‘Bepnymecaleocnabnenivio TUEAEROGUIDE 1 GRUMMAN F-14A TOMCAT Published in Great Britain by Linownghts Ltd IBHigh Street, Chipping Ongar, Essex CMB 9EB. England 'SBN 0946958211 © 1987 Linewrights Led ‘The contents ofthis book are strictly copyright ‘and may not be reproduced or transmitted in {any form without the prior witten consent of Linewnghts Ltd \Wrtten, designed and produced by Roger Chesneau Colour profile and line drawings by Mike Keep Cover photograph by Joananne Chesneau Photo processing by Frank Coins Typesetting by Typesetters (Birmingham) Ltd, ‘Smethwick, West Midlands Colour reproduction by Anglia Reproductions, Witham, Essex Printing and binding by Heffers Printers Lt, Cambridge ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: For help with the preparation of this volume ‘the publishers wish to thank the members of \VF-2, NAS Miramar; Lt John H Semcken, Public Affairs Office, NAS Miramar, Lois Lovisolo and Bill Barto, Grumman Corporation; Russell Egnor, US Navy Stil Photo Branch; Del Holland, Martin-Baker Airratt Co, Dick Ward, and Rbert F Dorr Uneredited photographs, taken by kind permission of the Commander in. Chief US Pacific Fleet, ae the copyright of the publishers, Cover photo: An F-144 Tomeat of VE2 (Bounty Hunters) at NAS Miramar, May 1985, ‘Back cover plate: A VF-2 Tomcat inits original, mate colourul scheme, cica 1975. Price £3.50 net (UK only)14A Tomcat a < oC E £ 2 oINTRODUCTION business these days. What the aircraft needs is sufficient power to give ita high performance, sufficient size and strength to enable it to carry the fuel ‘and weapons called for by the task it has to perform, and the best possible set of avionics to make sure it can locate its target, hit and destroy it, and survive to hit another target later. That's a tall order, but if cost is no object the technology is available and such an aircraft can be built, It's when the requirements get down to fine details that, the fun starts: in the case of the F-14 most of this detail is, tied in with the fact that the aircraft is a naval fighter, and 2 shipboard fleet air defence fighter at that The problems associated with the design and production of such a fighter are in essence twofold: the aircraft will have to cope with a large variety of targets, flying at varying speeds, altitudes and ranges, coming from any direction and armed with all sorts of weapons; {and it will have to do so in defence of, and whilst operating from, an air base only four acres in area and quite probably crowded with other aircraft, pitching and heaving and moving around from place to place in the middle of a featureless ocean. It must be able to take up long-range and short-range defensive weapons and the ‘means of delivering them to the target, and it must be sure of success, for while one enemy hit on a land base would certainly be a nuisance, one on a carrier could well be terminal. It must, moreover, fly very fast, to deal with the enemy quickly, and it must fly very slowly, both to dogfight if required and to have any chance of landing safely back on the carrier's flight deck. In short, it has to do everything well, even to the extent of performing tasks which at first sight are mutually exclusive. ‘The first attempt to produce a wonder plane such as this, for the US Navy was a sorry affair. The US Air Force's SOR.183 requirement, for a long-range, all-weather, nuclear bomber capable of operating from short semi prepared air strips was seized on by the US Secretary of Defense of the day, Robert S McNamara, and converted, with minimal modification (and hence, it was anticipated, Dm ‘a modern fighter is a difficult and complex Page 2 with maximum cost reductions}, into a solution to satisfy the Navy's need to replace its F-4 Phantom interceptors. ‘The result was the F-111, to be produced in an -A model by General Dynamics for the Air Force and asa -B version, by Grumman for the Navy. Variable geometry (‘swing wings’) would give both high supersonic performance and good low-speed handling as required, economical cruise performance (thus long range) and a smooth, fast ride at Tow level. The project was beset with problems even in its basic land-based variant, but these paled somewhat in comparison with those being experienced with the sea going F-111, which was summarily cancelled in 1968. The void was filled by Grumman's own design, and it came as no surprise that an experienced manufacturer — ‘and one specialising in carrier-based aircraft to boot - was able to produce exactly what the Navy wanted once it was allowed to give up trying to make someone else’s aeroplane work and start again with a clean sheet of paper. The F-14 programme was by no means an easy fone, but this was not so much a case of a failure to match the Navy's requirements as one of an inability to do so without going bankrupt in the process. Pricing policies at the start of the production contract proved to be very unsatisfactory and the programme, already vastly expensive, was hit by all sorts of unwelcome factors, like inflation, which were not, or could not be, properly taken into account at the beginning, ‘The Tomcat won through, and for the last twelve years the US Navy has been operating what most people consider to be the finest fighter aircraft in the world. Matched with the unique, ultra-long-range Phoenix AAM, the F-14 is the ultimate six-shot killer, since it can not only carry half a dozen of these missiles, but it can also control ‘each of them simultaneously and independently, thanks to its advanced AWG-9 multi-mode radar and associated systems. No other fighter has anything like this capability, nor is one in immediate prospect, and this is reason enough to suppose that the Tomcat will be around for many years yet - at least, until some future threat outstrips its potential.{As from the first Atlantic Fleet air wing to be \YW-1, these examples being assigned to VF men’. The name of the catner to which the aircraft belong, ed at the base of the vertical fins. Gr Above: Wings fully swept and glove unty Hunters’ (VF-2) Tomeat whistles through the s spelt ¢ extent of the ‘cushion’ type edge An AIM-9L Sidewinde tarboard glove pylon. US Navy Below: A VF-2 Tomcat in the current paint scheme, Miramar. 