Warbird Information Exchange

Hey gang,

Associated Press today published a story on the destruction of F-14's and it can be found at:

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/ ... TE=DEFAULT

I think it's a pretty balanced story... Dale "Snort" Snodgrass is quoted a few times and the bloated cost of "shredding" an F-14 is prominant in there. What does everyone else think?

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Ryan Keough
Stow, MA

I think it is a waste. There is no reason why they can't save some for museums. This is what happens when people that don't know what they are doing are put in charge of things. I have been trying to contact the Naval Aviation Museum in an effort to save at least the nose art panel of an F-14 named Miss Molly, but they will not return my e-mails or calls.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Director

That is one job you couldn't pay me enough to do, seeing the video seemed surreal, those machines picked, pulled and chewed up the planes like something in an alien horror flic

Todd

You gotta wonder, why the rush ? If they are secure at AMARC why not hold the last flyers for war reserve ? They certainly have service life left in them. Apparently they are still lethal, capable weapons.

Almost sounds like another T-3 program.

I heard first hand they are keeping 2 dozen for ready war reserve .. The ones with the GE engines

I can see it now 30- 40 years from now they will be nogation to get what is left of the F-14 that were sold to Iran and they will be offering some un herad amount When right now and Here they could get one in great shap. Seem that we have been here before 50 years ago when the Confederate Air Force Was one of next to none that was doing anything to SAVE em from the Smelter ! Sad very Sad indeed

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Always Keep Em Flying !

Glen

Lookie Capt Jim! Wham! Wham! ...............................Termights

Hey Mustang,

I assume you are thinking of the one that VF-111 flew in the early 90s. That plane served with at least two other squadrons after the Sundowners were disestablished. It retired to AMARG in 2001 out of VF-101. It had to have been repainted at least twice in that time, so the nose art is long gone.

James

Betcha the Iranians are laughing over this news story. We're doing a really stupid thing, just to keep them from getting a few parts. If they're so desparate to get parts for their F-14s, then I'm not worried about their Air Force.
It's not like they can't get new SUs from the Russians or Chinese either... I say let them have a part here or there and don't worry about it. Just build a few more F-22s and let them know that if they do anything stupid, we're not afraid to use a tactical nuke on whatever airbase the F-14s are at.
Above all, stop the waste of those F-14s.

Ryan

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Aerial Photographer with Red Wing Aerial Photography currently based at KRBD and tailwheel CFI.
Websites: Texas Tailwheel Flight Training, DoolittleRaid.com and Lbirds.com.

The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. - Prov. 21:31 - Train, Practice, Trust.

Since I have been known at times to have a slightly warped perspective.... I am going to throw this out there (shields up, waiting to get flamed)...... Even though the tooling had long since (supposedly) been destroyed for the F-14 (didn't Cheney order that?), the Tomcat (IMHO) is still twice the airplane the Hornet will ever be. So, as long as F-14 airframes are handy, it would always be possible to refurb and upgrade this great bird. Now that the F-14's are being dis-membered... the F/A-18 is now #1 by default...... The Iran parts stuff, I take it to be a pure smoke screen....... I mean really, if the Hornet is so superior, then why is the US Govt worried about a few old F-14's Alan

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Just call me Al.

Has anyone read recently of the readiness of the Iranian F-14s? Do they actually have any that can still fly? It's been almost 30 years since they first received them.

That seems like a lot of money to me. I really hope that the Feds are going to get something back for the scrap value, at least.

Or, does the company doing the demolition get to keep the pieces?

Anyone know how this works?

I remember my Uncle talking about the Tomcats that were transferred to the Iranian AF. I think he might of actually help ferry them over there.

Anyways the he said that when the Shah was overthrown the existing fleet of Tomcats was in the middle of an avioics package upgrade. And with the embargo put in place and the U.S. refusing to assist with parts or support it left the Tomcats neutered. He said all they could do was High Speed Taxis. And then of course the Russians stepped in and solved the Avioics delema for Iranians for the small fee of getting a close look at the U.S.'s frontline fighter.


Shay
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Semper Fortis

Air & Space did a nice write up on the Iranian F-14's a few months back when the Tomcats were retired. It was a whole Tomcat tribute issue.

The article did mention the readiness of the Iranian birds, but I dont recall what they said specifically. If I remember correctly they said their were only a handful of Iranian birds that were considered operational. Somewhere between a dozen and 18 or so...

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Share your story: Rutgers Oral History Archive http://oralhistory.rutgers.edu/

Is it just me or does anyone else think that there was still a lot of life left in the F-14 program? And that the Tomcat service was ended a little prematurely?

I mean the life of Tomcat platform could of been extended through upgrade programs.

Just look at the B-52s and the EA-6s. The F-35 program with scheduled upgrades is expected to serve for the next 50 years once on step.


Shay
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Semper Fortis

For me personally, nothing is or will be as impressive as the F-14 Tomcat was.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOogqsbxfJo&mode=related&search=


Shay
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Semper Fortis