A few great videos as a farewell tribute to the F-14 Tomcat which was retired from active service in the US Navy in 2006.
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat was 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 and is now replaced by the F/A-18E/F. Most of the F-14 will be destroyed, 20 have been saved to US museums.
Some F-14 Tomcats are still in active service by Iran Air Force.
truly a great fighter; in fact, one of the best! just like the Russian I-15 biplane, which in some cases replaced the I-16 monoplane designed in itself to replace the I-15, the F-14 is superior to its replacement, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. or at least, the proposed Super Tomcat 21 is superior… point is, the F-14D Super Tomcat 21 had twice the range, greater payload and speed, similar ordnance variety, and greater BVR capability (modified AIM-54C Phoenix) than the F/A-18E/F, which, besides being a spiffy little airshow performer with dazzling avionics, isn’t even as good as its older cousin, the F/A-18C. In tests, the older Hornet always outranged, outflew, outran, and outfought its “Super” sibling. and without question the F-14 was more capable than the F/A-18. just goes to show that all that matters to the Pentagon is cost per unit, not giving our men and women in uniform better equipment with which they can win wars. and China will be a potent enemy force in the very near future…