BAD NEWS: Grumman F-14 Tomcat finally retired

Originally posted by waynos

Originally posted by Dragon12
I'm no expert, but didnt the US sell us here in Australia the f-111's, which were replaced by F-14's.

We are still flying the F-111's in Australia, they seem to think they will be on active service for at least another 5 or 10 years.

So we are still using tech 3 generations behind?

No. The F-14 only replaced the F-111 in the sense that the version that was meant to be the USN's new fighter, called the F-111B, was scrapped and the F-14 developed instead.

The F-111 as bought by Australia was the original USAF bomber version and they were all built new, to order, specially for the RAAF, if extremely late and overbudget.

Australia only bought the F-111 in the first place because of a determined campaign by Lord Mountbatten to kill the TSR 2 which, with help from the USA and Britains own government, was sadly successful.

[edit on 25-9-2006 by waynos]

I wonder what would of happened if Lord Mountbatten had shut his cake hole or head smacked in just days prior,
the RAF and RAAF would still be using the TSR 2.
But not taking anything away from the F111 as shes a wicked beast.

so long sea warrior...


Here's an unusual one i found a F-111 in roulettes colours


just imagine the RAAF Roulettes flying F111's on the airshow circuit...

[edit on 26-9-2006 by Jezza]

The GD(Now Boeing) F-111 Aardvark is well older than the Northrop-Grumman
F-14 Tomcat and is still going to fly for 15ish years more down under. Just think it lead to the younger Tomcat that has been retired just a few days ago.

The F-111 Aardvark is deffo the F-14 Tomcats older brother, I have always seen it like that.

Waynos, Will there ever be an F-14 Tomcat sold to a British Aircraft Museum?.

Anythings possible Browno, I'd certainly like to see one arrive at Newark, which is my closest museum, lol.

BTW, Didn't GD get absorbed by Lockheed Martin, rather than Boeing?

Originally posted by Jezza

Here's an unusual one i found a F-111 in roulettes colours

just imagine the RAAF Roulettes flying F111's on the airshow circuit...

[edit on 26-9-2006 by Jezza]

Hmm the Roulettes is the name of the RAAF display team and also the name for a game of pure chance? - obviously not a suspicious lot these Aussies

Originally posted by mojoberg
the f14 was or is a very dramatic looking aircraft very menacing looking. But i feel it has been overated mainly due to the film Topgun. But has the f14 really been tested in combat doing the job it was designed to do. I know it has a handful of air to air kills over Iraq and Libya also was the phoenix missile unreliable and expensive?

Here is the combat record of the F-14 Tomcat: 135 kills with 5 losses.
61 of the kills, that is 45%, were achieve with the Phoenix missile.


