Navy retires F-14, the coolest of cold warriors

[vivman1107]

De old boy goin out in style. Yes, the F-14 Tomcat is now retired.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-09-22-F14-tomcat_x.htm

[Arcmanov]

Definitely one of the better fighter jets built in the 20th century, with an impressive kill-loss ratio.
One of the 1st jet fighters to employ BVR (beyond visual range) weapons, namely the Phoenix air-to-air missle,
which could take down enemy planes out to damn near 55 miles, before the enemy even comes into visual range.

It will be missed.  The F-18 Super Hornet is cheaper to maintain, but as an air-to-air platform, SORELY lacking when pitted
against the F-14.

That very F-18 (a very capable aircraft) is soon to be replaced by the F-35 Lightning II (the Joint Strike Fighter).

Top Gun was one of my favourite movies, and just so because of the F-14.  In all the flight games I've played (all Ace Combat, Lethal Skies, Aero Elite) obtaining the F-14 was always a highlight of gameplay for me.

Sigh.

[Crixx_Creww]

pfftt good riddance

damn poster boy plane, always hated it.

Iam an F 16 fighting Falcon man myself.

Most used aircraft in teh golf war, its teh ownage

by by sstupid cat

[Red Paradox]

Gotta disagree with ya Crixx...even though the F-18 and F-16 are highly classed war planes..
the F-14 was known for it's extremely tight manueverability and speed.
So treat it with respect.....

[Arcmanov]

exactly what i was going to say.  those other planes are better at everything and dont really excel in one area.
the F-14 excelled in the air-to-air arena.

[Crixx_Creww]

well thats kinda wrong, since the speciality of the F16 is dog fighting, the F 14 is better at long to medium range fighting where the F16 is great at mid to close range as well as strafe bombing targets.

THe F16 is by far faster and more maneuverable than teh F14, except that its older and not as high tech as an F14 and cant carry the Pay load of the F14.
I never liked the F18 in any case
The F 11 was always such a sweet plane.

Lol the a10 is a funny plane gotta love it, a flying tank lol.

[W1nTry]

Hmm noone talking russian fighters ? I not big on war machines but I have a padna that would dispute that the american fighters were half as good as the world made them to seem vs. the East.

[Crixx_Creww]

well thats not true

iam not an american fan obviously

but the mig, both the russian and the middle eastern versions are direct rip offs of F14s, sad to say.

Although the russian mig is quite a formidable machine, and has some improvements over the f14
it in the end is still a rip off.
The russians purchased F14s, and reverse engineered them to create the migs.
THe middle easterners bought from the russians and did their own thing.

THere are some very very beautifully made none american machines
but well, america loves war, and they have nice toys

[Red Paradox]

If I had to choose my favorite Russian Aerial weapon it would be the Hind D helicopter....possibly the best gunship helicopter ever conceived by man....a little bulky though..

Oh and it was in the first Metal Gear Solid!

[TrinireturnofGamez]

 Americans have the F-15 and  F22 for air to air combat ,  F-18 will be used more for bombing support . Right now no one but the europeans have a plane equal to the capabilities of an F22 , and it doesn't have the stealth design . F22 not gonna evade any high tech radar , but its stealthy enough to avoid a  lock from a guided missle .

   Not that it matters much , no country with high tech aircraft is going to war with america anytime soon , F-18s just gonna be bombing taliban.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan

[Arcmanov]

If I had to choose my favorite Russian Aerial weapon it would be the Hind D helicopter....possibly the best gunship helicopter ever conceived by man....a little bulky though..

Oh and it was in the first Metal Gear Solid!

Nah, its been officially pwnt by the Apache Longbow ever since.

[Red Paradox]

To true...but it's still my favorite Gunship!

[Prowl]

The F14 has to this day the best air to air radar systm in use ( note the in use part ). It was meant to chage cruise missiles, long range bombers and other fighters! not as agile as the F-18 or F-16 but it  is still the fastest aircraft the navy has ever flown ( the F-14e is the fastest combat aircraft ever in us service, the F-22 is not faster! the blackbird is recon not counted ).

The F-14 will be missed but it is at the end of it's life, a good life with no losses in combat, F-16's and F-15s have been lost ( in us and non us hands ) in combat. The F-18 that replaces it is not the one we now know but the F-18E/F super hornet, upgraded and much more multi purpose, with no russian cruise missiles to chase it doesn't need to be a knife, it needs to be a swiss army knife today and sorry F-16 fans but the F-18 will own you in everything but a gun fight.

[Crixx_Creww]

gun fight is all that matters!!
F16 fighting falcons 4 ever!!

[vivman1107]

Nice pic.

[pablo_tt]

Fire bun all ah dat, is bess yuh get low, down & dutty

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A-10

[pablo_tt]

And how many a-10s have been shot down? nick named the flying tank.

[New Era Outlaw]

teh golf war

Ah, the Golf War. I remember that. It was brutal.
It was tees and caddies and balls EVERYWHERE.
What was once a noble 'gentleman's game' turned into an insatiable bloodlust. Old people raised their clubs and started beating the bejesus out of Tiger Woods. Jack Niklaus had to duck for cover as golf balls of all shapes and sizes rained from the heavens and darkened the skies. In the end, the 18th hole was littered with the bodies of all those who have seen the horror, in tattered, plaid-clad heaps.


...those were dark days, man. DARK DAYS.