A few recent Tomcat articles

[BlackLion213]

There are still a lot of online articles that discuss the Tomcat, even 10 years after it's retirement.

 

Here are a few that I ran across recently. Many are from Jalopnik in the past year or so. http://jalopnik.com/

 

There are a bunch of other ones that can be found with a google search, but most forum goers won't learn much from them - it's stuff like "the F-14 could track 24 targets at once or Iran also bought the F-14"...

 

I think the Jalopnik ones are pretty good.

 

Recording from the Gulf of Sidra

 

Elite F-14 Flight Officer Explains Why The Tomcat Was So Influential

 

This Throwback F-14 Demo Video Will Bring Tomcat Lovers To Tears

 

Last Tomcat Demo

 

This Topgun Instructor Watched The F-14 Go From Tomcat To 'Bombcat'

BTW - if you read any of these articles, make sure you read this one. It's REALLY good and covers the changes that took place during the Leatherneck Tomcat's operational era perfectly (1985ish to 1995ish)

 

 

 

 

TOP GUN Day Special: The Super Tomcat That Was Never Built

 

What It Was Like Being A Topgun Instructor While They Filmed Top Gun

 

How To Successfully Get Launched Off A Carrier At Night In A F-14 Tomcat

 

And we can't forget about this one! :thumbup:

 

-Nick

Edited December 20, 2015 by BlackLion213

[Drag0nWIng]

"Smokin" Ruzicka come into dcs forum.

[AG-51_Razor]

Great read(s) Black Lion, thanks!

[SandMartin]

Many old aircrafts after retirement still fly for different displays and hollydays (see f-86, mustangs, mig-15, etc).

Is there some tomcats in usa in flyable condition for this aviashows and events?

[Frisco1522]

Many old aircrafts after retirement still fly for different displays and hollydays (see f-86, mustangs, mig-15, etc).

Is there some tomcats in usa in flyable condition for this aviashows and events?

Only Tomcats left flyable are in Iran. The US ones were scrapped so the Iranians would hopefully be starved of parts. (I guess not!)

 

Frisco1522

[Cool Breeze]

That dirty double Immelman was amazing! Thanks for the great articles and photos Blacklion!

[Grundar]

Many old aircrafts after retirement still fly for different displays and hollydays (see f-86, mustangs, mig-15, etc).

Is there some tomcats in usa in flyable condition for this aviashows and events?

 

Tomcats either had all their sensitive parts stripped out and popped in museums or they were destroyed.

 

For a similar reason the F-111's of the world were similarly destroyed. Part because the TF30 also powered the Tomcat and they don't want them in Iranian hands AND because F-111G's in particular were nuclear weapon capable and were included as as part of the nuclear delivery disarmament treaty with the former USSR in the past. Hence Australia's F-111 fleet were either destroyed or had the engines destroyed and then placed in a museum.

[Drag0nWIng]

I saw this pic few days ago.

[Frisco1522]

I saw this pic few days ago.

I always think of this version

I wonder why the glass was blacked out?

 

Frisco1522

[BlackLion213]

I always think of this version

I wonder why the glass was blacked out?

 

Frisco1522

 

I suspect its because the cockpit is mostly empty. I love seeing Tomcats, but not such a fan of visiting them at most museums. Because of the "de-mil" process, most static display aircraft look like corpses. There is no suspension of disbelief that they can fly, they just look gutted.

 

There are a few museums where the Tomcat is in great shape: Smithsonian, Seattle Museum of flight, Wings over the Rockies to name a few (there are others too, I just don't know the names).

 

-Nick

[Drag0nWIng]

The most famous tomcat of america, which had shoot down someone(2 mig-23, 2 su-22), now is laying on the graveyard at the desert of Arizona, thankful they didn't cut them into piece.

 

And, from this forum, the guys said Aim-54c is very easy to be dodged for them, just do blahblah, then do blahblah, after these the aim-54 will miss the target and hit the ground.

So maybe it will like a F-15c without aim-120 during the combat.

 

: /

 

I should post the original thread, I don't know what does it like in dcsw(and we won't have chance to play the cat and phoenix in the future, they had already gone! LOL, terribly pity, : \ ), because I'm not good at using the mission editor and so on.

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=152660

Edited December 25, 2015 by Drag0nWIng

[hvymtal]

On the "elite F-14 flight officer" one there's a quote about Super Bug v Turkey which pretty much sums up why I like the Block 15 Viper over later ones, to go a little bit off topic and a bit confusing.

