F-14 The Last Analogue Fighter - The Deadly Tomcat

[@jediguy634]

Watching those F-14's at the end get shredded hurts my soul.

[@Sekir80]

Yes, I'd gladly have one as a garden ornament!

[@jakubdabrowski3846]

I still don't understand why. I don't think there are such traitors in USA who would sell Tomcats' spare parts to a hostile country, especially to Iran.

[@justandy333]

I never understood that. I mean, they were kept at the Boneyard presumably. So why didn't the US just not sell them any spares. According to the video, Iran were the only nation outside the US to purchase the Tomcat. So just don't sell spares to anyone. If anyone's trying to buy parts, its likely a shell company set up to eventually get those parts to Iran. Similar to what the US did to get the Titanium for the SR71. So just don't sell any parts to anyone. Shredding them up seems a very paranoid approach to take. You never know in some major future conflict, they might well have regretted that decision.

[@jediguy634]

@@justandy333 Exactly. Unless some Rich bloke buys one from Iran, we'll never see these at air shows or fly in's like we see WWII or vietnam aircraft.

[@naeemahmed5236]

@@justandy333 It was way more sinister than that, Cheney and his chums wanted to eradicate the possibility of the Tomcat ever flying again by ordering the destruction of the entire tooling at the Grumman Ironworks. Let that sink in for a second.

[@MrSomethingdark]

The last analog but also the first digital

[@GreySectoid]

Mind = blown

[@termitreter6545]

Yeh, arguable had the one of the first microprocessors. Though a lot of the other tech, like the radar, was stil in large pieces analogue. Part of why it was so expensive to maintain and run.

[@Techpriest1010]

Ah yes the iconic anal-gital fighter jet

[@IDBTitanosaurus]

This video does explain that line Pacific Rim.

[@v8packard]

​@@termitreter6545The AWG-9 actually had a number of digital components, but relied on analog processing. The original design and plan was for a F-14C to be in production before 1980 with full digital systems, fly by wire controls, and a glass cockpit. Obviously this didn't happen. The F-14D that was later produced was a digital aircraft, based largely on the planning for the F-14C.

[@envitech02]

The low kill number is testimony to the Tomcat's main mission of deterrence. It was so good that it was never used. One of my favourite fighter aircraft.

[@Stipopedia]

After their first kills in the Iran-Iraq war, the doctrine for Iraqi pilots upon seing a F-14 on the radar was to retreat, and fast.

[@Belgand]

Part of it was also due to geopolitical events during its service lifetime. The USSR was largely concerned with Afghanistan, then it collapsed. That left the US with almost no near-peer conflicts or even proxy wars where fighter-bombers would be relevant.

[@JustBecause7754]

Coupled with the air force taking primacy in the gulf war, limiting the F-14's involvement

[@WetDoggo]

Like my... No, I won't say it... You'd just be deterred

[@Belgand]

@@JustBecause7754 That's another great point. It's not just a fighter, it's a carrier-based fighter. You need to have a situation where carrier-launched fighters are relevant. That didn't really happen. It would have required either very specific circumstances (e.g. a naval war, military action in a theater where ground-based assets weren't appropriate, projecting power against a target that could threaten naval assets with air power) or a large enough air war that carrier aircraft became necessary. The F-14 was simply built for a war that never happened.

[@rogerw3818]

It's hard to rack up "kills" when no one is willing to challenge you.

[@blackpowder13]

Can comfirm!

[@briancooper2112]

Libya sent 4 migs up. Migs never landed.

[@stephenwallace9597]

best looking fighter ever

[@JohnnyWednesday]

(laughs in SU-27)

[@Vhalikuporamee447]

​@@JohnnyWednesdayLaughs in pilot initiative (unknown technology)

[@WalterBurton]

@@JohnnyWednesday : The Su-27 looks like it got a nose-job from a back-alley surgeon. 🤣

[@nenad1809]

MIG 29

[@hiankun]

​@@JohnnyWednesday I always remember the "shock" feeling when I saw a side view of SU-27 on a military magazine. The profile was just so stunning!

[@Max-xl9qv]

The F-14 was NOT analogue, in fact the first CPU in the world was Garett AiResearch MP944 (not Intel) and it was designed specifically for this plane's flight control system. The CPU was top secret for several decades, declassified in 90's. Just Google "F-14 Central Air Data Computer".

[@ryelor123]

There's some debate as to how 'true' of a CPU it was. It kind of straddled the line between being an ASIC or a CPU. It was innovative and amazing but it wasn't fully general-purpose. However, the limitations it had preventing it from being a 'true' CPU were more due to necessity rather than technological ability as the genius needed to build it could've just as easily built an actual CPU.

