I had a very interesting dream last night. It was a long one, but when we rejoin the dream (the point at which I begin to remember it), the Blue Angels are performing overhead. But, rather than flying F/A-18s, they're in F-14s. Strange F-14s with a third engine between the horizontal stabilizers. Hmm. There's a three-plane formation, doing their thing, doing a slow loop, when they suddenly speed up and drop altitude rapidly, going nose-first into the ground, no, wait, there's like a giant pool there. Some people freak and think 'oh no!' I say to them "nah, they didn't actually hit the ground, it just looks like it from this vantage point," even as I'm walking forward and thinking to myself 'well damn, maybe they did... except they landed into this pool? That's really weird... what's that all about. Wait... could they be?' The pool has now turned into more of a lake, and sure enough, a bit distant away, the three F-14s burst out of the water, flying away, as an announcement (in my head?) describes the action. "So that's what that third engine is for," I say. "Interesting." Another announcement, more like an interview this time (on TV? In my head?) It has visuals of a female officer, and she's describing the installation of their new engines. "Of course, we had an accident and lost half the team last weekend," she says, very very casually. Maybe it is true that the Blue Angels crash often.
Now, I'm later in the dream. I'm walking into a plaza with someone. There's these square bollards at the entrance, that I know check electronically to see if you've bought your ticket to get in. The person with me, I know, hasn't bought a ticket. She hesitates, then heads in anyway, setting off an alarm. She looks unperterbed, and says "I'll just go get money off that guy over there, he's always trying to donate some money anyway." I head over to an amphiteatre, which is a half-cylindrical shell structure, open to the outside. There are many weeping people. It's a gathering of people who are grieved over the loss of half of the Blue Angels. There is a speaker, he's very enrolling.
Then, I remember no more.
Tonight, I learned that my beloved Tomcats are being retired by the end of 2006. The AIM-54 Phoenix has already been retired. Until the F-35 arrives, basically the only aircraft on the deck will be F/A-18Es and Fs (and even versions to replace EA-6Bs), which will be something different, such a lack of variety. These new Hornets are apparently very capable and can take the place of the Tomcats (except for the Phoenix, I guess the navy is going with their AEGIS cruisers for their long-range anti-air), but it's a shame to lose such a beautiful bird.
The Grumman line of 'cats has come to a close.
Posted by kannik at September 9, 2005 11:59 PM in DailyI agree. The F-14 was a nice bird. Although, I must admit, I like the CF-18 more. That being said, the Tomcat is not a useful platform in the “wars� of today…That is unless they light it up with China, which I do not see happening at this point in time. No real point having a dedicated Air Superiority aircraft taking up valuable positions on the carrier where an F/A type aircraft would allow for a much more diverse mission role.
Sure, they tried to get the F-14 into an air-to-ground role but that just seems wrong…A last ditch attempt to save the F-14.
I would imagine the F/A-18 E/F technology package is far superior to that of the F-14 by now. The F-14 must be in desperate need up a service package upgrade and they probably decided not to “invest� with the new F-35 just down the pipes.
I Think if someone put an F-14 and an F-35 in front of me, I know which one I’d be climbing into :)
Consider where I'm coming from on this -- the F-22 may have been a superior fighter to the YF-23, but the YF-23 remains FAR sexier than the F-22. The F/A-18 is a nice, and FAR prettier than the F-15, but the F-14 had a certain je-ne-sais-quoi to it in terms of its sexiness that's just beautiful. That is what I was saying vis-a-vis its retirement.
What's amusing is that I read in my researches that the F-14 was supposed to have A-t-G abilities from the get go, but that was cut for budgetary reasons. So it became a pure interceptor. What I thought was a shame in them fitting it with bombs late in its life was actually planned.
Posted by: Kannik at September 12, 2005 02:51 PM