Grumman F-14D Super Tomcat
Grumman · United States · first flew 1990 · fighter
The F-14D Super Tomcat is the definitive production Tomcat, re-engined with General Electric F110 turbofans and given a digital avionics suite and chin-mounted IRST sensor.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbofan, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 19.1 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- IRST/TV sensor pod on the nose below the radar — a chin pod absent on the F-14A/B
- General Electric F110-GE-400 exhausts are more circular in cross-section than the F-14A's TF30 nozzles
- Same variable-sweep wings and wide twin-fin layout as all Tomcats, but upgraded digital avionics visible as new cockpit display bulges
Against earlier Tomcats, look for the IRST/TV pod under the forward fuselage — the clearest in-flight difference. The engine nozzles are visually similar to the F-14B's. All Tomcat marks share the unmistakable variable-sweep wing silhouette.
Specifications
- The Grumman F-14D Super Tomcat has a length of 19.1 m (63 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 19.55 m (64 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 2485 km/h (1544 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed in the late 1980s to address the chronic reliability problems of the TF30 engine and the limited digital capability of the original aircraft, the F-14D first flew in 1990. Only 37 new-build D models were completed before the programme ended with the Cold War.
Variants
The three main marks are the F-14A (TF30 engines), F-14B (F110 engines, analogue avionics) and F-14D (F110 engines, digital avionics, chin sensors). All retained the variable-sweep wings and Phoenix missile capability.
Where you'll see it
The F-14D equipped a handful of US Navy fleet squadrons until the Tomcat's retirement in 2006. It was never exported or operated in the UK, though examples appeared at occasional Atlantic and North Sea NATO exercises.
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- F-14 Tomcat
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- NAMC JL-8 (K-8 Karakorum)
- Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23
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