the undisputed apex predator of the carrier air wing throughout the 1970s and 80s, a reputation that a certain 1986 film did nothing to diminish. It served the US Navy until 2006, by which point it had also seen extensive combat with the Iranian Air Force — the only export customer.

Tamiya's kit is excellent to begin with, but this was an early experiment in going all-out with aftermarket — extra detail parts throughout, and one of my first attempts at pre-shading, which gives the panel lines that subtle tonal variation that brings a large grey aircraft to life. Setting it in a flight deck scene with ground crew and deck vehicles was the right call; it transforms a model into a moment. The members of IPMS Uppsala apparently agreed — this diorama took the club's building challenge for 2019 by popular vote.