Super Tomcats

[cgold]

I don't like to harp on any one thing but is anyone building a F-14D model? I know that someone has already made a "F-14D" that was a modification off of the original F-14A but it still has the single landing light under the nose, and it has the "round" Pratt-Whitney engines. The D has GE F-110-400 engines that are a tad "squared", Like so... "Round" TF-30's... "Square" GE F-110-400's. If somebody is building a F-14D, PLEASE let me know, much less the rest of the community that want to remember the good ol' days. For the dude that made the F-14D that is existing now, you rock! For the dude that makes the next one, you rock!

[Caveman]

and for those about to rock we salute you

[DWCAce]

Some new models are in the works, as well as some other mods for the Cat.

[Sgt.KAR98]

What F-14 is that one dll section so?

F-14A?Well,so I guess the F-14 in my signature is the D.

[+Typhoid]

I don't like to harp on any one thing but is anyone building a F-14D model? I know that someone has already made a "F-14D" that was a modification off of the original F-14A but it still has the single landing light under the nose, and it has the "round" Pratt-Whitney engines. The D has GE F-110-400 engines that are a tad "squared", Like so... "Round" TF-30's... "Square" GE F-110-400's. If somebody is building a F-14D, PLEASE let me know, much less the rest of the community that want to remember the good ol' days. For the dude that made the F-14D that is existing now, you rock! For the dude that makes the next one, you rock!

 

MF is working on some.

[FalconC45]

MF is working on some.

 

(As Falcon dances in his wheelchair) WOOT! :good: :clapping:

 

Falcon

[eraser_tr]

An F-14D needs more than just slightly more squared engines and landing lights. The cockpit needs work for MFDs instead of just a radar screen and a bunch of other relatively minor tweaks.

[SayethWhaaaa]

and for those about to rock we salute you

 

Haha! Shradrach!!

[+Gocad]

What F-14 is that one dll section so?

F-14A?Well,so I guess the F-14 in my signature is the D.

 

Nope, VF-154 had the A-model.

 

After all, there were no more than 40 F-14D built when the production was stopped.

Did the F-14B (or A+) also have the new cockpit of the D-model?

Edited July 17, 2007 by Gocad

[Blade]

After all, there were no more than 40 F-14D built when the production was stopped.

Did the F-14B (or A+) also have the new cockpit of the D-model?

 

 

While the full F-14D avionics suite was being developed, an interim aircraft, designated F-14A(Plus), would be produced which would introduce the F110 engines but keep the F-14A electronics suite. However, it was planned that all F-14A(Plus) aircraft would eventually be upgraded to full F-14D status.

 

Most F-14Bs were to be upgraded to F-14D standards under a general depot-level update program that was used for some of the earlier F-14As. However, post-Cold War cutbacks make this an extremely unlikely event.

 

(Taken from Joe Baugher's website.)

[JediMaster]

IIRC, there were more F-14Bs made than D's. You could turn an A into a B with relatively little work, as it was pretty much just an engine change, but the D had a totally new cockpit as well.

By retiring the A's they standardized the fleet on one engine, but it was still different enough that they split the 2 models between the east and west coasts.

Anyway, the B is the plane the F-14 was meant to be and the D was the plane it could've been. Of course, after the end of the Cold War not only was production stopped but the rigs were ordered destroyed so no more could be made.

[+Gocad]

IIRC, there were more F-14Bs made than D's.

 

Only if you include the conversions.

 

(I had to satisfy my curiousity, so searched the web a bit and came up with this:)

 

From M.A.T.S.

"All in all some 712 F-14s were built by Grumman: 632 F-14 for the Navy & 79 for Iran (80 ordered, one built but not delivered)). In detail it was 557 F-14As, 38 F-14Bs & 37 F-14Ds. Additionally, 48 F-14As were converted to F-14B standard and 18 F-14As were remanufactured to F-14D standard."

 

So I guess, without a new cockpit you could sell a GE engined F-14 as a B-model, and with a new cockpit as a F-14D.

 

And in the meantime I will continue to dominate the skies over Vietnam in my trusty A-model.

