History
The
Tomcat's first Operational Decade (1974-1983)
March 27, 2006, 06:22:58 PM by Hey Joe
As the Tomcat heads for its sunset in US
Navy service after completing three and half decades in front line service, it
leaves a legacy of capturing headlines and establishing a devoted following
since its first flight in 1970. The Tomcat was in the news even before it took
form and legend has it that its name was earned in a Congressional Committee
room during testimony on the performance of the ill-fated F-111B that was
having difficulty demonstrating adequate carrier performance. At the time,
Secretary of Defense McNamara had advocated a single aircraft design to meet
the USAF and USN TFX needs yielding the F-111. Although the USAF found the
F-111A satisfactory and made plans to introduce it into service, the Navy was
having a host of problems turning it into a suitable carrier fighter integrated
with the Hughes AWG-9 radar and long range Phoenix missile weapon system.
The timeframe was the height of the cold war and the Navy needed a
Fleet Air Defense interceptor to replace the F-4 Phantom. At the top of the
Navy’s requirements was better range/endurance and longer range radar
multi-shot missile capability. Aerial combat experience in skies over North
Vietnam also added interest in World War II and Korean War style bubble
canopies for better visibility in Air Combat Maneuvering and incorporation of
an internal cannon; neither of which had been features of the F-4 Phantom that
had been designed for speed and missile engagement at Beyond Visual Range
(BVR). With the demise of the F-111B, the Navy had a chance to develop a
replacement for the F-4 that met its needs and that of the Marine Corps, which
was also operating the F-4 Phantom and needed an eventual replacement that
could also perform in the air-to-ground role.
The Navy Fleet Air Defense (FAD) mission requirement had gone
unfulfilled since the late 50s when the F6D Missileer concept had been proposed
to provide the carrier with an platform capable of flying extended Combat Air
Patrol (CAP) missions well away from the carrier to provide the first line of
defense against the threat of long range Soviet bombers equipped with
air-to-surface missiles. In the same timeframe, the USAF had a requirement for
a replacement for the Century series fighter bombers and was looking for a
replacement with high speed performance. Then came McNamara.
On February 16, 1961 the newly installed Secretary of Defense,
Robert McNamara, decreed that the services fulfill their needs with a single
aircraft that would satisfy both the requirements of the Air Force's SOR 183
mission and the Navy FAD mission. McNamara also wanted the aircraft to be used
by the Army and the Marine Corps as a close-support aircraft in order to reduce
research and development costs overall and lower individual procurement costs
as well. The developmental program became known as Tactical Fighter
Experimental (TFX). The Army and Marine Corps were able to convince Secretary
McNamara that the close air support mission requirement would not be met by TFX
so they were dropped from the program early on. That did not deter Secretary
McNamara from pressing for maximum commonality between USAF and Navy versions
of the TFX. He directed the Air Force and the Navy to combine their
requirements before issuing a joint RFP in 1961. The biggest disagreement was
over weight.
The Air Force was looking at a design weight in the 75,000 pound
class whereas the navy wanted an aircraft weighing in less than 50,000 pounds.
However, both services agreed that variable geometry was a necessary feature to
get high speed performance and acceptable landing speeds. The Navy advocated
side by side seating that was part of the F6D concept and being incorporated
into the Grumman A-6 Intruder and the Air Force acquiesced. After a series of
proposals the Air Force awarded a contract mod on December 21, 1962 for 18
F-111A and 5 F-111B aircraft for research, development, test, and evaluation
(RDT&E) purposes. Both aircraft were powered by the Pratt & Whitney
TF-30 Turbofan engine. The centerpiece of the F-111B was the Hughes AN/AWG-9
Pulse-Doppler (PD) radar with its integrated complement of six Hughes Phoenix
missiles, which had both evolved from the F6D radar and its long range Eagle
missiles.
The first F-111B flew from the Grumman Calverton facility in May
1968. General Dynamics had brought Grumman onto the F-111 program for their
carrier expertise and the F-111B program was planned to have Grumman
responsible to assemble that version. Therefore, first F-111B (buno 151970) was
assembled at Bethpage from components produced by both General Dynamics and
Grumman and powered by the same pair of Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-1 turbofans
that powered the F-111A version.
The F-111B underwent Naval Preliminary Evaluation (NPE) at NAS
Patuxent River in October of 1965. The Navy was still concerned over weight of
the F-111B as Take-off weight for a fully-equipped aircraft was estimated at
nearly 78,000 pounds, well over the upper limit of 55,000 pounds desired by the
Navy. General Dynamics and Grumman initiated a Super Weight Improvement Program
(SWIP) to trim the weight where possible and began incorporating changes
starting with the fourth F-111B. The weight reductions achieved by the SWIP
were negated by introduction of the heavier escape module in lieu of ejection
seats. Furthermore, the Navy felt that the F-111B was grossly underpowered with
two 20,000 pound thrust TF-30s.
