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Author Topic: Final tour of the F-14 Tomcat  (Read 1554 times)

Offline gofaster

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Final tour of the F-14 Tomcat
« on: September 15, 2005, 06:45:52 AM »
From AvWeb.Com newsletter I receive:

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Tomcats On Last Tour

The F-14 Tomcat is going down fighting. The last operational deployment of the big swing-wing fighter began earlier this week with the last remaining squadrons VF-31 Tomcatters and VF-213 (Blacklions) flying aboard the carrier Theodore Roosevelt for a tour to the Persian Gulf. "Epic, historic, I'm looking for words," said Cmdr. Rick "Twig" LaBranche as he led the pilots and crew aboard the Roosevelt. "They understand that being the last Tomcat squadron is a historic event." The F-14 first saw service in the early 1970s and has seen action in all major conflicts since. Described by LaBranche as the Harley Davidson of fighter aircraft, it is giving way to the leaner and more efficient FA/18 Super Hornet. For every flight hour, an F-14 needed up to 60 hours of maintenance. The Super Hornet gets by on 10 to 15 hours and takes up a lot less room, with wingspan a full 20 feet shorter than the Tomcat's.

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Offline Nilsen

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Final tour of the F-14 Tomcat
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2005, 07:02:20 AM »
Are any of them operational in Iran?

If they are retiering them then why not just leave them for the Iranians when they leave the gulf. Should save the navy some money on mothballing them.
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Offline DREDIOCK

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Final tour of the F-14 Tomcat
« Reply #2 on: September 15, 2005, 07:15:20 AM »
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Originally posted by Nilsen
Are any of them operational in Iran?

If they are retiering them then why not just leave them for the Iranians when they leave the gulf. Should save the navy some money on mothballing them.


Better yet. Sell them to the Iranians so we can shoot them down later :D
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Offline Nilsen

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Final tour of the F-14 Tomcat
« Reply #3 on: September 15, 2005, 07:17:17 AM »
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Originally posted by DREDIOCK
Better yet. Sell them to the Iranians so we can shoot them down later :D


Thats what im saying.

Better target practise when you dont have to shoot down a stupid drone or worry about an american pilot getting shot down.

Its a win-win situation.
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Offline straffo

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Final tour of the F-14 Tomcat
« Reply #4 on: September 15, 2005, 07:58:38 AM »
"Twig" LaBranche ? it's  redundant :D
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Offline mora

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Final tour of the F-14 Tomcat
« Reply #5 on: September 15, 2005, 08:06:10 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by Nilsen
Are any of them operational in Iran?

Yes, they have plenty of them operational.

A Super Hornet will have a hard time shooting one down in a one to one fight.
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Offline Hawklore

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Final tour of the F-14 Tomcat
« Reply #6 on: September 15, 2005, 09:33:05 AM »
I say remove one of the engines, attach a long range finder on it so our radar sees it as it takes off, and tell them that it's ready for combat with missles that drop off like bombs..
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Offline lada

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Final tour of the F-14 Tomcat
« Reply #7 on: September 15, 2005, 09:47:29 AM »
Quote
Originally posted by Nilsen
Are any of them operational in Iran?

If they are retiering them then why not just leave them for the Iranians when they leave the gulf. Should save the navy some money on mothballing them.


US doesnt trade with evil regimes.... so they have to sell them to US company in Quatar first, this one will sell them to SA company.
And lill SA company gonna sell them to iranian... as usualy. :D

However i think that Iranian F14 are already grounded, they might have 1 or 2 whitch can fly..... Anyway they still have dozen of Mirages and some other fighters, whitch SH parked there during 91.
They forgot to give them back.. somehow :)
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Offline mora

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Final tour of the F-14 Tomcat
« Reply #8 on: September 15, 2005, 10:14:52 AM »
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Originally posted by lada
However i think that Iranian F14 are already grounded, they might have 1 or 2 whitch can fly.....

No, they have plenty of them flying, look/search here. There's also a picture of a formation of them in an airshow.
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Offline GtoRA2

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« Reply #9 on: September 15, 2005, 10:39:14 AM »
Sad...


My favorite modern fighter.


Really that the Iran will be the only nation flying them.
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Offline GtoRA2

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Final tour of the F-14 Tomcat
« Reply #10 on: September 15, 2005, 11:12:23 AM »
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Offline Sandman

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Re: Final tour of the F-14 Tomcat
« Reply #11 on: September 15, 2005, 11:42:30 AM »
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Originally posted by gofaster
From AvWeb.Com newsletter I receive:



I wonder if the Hornets have drip pans under every jet. :)


Was an ongoing joke in our (F14) squardron... the only time a tomcat doesn't leak is when it's empty. ;)
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Offline nuchpatrick

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Final tour of the F-14 Tomcat
« Reply #12 on: September 15, 2005, 11:48:22 AM »
I just don't think the Super Chickens will do the job that the Tomcat has done since the 70's.  It's a shame to see them go.  Yeah they have there quirks.. Like Sandman said the running joke They didn't leak when they were empty..

I know the Super Chickens will be in more need of the AWAX/HAWK EYE's to do there dirty work..
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Offline GtoRA2

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Re: Re: Final tour of the F-14 Tomcat
« Reply #13 on: September 15, 2005, 11:59:11 AM »
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Originally posted by Sandman
I wonder if the Hornets have drip pans under every jet. :)


Was an ongoing joke in our (F14) squardron... the only time a tomcat doesn't leak is when it's empty. ;)


Leak what?
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Offline Hangtime

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Final tour of the F-14 Tomcat
« Reply #14 on: September 15, 2005, 12:10:47 PM »
The Tomcat was the best CAP fleet defender the Navy ever had. With the Chinese picking up Kitchen Missle and Backfire Bomber production there is now a great big huge hole in the fleet defense. Granted the Cat with Two Tails is old and maintenance hungry, there is still nothing in the Inventory that can engage and destroy at the ranges and speeds necessary for modern fleet defense.

As a young man I was awed and impressed by the King of the Cats.. as a old man I mourn the passing of this mighty implement of Fleet Protection and the exceptional company of men that built 'em, maintained 'em and flew 'em for over 35 years.


The Grumman Airpark F-14 Memorial. Calverton, Long Island
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