Tamiya TAM61114 1/48 Grumman F-14A Tomcat Plastic Model Airplane Kit, Navy

Product Information

A beautifully carved 18-inch solid wood F-14 Tomcat with moveable swept wings of the VF-21 Freelancers! Cheney's cancellation of the F-14D and A-6F was controversial and contributed heavily to Grumman's decline and resulting acquisition by Northrop Corporation to form Northrop Grumman. VF-11 Red Rippers (1997) F-14a Model Fly with the VF-11 Red Rippers (1997) in this hand crafted F-14a Tomcat Model. Scott Altman – former NASA astronaut and commander of Space Shuttle missions STS-109 (2002) and STS-125 (2009).

Throughout its service, the F-14 broke barriers and set records, including being one of the first aircraft to engage an enemy fighter with a long-range Phoenix missile, showcasing its capabilities that would go on to influence future generations of aircraft design. Initially, the hand controller replaced the RIO's TARPS control panel, meaning a Tomcat configured for LANTIRN could not carry TARPS and the reverse, but eventually a workaround was later developed to allow a Tomcat to carry LANTIRN or TARPS as needed. The modified missiles were successfully tested in 1986 and one or two were used in combat, but the project was abandoned due to guidance problems.The flat area of the fuselage between the nacelles is used to contain fuel and avionics systems, such as the wing-sweep mechanism and flight controls, as well as weaponry since the wings are not used for carrying ordnance. On 17 January 1987, another Iranian F-14A was shot down; according to some sources it was shot down by a MiG-23ML. One of two Tomcat squadrons per airwing was designated as a TARPS unit and received 3 TARPS capable aircraft.

While the F-14 had been developed as a lightweight alternative to the 80,000 lb (36,000 kg) F-111B, the F-14 was still the heaviest and most expensive fighter of its time. They were also crucial to the defense of areas deemed vital by the Iranian government, such as oil terminals on Kharg Island and industrial infrastructure in the capital Tehran. VF-124 Gunfighters F-14a (1990) model Relive flying one of the greatest Navy fighter jets in this carefully carved and painted F-14a model of the VF-124 Gunfighters. During the same period, only one Iranian F-14 suffered damage after being hit by debris from a nearby MiG-21 that exploded.

Aviation Week estimated it had 19 operational F-14s in January 2013, [105] and FlightGlobal estimated that 28 were in service in 2014. While Iraq's army claimed it shot down more than 70 F-14s, the Foreign Broadcast Information System in Washington DC estimated that Iran lost 12 to 16 F-14s during the war. Following the Iranian Revolution in 1979, the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force used them during the Iran–Iraq War.