Grumman F-14D Tomcat - AMC, McClellan, CA
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member kb7ywl
N 38° 40.451 W 121° 23.487
10S E 639927 N 4281848
Grumman F-14D Tomcat BuNo 163897
Waymark Code: WME486
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 04/01/2012
Published By:Groundspeak Regular Member Team Sieni
Views: 3

The F-14 'Tomcat' is a supersonic twin-engine, twin-tail, variable sweep wing, two place fighter flown by the Navy as a carrier or land-based multirole fighter. It was the first of the fighters designed to incorporate air combat experience from Vietnam against Soviet Union MiG aircraft. It enter service in 1972 where it continued until replaced by the F/A-18 'Hornet' in 2006.

Grumman was selected to build the Navy's new carrier-based fighter in January 1969, with the first flight of the F-14 'Tomcat' prototype taking place on 21 December 1970. Initial deployment with the fleet began in October 1972. Continued developments and improvements of its capabilities made it an effective deterrent to any hostile threats to US Navy carrier groups for over 30 years.

As the world's premier air defense fighter, it could simultaneously track up to 24 targets with its advanced weapons control system, while attacking six at once with AIM-54A Phoenix missiles. The 'Tomcat' is well known for its prominent role in "Top Gun", the 1986 movie about naval aviators. The success of the film spurred a game show franchise and a surge in US Navy Flight Training recruiting.

This 'Tomcat' was initially assigned to VF-214, the F-14 Pacific Fleet crew training squadron. After two years as a trainer, it went to the fleet for the remainder of its 14 years of operational service. Assignments included the famous VF-2 'Bounty Hunters', while its final squadron was the 'Black Lions' of VF-213, part of Carrier Air Wing 8 (CVW-8), assigned to the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71). Its final combat sortie was 7 February 2006. Following launch from the USS Roosevelt at 1600, 'Black Lion' AJ-210 flew to Northern Iraq for overhead protection of US and Iraqi forces. After its mission, it trapped aboard the carrier at 2233 hours, completing a 6.5 hour mission.

Returning to the US in March 2006, the F-14Ds were unloaded for the last time and retired. BuNo 163897 was flown to McClellan shortly thereafter and joined the collection.

Specifications:
Crew: 2
Power Plant: 2× 14,000 lbf GE F110-GE-400 turbofan engines 23,100 lbf w/afterburner
Dimensions:
- Span:
- - Unswept: 64' 2"
- - Swept: 38' 3"
- - Storage: 33' 8"
- Length: 62' 8"
- Height: 32' 9"
Weight:
- Empty: 43,735 lb
- Maximum: 74,350 lb
Performance:
- Speed:
- - Max: 1,584 mph
- - Cruise: 633 mph
- Range: 1,840 miles
- Ceiling: 50,000 ft
- Climb: 45,000 fpm
Armament:
- Guns: 1× 20mm M61 Vulcan 6-barreled gatling cannon, with 675 rounds
- Internal:
- External: Max of 14,500 lb of ordnance and fuel tanks
- - Loading configurations:
- - - 2× AIM-9 + 6× AIM-54 (Rarely used due to weight stress on airframe)
- - - 2× AIM-9 + 2× AIM-54 + 3× AIM-7 (Most common load during Cold War era)
- - - 2× AIM-9 + 4× AIM-54 + 2× AIM-7
- - - 2× AIM-9 + 6× AIM-7
- - - 4× AIM-9 + 4× AIM-54
- - - 4× AIM-9 + 4× AIM-7
- - Bombs: ** JDAM Precision-guided munition (PGMs)
- - - Paveway series of Laser guided bombs
- - - Mk 80 series of unguided iron bombs
- - - Mk 20 Rockeye II
- - Others:
- - - Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS)
- - - LANTIRN targeting pod
- - - 2× 267 USgal drop tanks for extended range/loitering time

Source: aircraft placard
For more info: (visit link)
Type of Aircraft: (make/model): Grumman F-14D Tomcat

Tail Number: (S/N): BuNo 163897

Construction:: original aircraft

Location (park, airport, museum, etc.): Located at Aerospace Museum of California, McClellan, CA

inside / outside: outside

Other Information::
Aerospace Museum of California 3200 Freedom Park Drive McClellan, CA 95652 Phone: 916.643.3192 Tuesday-Saturday 9:00am to 5:00pm Sunday 10:00am to 5:00pm excluding Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day and Easter Sunday. $8.00 Adults $6.00 Senior (65+) $6.00 Youth/Student (13-17) $5.00 Child (6-12) Free Active Military w/ID Free Child 5 & under Free Museum Members


Access restrictions:
None


Visit Instructions:
Photo of aircraft (required - will be interesting to see if the aircraft is ever repainted or progress if being restored)
Photo of serial number (required unless there is not one or it is a replica)
Photo(s) of any artwork on the aircraft (optional but interesting)

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