Sanchez makes naval history(F-14 Tomcats being phased out)

The Bee-Picayune ^ | July 2, 2004

[Long Cut]

Oh, yeah, I remember. A classic example of a program gone out of control. Seemed EVERYONE was out to screw the Navy then...the company, the procurement guys (were they BLIND?), and later the press.

The Navy always seems to get the leftovers. Which is amusing; we're always the first ones to a trouble spot. The Air Force always shows up later, AFTER they've negotiated basing rights, etc.

And I won't even begin to rehash how much better in quality and amenities THEIR bases are compared to OURS. Suffice to say, their E-1's refuse to stay in the barracks I live in as an E-6 when they come here. It's not up to their standards.

[solzhenitsyn]

Very sad to read this. I served on the USS Nimitz back in the '80s. Not aircrew, just a regular squid. But I used to love hanging out up on Vulture's Row at night and watching the Tomcats take off. I thought the F-14 was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. A very sexy plane that looked somewhat like a space ship when viewed from above. Loved to watch the fiery exhaust stream out behind them at night and feel the power of their engines as they took off. Wish I could put in words just how exhilarating that was. And I wish my Dad could have seen it.

[Pukin Dog]

I remember when the YF-17 prototypes were gathering dust in the desert. They became the F-18. I'm hoping lighting strikes twice.

[Pukin Dog]

The F111 was a joint program till the Navy saw what a dog the F111 would turn out to be, and bailed out to buy the F14

Well aware, but the Navy had primary spec responsibilities because their performance needs were more critical.

a) Low speed handling characteristics
b) Carrier climb-out to station
c) Max acceleration
d) Max sustained G

ADM. Tom Connelly sacrificed his career in front of Congress to get the Tomcat (his namesake) by being honest about the performance deficiencies of the F-111.

[calcowgirl]

F-18/YF-23... I worked on both (from an office).
Losing the ATF competition was one of the most depressing days I remember.
I'll hope for lightning as well. :-)

[Pukin Dog]

Well, come on, its the Air Force.

They don't like to get their little uniforms dirty. Eagle drivers have downed their own planes if their air-conditioning wasn't working. Cant be sweating when Job 1 is to look good while getting shot at.

[sixmil]

That's what I am hearing too. They are using Super Hornets as tankers now and they are about to come out with an electronic warfare version so they can retire the Prowler. Pretty soon you aren't going to see anything but 18's on the flight deck in every sort of configuration you can imagine.

[Pukin Dog]

You got hosed. You had the better plane.

[PhilDragoo]

Two YF-23 in flight (US AF photo)

Northrop-McDonnell Douglas YF-23

Seven photos in photo gallery at above link.

[calcowgirl]

You got hosed. You had the better plane.

I know. But "it wasn't our turn" :-(

PhilD: Thanks for the pics... BIG ***SMILES*** :-)

[PhilDragoo]

More NASA photos of YF-23? See 29.

[Pukin Dog]

You should not have waited on the thrust-vectoring. It killed you in the end, although you beat up on the F-22 in almost every category.

[SAMWolf]

It's gonna be sad to see the F-14fly off into the sunset. :-(

[VaBthang4]

Awesome bird. Very handsome profile...I'll be sad to see it go. If the 23 were taking it's place it would soften the blow. As is, the SuperHornet seems like a piece of crap morphed from a plane that lost out to the F-16.

Man the Navy sucks at this stuff.

[SAMWolf]

I've always liked the lines of the F4 Phantom.

[Pukin Dog]

Careful now, the original Hornet is a fantastic airplane. The Super Hornet is the problem.

[Long Cut]

Ping. Your favorite bird is flying into Glory.

[Long Cut]

I gotta say, I DO love that Tom in the black, "Playboy" paint job. I'm amazed it still exists...What with PC, 'Hook, and all.

Someone's "little rebellion?".

Now if we could JUST put some nose art on our ORIONS...

[FreeReign]

[VaBthang4]

The original Hornet sucks. The new Hornet sucks. Both of'em suck!

Now that's a relative rant. I mean compare'em to some Chinese or Russian hunk of crap and maybe they dont suck so much.

Eitherway...I'm just disappointed in finally reading about the phasing out of the 14. I knew it was coming but I had strayed away from anything intimating it...however, I couldnt miss reading the original headline so now I'm semi-depressed.