In 1968, the situation came to a head in 1968 when Congress asked
for the Navy position on the F-111B. Although the Secretary of the Navy
testified in support of the Department of Defense’s position on a common F-111
solution, Senator Stennis subsequently asked Vice Admiral Tom Connolly, Deputy
Chief of Naval Operations for Air Warfare for his personal opinion on whether
the F-111B could be made suitable for the Navy requirements with installation
of more powerful engines. His epic response was “There is not enough thrust in
all of Christendom to make a carrier fighter out of this aircraft.” Thus the
stage was set for the emergence of the Grumman design that would be eventually
called “Tomcat” in honor of Tom Connolly and his protector, Admiral Tom Moorer
who supported Connolly’s epic statement to congress and potentially career
ending stand. Grumman had been ready for months.
Due to its close association with the ill-fated F-111B program,
Grumman was fully aware of the Navy’s dissatisfaction with its weight and had
some ideas of their own on how to meet the requirement within under the weight
limits set by the Navy. Grumman initiated a company effort called Design 303 to
look at design alternatives to meet the Navy requirement. A month after the
Congressional showdown, the Navy issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the
Concept Definition Phase for a fleet defense fighter featuring the AN/AWG-9
Track while Scan long-range radar and Phoenix missile system as well as Sparrow
medium range and Sidewinder short rane missiles and an internal Vulcan 20mmm cannon
and powered by two TF-30 turbofans. This purpose built Fleet Air Defender was
to be capable of a max dash speed of Mach 2.2 and maintaining a CAP station at
a distance of 100-200 miles from the carrier and remaining on station for up to
two hours. A secondary air-to-ground role was included with provisions to carry
up to 14,500 pounds of ordnance.
Grumman was ready to respond and was joined by General Dynamics,
McDonnell Douglas, North American Rockwell and Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV) in
submitting proposals. Grumman and McDonnell Douglas were selected as finalists
in December 1968. Grumman had an advantage all along and to nobody’s surprise,
their Design 303E was announced as the winner on January 14, 1969. They began
work to turn their proposal into a flying machine that was given the
type/model/series designation of F-14A. The name “Tomcat” was proposed to honor
Connolly. In fact, the aircraft was already being called “Tom’s Cat” by then.
Interestingly, Tomcat had been proposed in latter stages of World War II for
the F7F, but it was thought to have a slightly negative (read racy) undertone.
At this point in time, it seemed to be just the right name. The first article
was ready for rollout in December 1970 at Calverton, NY. This first Tomcat was
given the bureau number 157980 and it was ready for taxi trials on December 14,
1970. A week later, test pilots Robert Smythe and Bob Miller made the first
flight on the 21st.
The flight test program suffered a setback in 30 December when the
first prototype was lost on its second flight. The second prototype was ready
by May of 1971 and it resumed the flight test program. Undismayed, the Navy
contracted Grumman for 12 prototype and 26 production Tomcats during Fiscal
year 1971.
VX-4 also received its first Tomcats in the fall of 1972 and began
working on operational tactics. A special team of VX-4 pilots and RIOS were
later selected to participate in the momentous AIM/ACEVAL Joint Test &
Evaluation at Nellis AFB in which teams of F-15 Eagles and F-14 Tomcats fought
F-5Es flown by USAF and USN pilots to evaluate Air Combat Tactics (ACEVAL) and
future Missile Technology (AIMVAL). Six brand new Tomcats were provided in 1976
for this Joint Test & Evaluation sponsored by OSD and LT Joe
"Hoser" Satrapa had them painted in unique splinter camouflage. These
Tomcats also were equipped with a Helmet Mounted Sight (VTAS). The impact of
AIM/ACEVAL is still being felt today due to its impact on understanding BVR/WVR
tactics and subsequent development of AMRAAM. Ironically, it also resulted in
the Soviet Union embarking on crash development of their AA-11 Archer (R-73)
and integration of a Helmet Mounted Sight onto the MiG-29 (AIM/ACEVAL Tomcats
were equipeed with VTAS Helmet Mounted Sights for the tests).
Meanwhile, the first two fleet squadrons were to be established at
NAS Miramar, CA and the aircrews trained by the first Tomcat Fleet Readiness
Squadron (FRS), the VF-124 Gunfighters. The instructor cadre at VF-124 was
comprised of Navy and Marine Corps aircrews as at the time, the Marine Corps
was also slated to receive the Tomcat. VF-124 and the personnel assigned to the
first two squadrons arrived well in advance of their Tomcats and set about
creating a syllabus. Without aircraft, they borrowed TA-4Js from the Instrument
RAG to log flight time and practice ACM, which gave the RIOs plenty of stick
time. The first two Fleet COs were Commanders Dick Martin and Sam Leeds who
worked as a team to set up the first two squadrons, which were referred to as
VF A and B initially.
