F-14 Tomcat | History Of Grumman Twin-Engine, Twin-Tail, Variable-Sweep Wing Fighter Aircraft

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American carrier-capable supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program after the General Dynamics-Grumman F-111B project collapsed. The F-14 was the first American Teen Series fighter, designed to incorporate air combat experience against MiG fighters during the Vietnam War.
The F-14 flew on December 21, 1970, and was first deployed in 1974 with the U.S. Navy aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65), replacing the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. The F-14 served as the U.S. Navy's primary maritime air superiority fighter, fleet defense interceptor, and tactical aerial reconnaissance platform into the 2000s. The Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) pod system was added in the 1990s, and the Tomcat began performing precision ground-attack missions.
In the 1980s, F-14s were used as land-based interceptors by the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force during the Iran–Iraq War, where they saw combat against Iraqi warplanes. Iran claimed their F-14s shot down at least 160 Iraqi aircraft during the war (only 55 of these confirmed, according to historian Tom Cooper), while 16 Tomcats were lost, including seven losses to accidents.
The Tomcat was retired by the U.S. Navy on 22 September 2006, having been supplanted by the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Several retired F-14s have been put on display across the US. The F-14 remains in service with Iran's air force, having been exported to Iran under the Pahlavi dynasty in 1976.
Beginning in the late 1950s, the U.S. Navy sought a long-range, high-endurance interceptor to defend its carrier battle groups against long-range anti-ship missiles launched from the jet bombers and submarines of the Soviet Union. They proposed a Fleet Air Defense (FAD) aircraft with a more powerful radar and longer-range missiles than the F-4 Phantom II to intercept enemy bombers and missiles at very long range. Studies into this concept led to the Douglas F6D Missileer project of 1959. Still, this large subsonic aircraft appeared unable to defend itself once it fired its missiles, and the project was canceled in December 1961.

General characteristics

Crew: 2 (Pilot and Radar Intercept Officer)
Length: 62 ft 9 in (19.13 m)
Wingspan: 64 ft 1.5 in (19.545 m)
Swept wingspan: 38 ft 2.5 in (11.646 m) swept
Height: 16 ft (4.9 m)
Wing area: 565 sq ft (52.5 m2) wings only
1,008 sq ft (94 m2) effective area including fuselage
Airfoil:
Grumman (1.74)(35)(9.6)-(1.1)(30)(1.1) root
Grumman (1.27)(30)(9.0)-(1.1)(40)(1.1) tip
Empty weight: 43,735 lb (19,838 kg)
Gross weight: 61,000 lb (27,669 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 74,350 lb (33,725 kg)
Fuel capacity: 16,200 lb (7,348 kg) internal fuel; 2 × optional 267 US gal (222 imp gal; 1,010 l) / 1,756 lb (797 kg) external tanks
Powerplant: 2 × General Electric F110-GE-400 afterburning turbofans, 16,610 lbf (73.9 kN) thrust each dry, 28,200 lbf (125 kN) with afterburner
Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 2.34 (1,544 mph, 2,485 km/h) at altitude
Range: 1,600 nmi (1,800 mi, 3,000 km)
Combat range: 500 nmi (580 mi, 930 km)
Service ceiling: 53,000 ft (16,000 m) plus
g limits: +7.5
Rate of climb: 45,000 ft/min (230 m/s) plus
Wing loading: 96 lb/sq ft (470 kg/m2)
48 lb/sq ft (230 kg/m2) effective
Thrust/weight: 0.92 at gross weight (1.07 with loaded weight & 50% internal fuel)
Armament
Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61A1 Vulcan 6-barreled rotary cannon, with 675 rounds
Hardpoints: 10 total: 6× under-fuselage, 2× under nacelles, and 2× on wing gloves with a capacity of 14,500 lb (6,600 kg) of ordnance and fuel tanks, with provisions to carry combinations of:
Rockets: 7x LAU-10 rocket pods (for a total of 28 rockets)
Missiles: AIM-54 Phoenix, AIM-7 Sparrow, AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles:
Bombs:
JDAM precision-guided munition (PGMs)
Paveway series of laser-guided bombs
Mk 80 series of unguided iron bombs
Mk 20 Rockeye II cluster munition
Other:
Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS)
LANTIRN Targeting System (LTS) pod (AN/AAQ-14)
2× 267 US gal (1,010 l; 222 imp gal) drop tanks for extended range/loitering time
Avionics
Hughes AN/APG-71 radar
AN/ALR-67 radar warning receiver
AN/AAS-42 infrared search and track, AAX-1 TCS
AN/ASN-130 Inertial navigation system
Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receiver (ROVER) upgrade

