The last days of the Tomcat

[Starlight]

"The U.S. Navy's F-14 Tomcat fighter, a jet built as a Cold War defense against Soviet bombers, is just weeks away from making its final combat sorties before being retired from the U.S. arsenal for good."

 

I've just read this, and I'm really sad.

The Roosevelt carrier will depart Persian Gulf for its home base in Norfolk early next year, and will bring its 22 Tomcats to rest in peace at the AMARC.

 

Farewell to a great aircraft (and of course my favourite one), which was completed and fully exploited only a few years before retirement. It's a shame to see the Eagle funded for a life-extending program and the Tomcat retired. It didn't deserve this.

[SuperKungFu]

DAMMIT THAT SUCKS! The tomcat is one of my favorite planes. Well, everytime a plane retires, a lot of people usually take some nice pictures of it that can be used as desktop wallpapers. I guess we can always treasure other pictures.

[hitman]

[iceden]

As sweet as the F18 is, nothing takes the place of the Tomcat...

[upyr1]

haw about a few photos of the Phabulous Phanotm II one ofthe best fighter AC in history...the first and last ones built.

 

[alert_]

I'm really sad about this. Mighty Tomcat was some sort of "freedom fetish" in former East Block and form ex. movie "Final Countdown" was even banned from distribution in my country, rumours said it was due to featuring Tomcat...

..but I thought that F14 was to stay in service till 2010 (when will be enough FA18F with AGP79 in service)?

[NEODARK]

I was lucky enough to witness the last ever performance of the Tomcat @ oceana NAS a few months ago. It was really emotional for everyone there.

 

this plane will live forever as one fo the great ones.

[anivanov]

starlight where did you read this????!??!!what kind of fools they are???!?!??!?!?idiot........or what........jesus.........i have nothing to say except this:A BABY STILL KNOW"S HOW TO FLY, RIGHT GUYS...........and i tought i was bad mood yesterday

[Maverick-90]

starlight where did you read this????!??!!what kind of fools they are???!?!??!?!?idiot........or what........jesus.........i have nothing to say except this:A BABY STILL KNOW"S HOW TO FLY, RIGHT GUYS...........and i tought i was bad mood yesterday

????

[Force_Feedback]

Oh, come on, how can you be talking about that stupid small plane (with automatic rudders), while this beautiful beast is being retired in favor of a dinky toy?

I remember the times the H-word and the number 18 were a taboo on the flanker forums, but nowdays people are beleiving Boeing propaganda, that their F16 on steroids has the upper hand nowdays, come on, are you really that naive?

The Tomcat is the best plane ever flown in US inventory (yes, better than the ugly plastic duck with its oh-so sophisticated 2d TVC nozzles). Stupid politicians and, above all, Boeing with its PR.

[Woodstock]

Every F-14 fanboi should have seen the "Fighter Fling 2004" video.

A very good and emotional farewell hommage to The Cat.

It is called "Tomcat 2004 Fling" and can be downloaded here

http://www.virtual-jabog32.de/index.php?section=downloads&subcat=30&page=3&lang=en

along with earlier Fighter Fling F-14 videos.

 

S! to the most beautiful aircraft ever!

[Maverick-90]

my HDD is to small for all the vids u guys got there.... =(

[anivanov]

mav, don"t get me wrong, maybe i wrote something stupid or don"t know what........just trying to say tomcat is not ready for retirement.this bird is one of my favourite aircrafts so i think this thing came to early............:(:(:(

[Capt.Instigator]

I remember hooking up the tomcats to the catapults. Feeling the suction of the intakes as it went into military power, following the catapults last phase of operation... "Tension" before the point of no return "Fire". It went on tension you did your final check of the launch bar/hold back bar as the Tomcat started to rev up till it was on military power and soon after that you were running out of there. The fighter went into afterburners and off it went.

 

The Tomcat to me is and will allways be the most beautiful fighter ever build. My favorite Squadron VF-84 / VF-103 "Jolly Rogers"

 

I've had dreams regularly..by that I mean every 2 or 3 months...of launching aircraft of my old carrier.. I think that when I die..and I strongly believe this and hope.. that my spirit will dwell on that carrier... " The USS Forrestal CV-59

 

 

Them were some sweet and beautifull memories that I will allways treasure and take to my grave.

[Force_Feedback]

I remember hooking up the tomcats to the catapults. Feeling the suction of the intakes as it went into military power, following the catapults last phase of operation... "Tension" before the point of no return "Fire". It went on tension you did your final check of the launch bar/hold back bar as the Tomcat started to rev up till it was on military power and soon after that you were running out of there. The fighter went into afterburners and off it went.

 

The Tomcat to me is and will allways be the most beautiful fighter ever build. My favorite Squadron VF-84 / VF-103 "Jolly Rogers"

 

I've had dreams regularly..by that I mean every 2 or 3 months...of launching aircraft of my old carrier.. I think that when I die..and I strongly believe this and hope.. that my spirit will dwell on that carrier... " The USS Forrestal CV-59

 

 

Them were some sweet and beautifull memories that I will allways treasure and take to my grave.

 

Oh, come one, don't be so morbid, cheer up. Yes time is linear, but to be looking forward to dwell on a carrier is a little farfetched, I mean, you don't want to scare the tourists, or would you?

[Capt.Instigator]

I would only appear after closing hours...lol

[GGTharos]

mav, don"t get me wrong, maybe i wrote something stupid or don"t know what........just trying to say tomcat is not ready for retirement.this bird is one of my favourite aircrafts so i think this thing came to early............:(:(:(

 

Oh yes it is. After 30 years an airframe starts breaking up.

[anivanov]

Oh yes it is. After 30 years an airframe starts breaking up.

 

 

what are you trying to say?anyway,14 can be in service for many years like he was from the first day to this day!!!

[britgliderpilot]

Oh yes it is. After 30 years an airframe starts breaking up.

 

 

BESMIRCHER!!!!

 

 

The Tomcat was designed by Chuck Norris to last for a hundred years, and it will never need to be replaced for such a crappy reason as "It's Old"!!!!!

[GGTharos]

I said what I meant.

 

The airframes are old and will soon no longer be combat worthy, possibly not even flight worthy. It's time is up, unelss they manufactured brand new ones. And we all know where the 'new plane' contract went.

[Capt.Instigator]

GG is right.. After 30 thousand launches and traps on board a carrier.. Rivets start to take their toll..tiny cracks only detected by magnafluxing and under blue ultraviolate light can be detected.. they have indeed serviced this country well and honarably.. Time for the ultimate and newest fighters to take it's place.. undetected....

[Force_Feedback]

Cough, B-52, cough.

 

The F-14D is well capable in dealing with todays threats (it's a good JDAM carrier), and it has modern avoinics.

 

It's like going from a Maybach to an Alfa Romeo.

[Maverick-90]

mav, don"t get me wrong, maybe i wrote something stupid or don"t know what........just trying to say tomcat is not ready for retirement.this bird is one of my favourite aircrafts so i think this thing came to early............:(:(:(

you wrote don't know what ;-) i couldn't understand what you wrote....

[anivanov]

sorry mav..........today i"m a little bit confused..........don"t know why......maybe because i have a lot of problems with my lock on..........sorry again.........hope tomorrow everything will be ok.........please don"t get me wrong..........

[tflash]

I don't think the Tomcat is being replaced. I know they have this new tanker, the supernanny or something, which sports no less then 5 wet points. But a replacement for the Tomcat? There must be some misunderstanding here ;-)