[@RobFeldkamp]

So not every (say, old school) computer has a cpu? Cpu is by definition a (micro?) Chip?

[@RLD_Media]

I still think this system is still considered analog. I’ve heard several pilots and Rio’s consider it analog.

[@bernyssen]

I haven't finished watching the video, but I think he means that it is not a fly by wire plane

[@darksam1212]

​​​​@@ryelor123 I like the point you're making, though it doesn't debate the assertion stating the plane wasn't controlled with analog circuits. While there were many analog systems, the thing in charge was a digital CPU/ASIC. To play your devil's advocate, ASIC just means it's an Application Specific Integrated Circuit. A CPU is simply a circuit that is able to execute instructions, regardless of it being generic or application specific. Though you are certainly correct a claim of it being the first general purpose CPU is debatable, and there are previous examples of application specific "CPUs". Edit: to add, ASIC is singular regarding the last two letters, the F-14 required many integrated circuits for its "application specific CPU".

[@dmac7128]

I wouldn't say the Tomcat is completely analog. It has a flight control computer with what has been described as the world's first microprocessor. The computer constantly adjusted the wing sweep based on the aerodynamics experienced by the aircraft at all times. As for the compressor stalls, what made them particularly problematic was the position of the engines. They were set wide apart from each other. It one engine stalled, that introduces a considerable asymmetric force on the aircraft that would cause the aircraft to yaw a lot. If the aircraft was at a high AoA and low speeds, that could result in the aircraft going into a flat spin (like Top Gun). This happened in the case of Navy pilot Kara Hultgreen when she tried to over correct for a bad approach with too much rudder which induced a compressor stall. The aircraft rolled over and went into the drink.

[@dblgonzo]

Revlon just did not follow the boldface in the NATOPS. If she had her, the jet would have lived to fly another day. In the words of Dirty Harry, "That's a hell of a price to pay for being stylish."

[@dmac7128]

@@dblgonzo The F-14 has claimed the lives of male pilots for not following NATOPS. I guess they paid a price for being too stylish. Take your misogyny elsewhere.

[@okisoba]

Good video from "alexander the ok" covering the air data computer on the F-14. Reason why no one knew much about it is because it was kept classified for 27 years.

[@Cyman75]

The F-14 “Tomcat” is still one of my favorite fighter jets ever built. It looks so badass!

[@joejoe2658]

well they do walk around with their tail up...

[@perniciouspete4986]

Of all the planes I've never flown, this was certainly one of them.

[@oldtimer2192]

It’s definitely better than my plane which I don’t have! 😊😊

[@grimmlinn]

Was it as bad as the video makes it out to be? Why did the navy express the desire to bring it back? Why do they no longer make swing wing aircraft?

[@dougferguson3820]

@@grimmlinn They no longer need the variable-geometry wing (and all the mechanical issues it brings) because computer-aided wing designs can now match the VG's advantages without incurring its disadvantages.

[@olliea6052]

🤣🤣🤣 Brilliant. Thanks for the laugh. 💪

[@samuelgarrod8327]

It's definitely an all time plane.

[@andersjjensen]

The F-22 Raptor is the spiritual successor of the F-14 Tomcat. Nobody want's to pick a fight with it, so it doesn't have an impressive kill list. And honestly, a weapon system that is so effective that it prevents conflict, is as good as it gets.

[@ryelor123]

Just so long as it doesn't inspire too much overconfidence that leaders let capability degrade due to the power of illusion.

[@ezza2x899]

The f22 is a beautiful & incredible plane

[@Elthenar]

The f14 doesn't have an impressive kill count.....with the US. Iran killed half of the Iraq air force with it.

[@adamfrazer5150]

Too true 👍 not just the tip of the spear but the spear itself

[@mrjdgibbs]

No one picks a fight with the f22 because they're afraid of the United States and the US refuses to sell it.

[@Dyson_Cyberdynesystems]

