One Last Flight and then F-14s Heading to Aircraft Graveyard

it's certainly a sad day to see the f-14 head to the graveyard. IMO it's one of the few US plane designs that have real character to it.

thanks,
drfunk

Originally posted by titian
To that end, here are some pics I have, from various sources. It's easier nowadays to download a copy, given how often sites change or students leave college (and their free student accounts are deleted).

I don't think this site will go down so fast:

www.globalsecurity.org...

sad times indeed, more on this here

If a plane could be described as beautiful, the F-14 would be the beauty queen.

What I loved the most was how the F-14 always had the coolest squadrons.

My favorites were VF-2 and VF-111.

Originally posted by American Mad Man
F-16, first off is not a better plane, and it is ment for a completely different role. The F-16 is a light strike aircraft, the Tomcat a heavy interceptor.

Besides, the Navy doesn't even use F-16's - it's an Airforce plane.

The JSF, likewise, is a single engined light/medium strike airraft. Again, it can not use the pheonix missle system - it is ment ainly as a ground attack aircraft.

then what about F/A-18 and F-22?

Anybody think there might be a top secret swing wing fighter aircraft in production to replace the F14 for long strike, carrier duty.

Just a thought, but since none of the above mentioned aircraft really can fullfill the Tomcats LRFI role, there must be a "new" aircraft that is going to take its place. Must have high supersonic numbers, be versitile enough to fly at slow speed and have the hard mounts to fire devestating fire power at enemy targets both in the high altitude and surface targets.

I think someone should keep there eyes open for a "top secret" naval fighter aircraft that will replace the F14.

It is a very sad day indeed as the Tomcat is very much the beauty queen as someone else said.

Look at the inspiration the F14 had on "Macross" and battle mechs etc. I think the overall design is very advanced even for todays standards. Just make it a little faster and little more stealthy and add the variable geometry exhaust nossles and you would have a top of the line advanced fighter.

Anybody think there might be a top secret swing wing fighter aircraft in production to replace the F14 for long strike, carrier duty.

Yes...but I haven't gotten enough out of pop yet to say I believe him yet...as he's mentioned them testing variants of the Raptor with VTOL capability..... He may be pulling my leg, but who knows...he does work on the damned thing, but still...a VTOL carrier based stealth fighter? Game over man...

Hard as it is to believe that the USN could allow the F-14 to be retired without a proper replacement, I fear that any hopes for a secret naval fighter are just wishful thinking

The F-14 is an amazing aircraft and I remember being awestruck when I first learned of the type way back in 1972 (at the age of 7).

Atheix, if you want to know something about an aircraft, any at all, just ask and someone on this site will be happy to share what they know with you. Your posts on this thread look as if you are just guessing in order to take part in a discussion you don't truly grasp. Dont be afraid to just plain ask, thats how we all learn

You say well "what about the F/A-18 and F-22?"

Well, the F/A-18 is a single seat type with a lower all round performance than the F-14 and a shorter range and with a shorter range weapon system. This doesn't mean it is no good. Just the opposite in fact, it is a fine aircraft but not designed for the same role and it is being somewhat foisted on the USN as a replacement for the F-14 when it should really be filling a niche in the frontline in its own right.

The F-22 is actually called the F/A-22 and it is exclusively intended for the USAF so doesn't really have a place in the discussion. a swing wing carrier capable version was proposed but will not be built unless there is a change of heart at the Pentagon. Not to mention the discovery of a stash of gold under the White House lawn

[edit on 8-9-2004 by waynos]

How long did the US have the Tomcat before the citizens of the US knew that they had the plane? Now this leaves me wondering Hmmm ... if I was one of the strongest nations in the world and I had the strongest aircraft that was ever made lol .... YEAH RIGHT ... first of all there are all sots of people making aircraft ... and second of all that is not the fastest most agile .... aircraft in existence today ... I am sure there are at least 5 that could blow the doors off of that one. Why would anyone put to sleep the worlds most renouned fighter jet ? Unless ... they had something else ?

