A F-14 article for Astro
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That’s an interesting take on crews at the end of the article. 
I completely agree - I was there when we picked up the LANTIRN and the CAS mission. The young guys embraced the role - when some of the old guys were still stuck in the “not a pound for air to ground” mentality of the fleet air defense machine we had been since inception.
Some.
Not all.
When we were in Fallon in late 1995, and the Tomcat Squadrons got their first LANTIRN pods, our air wing commander, a former F4 driver, and current Hornet pilot, had Tomcats doing all the strike and Hornets flying the pure air to air missions.
The Hornet guys weren’t happy, but the Tomcat guys were ecstatic, we got to flex a new set of capabilities. I am certain I talked about it in my thread on the F-14, but one of the big advantages of the F-14 in the air to ground role, particularly when it came to close air support, was the ability of the airplane to “bring back “more weight. There was a lot more room between the aircraft zero fuel weight and max landing weight, and you could use that for both ordnance and fuel, where the Hornet was really tight. So the Hornet had to expend the Air to ground ordnance on the mission, or jettison it if it wasn’t needed on the mission, which made for a real lack of flexibility, and frankly a waste of money, if we were carrying precision guided munitions.
We embraced the close support mission. One of the other advantages of the F-14 was the second set of eyeballs and the second brain to run weapon system and communications while the pilot was busy, maneuvering the airplane in a hostile environment.
I knew that “Hey Joe“ Parsons was working on another book. Sounds like I would enjoy it. I’ll have to hit him up for a copy.
Tony Holmes is working on another F-14 book, too. Should be out by the end of the year, I think.
By the way, the picture of the F-14 going vertical with bombs in the belly was VF-84. The pilot was Matt ”Speedy” Beck and the photographer was “Hey Joe” Parsons. It was a part of a photo shoot that put the F-14 on the cover of ”Aviation Week & Space Technology” - a flight of three, one equipped with the TARPS system, one loaded for air to air, and one loaded for air to ground.
Here is another shot from that day.
I completely agree - I was there when we picked up the LANTIRN and the CAS mission. The young guys embraced the role - when some of the old guys were still stuck in the “not a pound for air to ground” mentality of the fleet air defense machine we had been since inception.
Some.
Not all.
When we were in Fallon in late 1995, and the Tomcat Squadrons got their first LANTIRN pods, our air wing commander, a former F4 driver, and current Hornet pilot, had Tomcats doing all the strike and Hornets flying the pure air to air missions.
The Hornet guys weren’t happy, but the Tomcat guys were ecstatic, we got to flex a new set of capabilities. I am certain I talked about it in my thread on the F-14, but one of the big advantages of the F-14 in the air to ground role, particularly when it came to close air support, was the ability of the airplane to “bring back “more weight. There was a lot more room between the aircraft zero fuel weight and max landing weight, and you could use that for both ordnance and fuel, where the Hornet was really tight. So the Hornet had to expend the Air to ground ordnance on the mission, or jettison it if it wasn’t needed on the mission, which made for a real lack of flexibility, and frankly a waste of money, if we were carrying precision guided munitions.
We embraced the close support mission. One of the other advantages of the F-14 was the second set of eyeballs and the second brain to run weapon system and communications while the pilot was busy, maneuvering the airplane in a hostile environment.
I knew that “Hey Joe“ Parsons was working on another book. Sounds like I would enjoy it. I’ll have to hit him up for a copy.
Tony Holmes is working on another F-14 book, too. Should be out by the end of the year, I think.
By the way, the picture of the F-14 going vertical with bombs in the belly was VF-84. The pilot was Matt ”Speedy” Beck and the photographer was “Hey Joe” Parsons. It was a part of a photo shoot that put the F-14 on the cover of ”Aviation Week & Space Technology” - a flight of three, one equipped with the TARPS system, one loaded for air to air, and one loaded for air to ground.
Here is another shot from that day.
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This is interesting and all but I think we all want to know the answer to the more important question. Are you 5'11 or taller?That’s an interesting take on crews at the end of the article.
I completely agree - I was there when we picked up the LANTIRN and the CAS mission. The young guys embraced the role - when some of the old guys were still stuck in the “not a pound for air to ground” mentality of the fleet air defense machine we had been since inception.
Some.
Not all.
When we were in Fallon in late 1995, and the Tomcat Squadrons got their first LANTIRN pods, our air wing commander, a former F4 driver, and current Hornet pilot, had Tomcats doing all the strike and Hornets flying the pure air to air missions.
The Hornet guys weren’t happy, but the Tomcat guys were ecstatic, we got to flex a new set of capabilities. I am certain I talked about it in my thread on the F11, but one of the big advantages of the F11 in the air to ground roll, particularly when it came to close air support was the ability of the airplane to “bring back “more weight. There was a lot more room between the aircraft zero fuel weight and max landing weight, and you could use that for both ordnance and fuel, where the Hornet was really tight. So the Hornet had to expend the Air to ground ordnance on the mission, which made for a real lack of flexibility, and frankly a waste of money, if we were carrying precision guided munitions.
We embraced the close support mission. One of the other advantages of the F-14 was the second set of eyeballs and the second brain to run weapon system and communications while the pilot was busy, maneuvering the airplane in a hostile environment.
I knew that “Hey Joe“ Parsons was working on another book. Sounds like I would enjoy it. I’ll have to hit him up for a copy.
Tony Holmes is working on another F-14 book, too. Should be out by the end of the year, I think.
By the way, the picture of the F-14 going vertical with bombs in the belly was VF-84. The pilot was Matt ”Speedy” Beck and the photographer was “Hey Joe” Parsons. It was a part of a photo shoot that put the F-14 on the cover of ”Aviation Week & Space Technology” - a flight of three, one equipped with the TARPS system, one loaded for air to air, and one loaded for air to ground.
Here is another shot from that day.
View attachment 200241
jk
I’m 6’1”, so…This is interesting and all but I think we all want to know the answer to the more important question. Are you 5'11 or taller?
I’m 6’1”, so…
I remember David James Elliott on J.A.G. where it seemed rather unrealistic that his character would be a former F-14 pilot since he's 6'4".
The really weird case was David Robinson. Came close to being over the Naval Academy height limit. I heard he needed a waiver even at 6'7" but at 7'1" no way could he serve on a ship or as a pilot. I don't think think he would have been allowed to fly even if didn't grow. Still - once I went on a tour of a destroyer and our guide was a Chief Petty Officer who was 6'6". He was careful around everything.
The F-14 actually had a really roomy cockpit - my old XO, a guy named John Stufflebeem - played pro football for the Lions after graduating from the naval Academy. He had no problem fitting in the cockpit.
Lots of big guys in the F-14. 6’ 4” would fit, easily. The seat was also good up to 240 lbs, I think.
I think David Robinson simply wanted out of the Navy, so he could go make millions in basketball. I’ve seen other people in the navy that were his height, somehow, they weren’t let out of their commitment to pay back their Academy education.
though, to be fair, 7’1” would be a problem on every ship, and there was no airplane in which he would fit.
Lots of big guys in the F-14. 6’ 4” would fit, easily. The seat was also good up to 240 lbs, I think.
I think David Robinson simply wanted out of the Navy, so he could go make millions in basketball. I’ve seen other people in the navy that were his height, somehow, they weren’t let out of their commitment to pay back their Academy education.
though, to be fair, 7’1” would be a problem on every ship, and there was no airplane in which he would fit.
Maybe a plane based on an airliner? I understand that even the US Navy has shore based planes. The P-3 seemed rather roomy.