1985: gone are the multi-coloured nose sash and rudder, replaced by squadron markings of a more sombre hue, Bast colour is Light Grey overal, in glossy finish seal at the wing root trailing ‘missile is installed on the PageDESIGN & DEVELOPMENT F-111, Grumman quickly got down to the business of designing the replacement indeed, contingency plans for a new aircraft were already well in hand when, the axe fell on the bi-service project. The F-1118 had proceeded to the flight-test stage and a handful of prototypes had been completed, but long before this it had become patently obvious that the TFX, as the joint programme was called, would never fil the bill from the. Navy's point of view ~as, in fact, the Navy had predicted almost from the beginning. The TFX work was very far from being a waste of time, however: after the basic problems and there were many — had been solved, the Air Force's F-111 proved itself to be a formidable warplane, and is today a vital component of the US. military machine. From Grumman's point of view, the experience of the TFX, though doubtless one it would not wish to repeat, at least provided a set of baselines for future reference. Ironically, Grumman did not divest itself completely of the aircraft, since before many years had passed early -A models were being trundled into Calverton to be converted into EF-111 Raven electronic warfare platforms ~a programme which is continuing as these words are written. ‘Almost before the ink had dried on the agreement releasing Grumman from its obligation to the F-111B the Navy came up with a Request for Proposals (RFP) for VFX, the aircraft for which Grumman had already been advancing Design 303. There was, for sure, competition: noises were heard long before the Navy's interest in the F-111 was officially killed off, and several manufacturers had been beavering away getting ready their schemes, but itwould have taken a bold adventurer to deny that Grumman had a better than even chance of scooping the prize, The good news came for the Long Island company in January 1969. From then on, work proceeded at break-neck speed. It was six years since TEX had been given the okay, but the Navy was no nearer to getting its new fighter than it had been then, Meantime the Vietnam War had shown that the new aircraft was even more urgent than first thought, since the F-4 Phantom was proving to be not quite up to close combat fighting; worse, the Soviet Union had revealed the existence of an incredible Mach 3 interceptor, Fit from the struggle with the Navy's version of the Page 4 the MiG-25, and the United States had nothing that could stand up against it. Only two years were permitted — and needed - to get the VFX, now known as the F-14 Tomcat, into the air. ‘Grumman, confident ofits abilities and quite certain that Design 303 would be picked, had started preparing long, lead time materials well in advance of the VFX contract, ‘Thousands of design configurations were whittled down tojust eight, and then to one, G303E. In some respects it was not startlingly different from the abortive F-111B. The same basic engines - Pratt & Whitney TF30 turbofans ~ were used, though as events turned out these powerplants were the one major technical problem to afflict the Tomcat in service; the same Hughes AWG-9 radar/fire control system was installed; and two crewmen were slotted in, although one behind the other and not side by side as in TEX (single-seat 303s were looked at, but discarded). But these similarities were internal: the wrapping was. completely different. Indeed, as the mock-up VFX showed, nothing quite like the Tomcat had ever been seen before. Instead of utilising a conventional fuselage, incorporating crew stations, avionics, engines and fuel, to which were appended the requisite flying surfaces, below which in turn were attached pylons for the armament, it seemed as though Grumman had started out with a giant, ‘aerodynamic lifting body, with the outer sections pivoted for variable sweep. Beneath this, set far apart, were slung ‘two long engine nacelles, with intake ducts stretching well forward. A taileron for roll control was added to the side of each tail pipe, with folding ventral stabilisers on the lower corners and a big dorsal fin mounted centrally on the upper surface. Since there was no fuselage in the traditional sense, the radar gear and crew stations were housed in a naceile, which was added to the front of the lifting surface and faired in. Though apparently an amalgam of disparate elements, the whole thing blended together remarkably smoothly, maximising lifting potential whilst minimising weight. With the contract sealed, Grumman began to tool up in, earnest for the six prototype/pre-production and 463, production aircraft that were written in. The first fight was to take place in or before January 1971, only two years. away. Despite the urgency of the programme, it was found possible to ‘tweak’ the design as the assembly of the firstOpposite page: The frst prototype F-14, seen here dumping fuel and with slats and flaps deployed, was an early casualty in the fight test programme. Grumman Corporation Right: Prototype No 5. BuNo 187984, up on an early test flight, ts flying surfaces tipped in high-wsibilty red paint. The prominent strakes (on top of the centrebody were considerably reduced in size for production aircraft. Grumman Corporation Below: Head-on meeting with the camera by a VF-211 (Checkmates’) Tomcat, showing well the ‘cranked! configuration of the wings. Grumman Corporation few aircraft was in progress. Lots of details were modified, but the most evident concerned the vertical stabiliser. The Navy was none too keen on the ventral fin arrangement, but, for reasons of carrier stowage, it was not possible to compensate for their loss by heightening the main tail fin, 50 twin dorsal stabilisers had to be adopted to give the required surface area. Retractable canards were worked, into the wing-glove leading edges, to give the aircraft better manoeuvrability at high speeds. The wings themselves were also refined, most noticeably by giving them a cranked, ‘gull’ appearance when viewed from, head-on, and the front nacelle was resized to give the crew better visibility out of the cockpit. The changes were for the most part cosmetic in nature: Grumman, as usual, had got it pretty well right first time. The first F-14 prototype was rolled out at Calverton on 14 December 1970, and a week later it flew for the first time. Its second flight, on 30 December, ended in disaster when the hydraulics failed; the crew, unable to control the aircraft, ejected safely. The accident proved to be a minor setback, and by May 1971 the second Tomeat was in the air. Problems of a political nature were looming by this time, however. The VFX contract negotiated between Grumman and the Navy was a ‘total