Grumman F-14A Tomcat "Murph"
The US Navy had begun planning a replacement for the F-4 Phantom II in the fleet air defense role almost as soon as the latter entered service, but found itself ordered by then-Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara to use the USAF’s F-111A Aardvark tactical bomber as a basis. The subsequent F-111B was a failure in every fashion except for its AWG-9 fire control system, paired with the AIM-54 Phoenix very-long range missile. The F-111B was subsequently cancelled and the competition reopened for a new fighter, but Grumman had anticipated the cancellation and responded with a new design.
The subsequent F-14A Tomcat, last of the famous Grumman “Cat” series of US Navy fighters, first flew in December 1970 and was placed in production. It used the same variable-sweep wing concept of the F-111B and its AWG-9 system, but the Tomcat was much sleeker and lighter. The F-14 was provided with a plethora of weapons, including the Phoenix, long-range AIM-7 Sparrow, short-range AIM-9 Sidewinder, and an internal M61A1 Vulcan 20mm gatling cannon. This was due to the Vietnam experience, in which Navy F-4s found themselves badly in need of internal armament. The aircraft was also given the ability to carry bombs, but this would not be developed for another 20 years; despite its large size, it also proved itself an excellent dogfighter.
The only real drawback to the Tomcat proved to be its powerplant, which it also shared with the F-111B: the Pratt and Whitney TF30. The TF30 was found to be prone to compressor stalls and explosions; more F-14s would be lost to engine problems than any other cause during its career, including combat. In addition to the aircraft produced for the US Navy, 79 of an order of 100 aircraft were delivered to Iran before the Islamic Revolution of 1979, mainly to end Soviet MiG-25 Foxbat overflights.
The Tomcat entered service in September 1974 The Tomcat’s first combat is conjectural: it is known that Iranian F-14s saw extensive service in the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War, and that Iranian Tomcats achieved a number of kills; the only F-14 ace was Iranian. The first American combat with the F-14 came in September 1981, when two F-14As shot down a pair of Libyan Su-22 Fitters over the Gulf of Sidra. The Tomcat would add another two kills to its record in 1987, two Libyan MiG-23s once more over the Gulf of Sidra.
The high losses due to problems with the TF30 (fully 84 Tomcats would be lost to this problem over the course of its career) led to the Navy ordering the F-14A+ variant during the war. The A+, redesignated F-14B in 1991, incorporated all wartime refits and most importantly, General Electric F110 turbofans. Among the wartime refits was the replacement of the early A’s simple undernose IR sensor with a TISEO long-range camera system, allowing the F-14’s pilot to identify targets visually beyond the range of unaided human eyesight.
The majority of F-14As were upgraded to B standard, along with 67 new-build aircraft. A mix of F-14As and Bs would see action during the First Gulf War, though only a single kill was scored by US Navy Tomcats; this was due mostly to Iraqi fighter pilots, experienced in fighting Tomcats, avoiding the aircraft. Subsequent to this conflict, the Navy ordered the definitive F-14D variant, with completely updated avionics and electronics, a combination IRST/TISEO sensor, replacement of the AWG-9 with the APG-71 radar, and a “glass” cockpit. Though the Navy had intended to upgrade the entire fleet to D standard, less than 50 F-14Ds ever entered service, due to the increasing age of the design.
Ironically, the US Navy’s Tomcat swan song came not as a fighter, but a bomber. To cover the retirement of the A-6 Intruder and A-7 Corsair II from the fleet, the F-14’s latent bomb capability was finally developed, allowing the “Bombcat” to carry precision guided weapons, and, after 2001, the GPS-guided JDAM series. By the time of the Afghanistan and Second Gulf Wars, the F-14 was already slated for replacement by the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, and the Tomcat would be used mainly in the strike role, though TARPS reconnaissance sorties were also flown and, in the final cruise of the Tomcat, F-14Ds were also used in the FAC role. The much-loved F-14 Tomcat was finally retired from US Navy service in September 2006, ending 36 years of operations. The aircraft remains in service with the Iranian Revolutionary Air Force.
Since Dad had built the F-15 for Murphy High School's Class of 1964 25-year reunion, he built a F-14 for the 30-year reunion in 1994. This one was built specifically for the reunion organizer, Jack Sneed, and his wife Maureen. As such, the markings are entirely fictional! Once more Dad used the Israeli Air Force 133 Squadron's eagle-head marking for "Murph," while the blue and white stripe on the forward fuselage reflects the school colors. The 30 plane number is, of course, a reference to the reunion itself, and the "War Eagles" legend on the wing was the name of the school football team. Otherwise, the F-14 is accurate for a Tomcat of the time period, with overall gray colors; the full-color insignia were often used for commanders' aircraft. It carries a weapons load of two AIM-9L Sidewinders, two AIM-7M Sparrows, and two AIM-54 Phoenix. As far as I know, this model is still in the possession of Mr. Sneed.
