I am looking for a good, extensive book about the F-14 Tomcat. (And do you have other factious books about jetfighters you can recommend...?)

[MiG29Fulcrum 4]

Hi

 

Im proud owner of nearly every "Famous Russian Aircraft" book by Yefim Gordon. Up to 700 pages (MiG-21) with really EVERYTHING you need to know about the respective aircraft. But Im missing these kinds of books for western aircraft, especially my favorite, the F-14.

 

Any suggestions? And are there other factual books about jetfighters you can recommend? For example I just got myself "Cockpits of the Cold War", with detailed cockpit-photographs of a lot of cold-war-jetaircraft. Stuff like that.

 

 

Thanks in advance

Edited October 21, 2015 by MiG29Fulcrum

[Boresight 51]

Hello,

 

Well, I have "Jane's: How to fly and fight in the F-14 TOMCAT", which my uncle was kind enough to send from the USA.

Although this one is not "a bible" about the Tomcat, it sure has a lot of knowledge and interesting material.

 

I recall also that: "Dave Baranek's: Topgun Days" must be outstanding from reviews I've read.

 

Try to get MigBuster and Caesar's opinion, as they can give you very good insight.

 

Hope it helps.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Boresight

[DEVIL11 28]

Osprey F-14 tomcat units of operation Iraqi freedom

[JediMaster 451]

I have a couple of them.

This one was good http://www.arcair.com/Rev5/4101-4200/rev4134-F-14-book-Ishmael/00.shtm but I think it's long out of print.

This is even older, but was basically a book composed of smaller books. There's a great one on the A-10 in here along with the F-14. http://www.amazon.com/The-Great-Book-Modern-Warplanes/dp/0517633671

[Caesar 305]

A few years back I was asked that question at the TW forums.  This was my response:

 

Auten, Donald E. – Roger Ball! The Odyssey of John Monroe “Hawk” Smith, 2008, Star Publishing
The focus of this book is on "Hawk's" career up until about 1980, and includes his time spent in F-4's as a RIO and F-14's as a pilot, his time as an OT&E pilot with the Tomcat, as well as his forays into TOPGUN and his game-changing weekend spent at ACEVAL/AIMVAL. The other side of the ACEVAL/AIMVAL story is on tomcat-sunset (Hoser and Turk's inputs).

Baranek, Dave “Bio” – Topgun Days, 2009, Skyhorse Publishing
Like "Hawk" Smith's biography, this autobiography focuses on "Bio's" career in the Navy as a Tomcat RIO and TOPGUN instructor.

Cooper, Tom and Bishop, Farzad - Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat, 2004, Osprey Publishing
A decent book for insight into the Iranian Tomcat program and the aircraft's role in the Iran/Iraq war.

Gillcrist, Paul T. RADM – TOMCAT! The Grumman F-14 Story, 1994, Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
This is one of the most complete stories of the Tomcat from its inception until 1994, the year the book was published. It is packed full of information about the F-14, to include the author's own experiences with the development of the airframe. It isn't super expensive and I'd highly recommend it.

Lake, Jon (Ed) – Grumman F-14 Tomcat Shipborne Superfighter, 1998, Aerospace Publishing Ltd.
This book is along the lines of Gillcrist's, and is an excellent compilation of Tomcat information, but is now getting into the "ridiculously" expensive price range (asking prices have been anywhere from $120 to over $600 over the past four years - right now on Amazon its range is $180-700!).

Stevenson, James P. – Grumman F-14 “Tomcat”, 1975, TAB/Aero Books, Aero 25
An excellent book from very early in the F-14's career, especially explaining the swing wing and providing good details on the AN/AWG-9 weapon system.

Wilcox, Robert K. – Black Aces High, 2002, Thomas Dunne Books
Provides great insight into the F-14 as a strike platform, the author documenting VF-41's fight in Kosovo.

 

Since then, I added "Danny Coreman's Grumman F-14A/B/D Tomcat," which is good for modelling and detailed pictures all around the aircraft, but not heavy on technical details.  "Hoser Here, Shoot!" is another one that gives a lot of insight from the pilot perspective (it's an informal biography/autobiography of one of the Navy's top sticks from Vietnam to ACEVAL/AIMVAL, to Gunnery instruction at the RAG.)

[MiG29Fulcrum 4]

Thank you!