A sad day in Naval Aviation :( - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Bill Wood · #1 08-18-2006, 09:09 PM

The F-14 Tomcat, the US Navy's only pure fighter, takes its final carrier flight:

Final Flight - A Navy Times Production

Botnst · #2 08-18-2006, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Webmaster

The F-14 Tomcat, the US Navy's only pure fighter, takes its final carrier flight:

Final Flight - A Navy Times Production

Nicely done.

cscmc1 · #3 08-18-2006, 09:35 PM

My brother is manager of collections at Grissom Air Museum. Last year, they received a retired F-14 from the Navy, and quite a production of receiving her. The Navy flew her in and did several fly-by's and a mini-airshow. The pilot and back-seater were pretty emotional about seeing her off. Apparently they teared up as they described step 1 of the demilitarization process: running her out of fuel. The jet literally dies on the tarmac as the tanks are run dry.

I can only imagine how hard that would be for pilots AND maint. crew. I get sad watching our KC-135E's leave for the boneyard, and can't imagine watching one die of fuel starvation, never to fly or even run again.

Anyway, the Navy did a bang-up job painting and prepping the jet for display. She's gorgeous!

TheDon · #4 08-18-2006, 09:45 PM

that is the craft i actually wanted to fly when i join(well wanted to join the navy to fly)... that jet was one of the best..maybe one day in the future when im sucessful in life ill somehow get ahold of a tomcat and restore it to flying condition ^_^

i want to be that successful

KylePavao · #5 08-18-2006, 11:21 PM

These new fangled F18's with all the electronic wizardry are awesome, but the camaraderie built up between the pilot and RIO in those Tomcats is simply amazing. The Tomcat is so big, imposing, mean, and powerful...IMO makes the F18 look like a toy. Kenny Loggins' "Highway to the Dangerzone" wouldnt be the same with puny F18's on the Tarmac.

At least we still have the F15E Strike Eagle

KylePavao · #6 08-18-2006, 11:30 PM

With Kenny Loggins!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he0uALdLZBA

Brian Carlton · #7 08-18-2006, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KylePavao

With Kenny Loggins!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he0uALdLZBA

Damn........still gives me the chills.........watching that airplane and listening to that music..........

Hatterasguy · #8 08-18-2006, 11:56 PM

It was a nice plane for sure but I was never an F14 fan. Making room for the new Joint Strike Fighter? Both the F18 and F15 models are pretty old and getting ready to be shipped off to the air museum's themselves.

Now the A10 and B52, those planes just don't die!

The future is looking pretty good!
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6932780922861206499&q=F22&hl=en

Just cool!
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7159893982189752063&q=Joint+Strike+Fighter&hl=en

Look out for the Mig!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5593732418004943731&q=dogfight&hl=en

cscmc1 · #9 08-19-2006, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KylePavao

These new fangled F18's with all the electronic wizardry are awesome, but the camaraderie built up between the pilot and RIO in those Tomcats is simply amazing. The Tomcat is so big, imposing, mean, and powerful...IMO makes the F18 look like a toy. Kenny Loggins' "Highway to the Dangerzone" wouldnt be the same with puny F18's on the Tarmac.

At least we still have the F15E Strike Eagle

Once in a blue moon an old F-4 will come through my base on its way to conversion to drone service. THAT is a bad-a$$ jet!

KylePavao · #10 08-19-2006, 12:56 AM

I love the F4 as well. Along with Brian, video gives me chills. I love watching that movie at college after a few beers, surround sound BLASTING as loud as possible....

Thats a great movie.

For pure badass factor...I love the look of the A7 Corsair with the huge snout...the Crusader as well.

As well as the Intruder..it actually does look "sneaky"

And Hatty I agree the new JSF is going to be sick...but IMO planes like the F14, F15, MiG-29, and SU-27 have the "*********" factor that new ones don't: they just look so mean and imposing. I love the MiG29 myself.

But I think we can all agree on on thing as Benz enthusiasts: The Supercharged Daimler-Benz V12 in the Me-109 sounds better than any of these

peragro · #11 08-19-2006, 01:10 AM

F-14 was a pretty cool platform. F-18 ain't bad, especially the hornet. You can always find a QF-4 in the sky, just look for the smoke. I think we blew up our last one a while back. What's really cool to watch are the AV-8Bs. There's just something radically wierd about seeing a plane like that hovering over the tarmac and massivly loud. I could watch jets take off, land or do touch and goes all day.

JCE · #12 08-19-2006, 02:06 AM

Love the Tomcat, but still, for looks my favorite is still the old MIG 17:

TheDon · #13 08-19-2006, 09:56 AM

the F-22 is no where as cool as the F-14 ... the F-14 actually lookes like its going to kick your ass before it takes off.. the F22... weaaakkk

A264172 · #14 08-19-2006, 10:25 AM

That plane always seemed to me 'the thing we did the best' during the cold war. It was the gun held by the soldier in the division that could not be defeated. Thankfully we never knew for sure. Who knew then what wonderfull days they were.

peragro · #15 08-19-2006, 11:37 AM

did you see the one that was almost shot in half and still flew home?

Here it is - flown over Baghdad by Kim Campbell