procurement’ package allowing for a 2-3 per cent per annum inflation index, All 469 aircraft came within this agreement, the machines to be divided into eight batches (‘lots’) and. delivered over a decade or more. As is now known only 100 well, the index was hopelessly inadequate, and as inflation soared from about 1970 onwards anxieties, increased. The showdown came quickly, in 1972, when Grumman stated flatly at a US Senate sub-committee hearing that if the Secretary of Defense insisted that the original terms of the contract be enforced, then the ‘company’s affairs would have to be wound up. The situation was not helped by the fact thatin the meantime the total number of Tomcats to be bought had been slashed to 313, driving up the aircraft's unit cost ‘automatically since research and development funding now had to be spread more thickly. It took about a year to sort things out, and the Navy went over to purchasing its aircraft year by year, agreeing a price at each stage. PagesTOMCAT Flight testing, involving some twenty aircraft, continued, through 1971 and 1972. The first supersonic sortie was made on 16 September 1971, by the twelfth aircraft; designated No 1X, this had taken over the duties of the first prototype. The trials were unusually intensive, and involved an unusually large number of aircraft, in order to meet the deadline for issuing the Tomcat to operational squadrons. Furthermore, telemetry systems, installed both at Calverton and at the Point Mugu missile range, ‘speeded up the trials programme since data read-outs could be transmitted instantaneously to the engineers monitoring the flights, whilst many of the latter were ‘extended by means of air-to-air refuelling, mainly from Grumman KA-60 tankers. Navy Preliminary Evaluation (NPE) got under way towards the end of 1971, putting the aircraft through simulated carrier approaches, shunting them around flight decks, down carrier lifts and around hangars to try out their compatibility with the big ships which would eventually be their home, and following up with shipboard catapult take-offs and arrested landings. The business of testing out the complex weapons systems of the F-14 Page 6 began the following year at Point Mugu, and here particular interest centred on the big AIM-54 Phoenix missile which was the aircraft's major feature. The results were astonishing: drones modified to simulate all manner of Soviet aircraft were intercepted with amazing success and at unheard of ranges. In one spectacular trial, for example, a drone doing Mach 1.5 at §0,000ft was on the receiving end of a Phoenix launched 120 miles away, and in the ultimate test six targets were engaged independently with a ‘ripple’ salvo of AIM-54s spread across about half a minute, four being successfully intercepted, at ranges varying between 30 and 50 miles. NPE 2 was conducted concurrently with the Phoenix trials during the summer of 1972 and was immediately followed by the initial service evaluation of the Tomcat at the hands of VX-4, also at Point Mugu; by the end of the year training was in full swing, the first F-14s being sent to the readiness squadron VF-124 prior to the commissioning of the operational units VF-1 and VF-2. Board of Inspection and Survey (BIS) trials, held to conclude the acceptance of new aircraft as fully fledged equipment, ran through 1973, drawing to a close in autumn that year to Left: A high speed run by the first F-14A+, photographed during its maiden flight in September 1986. Equipped with F110-GE-400 turbofans, the “A+ is showing the way to the new F-14D, which will join Tomcat squadrons from about 1990, This, particular machine has had a Varied career: originally the F 14B, it flew for a while with tone TF30 and one F401 engine, and prior to the fitting of the F110 test-flew the FIOTDFE. GrummanLeft: Tomcat prototype No 11, BuNo 157990, equipped with a full complement of six AIM-54 Phoenix missiles, those between the iniet ducts mounted on special ‘aerodynamic pallets which not only serve as launchers bbut also house the special decoding equipment and cooling apparatus that Phoenix requires, This aircraft was assigned to the Pacific Missile Test Center at Point Mugu, whose insignia is displayed on the vertical fins Grumman Corporation Below: A number of potential export customers, evaluated the F-14 witha view to possibly purchasing the aircraft, including Israel, Australia and Japan, but the ‘only country to dip into its pocket was Iran, fora batch of eighty negotiated at the time the Shah was in power. Here is one of these Tomeats, upon a test flight Grumman Corporation release the F-14 to the Navy. As a result of this exhaustive series of tests a few minor modifications had to be accommodated. Flight stresses had shown the need to redesign the ‘beaver’ tail between the jet pipes when signs of premature fatigue began to appear. There were also problems with spinning, which was responsible for the loss of several aircraft until the difficulty was finally resolved some ten years into service. ‘The powerplants were more of a headache. A legacy of the ill-fated F-1118, the engines had a combined thrust which was reckoned to be insufficient to allow the Tomcat to fulfil its true potential, a shortcoming complicated by the fact that the TF30s had a tendency to suffer from compressor stall when the F-14 was manoeuvred violently in the air; coupled with the spin problem, this meant that the aircraft was, as it were, ‘underflown’ during its early years of service. The reliability of the TF30s also gave cause for concern, although improvements came steadily as the engine was progressively refined from its original 'P-412 form through to the -P-414 and -414A versions, In the main, the powerplants were the major casualty of the political battle for survival fought by the Tomcat while DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT its acceptance trials were in progress. Spiralling costs prevented the early replacement of the TF30, which was, ‘always regarded as an interim engine. Full production aircraft were to have been powered by the Pratt & Whitney F401-PW-400, a ‘marinised’ version of the engine driving the US Air Force's new F-15 Eagle, and in fact an early test specimen was installed in the seventh prototype Tomcat, Which was designated F-14B and which flew even as the BIS trials were being brought to a close. The extra financial burden that would have been imposed by adopting the new engine - plus the fact that early trials showed that the F401 needed a lot more work to