Grumman F-14A Tomcat "Murph"
The US Navy had begun planning a replacement for the F-4 Phantom II in the fleet air defense role almost as soon as the latter entered service, but found itself ordered by then-Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara to use the USAF’s F-111A Aardvark tactical bomber as a basis. The subsequent F-111B was a failure in every fashion except for its AWG-9 fire control system, paired with the AIM-54 Phoenix very-long range missile. The F-111B was subsequently cancelled and the competition reopened for a new fighter, but Grumman had anticipated the cancellation and responded with a new design.
The subsequent F-14A Tomcat, last of the famous Grumman “Cat” series of US Navy fighters, first flew in December 1970 and was placed in production. It used the same variable-sweep wing concept of the F-111B and its AWG-9 system, but the Tomcat was much sleeker and lighter. The F-14 was provided with a plethora of weapons, including the Phoenix, long-range AIM-7 Sparrow, short-range AIM-9 Sidewinder, and an internal M61A1 Vulcan 20mm gatling cannon. This was due to the Vietnam experience, in which Navy F-4s found themselves badly in need of internal armament. The aircraft was also given the ability to carry bombs, but this would not be developed for another 20 years; despite its large size, it also proved itself an excellent dogfighter.
The only real drawback to the Tomcat proved to be its powerplant, which it also shared with the F-111B: the Pratt and Whitney TF30. The TF30 was found to be prone to compressor stalls and explosions; more F-14s would be lost to engine problems than any other cause during its career, including combat. In addition to the aircraft produced for the US Navy, 79 of an order of 100 aircraft were delivered to Iran before the Islamic Revolution of 1979, mainly to end Soviet MiG-25 Foxbat overflights.
The Tomcat entered service in September 1974 The Tomcat’s first combat is conjectural: it is known that Iranian F-14s saw extensive service in the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War, and that Iranian Tomcats achieved a number of kills; the only F-14 ace was Iranian. The first American combat with the F-14 came in September 1981, when two F-14As shot down a pair of Libyan Su-22 Fitters over the Gulf of Sidra. The Tomcat would add another two kills to its record in 1987, two Libyan MiG-23s once more over the Gulf of Sidra.
The high losses due to problems with the TF30 (fully 84 Tomcats would be lost to this problem over the course of its career) led to the Navy ordering the F-14A+ variant during the war. The A+, redesignated F-14B in 1991, incorporated all wartime refits and most importantly, General Electric F110 turbofans. Among the wartime refits was the replacement of the early A’s simple undernose IR sensor with a TISEO long-range camera system, allowing the F-14’s pilot to identify targets visually beyond the range of unaided human eyesight.
The majority of F-14As were upgraded to B standard, along with 67 new-build aircraft. A mix of F-14As and Bs would see action during the First Gulf War, though only a single kill was scored by US Navy Tomcats; this was due mostly to Iraqi fighter pilots, experienced in fighting Tomcats, avoiding the aircraft. Subsequent to this conflict, the Navy ordered the definitive F-14D variant, with completely updated avionics and electronics, a combination IRST/TISEO sensor, replacement of the AWG-9 with the APG-71 radar, and a “glass” cockpit. Though the Navy had intended to upgrade the entire fleet to D standard, less than 50 F-14Ds ever entered service, due to the increasing age of the design.
Ironically, the US Navy’s Tomcat swan song came not as a fighter, but a bomber. To cover the retirement of the A-6 Intruder and A-7 Corsair II from the fleet, the F-14’s latent bomb capability was finally developed, allowing the “Bombcat” to carry precision guided weapons, and, after 2001, the GPS-guided JDAM series. By the time of the Afghanistan and Second Gulf Wars, the F-14 was already slated for replacement by the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, and the Tomcat would be used mainly in the strike role, though TARPS reconnaissance sorties were also flown and, in the final cruise of the Tomcat, F-14Ds were also used in the FAC role. The much-loved F-14 Tomcat was finally retired from US Navy service in September 2006, ending 36 years of operations. The aircraft remains in service with the Iranian Revolutionary Air Force.
Since Dad had built the F-15 for Murphy High School's Class of 1964 25-year reunion, he built a F-14 for the 30-year reunion in 1994. This one was built specifically for the reunion organizer, Jack Sneed, and his wife Maureen. As such, the markings are entirely fictional! Once more Dad used the Israeli Air Force 133 Squadron's eagle-head marking for "Murph," while the blue and white stripe on the forward fuselage reflects the school colors. The 30 plane number is, of course, a reference to the reunion itself, and the "War Eagles" legend on the wing was the name of the school football team. Otherwise, the F-14 is accurate for a Tomcat of the time period, with overall gray colors; the full-color insignia were often used for commanders' aircraft. It carries a weapons load of two AIM-9L Sidewinders, two AIM-7M Sparrows, and two AIM-54 Phoenix. As far as I know, this model is still in the possession of Mr. Sneed.