Air to Air F-14D Loadout for OEF

[viper730]

Time to decide for my VF-31 OEF A/C, Felix 104, and wondering if I should put an AIM-54C on it along with the sidewinders or if I should only put the 2 sidewinders. I'm using the new Fightertown Sheet 48083 which BTW is Awesome as Usual....Also Brian P. If you know did they remove the door on the refueling probe for this A/C

I sure hope so as I modeled it that way...🙄. I already plan to put 4 GBU-12's but curious did they use GBU-38's in 2002-03 BTW I used the cockpit instrument decals and for the most part they fit but eagerly await the reworked sheet...TIA

Cheers

Brian

[EagleAviation]

As far as I know AIM-54Cs were carried on the port wing station along with a Sidewinder by VF-213 but that was during the first stages of OIF, 22nd and 23rd of March 2003. Not sure about VF-31 and OEF. I have never seen a jet loaded with a Phoenix. Can't tell for sure however.

[Whiskey]

Sorry was trying to say I posted wrong info.

Edited September 14, 2018 by Whiskey

[Parabat]

That doesn't sound wrong, I remember doing research on this same conundrum when I made my VF-31 jet. Refueling door was removed (a lot of the pics of the VF-31 had them off), 2x AIM-9, LTS pod on stbd and I certainly saw MOST had a Phoenix pylon on the port shoulder, but do not remember seeingan AIM-54C loaded. Certainly acceptable to load 4x GBU-12, but they did often mix GBU-12 loads with JDAM GBU-32.

Edited September 13, 2018 by Parabat

[GW8345]

GBU-32's were never cleared on the F-14, only the GBU-31 was the only JDAM cleared before GBU-38's were cleared for VF-31 and VF-213's last cruise.

 

I doubt they carried Phoenix's regularly in 02/03 due to the distance needed to fly to the target and the lack of A/A threat. The Phoenix was retired on 04 and from what I heard, they were rarely carried the last few years they were in service.

[Whiskey]

6 hours ago, Parabat said:

That doesn't sound wrong, I remember doing research on this same conundrum when I made my VF-31 jet. Refueling door was removed (a lot of the pics of the VF-31 had them off), 2x AIM-9, LTS pod on stbd and I certainly saw MOST had a Phoenix pylon on the port shoulder, but do not remember seeingan AIM-54C loaded. Certainly acceptable to load 4x GBU-12, but they did often mix GBU-12 loads with JDAM GBU-32.

 

Sorry was trying to say that I posted the wrong info.

 

According to CWO3 Michael Lavoie, VF-213's Ordnanceman, VF-213 F-14D's carried a single AIM-54C on the opening night of the OEF's bombing campaign. Two Tomcats were also outfitted with pairs of GBU-16s while the rest of the strike aircraft carried GBU-12's. The remaining armament was an AIM-7M and two AIM-9Ls for all of them.

 

There is a picture of an VF-41 Tomcat on page 36 of Osprey's F-14 Tomcat Units of Operation Enduring Freedom that shows an F-14A carrying an AIM-54. The caption states that these F-14s were exclusively for air-to-air mode carrying two AIM-54Cs, two AIM-9Ls, and one AIM-7M.

Edited September 14, 2018 by Whiskey

[Finn]

The one on the left has an AIM-54:

 

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/6641207

 

Jari

[GW8345]

The AIM-9L was removed from operational service by the late 90's.

 

The Tomcat's with AIM-54's were the alert birds, which were set while in theater. Alert birds rarely accompanied strike packages, they were for battle group defense.

[Whiskey]

1 hour ago, GW8345 said:

The AIM-9L was removed from operational service by the late 90's.

 

The Tomcat's with AIM-54's were the alert birds, which were set while in theater. Alert birds rarely accompanied strike packages, they were for battle group defense.

 

The testimonies of squadron members within the book I mentioned before stated that they escorted tankers and strike packages the first days of OEF and not relegated to just protecting the battle group.

