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The F-14Ds only carried the 'dry' AIM-54C+ missiles. As a modeler this makes no difference to you, it just means that the internal cooling equipment needed to support earlier versions of the Phoenix were deleted from the D. All of the squadrons could carry the missile, whether they actually did in combat is another issue.

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The last Squadron to use the AIM-54C was 

On 4/4/2017 at 7:58 PM, Fiddler said:

If i recall correctly, the Rippers were the last to carry them, but it's coming from a memory far far away.... 😉

Correction, when VF-11 carried the last AIM-54Cs they were flying the F-14B.  They did have the F-14D for a while in the 90s when VF-11 where at the West Coast RAG at Miramar with VF-124.  Due to fleet requirement for the Delta, VF-11 reverted back to the Bravo.  VF-103 Jolly Rogers also carried and fired the 54 either during work ups or mid final cruise in 2003/2004.

Edited by Andrew Maverick Taylor
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Sorry i couldn't get back to this thread sooner. Let me clarify my question. Which squadrons flew the Delta 'cats? Also did VF-74 have Deltas or only the Alfa and Bravo models?

 

TIA

MattP

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D's were originally PacFleet exclusive until all the Tomcats were concentrated at Oceana.    VF-2, VF-31 and VF-213 went to D's and stayed as D's once they converted.  11 converted to D's but then reverted to B's. 

VF-111 and VF-51 were originally slated to become D squadrons, but they decommed before that happened obviously. 

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O.K. Here's what the plan is, F-14B VF-74 with 2 Sidewinders, 2 Sparrows, and 4 Phoenix. Then VF-31 with a OIF load of 2 sidewinders and a Lightning pod and 4 GBU-12's... I have the kits... I have decals.... Now how long will it take for my vision to come to fruition and find a display area....  

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 5.4.2017 at 11:48 AM, Andrew Maverick Taylor said:

If i recall correctly, the Rippers were the last to carry them, but it's coming from a memory far far away.... 😉

Correction, when VF-11 carried the last AIM-54Cs they were flying the F-14B.  They did have the F-14D for a while in the 90s when VF-11 where at the West Coast RAG at Miramar with VF-124.  Due to fleet requirement for the Delta, VF-11 reverted back to the Bravo.  VF-103 Jolly Rogers also carried and fired the 54 either during work ups or mid final cruise in 2003/2004.

 

The last Phoenix was launched by a VF-213 Delta Tomcat in August 2004 (no, I don't mean that failed attempt to down that pair of Iraqi Mig-25s! That was in Jan. '99 and was live). Don't get fooled by that - surely nice - nose art VF-11 carried up to their end.

Edited by bushande
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On 4/4/2017 at 11:19 AM, mrvark said:

The F-14Ds only carried the 'dry' AIM-54C+ missiles. As a modeler this makes no difference to you, it just means that the internal cooling equipment needed to support earlier versions of the Phoenix were deleted from the D. All of the squadrons could carry the missile, whether they actually did in combat is another issue.

 

Interesting! What do you mean by the highlighted text? Thanks :)

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On 5/2/2017 at 1:50 PM, stalal said:

 

Interesting! What do you mean by the highlighted text? Thanks :)

The original Phoenix design used liquid to cool its electronics, which required the aircraft to be fitted with an elaborate plumbing system weighing several hundred pounds. The the advent of the AIM-54C+, this system was no longer required and was removed from the F-14D (both new-build and remanufactured). Therefore, while the F-14A & B could carry any Phoenix variant, the F-14Ds could only carry the C+. If you want a better explanation of this, ask the question over on Zone 5; Gerry Whiteside was a T

omcat Ordie and can provide infinitely more detail than I can.

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On 4/7/2017 at 0:43 AM, MattP said:

Sorry i couldn't get back to this thread sooner. Let me clarify my question. Which squadrons flew the Delta 'cats? Also did VF-74 have Deltas or only the Alfa and Bravo models?

 

TIA

MattP

VF-74 only flew the A's and B's, they got their B's in 1988 and flew them until they were decomm'ed in April of 94.

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On 5/2/2017 at 1:50 PM, stalal said:

 

Interesting! What do you mean by the highlighted text? Thanks :)

 

5 hours ago, mrvark said:

The original Phoenix design used liquid to cool its electronics, which required the aircraft to be fitted with an elaborate plumbing system weighing several hundred pounds. The the advent of the AIM-54C+, this system was no longer required and was removed from the F-14D (both new-build and remanufactured). Therefore, while the F-14A & B could carry any Phoenix variant, the F-14Ds could only carry the C+. If you want a better explanation of this, ask the question over on Zone 5; Gerry Whiteside was a Tomcat Ordie and can provide infinitely more detail than I can.

As Jim stated, the F-14D's used a "dry" Phoenix designated the AIM-54C+ which did not require any liquid coolant (call Coolanal). this means that the coolant pump housed in the right forward fairing and all the plumbing for the weapon rails and wings could be removed. This saved a lot of maintenance man hours since we were forever fixing leaks and servicing that system. The AIM-54C+'s looked identical on the outside except they did not have the coolant ports on the top of the missile by the forward lug.

 

hth

GW

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  • 2 weeks later...
2 minutes ago, a4s4eva said:

On a similar topic, well Phoenix's at least. On the under fuselage pallets were there any RBF tags ?

No, there was not RBF flags use for the Phoenix when loaded on the belly and the wings.

GW

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