Jump to content

F-14 - Why is it so popular?


Recommended Posts

Back to the original question:

 

1. Aesthetics. You can’t beat the sights of an F-14 kneeling for the catapult shot or banging down on the deck with the tailhook doing its thing. Let alone the unparalleled shape of it in the sky. Not unlike Sofia Vergara, it looks incredible from the front and from behind. 

 

2. Naval Aviation is the pinnacle of flying. Do all of the things that make an air force great at strike and air superiority, but then also take off from and land on a SHIP. In all weather and at night.

 

3. Interesting paint jobs and unit markings. Variety being the spice of life, the Tomcat was pretty damned spicy. The modern USAF would never let their planes be so... non-homogeneous. Sure, there are exceptions to this assertion, but picture an AF plane with a cartoon cat carrying a bomb, or a griffon that looks like it’s yakking up a hairball. 

 

OK, so take the three things above and compare with an F-15. The Eagle is an awesome airplane, and I’ll be the first to recognize that the Eagle has had many more aerial victories than the Tomcat, as well as having a spectacular derivative in the Strike Eagle, but it just doesn’t push each of those categories as far as the F-14 does. And I say “does” because I still love seeing pictures of the Iranian Tomcats.

 

Look at the Tomcat and Eagle from the front and compare their landing gear stance and intake spacing and angle. One looks knock-kneed and ready to tip over, and the other looks like it’s ready to fight. And ask yourself this: if someone offered you a tailhook from one of these planes, which would you want?

 

The F-14 is just really interesting to model. Mo’ color, mo’ shapes, mo’ possibilities.

 

Edited by andrew.deboer
Link to post
Share on other sites
12 hours ago, andrew.deboer said:

Back to the original question:

 

1. Aesthetics. You can’t beat the sights of an F-14 kneeling for the catapult shot or banging down on the deck with the tailhook doing its thing. Let alone the unparalleled shape of it in the sky. Not unlike Sofia Vergara, it looks incredible from the front and from behind. 

 

Look at the Tomcat and Eagle from the front and compare their landing gear stance and intake spacing and angle.

 

 

You've centered exactly the points

Link to post
Share on other sites

It has everything that draws most kids to military jets.  It's big, it's fast, makes a tonne of noise and it has a lot of moving parts.  Today's jets beginning to look to similar.  The tomcat is very different and very easy to destinguish.  Best description I've heard was from a VF-31 flyer at the homecoming from the last cruise, "Don't take this the wrong way but it's a sexy plane".  Tomcats forever...baby!!

Edited by Andrew Maverick Taylor
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...