Leaving out so many details. Let’s start with the engines. The TF-30s were used because Grumman had a development plan. The A Variants would test the airframe with known Engines and Avionics. B would introduce new engines. The C Model would bring in new avionics. Only a small number of A and Bs were supposed to be produced culminating in the C as being the Final Product. The Navy and their funding screwed that up (Ref F-14 Design Evolution Video with Mike Ciminera - NG VP). Btw, if you want to really compare notes on fighters from the 70's you should compare A models. The F-15A is about as analog as and F-14A. The AWG-9 was state of the art. It had Track While Scan. So, you could engage a fighter while also keeping track of other targets. Everything before that, once you locked a target you had Zero SA of anything else. Having the Tactical Information Display (using digital processors) was a game changer. Combined with the E-2, Grumman introduced Datalink which fundamentally changed US tactics. Now it wasn’t just you with a flashlight and a ground controller talking you on. Now you would be fed target data from the AWACS and your wingmen to your display. The Phoenix was the US’ ONLY Active Radar Guided Missile for TWO DECADES. AMRAAMs didn’t show up till 1991. In other words, Eagles and Hornets had to Single Target Track a target to launch a Sparrow and only up to 15nm effectively. Falcons only had short range Sidewinders. Additionally Tomcat was Multirole with Air to Ground interdiction capability from the start based the design and according documents from 1971. The Navy didn’t want to use it in that role because they had many other Strike Aircraft. They didn’t deem it worth the risk. The T-Pod just gave it precision strike capability and in Kosovo and Afghanistan, the Long Range Self Escort Role became much more useful, as well as providing Airborne Forward Air Control roles not to mention its recognizance pod. If you are really interested go watch the PenisulaSRSVideos and the Fighter Pilot Podcast Tomcast series.

[@pyronuke4768]

All very good and true points. It did have a lot of firsts, though you do have to keep in mind that they were still limited by the technology of the time and many of the systems were not as polished as we think of them today. For example, the Phoenix wasn't a full fire-and-forget missile, it still had to be guided by SARH until about 11 miles from the target before it's seeker could pick it up; it wasn't until the C or C+ model (which was coming out around the same time as the AMRAAM) when a memory circuit was added it became a true fire-and-forget weapon. Or the datalink, which as I've heard from F-14A pilots was more useful for SA and coordinating attacks across multiple flights, instead of the shooting a missile and letting your buddy guide it in that we think of today. You might be able to tell guidance systems are kinda my passion. Just a quick correction, the AIM-54 was not America's first Active Radar Homing (ARH) missile, that would be the CIM-10 Bomarc, a large nuclear tipped SAM from 1959, athough experments with ARH (mostly as anti-ship weapons) date back to WW2 with varying degrees of success.

[@johndew8947]

We get it we get it

[@Dyson_Cyberdynesystems]

​@@pyronuke4768 Hey we get to nerd out together. There's a fine line though between getting to deep in the technical aspects especially given the audience of this channel. I usually try to balance it until someone knowledgeable shows up. So lets get to it. You still have to admit it still eclipsed its contemporaries when it deployed. If you just got out of an F-4 and into a 14 it would have been a paradigm shift in terms of technology. Obviously you could not compare it to 5th Gen today and there will always be improvements. My point is people compare it to the other teen fighters (usually their C Models) and those went through the same refinement and most lagged several years if not decades in some capabilities. On to the Phoenix to break it down further, it didn't guide on Shooter-Target Radar Energy. The shooter aircraft would feed the missile guidance information through an rear facing radar antenna. Not the same as SARH with a Sparrow. Either way the target wouldn't get any additional radar energy till that last 11 miles triggering a RWR warning. The same "2-Stage" guidance is still used by AMRAAM for longer shots (active range at 13 mi). And the Phoenix did have an Active Launch Mode as well as a SARH and HOJ modes. That's why there's little difference in BVR tactics between the two weapons other than distance. The later Tomcat D Models with C Phoenix's could guide them as you stated with other target information such as correlated/triangulated IRST contacts with Link 16. That's cool and scary. As for Datalink I did stated it was for SA, which again was fundamental in changing how fighters operated. Lastly sure, yes out of context, I should have added only ARH Operational AAM for two decades.

[@richardconway6425]

So very interesting! Thank you for that Paul. The F-14 is such an interesting piece of engineering, and I've always found it fascinating. It seemed so modern, and the answer to all questions that could be asked. It was the aircraft that could do everything - including taking off and landing on a carrier - no mean feat, when you consider its size and weight. It was a big aircraft ... and it still looked so good. What a legend of aviation !! 🚀🚀

[@emefff]

It wasn't just 'ordinary' titanium lines and connectors that were used for the hydraulic system of F-14. To my knowledge, it was the first practical use of the very new NiTi shape memory alloys (nitinol) for the connectors that were just invented one year or so before.

[@ravichjakkaratropart5083]

The F-14 Tomcat is a flying Porsche Carrera GT. They were considered to be the last "analogue" machince of their type. They were both on the cutting edge of performance at their time. They're both an unforgiving beast that will bite back if their driver/pilot didn't know what they were doing. And both are mesmerizingly beautiful.

[@benyomovod6904]

The F14 and the Concorde were the most elegant airplanes

[@frankevega]

Don't forget the sr71

[@jackmunday7602]

That’s actually kind of spooky. I’m currently building Tamiya’s 1/48 F-14A tomcat right now. And this video pops up on my notifications.

