What is Digg?111 Comments
- ahhhrn, on 10/12/2007, -5/+66They should have taken them out of service after Goose got whacked by the canopy of his F-14. Poor guy... he had so much life to live...
- mancat, on 10/12/2007, -2/+51What, you too much of a pussy to go through the danger zone?
- Darklighter, on 10/12/2007, -3/+34LOL! Hilarious! Yeah, but the Eagle can fly with just one wing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg3sKtPTWPQ
- RichPowers, on 10/12/2007, -2/+23Yep, you know you're getting old when the fighter jets you grew up with are retired.
"Back in my day, we had F-14s...not these fancy hover jets with damn laser beams!" - Poco, on 10/12/2007, -3/+17You can fly a car with that much thrust.
- jackhole, on 10/12/2007, -0/+12You mean "frickin' laser beams"
- sundancekid503, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11Negative Ghostrider, the pattern is full
- MechaFenris, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9Yes, it was. If you managed to read your history, back in the 60's the pentagon wanted a dual purpose navy/air force fighter.... the F-111 had two variations, F-111A (which became the Air Force's F-111) and the F-111B which was a disaster. The Navy didn't want the thing, so the Air Force took the F-111 (and the "B" variant was such a pile of crap, the Navy refused it....) Most of the initial engineering done on the F-14 came from the F-111 ideas... because of the SOLE purpose was carrier fleet defense and defense against soviet bombers (and carry the Phoenix). The F-14 was designed around the AWG-9/Phoenix (which is why it's so large). The Navy still wanted the Phoenix, and because that was SOOOO heavy, the designers were tasked to make a plane that could carry it (and not suck wind like the F-111B). Grumman delivered several prototypes, some fixed wing (which were crap at low speeds) and some with swept wings (like the F-111 started...) I forget what version # the final one was, but it became the F-14 we know today (albeit slower than the re-engined super-tomcats of later days...)
Sorry if I'm rambling... I am trying to remember too much, I guess. ;)
I have left out GRAND swaths of details... but the History Channel runs a show about the F-14 sometimes.... it's very entertaining.
And anything THAT big that can turn THAT sharp, not to mention blow the doors off everything, is a marvel of design... remember how old this thing was... It was started in the late 60's.... How's THAT for engineering? :)
It's my Favorite plane.... mostly because of the movie 'The Final Countdown' (not Top Gun, surprisingly...) - Oakes, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9Goodbye F-14, hello F-18/F-35. I've heard many good things from pilots about this plane-that-refused-to-die, but it had to happen eventually.
- Baloo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Dont worry there is still one air force using it..
the IRIAF (Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force)
and before some of you start condeming the US for selling them the plane.. it was actually sold to Iran when the Shah was in charge. (and an ally of the US) how times have changed... - MiDri, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7I still can't land on the damn carrier...
- Kosterfield, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8Yeah and it just has to tank 6 times as much as the F-14 does. Besides the fact that we'll have to launch more tankers and more fighters to cover those tankers, yeah I suppose it does good in the long run...
- delhokie, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7I just finished uploading it... here it is on YouTube (and no, you don't have to suffer through Kenny Logins' "Dangerzone"): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih8t-_uOULk
- pigsbladder, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7I played afterburner on my emulator out of respect
- yuckfou, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7The F-18 (lawn dart) has a much weaker radar than the F-14. (Tomcat) The Tomcat was designed around Phoenix missiles. A Phoenix missile can track and destroy a modern target from much farther away than anything the F-18 carries. The F-14 carried a much larger payload, (up to 8 Phoenix missiles) and was a strike aircraft as well. It was also used for reconnaissance missions when equipped with a LANTIRN pod. It was updated to carry LAMP pods to deliver laser guided bombs on target too. The old Tomcat was a pain to work on, and it required too many hours of maintenance to remain in service, BUT, there isn't anything flying today to compete with the Tomcats air-to air capabilities.
One Tomcat pilot can fire up to 8 huge Phoenix missiles at 8 separate Hornets and be flying away before the Hornet pilots knew he was there. Longer radar and longer range missiles will definitely win. A single F-18 wouldn't have a prayer. - triath, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6I wish the concept of the F-22 NATF was made.
http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/planes/f22/f22-natf.jpg - noahhoward, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6They could have remade the airframe.... they should have remade the airframe. What is wrong with keeping something that works?
