F-14A Early Weapons

[Southernbear]

I'm not aware of everything Heatblur has posted on the subject so I thought I'd post this to raise awareness and just ask what HB's thoughts going forward were when it comes to some of the weapons the F-14A might have access to.

 

To my knowledge we have yet to have Sparrows earlier then the AIM-7F for any module as of current and for people wanting to use the F-14A for Operation Frequent Wind 1973-74 esk early deployment missions having access to such weapons would be a welcome addition

 

The 2 main weapons I'm talking about is the AIM-7E and early AIM-9s. The Tomcat brought with it an upgrade to the AIM-7 Sparrow being the E-4 Missile with a range of about 44km or about 23.5nmi

 

As for the AIM-9s its a little harder to figure out. Operation Frequent Wind and particularly, the Tomcat's role in it to my knowledge wasn't documented very in depth particularly because the F-14 didn't see any combat during the evacuation from Vietnam and as such (for the most part unless more info can be uncovered) we simply have this one picture to go off.

 

Due to the time frame and Military branch its most likely a AIM-9H attached due to the shape of the canards.

 

But at the same time due to the nature of Operation Frequent Wind it quite possibly could be a AIM-9J or J-1 (AIM-9N) given to the Navy to give the F-14's the best chance of survival if they were to get into combat and because the AIM-9H is old at this point in time (it first saw service in 1965).

 

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It is my personal opinion that ED should have created a few of the more important Missile variants more realistically and in a high fidelity fashion so that both AI could use them and then ED or 3rd party Devs could take the missile that best fits the one they want and make changes accordingly such as the AIM-9D, G or H or the AIM-7E given how prevalent AIM-7E models were during the 1960s and through Vietnam but given ED's current status and situation I feel that ship has sailed for now.

[Naquaii]

Hi!

 

We have documentation showing that the F-14 was capable of carrying AIM-9D, G, and H as well as references to the N as well as the AIM-7E. We know about these and would like to add them but they're unfortunately further down the list as we would currently have to do them ourselves. If ED add them to DCS later on we can for sure add them. And even if they don't we may anyway but it's not on top of our todo list for now.

[Quid]

I'm not aware of everything Heatblur has posted on the subject so I thought I'd post this to raise awareness and just ask what HB's thoughts going forward were when it comes to some of the weapons the F-14A might have access to.

 

To my knowledge we have yet to have Sparrows earlier then the AIM-7F for any module as of current and for people wanting to use the F-14A for Operation Frequent Wind 1973-74 esk early deployment missions having access to such weapons would be a welcome addition

 

The 2 main weapons I'm talking about is the AIM-7E and early AIM-9s. The Tomcat brought with it an upgrade to the AIM-7 Sparrow being the E-4 Missile with a range of about 44km or about 23.5nmi

 

As for the AIM-9s its a little harder to figure out. Operation Frequent Wind and particularly, the Tomcat's role in it to my knowledge wasn't documented very in depth particularly because the F-14 didn't see any combat during the evacuation from Vietnam and as such (for the most part unless more info can be uncovered) we simply have this one picture to go off.

 

Due to the time frame and Military branch its most likely a AIM-9H attached due to the shape of the canards.

 

But at the same time due to the nature of Operation Frequent Wind it quite possibly could be a AIM-9J or J-1 (AIM-9N) given to the Navy to give the F-14's the best chance of survival if they were to get into combat and because the AIM-9H is old at this point in time (it first saw service in 1965).

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

It is my personal opinion that ED should have created a few of the more important Missile variants more realistically and in a high fidelity fashion so that both AI could use them and then ED or 3rd party Devs could take the missile that best fits the one they want and make changes accordingly such as the AIM-9D, G or H or the AIM-7E given how prevalent AIM-7E models were during the 1960s and through Vietnam but given ED's current status and situation I feel that ship has sailed for now.

 

 

The AIM-9H was introduced in 1970[1], so it wasn't particularly old when OPERATION FREQUENT WIND kicked off in April 1975. For that matter, I've never seen an early USN F-14A carrying an Air Force-based variant of the Sidewinder (e.g., AIM-9J/N). The Iranian F-14's did, but I've never seen them on Navy Tomcats. If HB has documentation that states it could carry the AIM-9N, then I believe them, I just haven't ever seen it in any of my references. At that time, Tomcat would have carried the D, G, or H, and I have a number of pictures of VF-1, VF-2, VF-32, VF-114, and VF-213 Tomcats between 1974 and 1978 carrying D/G/H model sidewinders and E-model Sparrows. The particular picture you posted isn't the only one of an armed F-14 from that time, nor is it the only one of that Tomcat on that flight; is only one of a series of pictures of that F-14, and there are several taken much closer which makes it very easy to identify as a D/G/H series, but not specifically which one. So, if you wanted to do an OFW loadout, you'd be safe to assume one of those three, and I'd estimate AIM-9H as they had been around for 5 years by that point.

