The F-14 was the best, but also the most expensive to operate. The F-14 had the first “microprocessor” in it.
As a Maintenance Chief in VA-46 (1976), I was on the starboard side of the flight deck on the U.S.S John F. Kennedy when one of the F-14’s being positioned on Cat3 went to full power because of a faulty fuel control. The pilot had the brakes locked, tires smoking and he was frantically trying to shut the engines down. As the plane started to roll over the edge of the angle deck, both the RIO and the Pilot ejected and both came back down on the flight deck; one on the deck and another against the side of a plane parked on the port side aft. Of course, the launch was cancelled, aircraft on deck were sent forward and the recovery of the previous launch took place.
The F-14 had a Phoenix Missile on the center mount. A destroyer and a submarine were left to guard the site to prevent the Russians from getting to the missile. The F-14 was built to carry that top-secret missile.
The F-14 landed upside down on the sea floor and the missile was recovered. The plane is still on the bottom.
the post did not identify the best fighter..just some numbers like 201 or 202 on the plane… sorry but I think we are now copying from the Russians as they can build much better fighter planes
barry
January 9, 2019 at 1:54 pmNot too much shown. Is that the best that you can do?
Meathead
January 9, 2019 at 10:58 pmThe F-14 was the best, but also the most expensive to operate. The F-14 had the first “microprocessor” in it.
As a Maintenance Chief in VA-46 (1976), I was on the starboard side of the flight deck on the U.S.S John F. Kennedy when one of the F-14’s being positioned on Cat3 went to full power because of a faulty fuel control. The pilot had the brakes locked, tires smoking and he was frantically trying to shut the engines down. As the plane started to roll over the edge of the angle deck, both the RIO and the Pilot ejected and both came back down on the flight deck; one on the deck and another against the side of a plane parked on the port side aft. Of course, the launch was cancelled, aircraft on deck were sent forward and the recovery of the previous launch took place.
The F-14 had a Phoenix Missile on the center mount. A destroyer and a submarine were left to guard the site to prevent the Russians from getting to the missile. The F-14 was built to carry that top-secret missile.
The F-14 landed upside down on the sea floor and the missile was recovered. The plane is still on the bottom.
Sandra Lee Smith
July 7, 2019 at 7:51 pmWOW, that story didn’t exactly make the mainstream media! The F-14 was a pretty mean fighter in its day.
denis byrne
February 26, 2019 at 5:33 pmthe post did not identify the best fighter..just some numbers like 201 or 202 on the plane… sorry but I think we are now copying from the Russians as they can build much better fighter planes
denis burn
February 26, 2019 at 5:36 pm2006 tomcat old news..aUS is in deep chimchee if that is their best