Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>F-14>HA5224
Grumman F-14A Tomcat 162603, VF-1 "Wolfpack", 1991 "MI-8 Killer"
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
In 1991 Grumman F-14A Tomcat 162603 NE-103 was assigned to VF-1 “Wolfpack” during
Operation Desert Storm. On February 6 1991 it launched from the USS Ranger and intercepted
an Iraqi MI-8. The F-14 carried four AIM-9s and four AIM-7s plus 700 high-explosive 20mm bullets
but the radar was unserviceable. This meant the Tomcat had no computer assistance with the
weapons and had to be pointed directly at the target but they managed to down the MI-8. This
F-14 was lost in 2000 due to a bad CAT Shot but both crew members were rescued.
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 |