F-14 in action on the flight deck
Named “F-14: Defenders Of The Fleet,” the cool footage in this post will bring a tear to the eye of every Tomcat’s fan.
The video in fact was taken when the legendary F-14A Tomcat ruled the flight deck of U.S. Navy aircraft carriers where it served as the primary maritime air superiority fighter and fleet defense interceptor.
As we have already explained, the Grumman F-14A Tomcat was the first of the American teen-series fighters, which were designed incorporating air combat experience against MiG fighters during the Vietnam War.
However despite the fact that the F-14 was a formidable dogfighter, what made the Tomcat unique was fleet air defense role. To accomplish this mission the aircraft was fitted with a powerful weapons system known as the AWG-9 which was able to support the AIM-54 Phoenix that provided an unprecedented one-hundred mile range and included a small onboard radar to guide itself to the target during the final phase of flight.
So don’t waste your time: sit down and enjoy the video featuring the most badass fighter ever built in action.
Anytime Baby…!
The Tomcat development
Following Grumman’s tradition of naming its aircraft after cats, the new “Tomcat” made its first flight in December 1970. After a number of changes following flight testing, the first F-14As were delivered to the Navy in June 1972, with Fighter Squadron (VF) 124 designated to provide crew training. On the West Coast, VF-1 and VF-2 were the first operational squadrons to receive the new aircraft, while on the East Coast VF-14 and VF-32 became the first Atlantic fleet Tomcat squadrons. In 1974, the Marine Corps prepared to stand up VMFA-122 at NAS Miramar, but the program was cancelled when the Marine Corps decided to retain modified versions of the dependable F-4J Phantom II.
The F-14 saw its first combat in August 1981, downing two Libyan Su-22 fighters over the Gulf of Sidra. It saw considerable duty in the Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan. The last F-14 retired from active service with VF-213 in 2006.
Photo credit: U.S. Navy
Artwork courtesy of AircraftProfilePrints.com
