F-14 Tomcat made its final public appearance

phoenix80

Banned
The F-14 Tomcat made its final public appearance as an active part of the Navy over the September 17th weekend in an air show at Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.

The classic Northrup Grumman fighter jet that rose to prominence in the 1986 hit film "Top Gun" and has worn U.S. Navy colors since its first test flight in 1970 attracted a legion of fans from around the world at its public goodbye.

“It’s basically a bittersweet day for us,” said Lt. Cortney Kinna, an F-14 naval flight officer from Amarillo, Texas. "It was our favorite airplane. I just think it's the sexiest looking airplane out there. It's unique, big, powerful and loud."

The Tomcat will be retired after the USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT returns from her current deployment to the Persian Gulf area next spring. The last two Tomcat squadrons, VF-32 "Swordsmen" and VF-101 "Grim Reapers" are aboard the 'Big Stick' and will transition to the F/A-18 Super Hornet when they return.
Radar intercept officers (RIO) said they will particularly miss the concentrated teamwork needed between the pilot and “backseater” to let the F-14 do its job. Unlike the F/A-18 Super Hornet, one said, pilots do not have the same cockpit controls in the front seat to operate the radar and fire all weapon systems.

“The Tomcat is a RIO's airplane,” said Lt. Tim Henry, a Gettysburg, Pa., native who took his last F-14 flight during the airshow. “It’s sad. I caught myself looking around the cockpit.”

Retired Capt. Phil Grandfield, of Virginia Beach, said he favored the Tomcat over the F-4 Phantom and the F/A-18 Hornet in his 26 years of flying Navy jets.

“I’m most proud of having flown the F-14,” said Grandfield, who has more than 2,000 flight hours in the aircraft and made his 1,000th carrier arrested landing in the jet. “It’s a unique airplane. It’s respected around the world.”

The AIM-54 Phoenix missile, the Tomcat's long range 'fleet defender' missile, was retired about a year ago, leaving the AIM-120 AMRAAM as the longest-range air-to-air missile in the Navy's inventory.

Also posted (with many more pics) at Murdoc Online.

http://windsofchange.net/

http://www.murdoconline.net/archives/002820.html
 
Too bad. I grew up watching those planes take off and land all the time at the airforce base nearest to me. I guess that means that the F-15 will be retired to some time soon. (or will it?) I hope not because I really love that plane.
 
BaZoOkAzNgReNaDeZ said:
Too bad. I grew up watching those planes take off and land all the time at the airforce base nearest to me. I guess that means that the F-15 will be retired to some time soon. (or will it?) I hope not because I really love that plane.

What AFB did u live by?

I assume you grew up watching F-15s not tomcats since F-14s are Navy and they normally do not operate thru Air Force bases.
 
phoenix_aim54 said:
BaZoOkAzNgReNaDeZ said:
Too bad. I grew up watching those planes take off and land all the time at the airforce base nearest to me. I guess that means that the F-15 will be retired to some time soon. (or will it?) I hope not because I really love that plane.

What AFB did u live by?

I assume you grew up watching F-15s not tomcats since F-14s are Navy and they normally do not operate thru Air Force bases.

LOL dude, you are right. It was F-15s not F-14s. :oops: I live by NAFB (Nellis Air Force Base). Oh well, I still liked the F-14s too. I saw em on tv on a bunch of tv shows too. :lol: Well, yeah, I still liked those planes. Too bad they are gone now. :cry:
 
BaZoOkAzNgReNaDeZ said:
phoenix_aim54 said:
BaZoOkAzNgReNaDeZ said:
Too bad. I grew up watching those planes take off and land all the time at the airforce base nearest to me. I guess that means that the F-15 will be retired to some time soon. (or will it?) I hope not because I really love that plane.

What AFB did u live by?

I assume you grew up watching F-15s not tomcats since F-14s are Navy and they normally do not operate thru Air Force bases.

LOL dude, you are right. It was F-15s not F-14s. :oops: I live by NAFB (Nellis Air Force Base). Oh well, I still liked the F-14s too. I saw em on tv on a bunch of tv shows too. :lol: Well, yeah, I still liked those planes. Too bad they are gone now. :cry:

the only remaining F-14s in the skies will be Iranian ones.

My dad is a former expert on AWG/9 and F-14 fire control system.

I guess there are no better jets than F-4 Phantom & F-14 Tomcat...
 
Oh, Really?

The best aces with F-14s are from Iran.

Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units In Combat (Osprey Combat Aircraft) (Paperback)
by Tom Cooper, Farzad Bishop

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1841767875/104-1487817-8551141?v=glance

1841767875.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
 
Iranian F-14s don't get into the skies. They haven't had American-trained mechanics since 1979 and they haven't had parts since the mid-1980s. Sabotoge has also reportedly been inflicted on the Iranian F-14s. They don't get into the skies because when things break they don't have the new parts to replace it with. Without parts or skilled maintanaince there's no way to get those things in the air. Your own book source said that they could only get 10-30 flying during the Iran-Iraq war with Iran-Contra helping them... 20 years later and on the 'Axis of Evil' list? No F*ing way.

The Iranian F-14s don't fly.
 
Whispering Death said:
Iranian F-14s don't get into the skies. They haven't had American-trained mechanics since 1979 and they haven't had parts since the mid-1980s. Sabotoge has also reportedly been inflicted on the Iranian F-14s. They don't get into the skies because when things break they don't have the new parts to replace it with. Without parts or skilled maintanaince there's no way to get those things in the air. Your own book source said that they could only get 10-30 flying during the Iran-Iraq war with Iran-Contra helping them... 20 years later and on the 'Axis of Evil' list? No F*ing way.

The Iranian F-14s don't fly.

I disagree and again recommend you to read those articles.

Btw, Iran has 44 air worthy/combat ready F-14s ( out of 78 )

I have served with maintenance unit of Iranian air force and they are capable of handling their jets

17nf.gif
 
I spent 4 years in an F14 squadron. 1979-1983 VF143. The world famous Pukin Dogs. I find it hard to believe most of the claims in the book. The F14 never returned from a flight with out some type of problem. Most were minor, but without a steady supply of spares the jet will soon be beyond repair.

But we sold them 78 and they could also buy parts from salvage yards in the US and have them shipped around until they found there way to Iran.

They flew 25 of them not long ago. But I doubt if any phoenix missiles are still able to be used, if they have any left.

To me it was the most beautiful jet in the air. But it was a ***** to service.
 
Russian Air and Naval pilots are smiling now that Cat is retired
its was one they feared most more then Eagle they know the Super Bug
is easy kill. But it hurts to see it go away VP Cheney had no brains when
canceled the F-14D and its potential upgrades.
 
Tomcat is one of the most beautiful plane.
I have watched them in Yokosuka.

F-14FAEW
f14aew.jpg

Sorry!This is just joking.
 
It's a shame to hear that one of the worlds best long range interceptors is being retired. The B-52 has been flying longer than the Tomcats. Oh well. Rest In Peace F-14, we hardly knew ye.
 
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