F-14s heading to aircraft graveyard

Stars and Stripes ^ | August 27, 2004 | Greg Tyler

[jslade]

bttt

[Pukin Dog]

No, I cant make that claim. The Tomcat had too many troubles, and never the money to fix them. It was fat and fragile. But when it was working, it was the most dangerous aircraft ever built. No airplane scared the Russians like the Tomcat did.

[Zhangliqun]

If we are talking about beauty, it's got to go to the bombers:
In this order,

XB-70
B-1B
B-58

***

I'M WITH YOU ON THE BOMBERS, but...

You're wrong about all 3. The B-52 is the coolest looking plane ever built -- especially the D model in its Vietnam camouflage.

http://www.stratofortress.org/images/Source/strto2.jpg

Or check out this H model about to crash by some idiot pilot who was convinced he could whip it around like a Tomcat(second photo down)...

http://www.stratofortress.org/b52hpics.htm

[PISANO]

So why is it going if it is still the BEST???

[Tribune7]

I remember as a kid reading how the F-4 was no match for the Soviets etc. & then feeling glee when it was reported that the F-14, F-15, F-16 got approved, went into production & succeeded.

[Bombardier]

Good old 463....I know a pilot who nailed a MiG flying that specific aircraft with the 432nd TRW out of Udorn in 1972. Steve Ritchie and Chuck DeBellevue (DeBellevue: 6 kills, navigator/WSO, highest scoring American ace of Vietnam....and someone needs to remind people that Lt. (j.g.) Bill Driscoll made ace as Randy Cunningham's RIO on 10 May 1972. Pisses me off that the GIBs get ignored) scored some of their kills in that bird. 463 had 6 MiGs to her credit when she was retired. I just wish I knew what became of her....probably torn up for scrap and made into a refrigerator, like the "Memphis Belle" almost was.....

[Pukin Dog]

You still here that kind of talk today, by people who don't understand that American training beats any hardware out there, and always will. Ask anybody who took their Tomcat to Miramar for TopGun back in the 90's, and promptly got their ass kicked by a genius in an F-5.

[SC Swamp Fox]

Your hubby is gonna' be an airedale? Give him my Congrats!

[ArrogantBustard]

Just out of curiosity, are you one of those folks who got his ass handed to him by a genius in an F-5?

[Pukin Dog]

Oh yeah. LOL.

Standard RIO/WSO chatter during your average fight:

"Airspeed 400, shoot him! Airspeed 290, will you shoot him?!? Lock him up! Shoot the bastard!"

After the fight:

"You are so lucky to have me."

[tophat9000]

Not only is the F-14 a great fighter, Tomcat is the coolest name ever given to a plane.

Just one(and sadly the last one) in a long line of great Grumman "Cat" Carrier fighter

F4F Wildcat
F6F Hellcat
F7F Tigercat
F8F Bearcat
F9F Panther (early straight wing)
F9F Cougar (later sweep wing)
F10F Jaguar
F11F Tiger
F14 Tomcat

[Pukin Dog]

Yeah, but I looked cool while it happened.

[GATOR NAVY]

Thanks for the ping. F-14s left here here last year, replaced by Super Hornets.

[MS.BEHAVIN]

Going out in a blaze of glory!!

Think I can get a good deal on one??

[ArrogantBustard]

Congratulations!

BTW, I rode a 777 out to Kalifornia last week ... you still got that gig?

[Pukin Dog]

Yeah. I'm on my way to Atlanta tonight. Somebody loaned Delta gas-money.

[Obi-Wandreas]

Personal note: The only time I ever saw an F-14 in person was at an air show in Niagara falls about 15 years ago. It was sitting next to my one of my all-time favorite aircraft, the B-17.

I just found it really amusing that a 2-man fighter and a 10-man bomber were the exact same size!!!

[uglybiker]

You forgot one:

Shame on you.

[tophat9000]

O I don’t know here is a pretty aircraft of the late 50's early 60's that never got built the mach 3+ North American F108 Rapier… this is also the original aircraft the Phoenix missile system and radar was designed for (that latter went in the Tomcat)

[Centurion2000]

Now THAT was one mean looking fighter. I would have loved to see it get built too.