make it perform properly ~ put the F-14B programme onice, and production F-14s, went to the Navy equipped with TF30s, warts and all. Things began to change in 1979, when General Electric, was awarded a development contract to produce a workable engine based on that being manufactured for the 8-1 bomber but suitable for installation in fighter aircraft. Known as the GE F101-X, and later as the F1O1DFE (Derivative Fighter Engine), the new powerplant was bench-run, fine-tuned and perfected through 1979-81 and then installed in the F-14B which had been in storage since its flight trials with the F401. The aircraft first flew with DFEs in July 1981 and all the limitations of the TF30- powered F-14A seemed to vanish at a stroke. Full-scale development of the DFE was capped by an announcement early in 1984 that the engine, now known as the F110, would be bought by the Air Force and put into F-16s; the Navy seized on this, and it was decided to adopt itwholesale, in slightly modified (-400) form, for retrofit into the Tomcat fleet. The first F-14A+, as the reworked aircraft will be known, flew on 29 September 1986, Utilising the old F-14B airframe once more. The Navy will receive the upgraded -A+ Tomeats from late 1987, and from 1990 onwards the new powerplants will equip aircraft that will also feature an improved radar (currently designated APG-XX) and digital avionics, with multi- function displays replacing the old dials and tapes, these brand new machines being known as F-14Ds. Exporting the F-14 has been an interesting challenge. The sensitivities of allowing so advanced an aircraft to be operated by foreign air forces severely restricted the options, and the inevitably high asking price deterred ‘most of the few potential customers (including, itis reported, the Australians and the Israelis). An order for eighty Tomcats for Iran has proved to be a mixed blessing: the deal was concluded prior to the revolution in Iran, and the sale certainly helped Grumman during the height of its financial crisis, but there is an uneasy feeling that, despite the new regime's anti-Soviet leanings, the aircraft—and, perhaps more importantly, its Phoenix missile system — have now been thoroughly scrutinised by people who were never intended to get anywhere near them, Page7STRUCTURE inimising weight is a constant struggle when any new aircraft is being designed and, as noted in the previous section, this was more important than, usual in the case of the VFX. However, this aircraft was built too soon to take anything more than token advantage of the lightweight composite structural materials that are a regular feature of combat aircraft now in the development stages. Even so, the Tomcat's all-moving, one-piece horizontal stabilisers were built with boron epoxy skinning ‘and were the largest composite components to be integrated into a military airframe at the time. For the bulk of the aircraft structure, extensive use has been made of titanium alloys, to the tune of about 25 per cent by weight, with some 36 per cent accounted for by more traditional aluminium alloys and 12 per cent by steel. Titanium has been used where high stresses have to be borne and where the hottest temperatures are experienced; itis thus distributed around the engine duets, especially for the skinning adjacent to the tail pipes, and has also been used for much of the wing construction. In particular, it was selected for the central wing carry: through box and pivots; in the case of the former, a uniquely strong structure was assured by manufacturing the component with the aid of electron-beam welding. The wing sweeps from 20 through to 68 degrees in the flight regime, with a movement of 7’ degrees per second; when the aircraft is parked, an ‘oversweep setting of 75 degrees is available, of significance when the aircraft is aboard ship. Automatic setting is achieved by means of a Mach Sweep Programmer, giving maximum. lifdrag efficiency during air-to-air combat when the pilot needs to concentrate his mind on more immediate matters. As the wing sweeps aft it moves over the engine bays, displacing flexible, air-filled seals which otherwise preserve the aerodynamics of the top surface of the centre section, The advantages of forward sweep during landing approaches are maximised by a whole battery of lift assisting devices. Leading-edge slats and trailing-edge flaps stretch across the entire span of the wing; linked in with the sweep mechanism, these can also give assistance 2ge8to the aircraft during combat manoeuvres in flight. The flaps cannot function as ailerons, so roll control is, accomplished via the horizontal stabilisers (otherwise called ‘tailerons’) operating in opposition to each other (in unison they provide pitch control), but wing spoilers, located just ahead of the trailing-edge flaps, act as supplementary roll control surfaces and also as lift aids and dumpers. The twin fins are aided by fixed vestigial strakes beneath the tailpipes, whilst large air brakes are located above and below the beaver tail The main engine inlets have a complex system of movable internal ramp settings, again computerised to relieve the pilot's workload, in order to ensure that the correct volume of air, delivered at the correct velocity, ‘meets the engine compressor face irrespective of the aircraft's forward airspeed. Surplus air is dumped outside across the top of the intakes via bleed flaps. At the tail end, advanced convergentidivergent (‘con/di’) jet nozzles help maintain optimum thrust characteristics throughout the Tomeat’s changing speed and altitude envelope, adjusting Left: The F-14’s unique configuration can be appreciated in this view, which shows that there is no fuselage in the accepted sense of the term; instead, the airframe is more like a giant, powered lifting body with VG wings, ‘iris fashion to preserve a smooth aerodynamic contour, The F-14's fuel capacity caters for over 16,000Ib, about half of itn fuselage tanks and the rest in the wings and wing carry-through box. The feed lines from the wings are, of course, flexible, to allow for the demands of VG. A pair of drop tanks each holding a further 1800Ib can be slung beneath the intake ducts, and an in-flight refuelling probe is standard fit, deploying as required out of a bay located just below the cockpit windshield on the starboard side. The undercarriage is of the conventional ‘tricycle’ type, with the twin-wheel, self-centring nose gear retracting forwards beneath the cockpit. The main gear units are, when retracted, housed in the only