[@xyzaero]

welcome to big data 👍🏻

[@brkbtjunkie]

The algo knows what you ate for breakfast

[@MSimpy-js4db]

Thank you Paul for another great video, and explaining how the Tomcat traversed the late analog / early digital era. All us viewers appreciate the amount of work and research you out into your channel for our education and enjoyment!

[@sambagogo777]

The fighter plane immortalised by the Top Gun movie and the After Burner arcade coin-op from SEGA.

[@fordgtguy]

While the F-14 definitely grew in popularity due to Top Gun, it was immortalized before that movie. The F-14 was also the default jet design used for every Macross style anime too.

[@LegoTux]

This is Eagle One, splash the Zeros, I say again splash the Zeros.

[@brucemanly]

​@@fordgtguyeven the transformers flew f14 designs

[@termitreter6545]

And while maybe less known, DCS (flight sim) has an incredibly detailed simulation of the F-14; probably of the best simulated planes in a flight sim ever. Its incredibly fun to fly and capable and good hands, but also quite challenging, you really feel the complexity of the design and how most of the plane is quite analogue and late 60s tech.

[@ALT3REDB3AST]

Dont forget Robotech and Jetfire from Transformers!

[@blankseventydrei]

i love the f14, it is menacing with it's wings swept in and going in for the kill, and graceful when the wings swept out and gliding through the air.

[@exsappermadman25055]

"Does that museum piece even work anymore?"....

[@RCAvhstape]

"I shot down 3 MiGs with one of those."

[@exsappermadman25055]

@@RCAvhstape "It's been a minute"....

[@IAmTheAce5]

“Why are the wings coming out?…”

[@exsappermadman25055]

@@IAmTheAce5 "Don't think, just do"...

[@rinima858]

The terrain will confuse the enemy's targeting system

[@reggieziet]

One of my favorite fighterjets on one of my favorite youtube channels! Great work

[@frankgulla2335]

Paul, thanks for the summary of the history of the F-14 Tomcat. Great visuals

[@Daniel_cheems]

Hi Paul, another nice video, but I am surprised you didn't talk more in-depth about the F-14's Central Air Data Computer (CADC) microprocessor, arguably the world's first microprocessor.

[@GodmanchesterGoblin]

The MP944 processor is an amazing piece of design work. Too bad that it remained classified until 1998, and I belive that some of the details probably still are due to the Iranian connection.

[@stevenbratz7333]

When I was 8, a model kit appeared of the F-14, revealing its existence for the first time in the early 70's. The design was astounding!

[@ssecord3302]

Monogram?

[@stevenbratz7333]

@@ssecord3302 Yes, exactly! The one that disappointingly had sparrow missiles only, no phoenix.

[@BigDaddy-yp4mi]

Mr. Droid, yes it had that top-secret processor that was only revealed in the 90’s to the public- it was one of the world’s first, but it was still considered analogue on the a & b models. C I’m unsure. D and onwards were considered digital. Wikipedia explains it better than I. Even googling was the f-14 analogue or digital seems to agree that it started out analogue but turned into a digital fighter, complete with open architecture!

[@SgtHenick]

I was born in 79 and the tomcat was bigger than life in the 80s. I remember the first time I saw one at an air show it blew my mind.

[@chrisblevins4502]

GREAT VIDEO! Please do more videos on aircraft. Really love how well done and researched your videos are. Keep up the great work!

[@thecodemongoose]

This is my first video on this channel and I have to say I love it. Excellent excellent video. Now I'm gonna see if this channel has anything about my greatest fighter ever, the MiG 25

[@alexdornenherz]

The F-14 remains a man's fighter jet. It's so elegant and yet so untamed - truly the Ford Mustang of the skies.

[@olechristianhenne6583]

And Yett somehow it gets importantly improved over time

[@IndustrialSociety1995]

It’s even more impressive that the Tomcat, with the AN/AWG-9 and AN/APG-71 radar systems, could simultaneously track 24 targets/bogies at once, and launch missiles at six of them. The Phoenix missile allowed the Tomcat to hit targets well over 86 nautical miles away.

[@colonalklink14]

They should have updated them with new engines, avionics, aesa radar, electronic warfare suite, HMCS, and computer systems. Just like they've done with the F-15, F- 16, F- 18, and F-22's.

[@MotoroidARFC]

​@@colonalklink14Cheney killed all that.

[@TerryB751]

I always wondered how such detailed analysis of aircraft failure could be done when the wreckage is so complete.

