Grumman Aircraft

Grumman F-14 Tomcat

Grumman F-14 Tomcat

Interceptor, air superiority

Grumman Aircraft

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft

Grumman F-14 Tomcat

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy‘s Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program after the collapse of the F-111B project. The F-14 was the first of the American Teen Series fighters, which were designed incorporating air combat experience against MiG fighters during the Vietnam War.

Design

Beginning in the late 1950s, the U.S. Navy sought a long-range, high-endurance interceptor to defend its carrier battle groups against long-range anti-ship missiles launched from the jet bombers and submarines of the Soviet Union. They outlined the idea of a Fleet Air Defense (FAD) aircraft with a more powerful radar and longer range missiles than the F-4 Phantom II to intercept both enemy bombers and missiles at very long range.[5] Studies into this concept led to the Douglas F6D Missileer project of 1959, but this large subsonic aircraft appeared to have little ability to defend itself once it fired its missiles, and the project was cancelled in December 1961

Grumman F-14 Tomcat

Grumman F-14 Tomcat

RoleInterceptor, air superiority, and multirole fighter
National originUnited States
ManufacturerGrumman Aerospace Corporation
First flight21 December 1970
Introduction22 September 1974
Retired22 September 2006 (United States Navy)
StatusIn service with the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
Primary usersUnited States Navy (historical)
Imperial Iranian Air Force (historical)
Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
Produced1969–1991
Number built712

Operational history US Navy

The F-14 began replacing the F-4 Phantom II in U.S. Navy service starting in September 1974 with squadrons VF-1 “Wolfpack” and VF-2 “Bounty Hunters” aboard USS Enterprise and participated in the American withdrawal from Saigon. The F-14 had its first kills in U.S. Navy service on 19 August 1981 over the Gulf of Sidra in what is known as the Gulf of Sidra incident. In that engagement, two F-14s from VF-41 Black Aces were engaged by two Libyan Su-22 “Fitters”. The F-14s evaded the short range heat seeking AA-2 “Atoll” missile and returned fire, downing both Libyan aircraft. U.S. Navy F-14s once again were pitted against Libyan aircraft on 4 January 1989, when two F-14s from VF-32 shot down two Libyan MiG-23 “Floggers” over the Gulf of Sidra in a second Gulf of Sidra incident.

Youtube F-14 Tomcat

Specifications (F-14D) Data from U.S. Navy file Spick

    • Crew: 2 (Pilot and Radar Intercept Officer)
    • Length: 62 ft 9 in (19.13 m)
    • Wingspan: 64 ft 1.5 in (19.545 m)
    • Lower wingspan: 38 ft 2.5 in (11.646 m) swept
    • Height: 16 ft (4.9 m)
    • Wing area: 565 sq ft (52.5 m2) wings only
      • 1,008 sq ft (94 m2) effective area including fuselage
    • Airfoil:
      • Grumman (1.74)(35)9.6)-(1.1)(30)(1.1) root
      • Grumman (1.27)(30)(9.0)-(1.1)(40)(1.1) tip
    • Empty weight: 43,735 lb (19,838 kg)
    • Gross weight: 61,000 lb (27,669 kg)
    • Max takeoff weight: 74,350 lb (33,725 kg)
    • Fuel capacity: 16,200 lb (7,348 kg) internal fuel; 2 × optional 267 US gal (222 imp gal; 1,010 l) / 1,756 lb (797 kg) external tanks[41]
    • Powerplant: 2 × General Electric F110-GE-400 afterburning turbofans, 13,800 lbf (61 kN) thrust each dry, 23,400lbf (104 kN) with afterburner
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Performance

  • Maximum speed: Mach 2.34 (1,544 mph, 2,485 km/h) at altitude
  • Range: 1,600 nmi (1,800 mi, 3,000 km)
  • Combat range: 500 nmi (580 mi, 930 km)
  • Service ceiling: 53,000 ft (16,000 m) plus
  • g limits: +7.5[N 2]
  • Rate of climb: 45,000 ft/min (230 m/s) plus
  • Wing loading: 96 lb/sq ft (470 kg/m2) [188]
    • 48 lb/sq ft (230 kg/m2) effective[35]
  • Thrust/weight: 0.89 at gross weight (1.02 with loaded weight & 50% internal fuel)

Armament

All A-10 Thunderbold A-10