#f14 #f14tomcat #aircraft

[joemoore]

I spent 16 years helping build the Tomcat for Grumman Aerospace at the Calverton, New York, Long Island final assembly plant #6. Working on all the models from all the A's to the final D version and all prototype test aircraft. Having to had the chance to actually build and help develop the test aircraft was a once in a life time opportunity for an aircraft tech as myself. There was immense pride in all the workers on the assembly line to put out the best quality aircraft we could build and it was a sad day for all of us to see the final aircraft lift off form the field ending an era of the greatest Navy fighter ever built, period. The pilot gave us one hell of a good bye airshow before leaving. There were many with tears in their eyes, I'm proud the have been a " Grumman Iron Worker ". Tomcats forever.

[jrmotorsports]

The greatest aircraft, all time. She is a beauty!

[gavinturner]

The Tomcat F14 is just a stunning thing to look at. Even just sitting on its wheels on the deck of a carrier, it looks invincible.

[djsilverva]

My Grandfather was the contract negotiator that helped put the deal together between Grumman and the US Navy

[mikewithers]

Ive always had a fascination with the Tomcat and Eagle. Both eclipsing anything before it. 🇺🇸

[bwest]

Anyone else fall in love with the F14 because of Macross/Robotech? That anime made fall in love with this aircraft, and motivated me to learn more about it 👍

[sleepyhollow]

F-14 Tomcat = Robotec (Macross)
Thanks, childhood, for forever linking the two.

[joshuajuarez]

I love the side by side seaters. I’m an aviation nerd. My favorite plane as a young boy and now is the A6 intruder. The side by side. Then the f-16. Then the F111. Wierd huh. The F111 in a fav too 3?!? Ya. Despite her issues love that plane

[watup]

B-52 F-14 cats SR-71 love all three since 1983 popular mechanic

[jackmeoffer]

best dam fighter ever!❤❤❤ the f14 is the og

[greenbeenie]

Fantastic video, great research went into this, thank you.

[gXX]

I got to witness these machines at work in Roosevelt roads naval station puerto rico during the 90s they would rip open the skies regularly.

[SteepSix]

What a beast of a machine. I think tho that the F-111b was a missed opportunity for the Navy... Remember the F-111 could carry twice the payload four times farther than the Tomcat, and it could go higher and faster. The F-14 could have complemented those strike capabilities. Stand off strike capabilities that the Navy hasn't now, or ever, had in a weapons platform!

[lincolncwynar]

I remember the first and last time I saw/experienced this beautiful bird like it was yesterday. The first, was at the Kalamazoo air show (mid 1980’s). The second, was during my time serving aboard the USS Independence CV-62 (mid to late 1990”s). My favorite routine, during my off duty times, was to watch launch/arresting sorties from the “crows nest” when we were deployed in the Persian Gulf (Desert Thunder, UN inspection procedures in Iraq). Lastly, if I never saw Top Gun in the movie theater as a kid, I might have pursued a different path after high school.

[rschris]

Wish they would come out with a six gen Tomcat, for the fleet defense and F/A what would that look like!!

[kevinthompson]

Yes I remember that was the only thing that I love about the aircraft carrier was landing back on it

[RandyBeretta-dbbg]

They need to build a new version of the F-14 Tomcat!!✊️

[williamcase]

Love the version that can transform into a robot. The half-mode between full robot and plane with the arms and legs out is the coolest.

[OppoShop-ih]

All Tri- units are for Peace Making and Rescue Operation.❤

[kellyschram]

It's one of the most stupid things the US Navy has ever done was to drop this aircraft. She is still better then the f35 any day of the year