[@pyronuke4768]

I really like this analysis. It manages to stay objective and critical without falling too far into either "it was superb" or "it was rubbish" camps, which I find happens all to frequently when discussing the Tomcat.

[@KiloSierraGolf]

First ever realistic review of the aircraft. Well done!

[@WTFG78]

F-14 Tomcat. One of my favorite pinball games. :)

[@Ray.Norrish]

Same!

[@tomasbeblar5639]

Great pin.... but over priced, like the plane.

[@gatsbysgarage8389]

Actually got to see one of the tomcats used in the filming of top gun up close last week, beautiful jet. Always crazy how big any fighter jet is up close

[@olliea6052]

That sunset pic of the F-14 parked on deck is the best ever 😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@favesongslist]

My father took me to see Fairford UK 1976 air show, After a short take-off the F14 appeared to almost flip to be vertical and went up like a rocket, very impressive.

[@richardbrayshaw570]

Fantastic, Paul. Well done. It's a fine aircraft and certainly worthy of a Curious Droids video. The Americans are clever enough to know that a combination of the hard fought engineering reality of the Tomcat development and deployment, and the crazy Hollywood 'Top Gun' legend are enough to keep the bad guys away, apart from a few stray Libyans, of course. Have we got one in the UK? It would look pretty sweet hanging in the glorious US museum at Duxford.

[@MaxPower-11]

16:29 small correction: Naval Air Station *Oceana* (not Ocean). Located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, it is the only Master Jet Base in the eastern USA (since the decommissioning of NAS Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Florida in 1999). An F-14 aircraft is on static display near Oceana’s northeastern gate, alongside Oceana Blvd.

[@Pcastagnaro]

Growing up back in Brazil my father gave me a F14 model and my brother a F15. It is funny how sometimes looking back, I use this two fighter jets to picture the differences between me and him!

[@viktorrietveld]

It's a beautiful machine, just saw one last week in New York, it's a stunning airframe

[@Goikongr]

Awesome video as usual! Thanks! I really appreciate the conversions to SI!

[@the5th2000]

Was on a visiting US carrier (USS JFK) in the 90s and saw these in person, F-14D. Very impressive pieces of tech

[@stephenriordan2616]

Love your level of detail mate 💪 Thanks gor the vids👊

[@saultube44]

Interesting numbers, no other documentary I've watched on YT mentions. Added to my F-14 Playlist

[@12polizei24wegvonhier]

You have a great voice for these documentaries

[@markboomgaarden4679]

Talk to me, Goose!

[@LegoTux]

Shoes: "Hey Fox, that really shook'em up!"

[@stu729]

"C'mon Mav, do some of that pilot shit!"

[@jebediahgentry7029]

Hello, my name is Goose

[@vintagethrifter2114]

​@@stu729give me the chain guns and the ADF pod!

[@kineticdeath]

@@stu729 Splittin' the throttles, coming around!

[@Soldier4USA2005]

Not only was it a beast of a fighter in capabilities, it just LOOKS mean as hell and definitely not something you want to be fighting against. Just looking at it from the front shows how aggressive it is. The angled inlets and "beefy shoulders" that lead out to the wings is very intimidating. It's one of the reasons why it's favored by so many of its time period. Especially after seeing Top Gun. :) It made such a huge impression that Japan used it as the base for the VF-1 Valkrie in the MACROSS anime, which only fueled the love of the F-14 even more.

[@logandarklighter]

Indeed - that anime and it's successors may in effect immortalize the F-14 Tomcat for far longer than it otherwise might've been! Like Space Battleship Yamato has done for "Battleships in Space" - MACROSS and it's heirs pretty much do the same for "Swing wing fighters in Space"!!

[@ravichjakkaratropart5083]

I also love the side view. A side view of a clean Tomcat is just incredible. The long pointy nose followed by the long engine nacelle that gently curve downward from the inlet towards the exhaust nozzle. It looks delicate and graceful like a swan in flight. Which is in contrast with the muscular front view. Not to mention when those wings swept back 🤤. Either way, the Tomcat is a stunning bird.

[@Soldier4USA2005]

@@ravichjakkaratropart5083 I agree 100%. It sucks that you can't buy one like other decommissioned planes, due to it still being in military use in other countries.

[@SinglemSolis]

The F14 and A10 are two really beautiful airplanes IMO

[@logandarklighter]

@@SinglemSolis I think the A-10 is an ugly plane. But it is also an AWESOME plane and an incredible feat of engineering!! It’s also of the “so ugly that it’s gorgeous” type of war fighting aircraft. You have to love it if it’s on your side in the fight - and you’ve got to be TERRIFIED of it if you’re on the wrong end of that monster flying gun! 👍😎

[@TheAtomicSpoon]

The Tomcat is legendary, and I still enjoy it in DCS. But the F-15 will always top it for me personally.