Edited July 17, 2007 by Gocad

[TX3RN0BILL]

I just downloaded the F-14A since the Tomcat 21 by itself lacks sounds & effects present in the "A" and I must say it's a hard choice for me now to know which plane I like best... It definitely lives up to Top Gun fame!

[cgold]

Iran did have 80 Tomcats delivered. 9 were lost due, to no ones surprise, engine problems, and one was SHOT DOWN. Unbelievable, huh? Iran still has a good number of combat-worthy F-14's.

[TX3RN0BILL]

It's a shame that the U.S. retired its Tomcats before anybody else - which in this case only means Iran...

[Jarhead1]

I am still trying to figure out why we sold Tomcats to Iran of all people, why not Israel or Australia or any other of our Allies. Why in the H*#& would we give our top of the line Interceptor/Fighter and top long range interception missile technologies to a known and sworn enemy???????? I cant figure out the government sometimes with deals like that!!! I guess thats just me trying to exercise my common sense.

Edited July 19, 2007 by Jarhead1

[+Typhoid]

I am still trying to figure out why we sold Tomcats to Iran of all people, why not Israel or Australia or any other of our Allies. Why in the H*#& would we give our top of the line Interceptor/Fighter and top long range interception missile technologies to a known and sworn enemy???????? I cant figure out the government sometimes with deals like that!!! I guess thats just me trying to exercise my common sense.

 

because they weren't our enemy at the time. The Tomcats were sold to the Shah of Iran, along with a whole grunch of first line stuff including a pretty nice Spruance DDG variant. The Shah was our guy and a counter to Soviet penetration of the Persian Gulf region. And the Shah was not constrained by mere money in his military purchases.

 

then carter took over and handed the Shah over to the tender mercies of the Ayatollah. While the Shah escaped, most of his military were turned into firing squad fodder.

 

and the rest, as they say, is history.

[+Typhoid]

I just downloaded the F-14A since the Tomcat 21 by itself lacks sounds & effects present in the "A" and I must say it's a hard choice for me now to know which plane I like best... It definitely lives up to Top Gun fame!

 

I'm still kind of partial to the F-14A+ and F-14D.........

 

[Jarhead1]

Awesome, US turning our back on an ally, go figure

[FastCargo]

then carter took over and handed the Shah over to the tender mercies of the Ayatollah.

 

Not quite. The Iranian Revolution (sometimes called the Islamic Revolution) was pretty much an internal affair and caught a lot of people off guard.

 

The Shah wasn't given over, he pretty much had to go into exile. In fact, by our letting him in to the United States for treatment for cancer, gave the Revolutionaries an excuse to start the Iranian Hostage Crisis.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_Revolution

 

FastCargo

[+Typhoid]

Not quite. The Iranian Revolution (sometimes called the Islamic Revolution) was pretty much an internal affair and caught a lot of people off guard.

 

The Shah wasn't given over, he pretty much had to go into exile. In fact, by our letting him in to the United States for treatment for cancer, gave the Revolutionaries an excuse to start the Iranian Hostage Crisis.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_Revolution

 

FastCargo

 

yea, pretty much the details. But we strong-armed the Shah and cleared the way for the Ayatollah to return from exile and kick off the revolution. The revolution did not catch any of our intell services off-gaurd (well, maybe the CIA bufoons), only carter and his vacuous cronies.

[+Gocad]

It's interesting to see where the threads about the Tomcat lead to. I think there is no other fighter jet in the world that is capable to spark such discussions...

 

To be honest, I wouldn't give much about the Iranian Tomcats anyway, there are probably only a handful, if any airworthy left. It seems to me that one reason why the Tomcat was retired was simply that they had become difficult to maintain, which is not that unusual for a complex design of that age.

[+Typhoid]

It's interesting to see where the threads about the Tomcat lead to. I think there is no other fighter jet in the world that is capable to spark such discussions...

 

To be honest, I wouldn't give much about the Iranian Tomcats anyway, there are probably only a handful, if any airworthy left. It seems to me that one reason why the Tomcat was retired was simply that they had become difficult to maintain, which is not that unusual for a complex design of that age.

 

true enough, only a few and mostly used as AEW platforms. the parts is a serious problem, which leads back full circle to the start which is why the retired Tomcats are being shredded - to ensure no spare parts end up on the black market to Iran.