Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>F-14>HA5202
Grumman F-14D BuNo 159600, Final Cruise "Christine", March 2006
General Background
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a twin-engine, variable sweep wings capable of supersonic flight.
The aircraft is crewed by a Pilot and a Radar Intercept Officer who share the tasks of navigation,
target acquisition, ECM and weapons usage. The Tomcat was operated by the United States
Navy and the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force only. The name "Tomcat" is said to come from the
call-sign used by Vice Admiral Thomas Connolly which conformed to the USN tradition of giving
Grumman aircraft feline names.
The Aircraft
Grumman F-14A Tomcat BuNo 159600 was delivered on July 16, 1975 and assigned to
VF-124 Gunfighters and then VF-101 Grim Reapers to train Tomcat crews. In 1987 it transferred
to VF-142 Ghostriders, VF-14 Tophatters and back to VF-142. In 1994 159600 was
remanufactured to a D model and joined VF-2 Bounty Hunters. In 2003 VF-101 Grim Reapers
took possession until 2004 when it made its final home with VF-31 Tomcatters. In 2006 on the
Tomcat’s final cruise the aircraft was named Christine and became the longest serving USN F-14.
Specifications :
| Role: | Carrier-based multi-role strike fighter |
| First Flight: | F-14A 1970, F-14B (F-14A+) 1986, F-14D 1990 |
| Last Production Year: | F-14D July 20, 1992 |
| Number All Variants Produced: | 710 |
| Crew: | 2 (pilot and radar intercept officer) |
| Dimensions | |
| Length: | 62 ft 8 inches |
| Wingspan (Swept) | 38 ft 2.5 inches |
| Wingspan (Unswept) | 64 ft 1.5 inches |
| Height: | 16 ft |
| Performance | |
| Powerplants: | F-14A 2 x P&W TF-30-P414A F-14B 2 x GE F-110-GE-400 F-14D 2 x GE F-110-GE-400 |
| Maximum Thrust: | F-14A 34,154 lbs F-14B 56,400 lbs F-14D 56,400 lbs |
| Maximum Speed: | F-14A 1,544 mph (Mach 2.38) F-14B 1,544 mph (Mach 2.38) F-14D 1,544 mph (Mach 2.38) |
| Ceiling: | F-14A 50,000+ ft F-14B 53,000+ ft F-14D 53,000+ ft |
| Range: | F-14A 1,730 nm F-14B 2,050 nm F-14D 2,050 nm |
| Weights | |
| Empty: | F-14A 40,104 pounds F-14B 41,780 pounds F-14D 43,735 pounds |
| Maximum: | F-14A 72,000 pounds F-14B 74,349 pounds F-14D 74,349 pounds |
| Armament: | 1 x MK-61A1 Vulcan 20mm cannon |
| Maximum Weight: | 13,000 lbs. Of Combined Ordnance |
| Air-Air Missiles | |
| 6 AIM-7 Sparrows | |
| 4 AIM-9 Sidewinder | |
| 6 AIM-54 Phoenix | |
| Air-To-Ground | |
| MK-82 (500 lbs.) | |
| 4 MK-83 (1,000 lbs.) | |
| 4 MK-84 (2,000 lbs.) | |
| MK-20 cluster bombs | |
| 4 GBU-10 LGB | |
| GBU-12 MK-82 LGB | |
| 4 GBU-16 MK-83 LGB | |
| 4 GBU-24 MK-84 LGB |