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Jan 29, 2013 · On Dec. 21, 1970, the first Full Scale Development (FSD) Grumman F-14A Tomcat (BuNo 157980) took off for its maiden flight from Grumman’s flight test centre at Calverton.
The F-14 first flew on 21 December 1970 and made its first deployment 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.
- 21 December 1970
- 1969–1991
- 712
- Grumman
Jun 7, 2022 · What are the vital stats of the F-14 Tomcat? First flight: 21st of December 1970. Official introduction: 22nd of September 1974. Retired (United States): 22nd of September 2006
- Christopher Mcfadden
- Design
- Operational history
- Equipment
- Service
- Functions
- Legacy
The F-14 Tomcat is a double-seat tandem, twin-engine, double-tail, all-weather carrier-based fighter and interceptor and later gaining multi-role capability, with numerous remarkable features. The glove-mounted swept wings have variable geometry capability, in the same manner as the General Dynamics F-111, the Mig-23 Flogger, and the Panavia Tornad...
The F-14 saw its good share of action after being introduced in September 1974, with the first missions being implemented in the last days of the Vietnam War, providing top cover for the evacuation air route through combat air patrols. During the Cold War and in the North Atlantic, it was a routine for the F-14 to execute long-range interceptions o...
The wings do not carry any weapon stations, but the wing pivot point beneath the wing glove and the fuselage itself are the areas where the payload is carried. The normal configuration of weaponry was 4 AIM-54 Phoenixes, 2 AIM-7 Sparrows and 2 AIM-9 Sidewinders, but this configuration varied depending of operational needs. In addition, bombs such a...
The Tomcats capacity to receive upgrades along its flight and combat capacities were made evident during its service time, as new avionics were fitted in the early 90s, and as the Tomcat in American and Iranian hands was capable of scoring and outperforming adversarial air assets, let alone their capacity to damage and sink naval assets and AA ass...
But the F-14 was also able to impose itself without firing a single shot. When not hunting, it was able to guard the skies and waters it was tasked to protect. It managed to monitor the surroundings of a hijacked cruise line ships, and to force an airliner carrying the terrorists who hijacked the vessel to land in a base where they were apprehended...
The Tomcat was further immortalized in the movie Top Gun, where it was the main star of the film. Despite this well-deserved fame and exceptional performance, the Tomcat saw service only until the early days of the 21st century, as it was deemed outdated given its age, and was admittedly very expensive to maintain, operate, and upgrade. Like the F...
- 16 ft / 4.88 m
- 565 ft² / 52.49 m²
- 62 ft / 19.1 m
Dec 18, 2020 · Taxiing for take-off, the Navy's newest carrier-based air superiority fighter, F-14, prepares for its first flight at Grumman's Calverton Air Facility, Long Island, New York, 21 December 1970. The sleek, twin-tailed aircraft has been dubbed the "Tomcat".
Dec 21, 2019 · Once safely delivered to Grumman’s flight test centre at Calverton, the first Full Scale Development (FSD) Grumman F-14A Tomcat (BuNo 157980) was finally assembled, then put through ground vibration tests, a fuel function check, and calibration. Taxi trials started on Dec. 14, 1970, and by the 21st Tomcat was ready to fly.
