Grumman F-14 Tomcat Ideas and Inspiration

[mrvr6]

iv always wondered why they never used tomcats for the blue angels.
sis they switch straight from f4 to f18?

[upnorth]

iv always wondered why they never used tomcats for the blue angels.
sis they switch straight from f4 to f18?

No, they had several years with the A-4 between the F-4 and F-18.

Both the Blue Angles and Thunderbirds gave up their Phantoms in the 1970s due to the rising cost of petroleum. The T-Birds went to the T-38 while the BA went to the A-4.

[elmayerle]

iv always wondered why they never used tomcats for the blue angels.
sis they switch straight from f4 to f18?

Actually, it was F-4J --> A-4F/TA-4F --> F/A-18.  Both the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds went from F-4's to something that was smaller and cheaper to operate in the 1970's.  Given the spate of problems with the TF30 in the Tomcat (and in damn near every other airframe it's been put in), I can't blame them for not transitioning the Blue Angels to F-14A's.  Now, if Les Aspin hadn't led his crusade against the F401...

I could see doing a F401-powered F-14 in Blue Angels markings from the late Seventies.

Added note:  If you think I've got rather a grudge against the now-deceased Mr. Aspin, you're correct.  He led the crusade against the F401 with the cry "The TF30 is good enough!"; then, five years later, he claims "The Navy bought a Turkey, not a Tomcat" because continued problems with the TF30 he saddled them with are causing quite a number of loses and MMH/FH.  That his cancellation of the F401 also delivered my first layoff in aerospace just focused my interest on this "useful idiot" (I'll use that term, since the term I'd like to use would probably get me put on moderated status ).

[taiidantomcat]

I really like this!! Boy that is a clever, very tricky blend of both... as I look at it, it seems possible to do in plastic.    Hmm

[Cliffy B]

And they thought F-4's were loud and expensive... 

[elmayerle]

Just a thought engendering this patch:

Suppose in the early 1990's, when Grumman found out that the F-14D wouldn't be fully purchased nor further developed, Australia had needed a multi-role fighter (say, the F-111's wore out faster than expected) and was able to cut a good deal with Grumman (possiblylicensed production or even transferring the production line at some point?).  How about F-14Ds or F-14D/Quickstrikes in RAAF markings.  Australian production might even lead to JASDF usage:


One reason I consider this is that I've purchase both patches as inspiration.

[Volkodav]

Well the F-111 AUP was in the 90s and I recall an Australian Aviation article recommending the government look at F/A-18D in its Night Attack iteration instead of retaining the F-111 fleet.  I don't know if it was ever on the card, in fact considering this was the era of the "Peace Dividend", retirement without replacement was probably more likely.  Anyway your F-14 Quick Strike falls in this period so could work.

[GTX_Admin]

As per our private discussion, I can see the following options:

• Australia decides on multi-role F/A-14 in the early/mid-80s using the already existing bomb carrying capability.  Maybe even have it used as a replacement for both the Mirage III and the F-4Es (assuming the F-111 is still troubled or outright cancelled) - this would have made its cost seem far more palatable.  This may even lead to licence built F/A-14 which then gets upgraded etc; or
• Australian F-111s somehow develop a major problem and need replacing in the early '90s - to be honest, I see this as the more likely issue.  Say, the wing carry through box starts exhibiting advanced fatigue or similar. The RAAF needs an urgent replacement in the strike roll.  This leads to a new mini competition which includes the F-15E, Tornado and F/A-14D which the latter wins.  I think this option is be far the most likely.

Getting an Australian buy for the F/A-14 strike variant would also open up other markets.  Any of the F-15E buyers may be options - e.g. Sth Korea, Israel, Singapore...

If you were to have a RAAF F/A-14D in the early '90s, I would definitely look at using something such as the F-14D Quickstrike as the basis.  Maybe morph this into the more advanced Tomcat 21/Attack Super Tomcat 21 around 2005-2010 as a midlife upgrade...

[Volkodav]

Years ago I tried and failed to do a single seat F/A-14 using an already completed Matchbox F-14A.  The concept was an advanced glass cockpit and flight control system based on that developed for the F/A-18, single seat, F-16 style canopy, Vulcan, Sidewinder, AMRAAM (but no Phoenix) and various air to ground guided / unguided, free fall / glide / powered ordinance. 

The basic idea was a single seat F/A-14 instead of the F/A-18A/C (there was no E/F when I was playing with this) meaning the carrier air group would have two squadrons of F/A-14 single seaters (instead of Hornets), two of F-14D and two of FB-14 two place strike aircraft (instead of Intruders).  Basically an all Tomcat air group that would also provide the perfect aircraft for the RAAF instead of Hornet and Pig.

[GTX_Admin]

You were saying something about single seat F-14s...

[kitnut617]

Sort of looks Su-27-ish ---

[GTX_Admin]

Random Idea:  F-14 done up as Modernish Gulfhawk in the same sort of scheme as its predecessors:

[GTX_Admin]

Russianized, Tomcatski (incorporating the AL-31FPs, canards and IRST ball):

I drew this years ago - now look what I find:

[ScranJ51]

The Russians already have a Tomcat to work with:








Bought from the Iranians several years ago..............................

[GTX_Admin]

You were saying...

[GTX_Admin]

Anti-shipping F-14 anyone:

[GTX_Admin]

Don't think I ever saw a F-14 with AIM-120s:




Or HARM:

[Rickshaw]

I like the "How-To" pam on the floor:

[ysi_maniac]

Single seat Tornado Tomcat. (sorry! )

[Volkodav]

Single seat Tornado.

 

[GTX_Admin]

Love it!

[ChernayaAkula]

^ Nice! 

Anti-shipping F-14 anyone:

Would probably look boring, but given that the Harpoon and Phoenix aren't all that different in terms of length and wing span, you could easily put four Harpoons in the Tomcat's tunnel.

[elmayerle]

Perhaps a USMC Tomcat with SLAMs instead of Harpoons?  Same basic missile but different guidance fit so there shouldn't be a problem.

[ysi_maniac]

Top view, please.

[GTX_Admin]

Hmmm...Aéronavale F-14 (2 seat conventional version) in the same dark grey scheme as the F-8E(FN)s would look cool.