Cool F15 dogfight video

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

The F-35A isn't meant to be an air superiority fighter though. That's the purview of F-15s and F-22s. It can defend itself in a pinch, but the aforementioned jets are the ones meant to neutralize other fighters... Assuming Raptor pilots don't die of cancer first.

You're right.

[Discuss Thrower]

... and I guess the same applies to the Navy's F-35Cs and the F-18E/Fs in terms of which airframe takes on air superiority and ground attack roles..

[CoMoChief]

Added plus?

Kenneth Loggins is da man brotha. And instead 5FDP had to ruin our ears.

[GloryDayz]

This sucks to hear...

Like the end of the F-14, it's hard to watch bad-ass planes get retired when you know they won't be replaced by enough newer bad-ass planes..

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by GloryDayz

This sucks to hear...

Like the end of the F-14, it's hard to watch bad-ass planes get retired when you know they won't be replaced by enough newer bad-ass planes..

The operational history of the F-14 is pretty funny if you ever feeling like going down that rabbithole.

It was essentially an interceptor built around a missile (the phoenix) in the same way that the A-10 was built around its main gun. The difference is that the phoenix was only fired something like 3 times in combat and it never actually hit what it was aiming at. There's a decent chance that the phoenix wasn't a very good weapon.

That said, it's radar was incredibly sophisticated at the time (it had to be to take advantage of the phoenix's range). It had multi-target capability, fire and forget; all kinds of neat shit. The radar signal was distinct enough that the Tomcat would pick guys up at 100 miles out and as soon as they got pinged they'd recognize the tomcat signature and bug out.

It's hard saying whether or not the F-14 was actually as great an interceptor as its reputation...nobody ever really ****ed with it. There are stories of 8-10 enemy fighters being engaged by 2 Tomcats and before the fighters were even in range to do anything they got the hell out of dodge because the F-14 had already put them in lock.

It was the ultimate in deterrence. The Iranians claim to have put up some pretty impressive air-to-air kill figures with them but as far as I can tell, the US didn't ever really have to put them through their paces - everyone ran away.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

The operational history of the F-14 is pretty funny if you ever feeling like going down that rabbithole.

It was essentially an interceptor built around a missile (the phoenix) in the same way that the A-10 was built around its main gun. The difference is that the phoenix was only fired something like 3 times in combat and it never actually hit what it was aiming at. There's a decent chance that the phoenix wasn't a very good weapon.

That said, it's radar was incredibly sophisticated at the time (it had to be to take advantage of the phoenix's range). It had multi-target capability, fire and forget; all kinds of neat shit. The radar signal was distinct enough that the Tomcat would pick guys up at 100 miles out and as soon as they got pinged they'd recognize the tomcat signature and bug out.

It's hard saying whether or not the F-14 was actually as great an interceptor as its reputation...nobody ever really ****ed with it. There are stories of 8-10 enemy fighters being engaged by 2 Tomcats and before the fighters were even in range to do anything they got the hell out of dodge because the F-14 had already put them in lock.

It was the ultimate in deterrence. The Iranians claim to have put up some pretty impressive air-to-air kill figures with them but as far as I can tell, the US didn't ever really have to put them through their paces - everyone ran away.

That's what over-the-horizon do!

[Dante84]

Yeah, I upgrade to "Early Bird Check-in" on Southwest.

Pretty cool.

[ToxSocks]

This thread really makes me regret not joining the air force coming out of HS. I was offered a free ride in terms of college tuition and my GF at the time talked me into not joining.

My dream as a kid was always to be a fighter pilot.

**** women and college, i shoulda joined the air force.

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by Detoxing

This thread really makes me regret not joining the air force coming out of HS. I was offered a free ride in terms of college tuition and my GF at the time talked me into not joining.

My dream as a kid was always to be a fighter pilot.

**** women and college, i shoulda joined the air force.

Ha! I went in to get away from a chick I was supposed to go to college with (not the ONLY reason, but it was there). Where I ****ed up was not making a career out of it. Never realized how good I had it, especially when I was in Okinawa.

And the Air Force really does (or did) take care of its people.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Bowser

Ha! I went in to get away from a chick I was supposed to go to college with (not the ONLY reason, but it was there). Where I ****ed up was not making a career out of it. Never realized how good I had it, especially when I was in Okinawa.

And the Air Force really does (or did) take care of its people.

I got wait listed for JAG and took another job. I had that job for a few months when the JAG slot opened up but by then I felt committed to the people I was working with (still am) so I didn't take it.

I'm not sure if I regret it or not. Like you've said, the USAF seems to destroy pretty much every other branch of service when it comes to how they take care of their own. I'd be sitting at Major right now which would be a pretty sweet gig but I'd also be looking at getting moved every 3 years or so. Getting stuck in Minot or Canon sure sounds shitty and I'm sure my wife wouldn't have bothered with her masters or anything. All told, I think I made the right call but there are definitely times I wonder.

[Anyong Bluth]

Originally Posted by Bowser

Ha! I went in to get away from a chick I was supposed to go to college with (not the ONLY reason, but it was there). Where I ****ed up was not making a career out of it. Never realized how good I had it, especially when I was in Okinawa.

And the Air Force really does (or did) take care of its people.

They definitely take care of their people! My uncle was a fighter pilot stationed in the Philippines (Clark?) through the 80's.

He's an orthopedic surgeon now, and had all his schooling paid for. He's done quite well for himself, and now owns 2 aircraft for his private enjoyment.

He was just in KC in May to go through instruction and training at Garmin headquarters for one of their newer flight decks. I'm not 100% sure, but I think he just upgraded and got a new bird.

[Donger]

I loved the F-14, but I wouldn't have wanted to be in one this day:



and with audio:

[Donger]

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by Donger

Man toys!!! Sound of freedom....

[Donger]

Originally Posted by GloryDayz

Man toys!!! Sound of freedom....

Yep. "Boys will be boys!" was playing in my head while watching that.