Air victories: 134 + 1 missile

09.1980 F-14A (USN) - 1 x F-4E (Iran)
7.09.1980 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Mi-25 (Irak)
14.09.1980 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Su-20 (Irak)
- 1 x MiG-21 (Irak)
23.09.1980 F-14A (Iran) - 2 x MiG-21 (Irak)
- 2 x MiG-23 (Irak)
24.09.1980 F-14A (Iran) - 3 x MiG-21MF (Irak)
5.09.1980 F-14A (Iran) - 2 x MiG-21MF (Irak)
- 3 x MiG-23BN (Irak)
2.10.1980 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-23MS (Irak)
12.10.1980 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Su-20 (Irak)
13.10.1980 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-23BN (Irak)
18.10.1980 F-14A (Iran) - 2 x MiG-23BN (Irak)
20.10.1980 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-21MF (Irak)
22.10.1980 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-21MF (Irak)
25.10.1980 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Su-20 (Irak)
26.10.1980 F-14A (Iran) - 2 x MiG-21MF (Irak)
29.10.1980 F-14A (Iran) - 4 x MiG-23MLA (Irak)
- 1 x Tu-22B (Irak)
10.11.1980 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-23BN (Irak)
21.11.1980 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-21 (Irak)
27.11.1980 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-21MF (Irak)
2.12.1980 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-21MF (Irak)
10.12.1980 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Su-20 (Irak)
22.12.1980 F-14A (Iran) - 2 x fighter (Irak)
30.12.1980 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-21MF (Irak)
7.01.1981 F-14A (Iran) - 3 x MiG-23BN (Irak)
29.01.1981 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Su-22 (Irak)
21.04.1981 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-23BN (Irak)
15.05.1981 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-21MF (Irak)
19.08.1981 F-14A (USN) - 2 x Su-22 (Libya)
22.10.1981 F-14A (Iran) - 3 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
- 1 x MiG-21MF (Irak)
11.12.1981 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
- 1 x MiG-21 (Irak)
12.12.1981 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
14.12.1981 F-14A (Iran) - 2 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
1982 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25RB (Irak)
21.07.1982 F-14A (Iran) - 3 x MiG-23MF (Irak)
16.09.1982 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25RB (Irak)
10.10.1982 F-14A (Iran) - 2 x MiG-23BN (Irak)
7.11.1982 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Su-22 (Irak)
21.11.1982 F-14A (Iran) - 2 x MiG-23MF (Irak)
- 1 x MiG-21MF (Irak)
1.12.1982 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25RB (Irak)
4.12.1982 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25PD (Irak)
21.01.1983 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-23BN (Irak)
28.07.1983 F-14A (Iran) - 2 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
6.08.1983 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25RB (Irak)
31.08.1983 F-14A (Iran) - 2 x Su-22 (Irak)
09.1982 F-14A (Iran) - 2 x Su-22 (Irak)
10.1982 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Su-22 (Irak)
25.02.1984 F-14A (Iran) - 2 x MiG-21bis (Irak)
- 2 x fighter (Irak)
1.03.1984 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Su-22 (Irak)
25.03.1984 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Tu-22B (Irak)
6.04.1984 F-14A (Iran) - 2 x Tu-22B (Irak)
26.07.1984 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Super Etendard (Irak)
03.1985 F-14A (Iran) - 2 x MiG-27 (Russia)
26.03.1985 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
1986 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25BM (Russia)
15.02.1986 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25RB (Irak)
14.03.1986 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Mirage 5SDE (Egypt)
12.07.1986 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-23ML (Irak)
3.09.1986 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25RB (Irak)
7.10.1986 F-14A (Iran) - 2 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
14.10.1986 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-23ML (Irak)
24.10.1986 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Su-22 (Irak)
18.02.1987 F-14A (Iran) - 3 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
20.02.1987 F-14A (Iran) - 3 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
24.02.1987 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-23BN (Irak)
- 1 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
24.06.1987 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x SA321 (Irak)
29.08.1987 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
31.08.1987 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
11.11.1987 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25BM (Russia)
15.11.1987 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
02.1988 F-14A (Iran) - 2 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
9.02.1988 F-14A (Iran) - 3 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
15.02.1988 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
16.02.1988 F-14A (Iran) - 2 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
25.02.1988 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Xian B-6D (Irak)
- 1 x C601 missile (Irak)
1.03.1988 F-14A (Iran) - 1 X Su-20 (Irak)
3.03.1988 F-14A (Iran) - 1 X Su-20 (Irak)
18.02.1988 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
19.03.1988 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25RBS (Irak)
20.03.1988 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25RB (Irak)
22.03.1988 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x MiG-25RB (Irak)
24.03.1988 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
4.05.1988 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
15.05.1988 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
14.06.1988 F-14A (Iran) - 1 x Mirage F1EQ (Irak)
4.01.1989 F-14A (USN) - 2 x MiG-23 (Libya)
6.02.1991 F-14A (USN) - 1 x Mi-17 (Irak)


Losses in air to air combat: 5

12.1980 MiG-21bis (Irak) - 1 x F-14A (Iran)
11.08.1984 MiG-23ML (Irak) - 1 x F-14A (Iran)
17.01.1987 MiG-23ML (Irak) - 1 x F-14A (Iran)
19.07.1988 Mirage F1EQ (Irak) - 2 x F-14A (Iran)

Sorry but i will ALWAYS remember the f-14 as the AVRO ARROW stolen from Canada.
May she rest peacefully