[Still Thinking]

I can't believe you posted this without appropriate pictures! Shame on you.

[WhiskeyPapa]

The F-18 has always been a DOD boondoggle. These things only get currency when they get into operation. They are in the fleet, right? They MUST be effective.

Uh huh. Nope.

Walt

[prognostigaator]

An objective report.

bump

[xsrdx]

The Tomcat is a great airplane, long in the tooth, but like its USAF brother the F15C, still the King.

F18 started out as a compromise and got worse, I think the Navy was hoping for F16 like capability but the twin engine requirement put the nail in that coffin.

Maybe JSF will fix everything! In the meantime, keep your fingers crossed for the Super Hornet drivers....although on balance I think more F14's make the news for aviation mishaps.

[AzJP]

Kress might not have credentials for impartiality. He couldn't have survived professionaly without intense passion.

I'm no fan of the F18. If I remember correctly, when McD lost the fighter contest to the F16, McD put carrier goodies on their loser and seduced the Navy into thinking the F18 was the short term answer to all things, the mismanaged doomed A12 being the long term answer.

Anyone out there corroborate this? Or tell me what really happened?

kj

[JMK]

I read Admiral Gillcrist's book, Feet Wet, about a year ago. Great book.

I really hope they do start up F-14 production again; I thought it was a mistake to stop making them in the first place.

[wjcsux]

I an very familiar with NAVAIR and their aircraft. I have done extensive work on Navy aircraft in my career as an Aerospace consultant.
The F/A-18 has been trash since the very beginning. The only component that is any good is the GE F-404 engines. The problems with this plane are too numerous to mention. The Navy and Marines wanted the single seat version (F/A-18 A) to replace the A-6 and the F-4 as well as the A-7. The A-6 was the Navy/ Marines only "all weather bomber". The F/A-18 doesn't fill this role. An F-4 can run an F/A-18 out of fuel in a side by side flight. That is REALLY saying something!
The Grumman A-6, as well as almost anything Grumman has made, is basically indestructable! Same with the LTV A-7.
As for the F-14, what can you say! The only limitation the Tomcat ever had was the engines, in a few flight scenarios. They were a last minute compromise to put the plane in service.

[ericthecurdog]

bump for later

[oldsalt]

In 1975, an A-7 Corsair II was mounted on a pedestal outside the now closed Navy Master Jet Base, Cecil Field, Florida. On the base of the pedestal was a large bronze plaque bearing the inscription: “The main battery of the fleet.”

Amen,amen,amen. I was a maintenaance CPO in an A-7 squadron when the F-18 was coming on line in the early 80's. I remember well a late night "bull" session with my CO, a former test pilot,regarding the shortcomings of the F-18 vis-a-vis the A-7 in the attack mode.

He deemed the F-18 inferior in all categories when carrying external ordnance;payload,range and speed.We knew it then,it's criminal that it was allowed to proceed.

The F-14 is currently being phased out,that too would be criminal IMHO.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

From December: F-14D Tomcat vs. F/18 E/F Super Hornet

[185JHP]

It has been observed that "politics is about who gets what." In this case, because of the politics of nefarians, we got something that's slow, fat, doesn't turn well, and has limited range. Sad that not enough guys with stars care enough to speak out about fiascoes like this - they care more about cushy jobs after retirement than about the welfare of brothers-in arms. Lots of great people in the military - there are others.