These HD F-14 Clips Are So Good They’ll Make You Wax Nostalgic for the Fleet Defender
I don’t know about you, but I sure miss the F-14 Tomcat. It’s a shame that they only nation flying them today is Iran. With its many beautiful lines and curves, the F-14 Tomcat is arguably one of the most visually appealing aircrafts ever designed. This footage helps us avgeeks remember the good ‘ole days of Naval aviation.
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The Tomcat was manufactured by Grumman Aerospace Corporation in 1970 for the Viet Nam war. The F-14 first flew in December of 1970. The aircraft was introduced to the U.S. Navy in 1974. The F-14 has also also participated in the war between Iran and Iraq. Production was discontinued in 1991, with a total of 712 units built, at a unit cost (as of 1998) of 38 million dollars per aircraft. The F-14 was retired by the United States Navy in 2006.
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About the F-14 Tomcat:
The F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic twin engine, two seater fighter aircraft. The cockpit has two tandem style seats. The flight controls themselves are a hybrid of analog and digital devices, making for a bulky avionics system. The aircraft also has a bubble canopy for 360 degree viewing. Plus, it has variable geometry wings that swing automatically during flight to change speed. The F-14 was designed to combat the highly maneuverable aircraft of the Soviet Air Force and Navy.
