Chopping up Tomcats

Jets Shredded, Kept Away From 'Bad Guys'

Sad:

The Pentagon is paying a contractor at least $900,000 to destroy old F-14s, a jet affectionately nicknamed "the turkey," rather than sell the spares at the risk of their falling into the wrong hands, including Iran's.

Within a workday, a $38 million fighter jet that once soared as a showpiece of U.S. airpower can be destroyed at the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Ariz., the military's "boneyard" for retired aircraft.

"There were things getting to the bad guys, so to speak," said Tim Shocklee, founder and executive vice president of TRI-Rinse Inc. in St. Louis. "And one of the ways to make sure that no one will ever use an F-14 again is to cut them into little 2-by-2-foot bits."

We want to keep unique F-14 components out of Iran's hands. As the only other operator of the Tomcat, we have a chance to do that. As I noted back in March:

We'd much rather be facing Iranian F-14s instead of Iranian F-15s. (Now, now, Tomcatters...hear me out!)

What if the Shah had decided to buy the F-15 instead of the F-14? Sure, you could argue that the Tomcat has some advantages over the Eagle, and you'd have a point. But the bigger issue is that of maintenance and operation. The only reason any sort of "embargo" of spare parts to Iran has a prayer of working is because no one else in the world ever owned any F14s. Just about everyone has some F-15s at this point. Even if every nation which operates Eagles made a 100% effort to keep spare parts and knowledgeable personnel from falling into Iranian hands, the sheer scale of the installed base would make acquiring spares and even upgrades fairly easy. 1980 vintage Tomcats or more recent vintage (via upgrades and better maintenance) Eagles?

Despite the fact that we'd just as soon not have to tangle with Iranian Tomcats, the outcome of such encounters is far more certain than it would be against better-maintained Eagles with a larger number of effective support personnel.

We would have zero chance of keeping F-15 spares out of Iran.

Meanwhile, Pinch has some thoughts on Speed! as it applies to naval aviation.

Early Tomcat Drawing
Take a look at this early drawing of what would become the F-14 Tomcat: Profile drawing of an early Tomcat concept. Note the very large single vertical fin and rudder and separate front and rear cockpit canopies. Generally, though, the overall planform very much resembles that of the eventual Tomcat...[READ]

Tonight on the History Channel: Tomcat Sunset
In case you get the History Channel and have the time and interest, tonight's episode of Modern Marvels is "Tomcat Sunset" at 9pm ET...about everyone's favorite retired naval interceptor. It's 90 minutes long and looks like it will be repeated at midnight 1am ET. UPDATE: Incidentally, a show I've never...[READ]

Final flight of the F-14 Tomcat
Here are some stories on Saturday's event: Navy retires F-14, the coolest of cold warriors Navy's 'Top Gun' Tomcat Fighter Jet Makes Ceremonial Final Flight F-14 Tomcat takes sunset flight The F-14 Tomcat Roars Off Into The Sunset F-14 Tomcat Makes Its Final Flight FAREWELL, TOMCATS: F-14 officially retires A...[READ]

Tomcat Memories
Aviators share their memories of flying the F-14 The last flight is almost here....[READ]

Grumman and their Cat
tap tap...is this thing on? Many thanks to Murdoc for offering up this opportunity to help fill in some possible quiet spots over the next few weeks or so. I'm looking forward to posting along with Nicholas, in a combined sort of way (as opposed to a joint sort of...[READ]

Friday Cat Blogging - F-14 Tomcat
I had a sun-setting-on-a-Tomcat picked out for this occasion, but I seem to have lost it with a hard drive failure. This one is close: Instapinch has a Tomcat post, and he's going to be in Oceana NAS today armed with a camera for the fly-in of VF-31 and VF-213...[READ]

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Almost forgot Cat Blogging today. Here's a great one: For some reason, I've always been fascinated by these pics of carrier decks in winter off Korea. Though I don't know that I've ever seen one in color. It looks colder than any other pics I know of. From Sreaming Eagles.org's...[READ]

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Catblogging Extra
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) passes under the Friendship Bridge during the ship's transit through the Suez Canal Feb. 15, 2006. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is currently under way on a regularly scheduled deployment supporting maritime security operations. DoD photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Apprentice Nathan Laird, U.S. Navy....[READ]

Friday Cat Blogging - F-14 Tomcat
I know who my money's on, Phoenix or no Phoenix: Persian Gulf (Jan. 6, 2006) - An F-14D Tomcat assigned to the "Tomcatters" of Fighter Squadron Three One (VF-31) is directed into position for launch as an F/A-18C Hornet waits to launch also from the on the flight deck of...[READ]

Friday Cat Blogging - F-14 Tomcat
From Navy News Stand: Persian Gulf (Jan. 19, 2006) - An F-14D Tomcat assigned to the "Tomcatters" of Fighter Squadron Three One (VF-31), is directed to a steam powered catapult prior to launch aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). Roosevelt and embarked Carrier Air Wing Eight...[READ]

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Pic from Chino Warbird Show, May 16, 2004. Lot of great Warbird shots. You really ought to go look. ...[READ]

Friday Cat Blogging - F-14 Tomcat, Take 2
Here's another shot at Timmeh's: It's cool, as are all Tomcat pictures, but this one is special since it includes the ROVER antenna. I noted ROVER (Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receiver) transmits the Tomcat's targeting display data (pictures) down to a laptop on the ground. Follow the link for more...[READ]

Friday Cat Blogging - F14 Tomcat
This shot is from the more recent ones at Timmeh's, who is photoblogging the Last Cruise of the Tomcats....[READ]

Friday Cat Blogging - F6F Hellcat
Haven't had a Hellcat for a while. Here's a shot of Enterprise 'Cats returning after striking Truk Lagoon in February of 1944: Pic from the Naval Historical Center's USS Enterprise page....[READ]

Friday Cat Blogging - F14 Tomcat
If last week wasn't Tomcats, this week must be. An F-14D Tomcat prepares for an arrested landing aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt as the guided-missile cruiser USS San Jacinto conducts plane guard duties, in the Persian Gulf, Jan. 6, 2006. Roosevelt and embarked Carrier Air Wing 8 are...[READ]

Friday Cat Blogging - F8F Bearcat
The engine with wings: Pic from the Naval Historical Center's USS Valley Forge collection. ...[READ]

Friday Cat Blogging - F-14 Tomcat
Here's a Cat with its pants down: Taken a the 2000 Oceana Airshow and posted on a great site called Tomcat Sunset. The Tomcat Sunset Committee "is a nonprofit entity established to plan and execute the Official Farewell Ceremony for the F-14 Tomcat in September of 2006." Check 'em out...[READ]

Friday Cat Blogging - F9F Cougar
Here's an F9F Cougar, a swept-wing development of the F9F Panther (most recently Cat Blogged here) which served from 1952 until 1959. Pic from Hyper Scale modelling page. The creator has background and additional images from his effort. You can buy a print of this and much more from his...[READ]