The F/A-18 is ugly by the way and I should know, I'm right under the flightline of Oceana. - vprice509, on 10/12/2007, -5/+10I heard that Tom Cruise is going to sue the Navy to keep the F-14 flying. That's what I heard.
- SmeRndmGy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5I played Top Gun on my NES for the same reason.
- TheJuggernaut, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5My first exposure to the F-14 was through Macross/Robotech. I still keep waiting for one of those things to go all giant roboty on insurgents.
- antoniojvr, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5My brother was an RIO for the F14. They had a flyby next to the base where I live (Patuxent Naval Air Station) and it was the first time I saw my brother tear up.
- mrops, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4and then he will go kill xenu
- eclectro, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5^^The did tests with the F-35 against the F-14. It wasn't close. F-35 pilot - "They never even saw us."
Technology needs to move on. Otherwise we would still be usiing bi-planes. F-14 certainly was a great plane though. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5You know, in the shooting of that scene a real pilot lost his life. It's really sad. So indeed, I hope that after that terrible incident something was done to prevent such disasters from ever happening again.
May he rest in peace. - triath, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5Most will be joining the others at Dave Monthan AFB (aka 'The Bone Yard')
http://www.strategic-air-command.com/bases/Davis-Monthan_AFB.htm - eclectro, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4^^egads you're right. They even have a website. This looks like a hot ticket.
http://www.tomcat-sunset.org - MechaFenris, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I thought official "sunset" ceremony is sometime this September.... (google for "Tomcat Sunset" and I think it'll talk about it...
But yes, the last cruise was a while ago... I will indeed miss it. :) - FoeJo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3My husband was in the Navy for 14 years and was an AT who worked on the F14's. Truly onee of the best fighting machines we had in our arsonal.
- thatsiebguy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3She will be missed...
- MechaFenris, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3ANYTIME, BABY!
.... sigh .... - slickrick2k, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3American F-14s have downed five enemy aircraft and no American F-14 has ever been lost to enemy aircraft fire. So sais wikepedia anyway (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F14_Tomcat#F-14_in_combat)
- noahhoward, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Amen.
- wilf_brim, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3NIce composite video. Thanks for the up. Also like The Who instead of Kenny Loggins.
- lvraab, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3The only planes the Tomcat ever shot down were 3 MiG's during a period of tension with Syria, if I recall what I read in Air & Space correctly.
- OBKenobi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3What was sabotaged was the Phoenix missiles they had. But this has never really been verified.
30 Iranian F-14s are still flying, with 20 used for spare parts. The F-14s fought in the Iran-Iraq war and their radars were operational. - zelig, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3THIS IS NOT GOOD, MAVERICK....THIS IS NOT GOOD.......
- selkie, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3I grew up wanting to be a fighter pilot and the Tomcat was my first love. I can still rattle off all the specifications of this beauty. AFAIK, there's nothing in the sky that can match up to her.
We're gonna miss you baby. - delhokie, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4I found this tribute movie (sorry it's in WMV format..). Some great shots.
http://www.iag-inc.com/members/files/tomcattribute.wmv - SFLORG, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Well I have searched... yep a F-14 downed....
A Bird Vs A Plane
8/4/2005 - An F-14 plane hits a bird in mid-flight. God knows there is no chance in hell this can any longer be an F-14). Now do you think there was any chance the pilot thought he would lose this battle before the collission. I am sure the bird had a rough day too but it did indeed take down the plane.
http://www.break.com/index/abirdhitsplane.html - MadMan459, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2That is a cool video, thanks for finding and posting the link!
- Thwarter, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I used to build lots of models when I was a kid back in the 70's. My Jolly Rogers F-14 is the only one which did not get retired by firecrackers. It still hangs in my Dad's computer room (my old room) to this day.
- asaone, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2watched and felt many a tomcat take off and land while on the USS RANGER (CV61) . It was hot ***** back then. I was on the last cruse that had the A7 on it, the next cruse it was replaced by the FA/18 and the writing was on the wall for the F14.
- OBKenobi, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3The author of this article forgot Iran's F-14s. They're still flying!