 

[viper730]

Thanks for the help everyone....So I am gonna put the AIM-54 Pylon on there with no Missile.  Tamiya also includes covers for the AIM-7 centerline recesses so I'm adding them.  In the Instructions they show a mix load with a GBU-12 and a GBU-31 with the AIM-54 that's what got me curious to start. they also have  GBU-16's in the kit so after looking around the last few minutes I may put one on there with 2 GBU-12's...arghhhhh too many choices .....Damn you Tamiya...😂

[Whiskey]

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/6641101

 

 

"US Navy (USN) F-14D Tomcat aircraft assigned to Fighter Squadron Four One (VF-41) conduct air-to-air refueling operations with a US Air Force (USAF) KC-10 Extender aircraft from the 763rd Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron (EARS), during a refueling mission flown in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM"

 

 

 

Edited September 14, 2018 by Whiskey

[GW8345]

3 hours ago, Whiskey said:

 

The testimonies of squadron members within the book I mentioned before stated that they escorted tankers and strike packages the first days of OEF and not relegated to just protecting the battle group.

 

I'm not saying that they didn't do escort missions, I'm saying that they normally only loaded Phoenix's for alerts. In the very early days of OEF they did carry Phoenix's but soon gave them up since there was no A/A threat and dragging around a 1,000 lb paperweight really wasn't practical.

 

I did over 15 years in Tomcats, my knowledge of the F-14 and it's operations didn't come from a book, it comes from hands on experience. BTW, I knew Gunner Lavoie as a Chief when I was down at Oceana.

[Whiskey]

3 hours ago, GW8345 said:

I'm not saying that they didn't do escort missions, I'm saying that they normally only loaded Phoenix's for alerts. In the very early days of OEF they did carry Phoenix's but soon gave them up since there was no A/A threat and dragging around a 1,000 lb paperweight really wasn't practical.

 

I did over 15 years in Tomcats, my knowledge of the F-14 and it's operations didn't come from a book, it comes from hands on experience. BTW, I knew Gunner Lavoie as a Chief when I was down at Oceana.

 

Tracking they gave them up quickly. That's cool you know the guy I mentioned. 

 

Deleted rest of post. Not trying to pick a fight.

Edited September 14, 2018 by Whiskey

[GW8345]

3 hours ago, Whiskey said:

 

Never mind.

Edited September 14, 2018 by GW8345

[Brian P: Fightertown Decals]

The kit instructions show possible loadouts but not necessarily actual loads. VX-9 tested the 4 GBU-31, single Phoenix, lantirn and dual sidewinder loads in 2004. Awesome to see (and would make a great 1/48 display). Not wartime practical.  

Edited September 14, 2018 by Brian P: Fightertown Decals

[Janissary]

9 hours ago, Whiskey said:

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/6641101

 

 

"US Navy (USN) F-14D Tomcat aircraft assigned to Fighter Squadron Four One (VF-41) conduct air-to-air refueling operations with a US Air Force (USAF) KC-10 Extender aircraft from the 763rd Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron (EARS), during a refueling mission flown in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM"

 

Maybe A vs D is not the core issue here but there seems to be a typo in the link. Vf-41 never had the D or the B, just the A. 

[GW8345]

12 hours ago, Whiskey said:

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/6641101

 

 

"US Navy (USN) F-14D Tomcat aircraft assigned to Fighter Squadron Four One (VF-41) conduct air-to-air refueling operations with a US Air Force (USAF) KC-10 Extender aircraft from the 763rd Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron (EARS), during a refueling mission flown in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM"

 

The pic was taken in 2001, maybe at the beginning of OEF. The OP is wanting to do something in 2002/3 so your time frame is off.

 

VF-41 transition to F-18F's in late 2001.

 

As far as I'm concern, that pic could have been taken before Sept 11th while they were out doing Southern Watch operations.

