Grumman F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a carrier-based fighter famous for its variable-sweep 'swing wings', which angle forward for efficient carrier landings and sweep back for high-speed intercept missions. Its long-range Phoenix missiles and powerful radar were designed specifically to intercept Soviet bombers far from a carrier group, a mission unique among Cold War-era fighters. Popularised worldwide by the film Top Gun, it became one of the most recognisable fighter silhouettes of its era. The US Navy retired it in 2006 in favour of the F/A-18 Super Hornet, though Iran still operates a small surviving fleet.
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Did you know?
The F-14 Tomcat's variable-sweep wings angled forward for carrier landings and swept back for high-speed intercept missions.
Specifications
| Length | 19.1 m (63 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 19.6 m (64 ft) |
| Height | 4.9 m (16 ft) |
| Persons on board | 2 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 33.7 t |
| Range | 1,600 NM (2,963 km) |
| Maximum speed | 1,220 kt (2,259 km/h) |
| Stall speed | 115 kt (213 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 53,000 ft (16,154 m) |
| Rate of climb | 45,000 ft/min (228.6 m/s) |
| Take-off distance | 427 m (1,401 ft) |
| Landing distance | 900 m (2,953 ft) |
| Fuel capacity | 9,000 l |
| Engines | 2x General Electric F110 or Pratt & Whitney TF30 |
| Units built | 712 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Grumman F-14 Tomcat starts as a Legendary catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you. The first catch of a legendary type pays a bonus of its own.
A catch counts for the manufacturer Grumman, the F-14 Tomcat family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
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