The cadre of VF A and B remained as a close knit and fairly senior
group of handpicked individuals until it became time to separate into actual
squadrons. Martin and Leeds were familiar with all the personnel by then and
took turns picking individuals to flesh out the two squadrons not knowing which
CO would get either one. When all personnel were picked, they flipped a coin
and Leeds got VF A, which was then designated VF-1 and Martin got VF B, which
became VF-2. Leeds and his new squadron decided to call themselves “The
Wolfpack” while Martin and his group decided upon “The Bounty Hunters”.
The first operational Tomcats arrived at NAS Miramar in the summer of
1973 with great fanfare. Secretary of the Navy John Warner flew in the back
seat of a VX-4 Tomcat and gave the official speech at the ceremony held upon
his arrival*. The first operational deployment of the Tomcat occurred in Sept
of 1974 aboard USS Enterprise. The deployment took the first two Tomcat
squadrons to Vietnam where they flew CAP covering the evacuation of South
Vietnam. No aerial encounters with North Vietnamese aircraft were recorded.
*Interestedly, another flying Secretary of the Navy, John Lehman, flew in
the F-14A Tomcat ten years later and experienced the stall prone TF-30 firsthand,
which resulted in the Tomcat getting the engines it deserved all along.
The next two Tomcat squadrons were F-4 Phantom transition squadrons
destined to introduce the Tomcat to the East Coast. While VF-1 and VF-2
prepared to embark on the first Tomcat deployment in 1974, VF-14 and VF-32
turned in their F-4 Phantoms and began transitioning to the Tomcat at VF-124.
VF-14 and VF-32 aircrews got to pick up some of their Tomcats fresh off the
production line at Bethpage. The JOs began using the flight from New York to
NAS Oceana to set new records for speed and altitude getting the jet to Mach 2+
and over 55K. While maintainers thought Grumman was using inferior paint or
application methods, the aircrews knew it was the high speed dashs supersonic
over the water that was literally peeling the paint off the radomes.
The first decade of the Tomcat in fleet service was highlighted
with development of tactics to optimize its performance in the Fleet Air
Defense role. Dave Frost and Art Cebrowski were visionary influences in
developing Vector Logic and Chainsaw tactics against the formidable Soviet
Threat. “Wheels” Wheless put his personal imprint on every Tomcat aircrew going
through VF-101 schooling them in the tactics and technology of the Outer Air Battle
as it had become to be called. Performance in ACM was validated by Hoser
Satrapa and Dave Bjerke over the Nevada Desert during AIM/ACEVAL. The
air-to-ground mission was toyed with by VF-14 and VF-32 but dropped due to
inadequate BRU-10 launchers, pitiful DECM and relative cost of the aircraft.
The community urban legend was that the Tomcat was too expensive to risk going
over the beach. Halfway through the first decade, a new mission emerged that
would give the Tomcat its baptism of fire over the beach. Tomcats drew first
blood in the aerial arena in August 1981 when two Tomcats handily downed 2
Libyan Fitters over the Gulf of Sidra. Meanwhile, Iranian Tomcats began their
10 year war with Iraq proving the superiority of the Tomcat in aerial combat.
The latter part of the first decade witnessed two useful tools for
air-to-air combat. Some units procured rifle telescopes for mounting in the
front cockpit to add in visual ID. This expedient had been used by Tomcats in
the AIM/ACEVAL JT&E. The more useful tool was the arrival of the Television
Camera Set (TCS) in the early eighties.
By the late seventies, a Tactical Reconnaissance Pod Systems
(TARPS) had been developed and each TARPS squadron received 3 pods and
additional personnel to maintain them. In an attempt to lower costs, the Navy
was reducing type/model/series in the carrier air wing so both the RA-5
Vigilante and RF-8 (Photo) Crusader were slated to be retired and replaced by
giving a photo recon capability to one of each two Tomcat squadrons in every
air wing. Four aircrews were designated as TARPS aircrews and received a
special FRS syllabus to qualify for the TARPS mission. Before the decade was
out, Tomcats were flying combat TARPS missions over the beach in the skies over
Grenada, Lebanon and Somalia. To protect these aircraft special provisions were
made to carry the DLQ-3 DECM pod and an Expanded Chaff Adapter (ECA). To help
fill the inadequacy of the Viet Nam era ALR-45/50 RHAW gear, “fuzz buster” type
radar detectors were procured and installed on either side of the pilot’s glare
shield. These units provided detection of threats not covered by the
45/50.