[@StevieMoore]

The f-15E is the zenith of 4th gen.

[@kutter_ttl6786]

With a 104 to 0 kill ratio, the F-15 just completely dominated the airspace.

[@chrisbeauchamp5563]

If they had released the super Tomcat I think it would have given F15 a run for it’s money. It’s a nice pity really. The F-15 is a fine airplane but there’s something about the f14s lines that are very good looking

[@Power5]

F-14 took down F-15 in mock combat dogfight. F-15 looks like a chicken with its tiny little chicken legs supporting its big body. F-14 is stocky and muscular looking. F-14 is a better plane in just about every way. Had they supported it and updated it like they did for the super hornet and eagle, it would still be performing just as the hornet and eagle still are. Biggest problem was damn Cheney getting mad that Grumman did not bribe him like Boeing did. That is why Hornet survives even though 20 years later since the Tomcat retired and it still cannot perform the duties of the Tomcat. Mostly kidding about Eagle. It is a great plane obviously. Hornet can get pushed off the carrier and stay underwater forever though.

[@StevieMoore]

@@chrisbeauchamp5563 I’m not so sure, as avionics became more advanced all the swing wing tech became old hat and it caused a major weight and range penalty, costs aside. Super tomcat would have been a superior air to air than the super hornet for sure. I honestly think it was costs. I’d say age but… look at the f-15EX!

[@damionneranginui6546]

I just absolutely f ng love the Delta wing configuration of this jet.

[@3DPrintHangar_RC]

It’s always a good day when Curious Droid uploads a new video! LETS GOOOOO!

[@dblgonzo]

I worked on the A model from 81-85. They looked beautiful in the air. But were a royal pain in the ass for maintenance crews. I can't remember any gripe free flights. Most were minor problems, but they were always there. Super complex and little and big things were breaking all the time.

[@take5th]

Droid, i worked on the f-14 program at Grumman in the early 1980s. Not analogue, as others have pointed out. I expect another video pointing out the error, similar to your video about how NASA got photographs of shuttles. Gun gas could also stall the p30, and a diverter was later incorporated.

[@waynefinehout1389]

Not mentioned in this video is that some Tomcats were modified to be reconnaissance fighters. In the late 70's / early 80's, I was a Navy Photographer's Mate working on the then prototype TARPS program (Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System) out of NAS Miramar, San Diego. Certain F-14's were modified to accept a large pod containing three types of recon cameras. It was pretty state of the art back then, all being film cameras. I imagine it pales today in comparison with the digital assets that now must be in deployment: But one of the most beautiful photographic images I have ever seen was a shot taken by a TARPS camera of Mt. St. Helens just after it blew its top off. It was a black and white areal image of the mountain with this huge column of ash billowing thousands of feet up into the air. The Tomcat had to be right in alignment with the summit creating a very unique point of view (for those days before camera drones were even a thought). We had a very large, perfectly exposed black and white print of that hanging on a wall in our photo lab. Man, I wish I had a copy of that print. I still see it in my mind all these decades later.

[@Ace-rp7vr]

Fun fact about the F14, Israel was originally interested in the F14 and purchasing it. But they were so underwhelmed by it that instead they chose the F15. Plus the F14A really never fixed it’s problems with the engines

[@ronjon7942]

It's always interesting to hear about aircraft in the 'good ol' days' and learning how abysmal their safety records were, and how astronomically expensive they were to develop, manufacture, and operate and maintain. It puts the F-35 program into some perspective.

[@deany53]

great little video mate... well enjoyed that

[@shermangriffin4668]

I loved working on the TF30 engine. They had an awesome jet blast during testing on the fantail. The last unit I worked on was the F14 Delta. The F18 engine was 1000xs easier (due to the modular sections). US Navy 1989-2002.

[@HazelS71]

So many kids dreams was to fly this incredible bird not possible i know but nowadays with super high detail video games/simulators such as DCS or Microsoft flight sim we can just learn how these machines worked and performed! absolutely incredible Paul top gun was my favorite movie as a kid and your videos are so well made and concise it makes us appreciate the history that much more thanks to you Godbless my friend

[@shaalis]

And it never got to fight the war it was designed for. In effect, it was the Greatest Deterrant the Navy ever had.

[@InfiltrateIndustries]

I miss 80s F-14 toys

[@RCAvhstape]

My brother still has his GI Joe "X-14" Tomcat toy.

