Originally Posted by
crusader377
The F-14 was never really given the development opportunities to prove what it could really do. Remember the F-14A which accounted for nearly 90% of the F-14A was initially intended as an interium aircraft. It had the TF30 engines which gave the plane problems throughout its career. The F-14D and to a lesser extent the F-14B with new engines changed the F-14 into the plane it was meant to be all along.
F-14A> F-14 B/D
In contrast the F-15 went through 4 generations of development changes.
F-15A > F-15C > F-15E > Advanced F-15 (F-15SA, F-15QA, and F-15EX)
If you evaluated the F-15 solely on the F-15A, it probably wouldn't make the top 5 plane list either.
But then again, the F-14 never evolved (or was never evolved) like the rest of the Teen series. You think about where the -15, -16 and -18 series started and what they became over the long run even before the F-14 was "replaced."
The crazy thing is, the F-14 and A-10 are a lot alike in many ways. Both were designed around a specific weapon system and for a singular purpose. The A-10 around the GAU-8 and smashing the hell out of Soviet armor and the F-14 around the AWG-9 and the AIM-54 system to smash the hell out of Soviet bombers coming after our fleet.
The main difference was after the Soviet threat went away, the A-10 was still needed for CAS while the F-14 didn't have a clear purpose any more and they'd already developed the F/A-18 into what they needed. Oh, sure, the F-14s dropped a few bombs in Desert Storm, but what was the F-14 doing that the -18 couldn't do just as well or better in regards to moving mud?
It really was overtaken by world events and left without a clear purpose. It was a remarkable fighter for it's time especially in regards to how far out it could shoot, but the design itself wasn't easily adapted and that's why they are currently sitting at Davis-Monthan gathering dust.
Experience is a cruel teacher, gives the exam first and then the lesson.
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