F-14 and F-15 were well publicised long before they ever flew. It has always been so with the veil of secrecy only being drawn over the existence of spy planes, even the YF-22 and YF-23 were highly publicised on their debuts so it is doubtful, but admittedly possible, that an 'Uber F-14' could exist in total secrecy today.

I'm speculating here but maybe it s the changed perception of the threat that is the reason? The F-14 was designed to shoot down Russian bombers and strike aircraft while they were still 'well BVR',as it were in its role of defending the fleet. The threat to the fleet today is different and maybe such a big expensive BVR fighter as the Tomcat can no longer be justified by the Navy in the grand scheme of things?

[edit on 8-9-2004 by waynos]

Sad news the F-14 was my fav interceptor, the Tornado my fav Attack plane, those moving wings!!!

For all of you guys pondering the "is their a replacement?" question, may I introduce you to the Northrop/Grumman "Switchblade"

It isn't an official replacement or anything, but this seems to be the best option for one.




It has 3 wing positions. With them fully outward, it can fly low and slow for strike missions.

With the wings swept half way forward, it takes on extreme manueverability, akin to the Su-47.

When the wings are swept fully forward, the plane gets a delta wing configuration, which allows better high end speed (Mach 3 dashes).

Please direct discussion of the switchblade here.

Originally posted by CookieMonster000
your allowed to fly fighters? rofl.....i just wanted it in my backyard and play around with the ejection seat once in a while

The CEO of Oracle has his own MiG fighter...

Originally posted by waynos
Hard as it is to believe that the USN could allow the F-14 to be retired without a proper replacement, I fear that any hopes for a secret naval fighter are just wishful thinking

The F-14 is an amazing aircraft and I remember being awestruck when I first learned of the type way back in 1972 (at the age of 7).

Atheix, if you want to know something about an aircraft, any at all, just ask and someone on this site will be happy to share what they know with you. Your posts on this thread look as if you are just guessing in order to take part in a discussion you don't truly grasp. Dont be afraid to just plain ask, thats how we all learn

You say well "what about the F/A-18 and F-22?"

Well, the F/A-18 is a single seat type with a lower all round performance than the F-14 and a shorter range and with a shorter range weapon system. This doesn't mean it is no good. Just the opposite in fact, it is a fine aircraft but not designed for the same role and it is being somewhat foisted on the USN as a replacement for the F-14 when it should really be filling a niche in the frontline in its own right.

The F-22 is actually called the F/A-22 and it is exclusively intended for the USAF so doesn't really have a place in the discussion. a swing wing carrier capable version was proposed but will not be built unless there is a change of heart at the Pentagon. Not to mention the discovery of a stash of gold under the White House lawn

[edit on 8-9-2004 by waynos]

this is what I wanted to know
I wanted to know why is the F-14 so super and the other crafts not as good
but why do you say "Well, the F/A-18 is a single seat type with a lower all round performance than the F-14"?
is there any6 other reason than "a shorter range and with a shorter range weapon system."

Originally posted by AtheiX
this is what I wanted to know
I wanted to know why is the F-14 so super and the other crafts not as good
but why do you say "Well, the F/A-18 is a single seat type with a lower all round performance than the F-14"?
is there any6 other reason than "a shorter range and with a shorter range weapon system."

OK, the F-14 was designed specifically as an interceptor - that is, to take off from carriers and protect it and the rest of the fleet. Thus, it was designed with long range of the plane it's self and speed as a high priority. The main weapons system it uses is the Phoenix missle system, which is a very long ranged missle. It also uses a tracking sytem that allows it to track a large number of targets at the same time.

The F-18, however, can not carry the Phoenix missle, and thus is not as good in an interceptor role. The F-18 is a much more versatlie aircraft however, able to perform drastically different roles, such as ground strikes and air superiority. Although it will be used for fleet protection, it is not as good at that specific job as the Tomcat was.