[@InfiltrateIndustries]

@@RCAvhstape yes that one - sweeping the wings was fun :)

[@docbones213]

Skystriker 💪

[@chrismartin3197]

LEGO doesn’t officially do military stuff - but they still found a way to do the F-14 a few times.

[@zTheBigFishz]

The major problem with the F-14 is that it was not a 1760(electrical interface)/1553 (bus interface) aircraft. It was all point to point wired, so it was hard to upgrade and heavier than it should have been.

[@stevenslater2669]

I recall reading back in the day that the F-14 had a fatal flaw as a dog fighter. The swing wing system would automatically change pitch from fully swept back to fully extended at a preset speed. Good for function but a sure tell to an opponent, who had developed dog fight strategies to catch the F-14 in the “wrong” wing mode. Reminds me of when we street raced just after high school. The police had really cracked down on racing off the line with tires squealing. So we took to running “punches” (as in punch the throttle) from 30, 40, or 50 mi/hr. The tactic was to tickle the speed up or down to get your car into its best speed to punch from - and your opponent was not as strong.

[@rougeneon1997]

Thats called roll racing or racing from a roll now-a-days rather than from a dig, hole shot.

[@gaveintothedarkness]

Great video as always! I would have been cool to spend a minute about how iran got the spare parts, its quite interesting to learn about the smuggling from webpages.

[@99bimmer]

One thing that held the Tomcat back in Desert Storm was that it didn't have a proper IFF system, so just about all the air to air missions were given to the Air Force

[@counterstrifekid]

It being the first digital Fighter is actually more cool. In some regards, it used the world's first microprocessor(which was bespoke for this aircraft). The design of the F14's computer was absolutely bleeding edge tech for the time.

[@ghostface6947]

Afternoon Curious Droid! Hope your doing well, keep up the cool vids!

[@johnbianchi6430]

Small correction to the video. At time 16:30 the Naval Air Station is Oceana not Ocean.

[@Marcus-p5i5s]

funny title considering that the F-14 used the first micro-processor in the world

[@512bb]

Oh no my friend, I'm here in fighter town USA ( Miramar } & a member of the San Diego Bubba's. I doubt you would find any of the guys that transferred from Tomcats to Hornets an upgrade back in the day.

[@RedTail1-1]

Slight correction. It was always capable of bombing and air to ground in general(Zuni rockets and the gun). It just wasn't capable of precision bombing until the LANTIRN. They didn't bother qualifying it for CAS or A2G until the 90s just because there was no need. It was doing it's job as fleet defense, CAP, Interception, and so on while there were plenty of Attack aircraft to fill the ground role. As more Attack aircraft were retired and there was little to no need for the A2A role, the F-14 could get more use and a longer life if it dropped bombs.

[@toxlaximus3297]

Did they fix the problem with the F14 rader thinking F5's were Mig 28's?

[@andrewpinner3181]

Thanks Curious, I think Ward Carroll would attest to the closing appraisal.

[@1977Yakko]

It's strange that most of the plane types that I saw when I served in Navy back in the 90s are gone. F-14D, A-6E, EA-6B, S-3, F-18C/D and I think the C-2 is gone too. I think it's mostly F-18E/F, F-35, E-2, SH-60 and V-22 are all that's on the carriers today. As for the F-14 being costly to operate. While I never worked on planes (I was in engineering department as a damage controlman), whenever I passed through the hanger bay, there were always wrench turners working on F-14s, always. Not sure if it's true but a number I heard was 50 man hours of maintenance for every flight hour.

[@jamessouth4776]

Great video mate !

[@FordWalkley]

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.

[@JessieJohn-sc6tx]

All difficult things have their origin in that which is easy, and great things in that which is small.

[@BowenWhitman]

I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.

[@nilomaia4851]

Man, we just love this channel!

[@DavidSherman-m5l]

Just seeing F-14's being shredded made me sick to my stomach.😮

[@ronjon7942]

Ugh, I know. If I worked at Davis-Monthan AFB, I think I'd need to seek help from the trauma at seeing all those planes getting cut up.

[@fennrysha]

I believe the actual cockpit audio from one of those Libyan incidents is on YT. Look up "2nd gulf of sidra incident unedited"

[@blackpowder13]

I remember seeing/hearing the raw recording after my squadron (VF-32's sister squadron, VF-14) return to Oceana a few weeks later... "SHOOT EM... SHOOT EM!!"....| "I don't have a fuckin tone...." 🤣 good times...

[@waynefloyd2680]

I save you. Air wolf. Big daddy.😮

[@BustaHymen]

Great video as always. Very well researched, and put into a video (with nice stock footage) with narration which even an idiot like me can understand. Thanks!

[@Icridium]

CuriousDriod - Can you make a dedicated video covering the B-2 stealth bomber!?