available place, the forward section of the fixed wing gloves, so have to swing out backwards when needed. The arrangement is neat, or cramped, depending on one’s point of view, with glove vanes, missile pylons and gear bays all jostling for space in a limited area. A catapult shuttle bar protrudes from the front of the nose gear leg, and a single-strut arrester hook is located at the end of the tunnel between the jet pipes, Below: Forward aspect, port side, with sharply raked intakes evident. The bulge low down on the side of the nose marks the position of the M61A1 gun muzzle, and an AIM-7 Sparrow missile is installed in the port forward recess. Page 9TOMCAT Bottom: Opposite page top left: CS TV fai m Page 10‘STRUCTURETOMCAT Above: The Tomcat's two crewmen sit beneath a long one: piece canopy high up in the nacelle, allowing them an excellent view of the outside world Below and right: Crew access steps hinge down from panels, as is normal for carrier-based aircraft for which mobile ladders would be more of a nuisance than an asset on board ship. In the photo below two low-voltage formation lights can be seen, just above the gun fairing Opposite page: Five photos showing varying angles on the port main engine intake. The system of movable ramps inside Controls the amount of air received by the engine, allowing the latter to operate to its best efficiency whatever the speed and altitude of the aircraft: in essence, air entering the inlet at high speeds has to be slowed down before it meets the compressor face, and the various ramp settings cause this to happen. The sharp rake of the intake sidewalls permits air to bbe drawn in properly when the aircraft s flying at high angles of attack (ie with its nose pointing upwards) Page 12TOMCAT Left: Looking upwards into the starboard main intake, the three ramps clearly discernible Below left: Compressor fan of the starboard TF30 engine. Below right: Unusual view of the starboard intake, The unoccupied Sparrow station visible at left shows the sot into which the missile's rear fin fits, Opposite page top: With its ‘wings in the ‘oversweep" position, the Tomeat’s greatest span is actually Measured across the tailerons, at 33ft in; inthis, configuration the wing tips le over the tailerons. The fairing (on the tip of the stabiliser houses radar warning receiver (RWR) gear. Opposite page centre: Two views showing the rounded fairing where the leading ledge of the wing rotates into the glove. The vertical striping gives an instant indication of the wing sweep setting to launch crews, Opposite page bottom lett Details around the wing sweep seal atthe trailing ledge, port side, including the red engine warning stripe, rear formation light and, below, panels with piano- type hinges for instant access to the engines. The innermost wing flaps disappear when wings are ‘swept back Opposite page bottom right: Starboard glove vane in stowed position. Navigation lights are present above and below the glove leading edge. Antenna fairings nearby, purpose undisclosed, are a recent fit.STRUCTURE Page 15TOMCAT Loft: An F-14 with spoilers deployed shows daylight through its wing, The spoilers act as auxiliary lateral contro! devices, help control it at low speeds (for example, during landing approach) and act as lift dumpers. Below left: A view of the aft fuselage, starboard side, showing the taileron deflected; note that its leading edge is almost touching the ‘overswept' ht: Rear fuselage detail, port side, showing the location of the taileron pivot point. Wing-tip panels cover Fow-voltage formation lights. Right top: AVF-2 ‘Bounty Hunters’) Tomcat, showing the colourful decor that once adorned this unit's F-14s. The dark panels on top of the intakes are non’slip walkways; further aft shape and extent of t bag’ wing-sweep seals can bbe made out. Grumman Comporation Right centre: An F-14A from \VE-51 (‘Screaming Eagles’ 1982. The colour scheme is overall Light Gray and the rational insignia are reduced insize and ‘toned down’, but the tal trim of earlier days is retained. The wing glove vanes are at full extension, and the aircraft is equipped with its forward pair of special Phoenix missile pallets. Grumman Corporatior Right bottom: The ‘Super Tomcat’ — originally the seventh prototype aircraft and designated F-14B - with F1O1DFE engines, July 1981 Grumman Corporation 2 I aaaFar left, top: Anot ° the F-14 depicted on page 16 with wing d, Notice also the clamp fitted to the flap trailing das Far left, bottom: One of VF-2's Tomeats outside it hangar at NAS Miramar, May 985. The Television Camera jem (TCS} mounted beneath the nose provide the crew with long-rang target acquisition and dentification in clear skie day and night VF-2 crewmen smbark from th at Miramar followin Below: A typical F-14 pose on the sun-drenched Mirarma flight line: wings in the Sversweep’ position and 2s cool as possibleSTRUCTURE Lett, top to bottom: AVF-32 ('Swordsmen’)F-14A on final approach, mid-1970s; a VF-1 Tomcat in low-visibilty finish and with wings at mid: sweep, 1984; and a VF-142 (Ghost Riders’) machine photographed in 1986, yet to succumb to the ‘tone it down’ order. Grumman Corporation Right: Starboard taileron. ‘Skinned with boron epoxy composite material, these components are virtually devoid of surface detail Below: Looking forward ‘rom between the vertical stabilisers, Notice the wing: glove stiffening strakes (ust inboard of the wing pivot. point) and, beyond, the starboard intake bleed door Page 21TOMCAT Above: Looking through the ventral tunnel; notice the slight ‘panting’ in the airframe skinning half way along. The outline of the ventral air brake can just be traced at the top of the photo. Right: Beaver tail, showing the location of the arrester hook, fuel ventidump pipe and chaffiflare dispensers. Below: Auxiliary ventral fins, fitted beneath the tailpipes. Cooler inlets, of NACA configuration, are recessed into the poor side of each strake, Opposite page top: Three views of the ‘con/di jet nozzles, shown at normal setting (left upper photo), fully open, reheat setting (left lower photo) and in the intermediate position (far right), The mechanies of the VG nozzles are complex, but the extemal appearance is particularly neat and aerodynamically efficient. Opposite page bottom left: Starboard vertical fin. Inboard fin surfaces are devoid of markings on this VF-2 aircraft, Opposite page bottom right: Port fin of the same aircraft, ‘ote that details atthe tip differ from those on the starboard unit, with an ant-collision light forward