The TF-30 engine wasn’t the ideal engine for the Tomcat. Grumman
had expected to eventually replace it with the P401-P-400 advanced technology
engine (ATE) under development, but not ready by the time the Tomcat was
beginning production. At the time press releases announced in 1970: An advanced
technology engine (ATE), the Pratt & Whitney F401-PW-400, under development
in a joint US Navy/Air Force program, will have 40 per cent more thrust, weigh
25 per cent less than the TF-30-P-412, and be incorporated in the F-14B version
for operational use in December 1973, providing maneuverability and weapon
system performance to counter any threat expected during the 1970s. The plan
was revised to install the 401 when it became available and create a F-14B
model variant. Therefore, the TF-30 solution was considered only a temporary
expedient and an interim solution at best. The seventh prototype Tomcat flew
with the P401 engines on September 12, 1973, but developmental problems arose
and funding was not available to fix them so the interim solution became
semi-permanent for the time being.
The TF30 turbofan design was better for cruise performance, but
proved troublesome in the dynamic environment of air combat maneuvering with a
tendency to stall or hang-up. Even more disheartening was the occasional
shedding of turbine blades that caused catastrophic engine failure and
potential loss of the aircraft itself. Pratt and Whitney developed a
containment shroud of steel to protect the aircraft from damage and this TF30
variant was designated the TF30-P414. Availability was scare initially and
Tomcats were delivered to Miramar only to have their engines pulled and trucked
back to Bethpage for installation in another Tomcat leaving many Tomcats on the
ramp at Miramar with empty engine bays. The skipper of VF-213 vented his
frustration to a reporter comparing being a skipper to running a junkyard. After
the news picked up the story, the Pentagon began to take action.
By 1979, all Tomcats were equipped with the TF30-P414 that had the
steel lining that acted as a protective shroud to protect the aircraft if the
turbine blades began separating. In 1981, the “best” TF30 variant (the
TF30-P-414A version), became available giving aircrews a reasonably reliable
powerplant that still had to given due caution throughout the F-14 envelope.
Pilots routinely referred to having to fly the engines vice the aircraft. The
solution that had yet to arrive was a more powerful and reliable motor, but
that quest had not been forgotten. While flying with Joe Satrapa at NAS Oceana,
SECNAV Lehman experienced the engine stall problem up close. Satrapa commented,
“See what we have to live with!” The experience paid off as General Electric
had by then developed an engine for the B-1 Bomber that could be adapted to the
needs of the Tomcat. The USAF and USN both leveraged this core engine design to
develop the F101-Deriative Fighter Engine (DFE). The F-14B prototype aircraft
used for F401 testing was resurrected from storage and equipped with a F101
motor. The first flight occurred on 14 July 1981. The Navy test pilots were
ecstatic with the improved performance and General Electric was contracted to
develop the F110 version, which took the core design of the F101 and borrowed
the fan and afterburner design of the smaller GE 404 engine developed for the
F/A-18 Hornet. The F110 was ready for prime time in 1986 and the same F-14B prototype
was equipped with two F110-GE-400 engines making its first flight on September
29, 1986. Enough engines were procured to equip five additional Tomcats for
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) flights.
Coming soon…the second decade (1984-1993)….Cold War deterrent, the Tomcats and
the Terrorists, the “Big” motors finally arrive, the Definitive “D”, Desert
Shield/Storm and the end of the Cold War….What now, Tomcat?
Links
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F-14 Association |
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Tailhook Association |
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NAS Oceana |
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City of Virginia Beach |
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Site Credits
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Site Design & Development |
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Site Photography |
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Tomcat Books
- Grumman F-14 Tomcat - Bye Bye, Baby...!
Images & reminiscenes from 35 years of active service
- Anytime Baby - Hail and farewell to the US
Navy F-14 Tomcat
- Tomcat's Last Stand
- GRUMMAN F-14 A/B/D TOMCAT
- The F-14 Tomcat
- Tomcat Alley: A Photographic Roll Call of the
Grumman F-14
- Grumman F-14 Tomcat: Leading Us Navy Fleet
Fighter
- US Navy F-14 Tomcat Units of Operation Iraqi
Freedom
- Lock On No. 18 : Grumman F-14A/B Tomcat
- Jane's How to Fly and Fight in the F-14
Tomcat
- Grumman F-14 Tomcat: Shipborne Superfighter
- Walk Around F-14 Tomcat
- Grumman F-14 Tomcat
Patches
WhileYouWereDeployed.com
DVDs
- Top Gun (Widescreen Special Collector's
Edition)
- The Final Countdown (2-Disc Limited Special
Edition)
- Air Utopia: Military Video: F14 TOMCAT
Cockpit Gulf War