You can really see the difference in how enormously F-14 was more powerful than the F-18 in those afterburner climbing left turns. While the F-18 slows down in afterburner while executing the turn, the F-14 rockets up and turns effortlessly.
There isn't another aircraft that could literally make the ground SHAKE like the F-14B/D except for the B1B Bone. Just in this video you can distinctly hear the difference in sheer power between the F-14 and the F-18 ( which had no business replacing the F-14 and didn't adequately do so).
I am calling to get the remaining Tomcats back on the air, it may sound crazy but if you don't try, you won't win. as many calls as possible for the Tomcat 😻😻😻👍
They should have updated the F-14 Tomcats with new engines, avionics, computers, electronic warfare suites, and aesa radar. Instead they are still producing F-15 ,F-16, and F-18 fighters. What a joke!
@@ayylmao9697 Yes, because Iran is "Such a HUGE threat to our F-22s with it's old F-14 As " What a load of crap ! It's all just politics. It's like kids fighting. " I don't like you, so I'm not going to let you have any of my old toys. In fact, I'm going to cut them up just for spite " Iran has Mig 29s, that are pretty much equal to the F-14 A - but actually on second thought, NO ! The F-14 A jets that Iran has were made 50 years ago. Their MiG 29s are a much greater threat than the F-14 As could ever be, yet we " must cut up our Tomcats so the Iranians can't use them ?? " It pisses me off that I will never get to see an F-14 in flight because of this.
Friend was served on a carrier and said that when they'd launch an F14 off, you could really tell a difference from the later F18s. I know the F14s were long in the tooth by the 90s, but they were a mighty fine bird and it's hard to appreciate just how damned big they are. Even sitting next to an F15, they're just on another level
These B models were among the safest and highest performing of all Tomcats. The entire fleet had the new Digital FCS by this time. Rolling G limits had to be revisited in the NATOPs the new DFCS worked so well. One of the astronauts(Kelly brothers) bent the test bird and DFCS development was put on hold until the test jet was fixed. The contract was awarded in 1992, finally installs started in 1999. This system could have possibly avoided some 35 F-14 losses due to flight departures. The GE Marconi Digital Flight Control System replaced the Analog FCS and actually improved maintenance scores.
I worked for the Grum mid to late 90"s at Mugu installing the DFCS and LANTRIN system on all the D's. We built the wing store pylons and kits at Mugu, then traveled to where the fleet was, Mugu, Norfolk, St. Augustine and Atsugi Japan. Best job ever and greatest group of guys I have ever had the privilege to have worked with. 14 was and will always be the best naval fighter built. First off the boat and last one on. 18 cant carry the fuel to stay on station like the 14.
The F-14A is the greatest F-14 variant, this is just my opinion. Differences between the F-14B and F-14A is just the general information. But the F-14B LANTIRN upgrade and the F-14A Upgrade is a different story. The F-14A ALR-67 LANTIRN upgrade is called the F-14A Upgrade, though F-14A Upgrade is not often named. Has the same air-to-ground capabilities and avionic upgrades as the F-14B however it retained the P&W TF-30-414 engines and the glove vanes disabled. PTID screens are on F-14Bs but they’re also equipped on the F-14A Upgrade (F-14A with ALR-67). The F-14B features carried over to the F-14A and I like it. I still like the F-14B because of the upgrades with the avionics and air-to-ground capabilities. But the F-14A Upgrade is more awesome as it has air-to-ground abilities with the LANTIRN pod and still uses the classic TF-30 turbofan engines since the 1980s.
Two VF-211 F-14As. Those are the greatest F-14 variants in the Navy. F-14A ALR-67 models, it’s the closest to the F-14A+/F-14B. Kinda of a hybrid between 1980s Nostalgia and 1990s Upgrade.
Starting up engines puts me right back on the flight deck! Another day of ops! V1 Div Crash and Salvage! Prepare for 0800 launch! Flight quarters flight quarters! All hands muster on the bow for fod walk Down! Persian Gulf 90 degrees at 8am! Another 16 hours of ops!
Personally I think the Tomcats were loosing they're charm simply Due to the Upgrades ! Just like poor ol C-5 getting its manhood (TF-39s) Taken away, the F-14 lost its Iconic Variable Winglet Veins and Baddass Unique TF-130 Engine Nozzles because of its UpgrAde so :P