 

 

 

References:

Christopher Chant, Air Forces of the World, (Spain: Crescent Books, 1990). 237.

[Southernbear]

Ok doing more research and by research I mean snooping around on 10 year+ old Pilot forums I found some interesting info...

 

Apparently someone asked Dan "Turk" Pentecost about the subject, one of the pilots that flew CAP for Operation Frequent Wind and he had some interesting things to say.

 

According to him the normal payloads that were carried were 2 sidewinders and 2 Sparrows...however apparently occasionally they did actually carry the AIM-54A despite it not being fully cleared for standard USN service...but they were issued to the boats in 1974 so it could have happened.

 

According to him if/when Phoenixes were taken, 2 AIM-54's, 2 Sparrows and 2 Winders wouldn't be unrealistic. Main Phoenix rails were definitely kept on even without having the Phoenix packed during later ops. So just two winders and sparrows with blank Phoenix rails would be an option as well.

Later on they more often carried just four winders on the side pylons.

[Quid]

Ok doing more research and by research I mean snooping around on 10 year+ old Pilot forums I found some interesting info...

 

Apparently someone asked Dan "Turk" Pentecost about the subject, one of the pilots that flew CAP for Operation Frequent Wind and he had some interesting things to say.

 

According to him the normal payloads that were carried were 2 sidewinders and 2 Sparrows...however apparently occasionally they did actually carry the AIM-54A despite it not being fully cleared for standard USN service...but they were issued to the boats in 1974 so it could have happened.

 

According to him if/when Phoenixes were taken, 2 AIM-54's, 2 Sparrows and 2 Winders wouldn't be unrealistic. Main Phoenix rails were definitely kept on even without having the Phoenix packed during later ops. So just two winders and sparrows with blank Phoenix rails would be an option as well.

Later on they more often carried just four winders on the side pylons.

 

I'm guessing Tomcat-Sunset? I remember that conversation, but as you say, it was years ago (possibly at least 10). Other pictures of that Tomcat that I have were from "Turk's" website, but it was taken down a long time ago. "Bushwhacker" Bjerke (TOPGUN grad and later ACEVAL/AIMVAL pilot) also flew during OFW, he was in NK105 and did a 1.5 hour chopper escort, but he never said his loadout. "Hawk" Smith was in a Bullet (VF-2) F-14 during his sortie, but I don't know his side number.

 

I've attached a few pictures from that era, including 159000 (NK114) with a 2-2-2 loadout. Suffice to say (based on Turk's comment), an OFW loadout could have been 2x AIM-9H, 2x AIM-7E-4, or something to that extent. AIM-7F's seem to have been promulgated fairly quickly, and a lot of the images I have from 1977 and beyond show AIM-7Fs, rather than E-family missiles. Based on what Turk said over a decade ago, during CAP, they typically didn't carry AIM-54s during the early 1970s, but I'm guessing that was largely because of the availability of the missile at the time.

Edited June 15, 2020 by Quid

[Southernbear]

I'm guessing Tomcat-Sunset? I remember that conversation, but as you say, it was years ago (possibly at least 10). Other pictures of that Tomcat that I have were from "Turk's" website, but it was taken down a long time ago. "Bushwhacker" Bjerke (TOPGUN grad and later ACEVAL/AIMVAL pilot) also flew during OFW, he was in NK105 and did a 1.5 hour chopper escort, but he never said his loadout. "Hawk" Smith was in a Bullet (VF-2) F-14 during his sortie, but I don't know his side number.

 

I've attached a few pictures from that era, including 159000 (NK114) with a 2-2-2 loadout. Suffice to say (based on Turk's comment), an OFW loadout could have been 2x AIM-9H, 2x AIM-7E-4, or something to that extent. AIM-7F's seem to have been promulgated fairly quickly, and a lot of the images I have from 1977 and beyond show AIM-7Fs, rather than E-family missiles. Based on what Turk said over a decade ago, during CAP, they typically didn't carry AIM-54s during the early 1970s, but I'm guessing that was largely because of the availability of the missile at the time.

 

Cool, thanks I've known about these pictures but never was able to find them due to everything taken down

[Quid]

Cool, thanks I've known about these pictures but never was able to find them due to everything taken down

 

Here's a few more for your records.

[RustBelt]

Missiles Schmissiles, I just can't wait for all the White Belly Paint jobs.

[ustio]

Will AIM-9P be available again with tha A since the Iranian use it?

[sublime]

Missiles Schmissiles, I just can't wait for all the White Belly Paint jobs.

 

They can paint them pink if i get the a sooner