reply to post by FredT
As provided in my previous posted link the aircraft pictured is #106 of the pukin dogs.
And for reference from the faked photo.
The case is closed unless someone can provide me with proof that I've missed something (it happens I'm human).
[edit on 23-1-2008 by Canada_EH]
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I'm sorry if my intent was mistaken - I was not getting involved in the argument on whether or not this aircraft was produced or whether or not those
images are faked. It's easy to tell that a lot of these images are faked - I'm surprised it took three pages to get most people to agree that there
isn't some secret version of the F-14 the government is hiding. I was supplying the image as a "this is neat since y'all are arguing about this
sorta thing." I KNOW there is no three seat F-14, nor a EF-14, nor do I believe that this aircraft was ever produced. However, this was a model
that WAS made at Grumman, and trying to tract down more info on what Grumman was up to is what led me to this site. For the photo in print, check out
the August 2006 issue of Wings magazine (Volume 36, Number 8), page 47.
Not sure when the faked internet photos came out, but I would not be surprised if the AWACS one was made by someone who saw the same photo.
In a non-conspiratorial sense, the model is interesting. Note how there are two racks per wing, and their placement leads me to believe that they
would have done away with the wing sweep mechanisms. This would also make sense considering the high area of drag that is bolted on topside. There
appears to be two fuel tanks - also wise considering the added thirst caused by trying to overcome the drag of the radar. Then there are the
bombs...an odd ordnance for an early warning aircraft...in my honest opinion, someone was probably told to explore other possibilities for the
airframe, and decided that gave them carte blanch to daydream. Perhaps the same model was used to demonstrate their idea of a strike aircraft - thats
the only reason I can imagine that they would have had bombs and not missiles. There is a reason that most AWACS aircraft have turboprops, and are
not based on fighters - they have to stay on station for some time, and need the fuel economy that turboprops afford.
Since nothing worthwhile on the model is coming up online, I am going to try and tract down the editorial staff for the issue, find out where they got
the pic to run in the article, and see if there are perhaps other pics of this model. Planning on building a model of the thing myself - I prefer the
weird...
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