4 comments

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  Chris

  3 years ago

  A Sad Day: The F-14 is officially retired. I was at AMARC in Tucson Arizona a few months ago, and there was a sea of F-14s sitting out there. All had their beautiful squadron markings, all sitting proudly in the sun as if they were expecting to be redeployed at almost any time. All they needed was fuel and a pilot.
  
  It is also the last of a beautiful breed of felines from the “Grumman Iron Works”. The Tomcat was the most effective aircraft in the Carrier Defense fighter aircraft. Unfortunately, everything gets old with time. Who is still using an Apple II for example? The F-14 entered service in 1974, and has been in constant use ever since. So in some cases we could be looking at a 30 year old airplane that has been rebuilt a number of times. Only the B-52 can lay a claim of the longest service aircraft in the US arsenal. 3 and soon 4 generations of pilots can say they have flown the B-52.
  
  With that thought, I understand why the F-14 is retiring. The F-18A-Cs are looking to be retired soon too. The F-18E and F will be replacing those aircraft in the next few years. You really know you are getting old when the aircraft you grew up with are all retired. Even those kids you bounced on your knee are retiring from the military and getting real jobs.
  
  Only 2 countries operated the F-14. 79 went to Iran, and the rest to the US Navy. No matter where it served, it was nothing less than outstanding. In the Iran-Iraq wars, the F-14 was never defeated. There are reports that the Iranian aircraft were used extensively in the Iran-Iraq War and some claim it achieved over one hundred kills. Although information received about that war is notably sketchy. Slowly, the aircraft were cannibalized in Iran and stopped functioning altogether in the mid-80s.
  
  If Iran’s claims are true, then they have more kills operating comparatively few F-14s than the US Navy. Still, the F-14 in the Navy’s hands remained undefeated. US-4, Libya-0. In August 1981 2 Su-22s challenged the US Navy and lost. Then again, in January 1986, 2 pilots flying Mig-23s, thought they were man enough to try to attack 2 A-6 Intruders in international waters and the F-14s pounced on them typical of their feline background. Splash 2 Migs. There was no contest. The Navy pilots with the superior training and a superior aircraft left no doubt to the outcome.
  
  Still, it is a sad day, but a proud day. The Tomcat has done an excellent job. It leaves a reputation few planes can come close to, and what few come close, were probably built by Grumman. How many CATS do you know that can spit missiles?
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  Aaron

  3 years ago

  I loved this bird... this catbird.
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  Alan

  3 years ago

  Would it be wrong to say I loved the F14 Tomcat as a kid because Tom Cruise flew them in Top Gun?
  
  If only they'd let short sighted Irish boys fly F14s in the US Navy I'd have signed up when I was 11.
  
  Bloody beautiful plane.
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  Aaron

  3 years ago

  Alan: my eyes were the only reason I didn't join.
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