Next F-14 video by MagzTV

Man I just love watching anything F-14 related at the moment! This was actually a very good video, though I found his comments about the FM very contradictory to everything I’ve read and seen so far. He mentions that the Tomcat is nearly idiot proof and that it feels much like a FBW airframe. Though from what Jabbers and Ralfie have said, it’s apparently very hands on and will punish any inputs that aren’t correct to the situation. He even mentions that it’s very hard to stall and that you have to nearly enduce a flat spin providing thrust isn’t asymmetrical. Just found that strange that his views could be so different. Either way I’m happy!

His description is 100% accurate. The spins and stalls are way blown out of proportion. The airframe is more advanced than the Hornet- just a huge RCS target. In the 1970s they didn't know you could spin the tomcat- they thought it was unspinnable and flew the jets at +9/-4g.

Then the fleet really used it and things started happening. Its not a doomsday widow maker that armchair commandoes believe.

An F14B disintegrated at ~Mach 1.5 on a simple training flight killing a RIO that I had flown with for a couple of years. It was caused by an eddy in the burner section that resulted in a burn through of the burner can. The flame plume cut the hydraulic lines to the stabilator, which cases an instant and severe asymmetry that ripped the airplane apart. This happened several times until circumstances allowed for proper investigation.

 

People die in this business, so why would anyone intentionally attempt to severely over stress an airframe, just for kicks?

 

Don’t believe the BS you hear about the “celebrity” F14 pilots. Almost all of it is self promotion being parroted by those who are easily duped.

That was the Thief of Baghdad F-14B correct?

Didn’t watch the video, but the the B and D had engine mount issues that the A didn’t. Would break the engines, but you could break the mounts. No problems with the A.

 

Structurally, twisting of the airframe under rolling G was perhaps the biggest threat. Grumman came up with an external brace called “The Staple” to reduce cracking. The G limit was artificially low, and the airplanes were over stressed often.

The B and D had engine mount issues?