 

Edited September 15, 2018 by GW8345

[Skull Leader]

12 hours ago, viper730 said:

 Tamiya also includes covers for the AIM-7 centerline recesses so I'm adding them.  

 

That is an error on Tamiyas part. F-14Ds did not make use of those panels. Those were F-14A/Bs that were wired for TARPS pods. D models were wired differently and didn't require station 5 to be blocked off.

[Whiskey]

2 hours ago, Janissary said:

 

Maybe A vs D is not the core issue here but there seems to be a typo in the link. Vf-41 never had the D or the B, just the A. 

 

Yep sure is. I didn't even think about that it was an A. 

 

1 hour ago, GW8345 said:

The pic was taken in 2001, maybe at the beginning of OEF. The OP is wanting to do something in 2002/3 so your time frame is off.

 

VF-41 transition to F-18F's in late 2001.

 

As far as I'm concern, that pic could have been taken before Sept 11th while they were out doing Southern Watch operations.

 

 

The picture was taken 05 Oct 01. When did VF-41 come on station for OEF?

[viper730]

45 minutes ago, Whiskey said:

The picture was taken 05 Oct 01. When did VF-41 come on station for OEF?

From what I read Right after 9/11 and they were there dropping Ordnance on Taliban & Al-Queda bad guys from day 1. At the end of 2001 They turned in their F-14's. Osprey book...

Skull Thanks for the additional input ..No Covers

[picknpluck]

I’m building the VF-143 CAG bird from that same Fightertown sheet. Was any air to air ordnance carried at all during early OEF?

[GW8345]

12 hours ago, Whiskey said:

 

Yep sure is. I didn't even think about that it was an A. 

 

 

The picture was taken 05 Oct 01. When did VF-41 come on station for OEF?

VF-41 left for their last cruise with the Tomcat in April 01 and was doing Southern Watch ops until they were headed for home. 9/11 happened just as they were headed for home so they were redirected to A-stan, they didn't start dropping bombs until after the first week of October. They were on station from Sept to early Nov, then they headed home. They did not "put warheads on foreheads" from day one (as someone else posted), it took a few weeks for the war to start so no one was dropping bombs from day one.

 

So basically, they were deployed from April to Nov 01.

 

One point I'd like to make, just because you read something in a book doesn't mean its correct. I've read numerous books and things online that have errors in them, heck, even stuff put out by the DoD. I've seen official Navy photographers post pics that were months old and claim it was taken yesterday, and then also screw up the caption.

 

As stated above, I knew Gunner Lavoie back in the day, there is no way he would confuse an AIM-9L with a -9M and there wasn't any -9L's being carried at that time. My personal opinion of the Osprey book series is, they are the Wikipedia version of reference books, most of the stuff is correct but some of it is flat out false.

Edited September 15, 2018 by GW8345

[GW8345]

10 hours ago, picknpluck said:

I’m building the VF-143 CAG bird from that same Fightertown sheet. Was any air to air ordnance carried at all during early OEF?

At the beginning of the cruise they were carrying two AIM-9M's, towards the end I believe they went down to one.

[gtypecanare]

18 hours ago, Skull Leader said:

 

That is an error on Tamiyas part. F-14Ds did not make use of those panels. Those were F-14A/Bs that were wired for TARPS pods. D models were wired differently and didn't require station 5 to be blocked off.

As I recall that station was blocked off for only if you do the VF-2 jet.

[Skull Leader]

1 hour ago, gtypecanare said:

As I recall that station was blocked off for only if you do the VF-2 jet.

 

the VF-2 jet in question was a new-build F-14D and would not have had that panel blanked off. F-14Ds had the TARPS wiring re-routed so that the sparrow well would not have to be blocked. If it were an A model rebuild, that might be different.

 

I would be very interested to see the research Tamiya did that led them to make that decision... I learned long ago to "never say never" when it comes to what one can find on a Tomcat, because there always seems to be an exception to the rule, but this indeed would be a first.