Grumman F-14 Tomcat

With the failure of the F-111B program, the U.S. Navy began seeking a new aircraft with variable wing geometry for use as a carrier-based long-range interceptor jet. Grumman responded with the G-303 model, and within two years began delivering the F-14 Tomcat in 1972. The aircraft was used in the intercept role, air reconnaissance role, and the ground-attack role with the addition of the LANTIRN laser-guidance system. The plane has been used by the Navy for over two decades, with 712 airframes being built. The F-14 was retired by the Navy in 2006, to be replaced by the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

The plane has a crew of two: driver (pilot) and RIO (radio intercept officer). It is typically armed with a single 20mm cannon in the nose, two AIM-9 Sidewinders, two AIM-54 Phoenix, and three AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missiles. Alternatively, the F-14 can carry 14,500 lbs. of other external stores, including two 267-gallon external fuel tanks, GBU-12D/B Paveway II 500-lb. laser-guided bombs, GBU-24A/B Paveway III 2,000-lb. laser-guided bombs, GBU-16 Paveway II 1,000-lb. laser-guided bombs Mk 82 500-lb. bombs, Snakeye 500-lb. retarded bombs, Mk 83 AIR 1,000-lb. retarded bombs, LAU-97 4-round rocket launchers, and/or 127mm Zuni FFAR rockets. The Tomcat burns 1,254 gallons of jet fuel per hour of routine usage. It has a combat radius of 197 miles with four AIM-54s, two AIM-7s, two AIM-9s and external fuel.

Grumman F-14A Tomcat

Subassemblies: Body +4, High-Agility Wings with Variable Sweep +3, 4 retractable small Wheels +0.

Powertrain: Two 20,900-lb. thrust Turbofans with Afterburners, 2,300-kWs advanced battery.

Fuel: 2,385 gallons jet fuel (Fire 13) in light self-sealing fuel tanks (Fire +1).

Occupancy: 2 NCS.

Cargo: 0.

Armor F RL B T U

All: 4/25 4/25 4/25 4/25 4/25

Weaponry:

20mm Cannon/M61A1 Vulcan [Body:F] (676 rounds SAPHE).

2x127mm IR-homing missiles/AIM-9L Sidewinder [Wings:U].

2x380mm AIM-54A Phoenix [Body:U]

3x203mm AIM-7 Sparrow [Wings:U]

or 14,500-lbs. of alternate disposable ordnance [Body/Wings:U].

Equipment:

Body: Long range radio, navigation instruments, IFF, autopilot, arrestor hook, two ejection seats, refueling probe, terrain following radar, advanced radar detector, HUDWAC, decoy discharger with 6 chaff/flare reloads, flight recorder, digital recon camera, dedicated targeting computer, thermograph, laser designator, 0.5 man/days limited life support, centerline hardpoints. Wings: Hardpoints.

Statistics:

Size: 62'x64'x16' Payload: 15.9 tons Lwt.: 36 tons

Volume: 1,193 cf. Maint.: 15 hours Price: $1,742,243

HT: 12. HPs: 3,282 Body, 1,695 each Wing, 222 each Wheel.

aSpeed: 1544 aAccel: 12/19 aDecel: 51 aMR: 13 aSR: 4

Stall Speed: 132 mph. Take-Off Run: 467 yards. Landing Run: 967 yards.

gSpeed: 545/700 gAccel: 27/35 gDecel: 10/80 gMR: 0.25 gSR: 3

Ground Pressure Extremely High. No Off-Road speed.

Design Notes:

Body is 870 cf; wheels are 43.5 cf; wings are 323 cf. Wing volume was reverse-calculated from historical wing area. Structure is Extra-Heavy, Standard with Very Good Streamlining. The design warrants Superior Streamlining in order to exceed 740 mph (see p. VE135), but this inflated top speed by 28% over the historical. Armor is expensive metal. Mechanical controls. Design Loaded weight is 70,212 lbs.; this was increased 2.5% to the actual value. Historical values for wing area and loaded weight were used for performance calculations. See p. VE160 for the effects of swept wings on performance. Design aSpeed is 1,188 mph, 1,526 mph with afterburner. Design stall speeds were 173 mph, or 87 mph with wings extended. The historical top speed, stall speed in landing configuration, take-off run, and landing run are shown above. -13 mph to aSpeed per loaded hardpoint. Historical cost was $38 million in 1998.

Variants:

The F-14B and F-14D feature improved afterburning turbofans with 27,600 lbs. of thrust.

From the Aerodrome for GURPS