and a small antenna dome aft instead of the latter's tail navigation lamp and ECM. fairing atthe tip of the trallng edge. Page 22STRUCTURE Page 23TOMCAT ‘Above: Nose undercarriage gear viewed from the starboard side. The oleo damper appears pretty much at full extension, but is compressed when the F-14 is catapul-aunched to give the gear extra strength Right: View from the rear, showing the widely spaced wheels. Below: Nose gear strut detail, The catapult tow link, to the right, is hauled down to engage the shuttle in the track slot, which then projects the aircraft forward, assisted by the latter's own powerplants. ge 24‘Above: View up into the no: the blade antennz Right: A landing/tax 's partially obs ‘not unlike that ‘A Intruder STRUCTURETOMCAT OO a This page: Five photographs showing the F-14's main undercarriage gear, wheel bay and bay door detail - an object lesson from Grumman designers in squeezing in vital ‘components without using up huge amounts of space. These views depict the starboard gear. The struts are immensely strong, as requited by a carrier-based aircraft, and are fabricated for the most part from stee! Opposite page: Aspects of the port main undercarriage gear; note how the main wheel bay competes for space with the glove vane housing and the weapons pylon. Brakes, originally beryllium, are now of carbon composite material; tyres are tubeless aircraft ribs, by Goodyear. The oleo stroke of the ‘main struts s particularly long, as can be seen from the size of the forward-pointing torque linkages, * Page 26MISSION ith carer space always ata premium, US Navy WW erecta rte vera cena of performing two or more afferent missions ‘muir requirement, as were, As remarked ear, thevarible geometry wing othe Tomcat enables the arcrattto perform two datnely separate missions ~and perform them exceedingly well altmough bath al within the duties ofthe sera type generally but not very informotively described as e-Highter. The dual oles expected ofthe F14 ae fo combat enemy bombers bent Gnatking eta carrier taskforce and to mix with and Sutigh enemy sighters’ The st demands bot ong Iter tiie away trom tne parent ship, watching, waiting anit necessary pouneing, usualy under the cretion of sarly-worning 2 Hawkeyes, and aio arapid-eaction Capubity trom deck launch to intercept more immesite threats oF any enemy strike aera that might have leaked through the defensive screen the one reqrres fue tconomy, the other high acceleration and supersonic performance, he second role demands grea git in Wat could well proveto be very close range encounters, Sutwiting an opponentin crowded sky whe visual {Genttaion woutd pernaps be mandatory. Thus the Tomeat has tobe otha fleet ar defence fighter =the task bncapeulated inthe combat irpetrol (CAP) mission and tra supanory her. These aifering dio ore reflected inthe four suites of sirto-ar weapons thatthe Tomest carrie, The intra Gln, mounted low down inthe pot sido ofthe nose, ian BMotAt lean rotry cannon with six barrels, equipped Page 28 with 675 rounds of 2mm ammunition which can be shot, out at a rate of 100 rounds a second. As well as in air combat, the gun can be used to great effect against ground targets during strafing runs. The close-range missile armament is provided by the infra-red homing (heat-seeking) AIM-9 Sidewinder, normally the -L model Which doesn’t need a hot tail pipe to make it work but can follow heat reflections caused by friction asits quarry ‘moves through the air ~ perhaps towards it. For medium- range attack the AIM-7 Sparrow is carried, generally the E or -F model. This can be sent against more distant targets - those up to about 20 miles away and thus quite possibly beyond visual range (BVA). The Sparrow is due to be replaced in service by the Hughes AIM-120 AMRAAM. (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile), which does ot require the launch aircraft to illuminate the target with its radar all the way as does the AIM-7. Finally there is AIM-54, or Phoenix. Manufactured by Hughes, itis a Below: An early F-14 in @ weapons-carrying configuration Unlikely to be seen very often: dressed for the strike role, it includes retarded bombs in its armoury in addition to glove- mounted Sidewinders and a Sparrow in the tunnel. The bombs. one of which seems to have been dropped from this, aircraft, are mounted on special aerodynamic racks sharing ‘common features with Phoenix pallets. Not easily discemibie in this photo are the pair of external fuel tanks fitted beneath the main inlet ducts; each holds about 265 US gallons, boosting total fuel capacity by some 25 per cent. Grumman Corporationprodigious weapon, and, with a reputed price tag of over $1 million a copy, one that is exceedingly expensive. It weighs half a ton, has its own radar for terminal homing, and is reported to be capable of burning through all known jamming systems to reach its target. The current models. are the AIM-54A and derived -B, but the upgraded -C. version is now in production for use through the 1990s, one instance of the constant struggle to refine existing systems to fox new measures that may have been adopted by the other side. Special conformal pallets have been designed to allow four Phoenix to be carried between the intake ducts with little drag penalty. Various missile combinations can be selected according to the nature of the threat, with maxima of six Phoenix (in which case no ‘Sparrow can be accommodated), six Sparrow and four Sidewinder, the last being confined to the glove pylons, The carriage of air-to-ground weapons has been demonstrated by the Tomcat, although these would presumably be fitted only in extremis. Linking man to missiles — and doing a good deal more besides — is the Hughes AWG-9 radar and fire control system. This gives range and bearing on air-to-air targets at distances up to 150 miles, can pick out low-lying targets (or one on the ground) through doppler shift, and can employ the doppler facility to maintain air-to-air target tracking, track-while-scan, search and range-while-search, allowing multiple targets (up to two dozen) of varying sizes and at varying ranges, and travelling at varying speeds, to be dealt with at the same time. The AWG-9 is essential to the AIM-54, but it also sets up the rest of the EE EL armoury and can exchange data with friendly aircraft or with surface forces. Aiding the main detection radar is an infra-red sensor mounted under the nose, currently being supplemented by a Northrop Television Camera System. (TCS) for long-range visual detection. There