[JosephW]

And F-14s, probably the finest stand-off aircraft ever designed. (Navy that is)

No probably about it! Absolutely the finest stand-off aircraft ever designed!

O.K., I'm ready to be flamed by those pro-Airforce F-15/16 (I can't land on something as small as a carrier), and Marine F-18 (it doesn't matter if my pay check says dept of the NAVY).

[VRWCmember]

Absolutely the finest stand-off aircraft ever designed!
O.K., I'm ready to be flamed by those pro-Airforce F-15/16

No flames, just a few facts. No F-16 has EVER been shot down in air-to-air combat. Its dogfight record against all other aircraft it has engaged is 50+ to ZERO. It was THE multi-role workhorse fighter of the Persian Gulf Conflict and is unsurpassed unequalled among fighter aircraft. (btw, with a tailhook the F-16 can land on an A/C carrier and without a tailhook the F-14 will slide right off the deck into the ocean just like any other jet fighter -- except for a harrier and we won't even think about comparing that bird to the F-16 with a straight face)

[TheRealLobo]

Hey, knock it off....I'm retired AF ya know. Worked Eagles and Phantoms. Love the TomCat tho. Problem with 15's/16's landing on carriers is the landing gear can't handle the thuds required to bring them in hot on a carrier deck. All fine A/C, but I always liked the F-4s too. (F-4, proof that if you put a big enough engine on it, ANYTHING can fly).