Grumman F-14 Tomcat

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Grumman F-14 Tomcat
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F-14A
After the collapse of the TFX (Tactical Fighter Experimental) project in 1968, which was the basis for the heavy deck fighter F-111B, the U.S. Navy issued the Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) specifications for a new two-seat heavy deck fighter with a tandem cockpit layout and a top speed of Mach 2.2. Two finalists, McDonnell Douglas and Grumman, were selected from five entrants in December 1968. The final winner in January 1969 was Grumman, who was undoubtedly helped by the fact that he had already worked on the unsuccessful F-111B, giving him a technical edge over his competitors.
The heart of the new aircraft was the twin Pratt & Whitney TF30 engines and a weapons complex consisting of the AN/AWG-9 radar and AIM-54 Phoenix anti-aircraft cruise missiles. The XF-14 prototype first took to the air on 21 December 1970. A total of three XF-14s were produced (BuNo 157980 to 157982), the first of which was lost in a crash.
The F-14A fighters achieved initial operational capability in 1973. The F-14A was initially of interest to the US Marine Corps, which counted on the Tomcats as a replacement for the Phantoms II. However, interest quickly passed when it did not proceed with the development of software for use of the anti-surface armament due to financial reasons. Due to financial reasons, the TF30 engines were retained in the production aircraft, as they were underpowered for Tomcats, thus not allowing the design to reach its full potential. TF30s were originally installed in Tomcats as an interim solution until the newly developed Pratt & Whitney F401-PW-400s became available, but their development was cancelled by the Navy.
A total of 557 F-14As were produced, of which 478 machines (12 of which were preproduction YF-14As) were received by the US Navy. The last 102 F-14As for the US Navy were equipped with improved TF30-P-414A engines. The second user of Tomcat machines (and the only foreign user of Tomcats in general) in the second half of the 1970s was the Iranian Air Force, which ordered a total of 80 machines (BuNo 160299 to 160378), but not all (the last 80) were delivered before the beginning of the Islamic Revolution. The Iranian Tomcats then saw extensive combat deployment in the 1980s in the war with Iraq.


F-14B (F-14A+)
In March 1987, a modernization program was initiated that included, among other things, the installation of new, more powerful General Electric F110-GE-400 engines and the AN/ALR-67 radar warning system. The rest of the avionics equipment, including the AN/AWG-9 radar, remained virtually unchanged. The upgraded aircraft were originally designated as F-14A+, but this designation was changed to F-14B in May 1991. 38 F-14Bs were completely new, while the other 48 were the result of conversions from previously produced F-14As.


F-14D
The F-14D is the last variant delivered to the U.S. Navy since the early 1990s. It features new General Electric F110-GE-400 engines, AN/APG-71 radar, digital avionics with a "glass cockpit" or new Martin Baker Mk.14 ejection seats. Unlike the A version, all F-14Ds are capable of carrying the TARPS reconnaissance container. The first production F-14D first took to the air on February 9, 1990. The F-14Ds were inducted into the U.S. Navy's armament in July 1992. A total of 55 Super Tomcats were produced (37 were built entirely new, the rest were conversions from the A variant). This version equipped squadrons of VF-2 "Bounty Hunters", VF-11 "Red Rippers", VF-31 "Tomcatters" plus part of the VF-124 school unit. The F-14Ds were combat deployed during operations Enduring Freedom over Afghanistan (since 2001) and Iraqi Freedom (since 2003) over Iraq. The F-14s were retired from the U.S. Navy's arsenal in 2006.


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Article F-14 Tomcat versus Su-22 - Dogfight over Great Syrt Bay


Article Last F-14 Tomcat Combat Action

Article Tomcats in the Iraq-Iran War
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Grumman-F-14-Tomcat-t19698#73632 Version : 0
This is also how the legend was created - a wooden model of the F-14 in the Grumman workshops, undated images.


www.warbirdinformationexchange.org

Grumman F-14 Tomcat -


Grumman F-14 Tomcat -


Grumman F-14 Tomcat -


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Grumman F-14 Tomcat -


Grumman F-14 Tomcat -


Grumman F-14 Tomcat -


Grumman F-14 Tomcat -


URL : https://www.valka.cz/Grumman-F-14-Tomcat-t19698#537276 Version : 0
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