The end of an era

[FJRocha]

The link below will connect you with Navy Times, and it is a story about the end of an era for the F-14 Tomcat. It is quite a tribute. Enjoy.

Frank

https://www.navytimes.com/static.php?f=last...light080206.php

 

[FJR Gary]

Nice tribute.

Top Gun is still one of my favorite movies

 

[TriggerT]

Yup, the new F-18 Super Hornet looks nice though. No "Goose" to loose, since the is no back seater in the F-18.

 

[GalaxyBlue]

Very touching!

I remember as a kid going to Miramar Naval Air base with my grandpa and watching them perform! It was like nothing else! Very fond memories of the F-14... I even got to sit in one when i was 7!. Grandpa has alot of brass to pull that one off, Thats for sure!!

He is a retired LT. col in the USAF during WW2

Thanks FJRocha

 

[radman]

No doubt the same occurred with the F4U and the Skyraider. CYA Tom, ya done good.

 

[ScrapeApe]

Yup, the new F-18 Super Hornet looks nice though. No "Goose" to loose, since the is no back seater in the F-18.

F/A-18E Super Hornet is indeed a single seat aircraft however, the F/A-18F Super Hornet is a dual seater.

 

[SMC]

Thanks Frank for clueing us in on that nice peice of history.

Wonder what system is going to take place of Tomcat as it (capabilities with the six Phoenix missiles and the ability to track numerous enemy boggies) had the ability to defend the carrier group task force out to 150 miles from attacking enemy aircraft.

I'm pretty sure the F-18 Super Hornet with AMRAAM and sidewinder missile systems don't have that capability.

But, I guess the greatest threat to the carrier task force now is from anti-ship cruise missiles such as the Exocet and Silkworm cruise missiles favored by Iran, North Korea and China.

I guess the Navy will be more dependant on the guided missile cruisers and destroyers doing picket duty along with the close in 20mm gatling systems designed to take out those close in threats.

Sad to see the Tomcat go as that along with the F-15 and F-16 were the newest, neatest and greatest aircraft around when I was growing up.

With the F-22 and joint strike fighters coming on line just like everything else in life, out with the old and in with the new.

 

[radman]

The B52 is expected to soldier on onto 2045, which would almost bring it to the century mark. It's already older than any of it's crew, has been for awhile.

 

[Scab]

The B52 is expected to soldier on onto 2045, which would almost bring it to the century mark. It's already older than any of it's crew, has been for awhile.

This is not your dad's Air Force, but it might be his plane.

 

[ponyfool]

Yup, the new F-18 Super Hornet looks nice though. No "Goose" to loose, since the is no back seater in the F-18.

F/A-18E Super Hornet is indeed a single seat aircraft however, the F/A-18F Super Hornet is a dual seater.

I was gonna add the same thing. The F-18 equipped as a replacement for the A-6 Intruder is indeed a two seater.

 

[Bounce]

there's also the joint force ATF fighter (F22 Raptor).

don't know if was meant to replace the F14, but it's being rolled out as an all-branch platform.

 

[ScrapeApe]

there's also the joint force ATF fighter (F22 Raptor).
don't know if was meant to replace the F14, but it's being rolled out as an all-branch platform.

The F-35 Lightning II (Joint Strike Fighter or JSF) is being manufactured as a Navy (carrier version) / AF (std) / Marine (vert. take-off - landing) fighter replacement for F-16 falcon, AV-8 Harrier, etc. Not trying to be Mr. Correction but I just work in the business.

 

[Ignacio]

The F-35 Lightning II (Joint Strike Fighter or JSF) is being manufactured as a Navy (carrier version) / AF (std) / Marine (vert. take-off - landing) fighter replacement for F-16 falcon, AV-8 Harrier, etc. Not trying to be Mr. Correction but I just work in the business.

Another fellow LM drone? There seem to be quite a few on this board that use their sliver of the billions in contracts to buy their personal FJR equivalent to the JSF

 

[turbodave_98]

The F-35 Lightning II (Joint Strike Fighter or JSF) is being manufactured as a Navy (carrier version) / AF (std) / Marine (vert. take-off - landing) fighter replacement for F-16 falcon, AV-8 Harrier, etc. Not trying to be Mr. Correction but I just work in the business.

Another fellow LM drone? There seem to be quite a few on this board that use their sliver of the billions in contracts to buy their personal FJR equivalent to the JSF

I am a RETIRED LMT drone. Had 19 great years with them after 22 years in USAF flying KC & reconnaissance RC-135s.

 

[Bounce]

there's also the joint force ATF fighter (F22 Raptor).

don't know if was meant to replace the F14, but it's being rolled out as an all-branch platform.

The F-35 Lightning II (Joint Strike Fighter or JSF) is being manufactured as a Navy (carrier version) / AF (std) / Marine (vert. take-off - landing) fighter replacement for F-16 falcon, AV-8 Harrier, etc. Not trying to be Mr. Correction but I just work in the business.

thanks. i was thinking "joint strike fighter" but then could only think of F22. I then googled the F22 and got the Raptor. Just added back the Military Channel after Discovery chose to split off all that good material from their history and discovery channels a while back,

 

[Warchild]

Brings back a LOT of memories of working the Flight Deck during combat ops against Iraq in Desert Storm.

The Tomcat was the one plane that made a number of us on the Flight Deck nervous because of it's tendency to blow personnel over the side with their massive tailpipe output. This almost happened to me a couple years before Desert Storm.

It was during combat operations against Iran in 1988 (Operation Praying Mantis, where we sank two of their cruisers, a half-dozen gunboats, an oil platform, etc), I was working as the Flight Deck Safety Officer during flight operations onboard the USS Enterprise (CVN-65). A Tomcat that was about to taxi over to the waist cats made a move that myself and several others did not anticipate. The Tomcat spun around and blew me into a Chief Petty Officer who was standing behind me, and then proceeded to blow both of us into the side of an external fuel tank of a conveniently-parked S-3 Viking aircraft.

Had that S-3 not been there... the next stop for the Chief and I would've seen us splashing into the Persian Gulf waters.

As it was, the Chief broke his arm and cracked some ribs. Me, all I had to do was go below decks to change my underwear…. :blink:

 

[MotorSWATCop]

No doubt the same occurred with the F4U and the Skyraider. CYA Tom, ya done good.

Corsair's rock!

 

[Bounce]

Enterprise, eh? Niiiiice!

Flight deck during rush hour: one of the most dangerous work environments there is.

As a Flight Deck Safety Officer, what color shirt (white?) and were you one of those guys dancing directions to others?

 

[Gary]

Another fellow LM drone? There seem to be quite a few on this board that use their sliver of the billions in contracts to buy their personal FJR equivalent to the JSF

Add me to the list, Palmdale, CA.