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F 14 Tomcat

Righteous_Fire

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NOTE:
1) Picture heavy page so wait for it!!!!
2) My first love when it comes to fighters is the F-14 Tomcat. The Cool swept wing feature is epic. So here's a thread about it. I hope I am the first one, otherwise merge it MODS.
3) For you new kids who probably dont know what the heck I am talking about, here is video to refresh your memories!!



F-14 as immortalized by the Movie Top-Gun!!!



F-14 Tomcat


Description

The F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, variable sweep wing, two-place strike fighter manufactured by Grumman Aircraft Corporation. The multiple tasks of navigation, target acquisition, electronic counter measures (ECM), and weapons employment are divided between the pilot and the radar intercept officer (RIO). Primary missions include precision strike against ground targets, air superiority, and fleet air defense.


Features


As a Strike Fighter, the Tomcat is capable of deploying an assortment of air-to-ground ordnance (MK-80 series GP bombs, LGBs and JDAM) in various configurations, while simultaneously carrying the AIM-7, AIM-9 and AIM-54 air-to-air missiles. The F-14 also has the LANTIRN targeting system that allows delivery of various laser-guided bombs for precision strikes in air-to-ground combat missions and for battle damage assessment. With its Fast Tactical Imagery (FTI) system the F-14 can transmit and receive targeting/reconnaissance imagery in-flight to provide time sensitive strike capability. A number of F-14s also carry the Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) providing in-theater tactical reconnaissance.

Background


The F-14 has completed its decommissioning from the U.S. Navy. It was slated to remain in service through at least 2008, but all F-14A and F-14B airframes have already been retired, and the last two squadrons, the VF-31 Tomcatters and the VF-213 Black Lions, both flying the "D" models, arrived for their last fly-in at Naval Air Station Oceana on March 10, 2006. The F-14 Tomcat was officially retired on September 22, 2006 at Naval Air Station Oceana.

General Characteristics



  • Contractor: Northrop Grumman.
  • Date Deployed: First flight: December 1970.
  • Propulsion: F-14A: (2) TF30-414A Afterburning Turbofans with over 40,000 lb Total Thrust
    F-14B/D: (2) F110-GE400 Afterburning Turbofans with over 54,000 lb Total Thrust.
  • Length: 62 feet 9 inches (18.9 meters).
  • Height: 16 feet (4.8 meters).
  • Wingspan: 64 feet (19 meters) unswept; 38 feet (11.4 meters) swept.
  • Weight: 43,600 lb (19,777 kg) (F-14B).
  • Airspeed: Mach 2+.
  • Ceiling: 50,000+ feet.
  • Range: 1600 nautical miles.
  • Crew: Two (pilot and radar intercept officer).


Overall, the Navy's Grumman F-14 Tomcat is without equal among today's Free World fighters. Six long-range AIM-54A Phoenix missiles can be guided against six separate threat aircraft at long range by the F-14's AWG-9 weapons control system. For medium-range combat, Sparrow missiles are carried; Sidewinders and a 20mm are available for dogfighting. In the latter role, the Tomcat's variable-sweep wings give the F-14 a combat maneuvering capability that could not have been achieved with a "standard" fixed planform wing.

Designed in 1968 to take the place of the controversial F-111B, then under development for the Navy's carrier fighter inventory, the F-14A used the P&W TF30 engines and AWG-9 system and carried the six Phoenix missiles that had been intended for the F-111B. A completely new fighter system was designed around these with emphasis on close-in fighting "claws" along with standoff missile fighting. From its first flight on 21 December 1970, the F-14A has come through five years of development, evaluation, squadron training and initial carrier deployments to become the carrier air wings' most potent fighter. Technical and financial problems that received a great deal of publicity have been overcome in achieving this goal.

Originally it was planned that the F-14B with the advanced P&W F401 would be the major production version. However, performance of the TF30-P-412 exceeded expectations while development of the F401 was delayed. One F-14B was flight tested, showing that an F401-powered Tomcat would be a potential future option.

The Tomcat caps a long line of Grumman Cats. In the hands of Navy pilot/NFO teams, it provides the carrier task force with its first-line offense and defense against any enemy air threat in the tradition of its predecessors. The current inventory includes F-14As, F-14Bs and F-14Ds.

In addition to its outstanding fighter capabilities, the Tomcat is now being configured as a potent, adverse weather, medium-range strike aircraft that is being fielded through cost-effective upgrades to F-14A/Bs. With the ability to launch Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM), coupled with an INS/GPS integration and off-the-shelf electronic countermeasure improvements, the Tomcat will provide a multi-mission strike/escort capability which will be part of the inventory until at least 2010.

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References:

1) The US Navy -- Fact File
2) F-14 Tomcat
3) All other image sites as they are


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righteous_fire; F14 Tomcat is one of my favorite too !! :smitten:

:pakistan::china: Beautiful pictures buddy.
 
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A video of an F-14 that exploded after it broke the sound barrier!!

 
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Carrier Based Take off (Short Version)


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The whole process of such take offs:

Description: "This video was shot during the final flyoff of the Tomcats of Carrier Air Wing 8 on March 10, 2006. This particular video shows the Squadron CO's F-14D from VF-31 "Fighting Tomcats" preparing to launch"

Note: Watch from 02:22, it also shows the wing sweeping process

Reference:

 
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F-14 last carrier operations - 07/28/06


F-14 last carrier operations - transonic pass, 07/28/06



F-14 last carrier operations - Goodbye formation,07/28/06


Final F-14 Tomcat Landing - October 4, 2006


:frown::cry:
 
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