F14 Tomcat US navy swing wing fleet defence aircraft

F14 Tomcat	The F14 Tomcat is Grumman's carrier based swing wing fleet defense fighter. It began it's life in 1969 as the winner of a US navy directive for a two seat multi-role carrier combat plane. The aircraft had an eventful birth, the first development Tomcat crashed on the 30th December 1970 on landing approach. It took until May the following year for it's replacement to get airborne. First operational sorties of the F14 were made in 1974 off the USS Enterprise.
Tomcats are capable of air superiority tasks and surface attack missions. A total of 14,500 lbs ordnance can be carried. This can consist of Phoenix, sidewinder, Sparrow, or many different kinds of surface attack weapons. It also has a built in 20mm Vulcan cannon for dealing with anything that gets much within a mile range. Max speed is over Mach 2 when it's two 21,000 lb P&W tubofans are at full reheat. The variable wing geometry gives the Tomcat a span of 68ft at 20 degrees of sweep and 38ft at 68 degrees.	F14 Tomcat with wings tucked back
F14 Tomcat refueling	F14 Tomcats have served around the globe wherever the American navy chooses to deploy it's influence. They patroled the skies above the fleet day and night on CAP (Combat Air Patrol) missions creating a zone of control over a hundred miles wide, thus providing protection to the fleet's ships from any enemy aircraft and surface ships. The Tomcat was used in the Gulf during 2003 performing a multitude of missions there. Sadly now the Tomcat has been retired from Navy service.

Tomcat plactic model kit made by Tamiya

There are numerous plastic model kits available for the Grumman Tomcat aircraft. Amongst the makers of aircraft kits are Airfix who make a 1/72 scale F14A, Tamiya make a large 1/32 scale version of the plane (pictured left) and Italeri who manufacture a 1/72 model of the aircraft.