It is the ability to attack at BVR (beyond Visual Range) that sets the F-14 apart from other aircraft. You can imagine how important it is to keep a 2 billion dollar US supercrarrier housing 5,000 sailors and another half billion dollars (at least) worth of equipment safe, and this is exactly what the F-14 was built to do. That is why it is so good, because no other aircraft has the ability to take off and land on a carrier, go extreme ranges, fire at enemies even farther away, and then return safely.

BTW, if you are interested in military aircraft, check out Globalsecurity.org - they have just about every plane (and other weapon of war) in the world today.

Some info on the F-14

The F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, variable sweep wing, two-place fighter designed to attack and destroy enemy aircraft at night and in all weather conditions. The F-14 can track up to 24 targets simultaneously with its advanced weapons control system and attack six with Phoenix AIM-54A missiles while continuing to scan the airspace. Armament also includes a mix of other air intercept missiles, rockets and bombs........

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.

Global security

And then it's primary weapon, the AIM-54 Poenix missle:

The AIM-54 Phoenix Long-range air-to-air missile, carried in clusters of up to six missiles on the F-14 Tomcat. The Phoenix missile is the Navy's only long-range air-to-air missile. It is an airborne weapons control system with multiple-target handling capabilities, used to kill multiple air targets with conventional warheads. The weapon system consists of an AIM-54 guided missile, interface system, and a launch aircraft with an AN/AWG-9 weapon control system. The AIM-54 is a radar-guided, air-to-air, long-range missile consisting of a guidance, armament, propulsion, and control section, interconnecting cables, wings and fins. The total weapon system has the capability to launch as many as six AIM-54 missiles simultaneously from the F-14 aircraft against an equal number of targets in all weather and heavy jamming environments.

Global Security

A picture of the Phoenix missle being launched from an F-14. Notice how large it is - that is because of the range of this missle.

Mad Man, is correct, however, I think the Super Hornet with the AIM-120D will be a fine replacment for the F-14 and the AIM-54C.

The Phoenix has long range (184km to about 100km) but the AIM-120D will have a much better seeker head and not to mention very resistant to ECM. The Super Hornet is a fantastic aircraft.

Although, the F-14D is still my favorite aircraft all time.

[edit on 9-9-2004 by Hockeyguy567]

Yeah - the 120 is a very fine missle. It's just that the hornet from what I have read has a very short range.

I'm sure our CBG's will be fine, but I'd like to see a carrier Raptor varient.... Wishfull thinking, I know.

Originally posted by AtheiX

Originally posted by American Mad Man
F-16, first off is not a better plane, and it is ment for a completely different role. The F-16 is a light strike aircraft, the Tomcat a heavy interceptor.

Besides, the Navy doesn't even use F-16's - it's an Airforce plane.

The JSF, likewise, is a single engined light/medium strike airraft. Again, it can not use the pheonix missle system - it is ment ainly as a ground attack aircraft.

then what about F/A-18 and F-22?

Errm you enjoy mixing aircraft roles don't you?

The F/A-18 was intended as a light-medium Multipurpose Role Aircraft.

The F-22, true it as being an interceptor, but is a light interceptor with stealth and there for fits different roles and is an Airforce Aircraft.

The F/A-18 SuperHornet is probably the closest thing the Navy has to a Heavy Interceptor, the SuperHornet is also a Multi Purpose Role aircraft and is mainly used against ground assault, but it is still a heavy aircraft that carries a large payload.

Please do not mix up aircraft classes and roles the way you have done, try finding something closely related to a class.

And yes the F-14d is my favorite Naval Aircraft to date. It is the only aircraft that uses the AIM-54c Pheonix missile launch system, and I highly doubt any other Navy Aircraft will ever be modified to use the system.

But I would prefer Airforce aircraft over Navy Aircraft.

Shattered OUT...

There is also the fact that the Super Hornet is about 3-400mph slower than the outgoing F-14. This isn't a problem in most mission profiles and allows for more economic operation (which is why it is so), but when you are going to intercept a high speed incoming raider those extra mph's are mightily useful for maintaining a healthy distance between your own fleet and the engagement with the enemy.