is the usual suite of countermeasures devices, including chaff and flare dispensers, for decoying radar-homing and heat- seeking missiles respectively, located beneath the tail Another recent Tomcat fit is the TARPS (Tactical Airborne Reconnissance Pod System) which, carried in the tunnel, converts the aircraft for the reconnaissance role. ‘The pod, which fits along the starboard rear missile station, is about 17ft long and contains a vertical/oblique frame camera at the front, a KA-99 low-altitude panoramic camera in the centre and an infra-red line scanner towards the rear. About fifty aircraft are equipped to carry TARPS, the idea being that two such F-14s in each squadron should be available. Below: A VF-32 ('Swordsmen’) F-14 carrying a full sute of AIM-54A missiles. In addition to the pallets required for the carriage of Phoenix between the intake ducts, special attachments are needed for the glove pylons, which thus ‘appear considerably deeper than when fitted for Sparrow or Sidewinder; however, even with the big missiles fitted, a pairof Sidewinders can still be mounted (the rail for one Cf which is visible here). Some 2000 AIM-54A/Bs have reportedly been produced for US Navy service, about sufficient to equip every Tomcat with a full load — 0 Grumman Corporation Page 29TOMCAT cy U5S RANGER ee ) Pee eee ‘aq Top left: A captive-fight (inert) AIM-SL Sidewinder AAM mounted on the ‘shoulder’ of the starboard glove pylon, Top right: Unusual view of the port glave pylon, this one carrying an AIM-9 acquisition drill round. Notice how the pylon is cranked to keep any ordnance that might be fitted beneath clear of the undercarriage bay doors, Above left: Detail of an AIM-7 Sparrow mounted in the port forward vential bay Above right: Photo showing the installation of the M61At barrelled Vulean cannon; nate the ammunition drum and feed linkage at right. Grumman Corporation Left above: Reconnaissance for carrier air wings was formerly the province of dedicated aircraft like the RASC and F-8G, but TARPS gives an equivalent capablity to F-14s, The podis seen here installed on a Tomcat which is also carrying a pair of Sparrow acquisition rounds. Grumman Corporation Left below: A TARPS shown slung in its special ground: handling cradle. Opposite page top: Three views of the pilot's cockpit, the central panel dominated by weapons controls (top), the vertical display and the horizontal display. Throttle controls are located in the usual position to the pilot's left; promine the upright console ahead of these is the undercarriage lever. The cockpit of the F-14D will look rather different Grumman Corporation Opposite page bottom left: The focus of attention for the radar intercept officer is the circular tactical information display, with the control grip in front and the data panel above Grumman Corporation Opposite page bottom right: The Mk GRU-TA ejection seat The seats for the pilot and RIO are not quite identical, since the rocket propulsion system is set to allow for divergence so. {8 to avoid any chance of collision between the crew during ejection; designation suffixes are -1 and -2 respectively Martin-Baker Aircraft Co tonMISSIONSQUADRON SERVICE deployed aboard every big carrier. Two squadrons per ship are allocated, and together with the attack squadrons (generally three) they make up the core of an air wing (CW). Each F-14 squadron has a nominal strength of tweive aircraft, with perhaps fifteen aircrews. Navy carriers may be sent all over the world, but for ‘organisational purposes are assigned to either the Atlantic ‘or the Pacific Fleet; CVWs are shore-based close to each carrier's home port, where they reside when not at sea. In the case of the Tomcat squadrons, the locations are NAS Oceana, Virginia, and NAS Miramar, California. The CVW_ to which a particular aircraft is assigned can be readily identified from the aircraft's tail code letters, with the prefix’A’ indicating Atlantic Fleet and ‘N’ Pacific. ‘The first squadron to receive F-14s was not, however, a sea-going unit but a replacement training squadron (RTS), A sthe US Navy's air defence fighter, the Tomcat is. Below: An F-14A from VF-84 (‘Jolly Rogers’), May 1977. whose task is to introduce the new aircraft to frontline squadrons by promoting familiarisation, preparing standardised syllabi and carrying out tactical training without interruption to the combat status of the operational units concerned; in this sense the RTS is roughly equivalent to an RAF operational conversion unit (OCU). VF-124 (‘Gunfighters’) was issued with its first F-14 late in 1972, at Miramar, and began to train personnel for VF-1 (‘Wolf Pack’) and VF-2 (‘Bounty Hunters’), these two frontline squadrons going to sea for the first time, aboard Enterprise as a component of CVW-14, in September 1974. By this time crews for the first two Atlantic Fleet ‘squadrons, VF-14 (‘Tophatters’) and VF-32 {'Swordsmen’) had worked up with VF-124, moving to Oceana in mid- 1974 and sailing with the carrier John F Kennedy with CVW-1 about a year later. Other squadrons completed training at regular intervals thereafter, until by 1984 all two Light Gull Gray FS.16440 and Insignia White 17875; canopy area is black. fins and nose sash black and yellow and skull and crossbones white with black detail Below: The Tophatters’ of VF-14 were one of the first 1wo Atlantic Fleet F-14 squadrons to commission, and this is one of their aircraft in the scheme of the day, about 1974, Tail codes, in black with red outline, are carried on the inboard surfaces of the vertical fins, with the big red flash and biack and ‘white hat insignia painted outboard. Grumman Corporation Below: A ‘Black Aces’ (VF-41) Tomcat in July 1977 scheme. The squadron insignia on the outboard fin surfaces is black and white, and the diagonal bands are red edged in black; radome and canopy trim are black. Page 32 NAVY VF 40dozen front-line Tomcat units were operational. VF-124, since 1975 aided by VF-101 ('Grim Reapers’) as the East. Coast RTS, then turned its attention to training the first Naval Air Reserve units, VF-301 (‘Devil's Disciples’) and \VF-302 (‘Stallions’). With extra, brand new fleet carriers ‘coming on line during the 1990s, there is plenty of work ahead as well The F-14 has seen some action. The most celebrated incident took place in August 1981 during US Navy exercises off Libya. A pair of Tomeats from VF-41 (‘Black ‘Aces') despatched a pair of Libyan Air Force Su-22 (‘Fitter’) fighters, one of which had let loose a missile at them, deliberately or