F-14 Tomcat - End of an Era

[KeithnFW]

Caught this guy leaving NAS Fort Worth this afternoon. It is out of NAS Oceana and done up in ceremonial Grumman colors. There is supposed to be another flying through tomorrow.

[jerrykr]

Keith,

was there only one?

I saw him come over south to north with the wings swept back. I wondered if it was an F14, as I don't recall seeing very many jets with swept back wings out there.

Very nice shot.

-=- Jerry -=-
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[Wes]

F-14's always make me think of Top Gun.

It's amazing; we're retiring a plane that is still better than 99% of the stuff that other countries can muster.

[Daniel Bates]

Actually, the Iran air force flies Tomcats. Four countries besides us operate the F-15 Eagle, and nine countries (besides us) use the F-16.

About the retirement issue... as far as I know, the airplane is very expensive to maintain. In fact, for the retirement ceremony on Sept. 22, one of the Tomcats could not fly because of mechanical problems.

[KeithnFW]

One of the other photographers at the base said there was supposed to be another fly through tomorrow morning (Friday). Whether or not that is true I have no idea. But I am sure that these will be the last that come through here.

[David_3]

Originally Posted by Daniel Bates

Actually, the Iran air force flies Tomcats.

Well...they have some Tomcats, but it is probably debatable as to whether they actually fly them. There was an arms embargo imposed against Iran with the fall of the of the Shah, back in 1979. The only spare parts they have come from cannibalizing some of their planes. While it's not impossible that some of their Tomcats can still fly, their operational capability is questionable at best. Having flown military and civilian jets for more than 20 years now, and knowing the type of maintenance required to keep them flying, I feel confident in saying that Iran's Tomcats are most likely total junk. In fact, I wouldn't get out of the electric chair to fly one of Iran's Tomcats.

[Daniel Bates]

Yeah, I wouldn't trust their occupational status much either.


(Now I finally know where your avatar pic comes from. It was throwing me off a bit at first... )

[chempilot]

i agree xmen...i can't see one with out thinking of maverick and iceman....and that song: hiiiiiiiiighway to the way to the danger zone, bow,bumpa, bow, bow......

that avatar look like from the right seat of an a-6 intruder or prowler (can't tell from this angle!).

[David_3]

Originally Posted by chempilot

that avatar look like from the right seat of an a-6 intruder or prowler (can't tell from this angle!).

It's actually an EA-6A (not the one in the picture....though I do have a lot of time in that particular plane). The Air Force tanker was draging us over to Hawaii for a det. During one of the refueling evolutions, I handed my camera to my right seater, and asked him to get some pictures. They came out great.


BTW Keith, nice picture! I guess all of the great planes will have to retire sooner or later.

[Daniel Bates]

Well, that's exactly what will be keeping folks like me working ten years from now.




(Explanation: my major is aerospace engineering.)

[Wes]

Originally Posted by Daniel Bates

About the retirement issue... as far as I know, the airplane is very expensive to maintain.

True. The F-18 Hornet has 50% fewer parts than the Tomcat that it's replacing.

[CaptainTom]

Watched the second to last ship in and out of NAS today. He offered to shoot a couple of touch and go's but the tower said something along the lines of "don't see any photographers out today". so he made full stop. I did get some on departure.

Heard a story that this ship was going to California to be put on a boat to Hawaii. ??

By the way, there were at least 6 others there waiting to shoot. As an ex-ATC I am very disappointed with NAS tower.

[KeithnFW]

Originally Posted by CaptainTom

Watched the second to last ship in and out of NAS today. He offered to shoot a couple of touch and go's but the tower said something along the lines of "don't see any photographers out today". so he made full stop. I did get some on departure.

Heard a story that this ship was going to California to be put on a boat to Hawaii. ??

By the way, there were at least 6 others there waiting to shoot. As an ex-ATC I am very disappointed with NAS tower.

I didn't make it out there today. . . I wonder when the tower said photographers, that he was meaning Navy (base) photographers . . . just a guess

[CaptainTom]

Originally Posted by KeithnFW

I didn't make it out there today. . . I wonder when the tower said photographers, that he was meaning Navy (base) photographers . . . just a guess

Yeah probably, but I know they can spot us out there at the turn around. NO respect. And the airfield was South today, so not much to see.

[steve817]

When you say the airfield was south do you mean take off and landing? If so you can shoot them from the shore at mountain creek lake.