[@cruisinguy6024]

What about it? There’s already a ton of excellent videos on the B-2

[@David-yy7lb]

My favorite jet I wish Grumman would make a modern day f14 tomcat

[@stephenevans6070]

great vid mate

[@alex3261]

The 1981 Gulf of Didra incident was fairly controversial, as the two Su-22s shot down were air to ground aircraft, wit no radar and at best armed with the lousy AA-2 missile, being pretty incapable to take on the F-14s. The second 1989 Sidra incident was even more duvious, as the two downed MiG-23s did not have their radars on and the F-14s were ordered "weapons hold", yet they fired. Check Ward Caroll's story of born incidents. Regarding the helicopter shoot down, that was as glamorous as shooting down a balloon with an AIM-9x.

[@robertpatrick3350]

What’s controversial?

[@alex3261]

@@robertpatrick3350 listen to Caeoll.

[@tonyennis1787]

@@robertpatrick3350 Generally, errors in the Tomcat's tracking systems made the Libyan planes seem more aggressive than they were. And communications snafu's on the US side made the it hard to determine if permission-to-engage had been granted. Further, the pilots seemed way too excited given they were engaging 2nd-rate planes armed with 2nd-rate weapons flown by 2nd-rate pilots. One of the backseats fired off a missile, and the pilot is on tape exclaims, "Oh Jesus".

[@blackpowder13]

It the 1981 Incident the Su-22s were armed with heat seeking air to air misslies and fired first on the Fast EagleTurkeys... no contraversy on that one. The 1989 incident involving Brand X (our sister squadron, VF-32) on the the other hand.....

[@alex3261]

@@blackpowder13 just listen to Ward Caroll.

[@tinto278]

Super hornet has its own phoenix called the SM6😉, great video as always.

[@schr75]

AIM-174😉

[@tinto278]

@@schr75 Thanks, I get the two mixed up. 😎🦅

[@EudoraReynolds]

The waves were crashing on the shore; it was a lovely sight.

[@P-J-W-777]

The real Tomcat with the very first A2A kill is sitting in a museum in my hometown. There’s a copy of it in another museum who tried to take the Tomcat from it currently museum,

[@gerodinis]

The F-14 was a carrier of the AWG-9 radar and the AIM-54 missile. This system was fitted to the canceled F-111B and it was absolutely digital. Hence, the F-14 was digital.

[@dannyboyy31]

A few years ago I was curious as to whether the engine flameout-induced flat spin scenario in Top Gun was feasible/realistic. From what I could gather it was perfectly feasible, due partly to the TF30's tendency to suffer flameout, and also due to the Tomcat's vulnerability to asymmetrical thrust (because its engines are quite far apart). Another fun fact I discovered during this little bout of research was that the central fuselage area of the Tomcat provided roughly half of overall lift.

[@blackpowder13]

No only feasile, it happend...

[@KBKriechbaum]

From here i am heading directly to the Tomcat scenes of Topgun Maverick.

[@blurglide]

Arguably the best looking fighter jet ever.

[@bernyssen]

Great video! Just a small detail, the F-14A+ and the B are the same variant, the A+ was renamed to B in the early 90's

[@abarratt8869]

I can remember seeing F14's on the old USS Enterprise; awesome aircraft, up close. My guess is that one of the best aspects of the F14 was the close relationship between the Navy and the manufacturer. There's nothing like a manufacturer being an active and involved "part of the mission" to create a very enthusiastic and dedicated engineering team. You get far better value for money that way - the engineers are chomping at the bit to do their stuff, and will spare nothing in playing their part.

[@JosepgSila]

Love is the master key that opens the gates of happiness.

[@ToddEugene]

People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.

[@phodon129]

"Analog Plane" *Looks inside* >Digital Flight Computer

[@johnnyenglish583]

I'm from the generation that watched the original Top Gun with bated breath. As a kid, I thought there wasn't anything more beautiful in the world than the F-14. To this day, this is one of the most gorgeous fighters ever made. It's such a shame it had to go :(

[@ManOfChaiTea]

Because Dick "Head" Chaney.. An upgraded Tomcat would still be better than superhornet. Hell the D model still outclassed it where it counted.

[@cruisinguy6024]

@@ManOfChaiTeadecades later we still haven’t replaced capabilities lost by retiring the tomcat. Thankfully we haven’t been in a peer / near peer conflict but still…..

[@johnnyenglish583]

@@cruisinguy6024 the new AIM-174B is filling that gap, but you're right, it was thought there was no need for it after the end of the Cold War, when the West naively and stupidly believed Russia was a country you could live and work with.