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The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable geometry wing aircraft. The F-14 was the United States Navy's primary maritime air superiority fighter, fleet defense interceptor and tactical reconnaissance platform from 1972 to 2006. It later performed precision strike missions once it was integrated with LANTIRN. It was developed after the collapse of the F-111B project, and was the first of the American teen-series fighters which were designed incorporating the experience of air combat in Vietnam against MiGs.
It entered service in 1972 with the U.S. Navy, replacing the F-4 Phantom II. It was later exported to the Imperial Iranian Air Force in 1976. It was retired from the U.S. Navy fleet on 22 September 2006, having been replaced by the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. As of 2007, it remains in service only with the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force.
Popular culture
* The F-14 inspired a number of pop cultural uses worldwide. In 1980, the time-travel film The Final Countdown featured the VF-41 "Black Aces" and VF-84 "Jolly Rogers" F-14 fighter squadrons aboard USS Nimitz.
* The F-14s of the "Jolly Rogers" were also a primary inspiration for the VF-1 Valkyrie in the 1982-1983 Japanese animated TV series The Super Dimension Fortress Macross (adapted outside Japan as part of Robotech).
* In 1986, the F-14 was the main aircraft in the film Top Gun, spawning a surge in U.S. Navy recruiting as well as a video game franchise.
* The 1995–2005 TV series JAG featured a qualified F-14 pilot as a lead character and a retired F-14 airframe in several episodes. The F-14 has also been featured in numerous video games, and lesser roles in other films and TV series as well. Wikipedia
General characteristics (F-14D Super Tomcat)
* Crew: 2 (Pilot and Radar Intercept Officer)
* Length: 61 ft 9 in (18.6 m)
* Wingspan:
* Spread: 64 ft (19 m)
* Swept: 38 ft swept (11.4 m)
* Height: 16 ft (4.8 m)
* Wing area: 565 ft² (54.5 m²)
* Airfoil: NACA 64A209.65 mod root, 64A208.91 mod tip
* Empty weight: 42,000 lb (19,000 kg)
* Loaded weight: 61,000 lb (28,000 kg)
* Max takeoff weight: 72,900 lb (32,800 kg)
* Powerplant: 2× General Electric F110-GE-400 afterburning turbofans
o Dry thrust: 13,810 lbf (72 kN) each
o Thrust with afterburner: 27,800 lbf (126 kN) each
Performance
* Maximum speed: Mach 2.34 (1,544 mph, 2,485 km/h) at high altitude
* Combat radius: 500 nm (576 mi, 927 km)
* Ferry range: 1,600 nm (2,000 mi, 3,220 km)
* Rate of climb: >45,000 ft/min (230 m/s)
* Wing loading: 113.4 lb/ft² (553.9 kg/m²)
* Thrust/weight: 0.91 |
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