F-14H Tomcat - Greece is the word (tell me more, tell me more)

[Spinners 15,986]

Grumman F-14H Tomcat - 340 Mira, Hellenic Air Force, 1986

 

The 1979 Islamic Revolution saw the abrupt cessation of deliveries of the third batch of 60 F-14A fighters intended for Iran leaving Grumman with 44 unwanted Tomcats on their production line. Whilst payment for the aircraft was essentially underwritten by the US Government, Grumman were given permission to offer the aircraft to the export market and duly approached Canada, Israel and the United Kingdom but received only lukewarm interest. However, the Hellenic Air Force expressed strong interest in the aircraft and asked for a downgraded version (essentially without the AIM-54A Phoenix missile) to supplement it's F-4E interceptor force. In January 1980 an order was placed by Greece for 50 Tomcats comprising of 6 additional aircraft tagged onto the 44 Iranian aircraft on the production line and designated F-14H. Details of the deal were not officially disclosed at the time but are now known to have involved substantial offsets associated with the extension of leases on US bases in Greece.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My mate Mario (ValAstur) has beaten to it by making a splendid Greek F-14H but this was like an itch I just had to scratch!

[B52STRATO 215]

Could be pretty useful beside Aeroporía Mirage F1s.

[thodouras95 25]

Epic, although the no Phoenix part made me miserable :(

[schepper911 0]

another marvelous design who leaves me stunned