Don't get me wrong, the Super Hornet is an awesome aircraft, but I fear a lot of its greatness comes from technology. In the Tomcat, I think you had to be a better aviator because the technology just wasn't there. It was up to the aircrew to maximize its performance (or minimize it if you sucked). Conversely, in a Super Hornet loaded with APG-79 (AESA radar), MIDS (advanced data link), ATFLIR (advanced targeting pod), AIM-9X (high-off boresight air-to-air missile) and JHMCS (helmet mounted display), you can be a sub-par aviator and let the technology pick up the slack.

It's also why i'll defend the F-14B, pre-2000 bug, and fulcrum to the death, you need to fly those things, you cant just play like a flanker pilot and take everything for granted. I'd rather have a shin-deep FC level simulation of 1985 or 1990 complete with F-15A MSIP, ADF vipers, 10As, Corsairs, and Varks than a complete F-22 module. I want to win the hard way with mavericks as my TGP and sparrows instead of slammers.

The most famous tomcat of america, which had shoot down someone(2 mig-23, 2 su-22), now is laying on the graveyard at the desert of Arizona, thankful they didn't cut them into piece.

 

And, from this forum, the guys said Aim-54c is very easy to be dodged for them, just do blahblah, then do blahblah, after these the aim-54 will miss the target and hit the ground.

So maybe it will like a F-15c without aim-120 during the combat.

 

: /

 

IDK dude sparrows are pretty good, you can't use them like slammers which i guess hangs up most pilots in DCS who are used to advanced alamos and said slammers. Granted i'm not the best guy to ask since my k/d is probably less than .5

Edited December 25, 2015 by hvymtal

[BlackLion213]

The most famous tomcat of america, which had shoot down someone(2 mig-23, 2 su-22), now is laying on the graveyard at the desert of Arizona, thankful they didn't cut them into piece.

 

And, from this forum, the guys said Aim-54c is very easy to be dodged for them, just do blahblah, then do blahblah, after these the aim-54 will miss the target and hit the ground.

So maybe it will like a F-15c without aim-120 during the combat.

 

: /

 

Luckily, no US Pilot has ever tried to evade an AIM-54....so it's hard to know how easy it is compared to the AMRAAM. Could be easier...or harder. We'll see what happens when it comes to DCS. I'd bet that the updated AIM-54 is a bit different than what is depicted currently in DCS, but who knows?

 

Though I agree, don't expect the Tomcat to be an unbeatable force in BVR, but also don't take it for granted. ;)

 

-Nick

[captain_dalan]

It's also why i'll defend the F-14B, pre-2000 bug, and fulcrum to the death, you need to fly those things, you cant just play like a flanker pilot and take everything for granted. I'd rather have a shin-deep FC level simulation of 1985 or 1990 complete with F-15A MSIP, ADF vipers, 10As, Corsairs, and Varks than a complete F-22 module. I want to win the hard way with mavericks as my TGP and sparrows instead of slammers.

 

 

 

This.

Aside from lacking classified data fo 4.5+ Gen fighters though, one of the major issues i'd have with them is the lack of actual challenge to do so. High probability kill weapons are no fun. It's why i still fly WW1 and WW2 birds. Much more skill required then, pointing at a certain dot on your display and firing off a slammer while the enemy has not even detected you yet.

[Zane33]

Luckily, no US Pilot has ever tried to evade an AIM-54....so it's hard to know how easy it is compared to the AMRAAM. Could be easier...or harder. We'll see what happens when it comes to DCS. I'd bet that the updated AIM-54 is a bit different than what is depicted currently in DCS, but who knows?

 

Though I agree, don't expect the Tomcat to be an unbeatable force in BVR, but also don't take it for granted. ;)

 

-Nick

 

The phoenix is like 4 times fatter than an AMRAAM and was meant to be shot at bombers.

 

I doubt its much use against a Fighter.

[BlackLion213]

The phoenix is like 4 times fatter than an AMRAAM and was meant to be shot at bombers.

 

I doubt its much use against a Fighter.

 

Here we go again...

 

False on all counts, please redo your math and find some proper reading. ;)

 

-Nick

 

PS - This forum has tons of posts with real performance data if you are interested. The AIM-54 does not have much published, but there is lots of references that explicitly state that the AIM-54 was designed to destroy a wide variety of targets including fighters and cruise missiles.

 

Maneuvering drone...

[Grundar]

The thing with missiles and missile probability kills are that aside from the actual missile performance it also has to include: Is the target even aware that the missile has been launched at them.

 

Not every encounter is a head on engagement or one where the opponents are even aware of the other aircraft.

 

The Aim-54 was primarily a bomber killer that would have to operate in a heavy ECM environment - it could also destroy smaller and more agile targets though, including cruise missiles launched at the carrier.

 

The American launches of the Phoenix in combat were very limited and of an insufficient sample size to truly gauge it's accuracy to any meaningful extent. Was obviously a hell of a deterrent during the Cold War though.

[Hummingbird]

Great stuff lion, thanks!