The F-14 Tomcat was the US Navy’s carrier-based two-seat air defence, intercept, strike and reconnaissance aircraft. The aircraft was developed by Northrop Grumman to replace the F-4 Phantom fighter and entered service with the US Navy in 1972.
The F-14B, with an upgraded engine, went into production in 1987. Further upgrades in the radar, avionics and missile capability resulted in the F-14D Super Tomcat which first flew in 1988.
The US Navy operated 338 F-14 aircraft of all three variants, but the aircraft was replaced by the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. In July 2006, the F-14 made its last carrier launch and, on 22 September 2006, the US Navy officially retired the F-14 Tomcat. The F-14 is currently in service with Iran Air Force.
Features
- NASES ejection seats with photo-etched crew restraints
- Detailed cockpits with sharp detail relief
- Positionable boarding ladder
- Positionable canopy
- F110 engines have detailed compressor faces and afterburner chambers
- Choice of open or closed F110 engine nozzles
- Detailed intake trunks from inlet to compressor face
- Detailed landing gear and wheel wells
- Choice of nose gear strut – normal or kneeling
- Positionable leading edge flaps with swept-forward option
- Positionable trailing edge flaps with swept-forward option
- Wings can be posed swept full-forward, full aft (not oversweep), or parked (oversweep)
- Positionable stabilators
- Positionable speed brakes
- Positionable air refueling probe
- Positionable tail hook