otherwise. Both the intruding aircraft were downed by AIM-9L Sidewinders, one each. During the US raids on Libya in 1986 Tomcats were again flying ‘for real’ ‘Whether or not Iranian F-14s have been used in anger, during the seven-year war with Iraq is a moot point, but, re ‘most experts have suggested that few aircraft have remained operational, and that those which have flown have not been fully capable, particularly with regard to their AIM-54s, There have been reports of IRIAF Tomcats being employed as radar director ships for F-4 Phantoms, and Iraqi claims of Iranian F-14s being shot down, but, Clearly, the truth is not known, except by those who aren't telling In common with almost all other US military aircraft, F-14s have been the subject of dramatic appearance ‘changes over recent years, the traditional, flamboyant USN colour schemes being discarded in favour of low- contrast grey paintwork. There are many subtle variations, particularly concerning markings, but most F-14s are now to be seen in overall Light Gray 36440 (formerly known as Light Gull Gray), with a smaller number wearing the tactical scheme of greys 35237, 36320 and 36375. Above: A 1982 photo of a VF-1 Tomcat equipped with empty Phoenix pallets and a pair of drop tanks. Although in low-visibilty finish, the arcraft has standard-size national markings. Grumman Corporation Above: Half-way house: an F-14A of VF.31 ‘Tomeatters’ with its base paintwork in overall 16440 but retaining orange-red tail bands and ventral fins and standard: finish national markings, 1981, Squadron-applied letters and numerals are black with a white and black shadow’ effect. ‘Felix the Cat’ appears near the engine intake, n black and white with orange bomb sparks. Right: This VF-142 (Ghost Riders’) F-14A was photographed in 1976. Tail trim, codes, nose sash and nose numerals are yellow and black, and the main radome appears in tan and white. Richard ( Ward Page 33GRUMMAN F-14A TOMCAT, VF-2, NAS MIRAMAR, MAY 1985SQUADRON SERVICE oS Arrraft numbers: Gray 1608 refer to Federal Standard (FS) 595a listings st plate Gunblas Natural rTOMCAT ‘Above: Preparing for launch from the cartier Saratoga during January 1986 exercises in the Mediterranean. Note the catapult drag link positioned in the shuttle and the drooped leading-edge flaps. The aircraft, from VF-74 ‘Bedevilers’ is armed with Phoenix. US Navy Above: A Tomcat assigned to VF-103 (‘Sluggers’) in the tactical scheme of greys. 35237 (darkest tone), 36320 {and 36375, The tal flash is 36320 edged with yellow and then 35237, and all markings. are 35237. Date is 1984 Note Phoenix missile pallets Left: AVF-2 Tomcat is towed away from the fight ine at Miramar, May 1985, The aircraft isin ‘text book’ finish, inthe scheme detailed on pages 34-35. Crew names and nicknames pilot Lt Dale Rogers (‘Trigger’) and FIO Lt Tom Flournoy (‘Slick’) appear along the canopy framing, and note that no ejection seat warning tangles are painted on this side of the aircraft Below: Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force Tomcat, about 1984, operational status unknown, Camouflage paint is green 34079, brown 30140 and tan 20400, with pale grey 36622 undersides and a cream-coloured radome.Linewrighes., THE AVIATION EAP Bill Gunston Foreword by David Eagles Technology demonstrator for the future European Fighter Aircraft, British Aerospace's Experimental Aircraft Programme is the most advanced military aircraft ever built in Britain, This book describes its design and development in words and pictures. PP, 7Bphotos, 12 line di GRUMMAN xX-29 Bill Gunston Foreword by Chuck Sewell ‘The first book to present a detailed analysis of the forward-swept-wing X.29, vividly illustrated throughout with black-and-white and full-colour photos showing the aircraft under construction, in flight and in close. up. 369. 65 photos, Bline drawings HUNTER SQUADRONS Richard L Ward Aphoto-packed volume tracing the British service history of one of the outstanding combat aircraft of the postwar era (6809, 201 photos, 67 ne drawings AEROGUIDES ‘The best-selling series devoted to modern military aircraft, each book packed with original close-up photos and super-quality line drawings, IBRARY & backed with a punchy text and detailed captions. All titles from No 9 onwards have four pages of vivid colour photography, and each book has a full-colour cover with a dramatic presentation profile. 1: HAWK British Aerospace Hawk TMk 1 32pp. 62 photos. 9 ine drawings 2: JAGUAR, SEPECAT Jaguar GR Mk1 32pp, 66 photos. 12 line drawings 5: BUCCANEER Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S Mk 2 32pp, 71 photos, 9 ne drawings 6: VULCAN, ‘Avro Vulcan 8 Mk 2/Mk 2K 22pp, 71 photos, 9 ne drawings 7: CANBERRA English Electric Canberra B Mk 2/7 Mk & pp. 75 photos. 9 ine drawings 8: LIGHTNING BAC Lightning F Mk 3/Mk6 32pp, 71 photos, 9 line drawings 9: HUNTER, Hawker Hunter F Mk 6/T Mk7 36pp, 74 photos, 9 line drawings 10: SEA KING Westland Sea King HAR Mk3 ‘36pp, 90 photos, 10 ne drawings 11: VICTOR Handley Page Victor K Mk2 36pp, 117 photos, 12 ne drawings 12: HARRIER Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR Mk 3/7 Mk a ‘36pp. 80 photos. 11 Ine drawings 13: PHANTOM McDonnell Phantom FG Mk VEGR Mk 2 36pp, 101 photos, 12 ine drawings 14: SKYHAWK ‘McDonnell Douglas A-4M Skyhawk 36pp, 81 photos, 10 line drawings 1: INTRUDER Grumman A-6E Intruder ‘36p, 89 photos, 14 line drawings 16: HARRIER Il MeDonnell Douglas AV-88 Harrier I ‘36pp, 84 photos, Bline drawings 17: TOMCAT Grumman F-14A Tomcat 36pp. 92 photos. 9 ne drawings 18: FIGHTING FALCON General Dynamics F-16A/B/CID Fighting Falcon ‘3690. c85 photos, 10 ine drawings 19: EAGLE McDonnell Douglas F-15A/BICID Eagle 36pp. 685 photos. ¢10 ne drawings 20: HORNET McDonnell Douglas F-18A Hornet 36pp. 685 photos. €10 ne drawings Further titles in preparation AEROGUIDE CLASSICS Companion series to the standard AEROGUIDES, covering famous aircraft from past eras. Carefully selected archive photos, specially prepared close-ups, detailed scale colour plans, a magnificent cutaway drawing and a full-colour cover with a super colour profile ~ all adding up toa feast of interest to delight the enthusiast! SPITFIRE = \ ME"O9S VA EMS 1: SPITFIRE Supermarine Spitfire Mk V 2pp, 68 photos, 17 ne drawings 2: ME 109 Messerschmitt 8t 109 9.78 photos. 26 line drawings 3: LANCASTER ‘Avro Lancaster B Mk! 32pp, 94 photos, 21 line drawings Further titles in preparation LINEWRIGHTS LTD, 118 HIGH STREET, CHIPPING ONGAR, ESSEX CM5 SEB, ENGLANDBepuymeca x oenabnenuso Grumman F-14A Tomcat