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d170/persiansun84/Military/F_14_IRAN2.jpg
http://www.cloud9photography.us/mf/MF000446_GrummanF-14TomcatIranianAFMGroveSr.jpg
http://web.tiscali.it/aviationgraphic/BIG/JP-247_F-14A-IRIAFc.jpg
Probably not for long. :p
But if they were upgraded to modern standards, perhaps we could have had a chance for that F-14 vs. F/A-18, F-35 matchup.
In any case, from a visual standpoint, I think the F-14 is much better than an F/A-18 or F-35. It's just a good looking plane. It looks the way you imagine a fighter would. The F-35 looks so wimpy in comparison.
I don't want to get into a discussion about which is more effective. That is largely based on what weapons and sensors an aircraft has, and the skill of the pilots. The F-14 airframe could have continued to be upgraded (e.g. compare the Su-27 to the Su-34) indefinitely, but for whatever reason, the Navy chose the F/A-18 instead. - richtam123, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Hey, if they can keep the BUFF (B-52) flying nearly 50 years then why not the F-14? I know, different type of aircraft...I've been crabby ever since they retired the F-111 out of Heyford.
- SFLORG, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Throw a couple F-14 Hi-Res images up if any wish such.
http://www.sflorg.com/gallery.html - SFLORG, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I am ex USAF so I had not the chance to see this Navy bird often, but I have always been impressed with her record, but her time is up...
We now have the 5th generation fighter the awesome F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.
They will keep this wonderful Country safe and or advisories in fear. The F-18 Super Hornet will also take care of matters till this new generation is in full force. Let us also not forget the F-16 Fighting Falcon... not a Navy bird but still an air superiority fighter that will run long into the 21st century. To the Tomcat drivers... Remember her well and keep the stories of her legacy alive for us that love this bird.
Heidi-Ann~ - JungulSouljah, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2*tips hat to the greatest Naval fighter plane in American History.
- MechaFenris, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I am going to guess it's because the buff doesn't slam into a metal deck every time it landed. :) Not to mention the salt water and air.... they were getting long in the tooth. And now that there's no "evil empire", Carriers no longer need fleet defense like the F-14.. it was designed to take out soviet bombers and fleet defense. It was indeed a great plane... it makes me feel old thinking about how its now gone. And most of them are getting cut up after they're stripped. They only have a smaller contingent going to the boneyard. (And the ones going to museums and whatnot...) There's an aircraft photography site (I can't seem to recall the link right now...) that shows some of the frames after they're stripped and ready to be cut up. Makes me sad to see it.
My father was in the Navy for 24 years, (started work as a mechanic on SPADs, I believe VA-176....) of course that was short lived... ;) But his first cruise on a carrier was with F-4's.... :)
Heck, I can remember the Blue Angels show when they used F-4's....
The tomcats were getting BIG time expensive to maintain... We all know how cheap the Navy is... heheheh. Back in their heyday, they were so large, squadrons only took half their planes on cruise. :) The F-18 takes two roles and gives more space for, well, more planes, I guess. :)
I'm going to miss them. :( - elephantdog, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I'm from China and we got nukes, we got knives, sharp sticks... And ***** of surface to air missiles. To a point the age of aircraft matters, but I would still consider that era a threat because jets are often modified to carry new technology.
- moeq, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Yuckfou, the F-14 could carry a maximum of six AIM-54 Phoenix missiles, not eight.Get your facts straight.
Also, the AIM-54 is much easier to evade than the AIM-120 AMRAAM that the F-18E/F Super Hornet (the F-14's repleacement) carries. (The Super Hornet normaly carries up to 8 AIM-120s in the AAW role, or two-to-four in the SEAD role, or two in the STR, SUW, or CAS roles.)
The F-14 still has it over the F-18E/F in one respect though: Speed. At full afterburner, the F-14D had a top speed of Mach 2.34, while the F-18E/F can reach just a little above Mach 1.8. That effectively meant that the F-14 could outrun enemy AAMs or SAMs (if it could detect them at long range). No such capability for the F-18E/F, but then the F-18E/F is designed to be much harder to detect and track thanks to it's low RCS and it's AESA radar. Unless the F-18 E/F goes up against stealth fighters like the Rafael or the F-22, it would likely have the advantage in every fight.
Still would have liked to have seen a Tomcat II, if for no other reason than maintaining a high-speed interceptor for the Navy. Now they have nothing that fits that role unless they go and navalise the F-22. -
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