Old F-14 vs F-15 Flight International Article (Dogfight of the Decade)

[Catmando]

When they were both new, we fought each other in a big but unsanctioned many v many 'furball'. Here is the 1977 article:
F-14s and F-15s fight it out

Here are my comments: Dogfight of the Decade

 

[rotorhead1871]

great article, I think what doomed the F14 is the maintenance cost,no doubt it is a fantastic fighter, but cost overran it. wheras the F15 has been constantly upgraded and marketed throughout the ally world. the F15 will be around for a long time to come. the F14 should be.

 

[Single Seat]

Could've had the Tomcat 21 instead of the Superhornet.

http://aviationintel.com/it-could-have-been-the-attack-super-tomcat-21/

 

[rotorhead1871]

very nice ride.....too spendy for the USN, only the AirForce has the kachongas to go for the gold plated airframes.

 

[Randy Daytona]

This just popped up today. The Eagle as designed for a carrier.

http://nationalinterest.org/blog/th...how-americas-f-15-fighter-almost-became-18051

 

[nittany03]

This just popped up today. The Eagle as designed for a carrier.
http://nationalinterest.org/blog/th...how-americas-f-15-fighter-almost-became-18051

Two different missions. The AF wanted a super-fighter to go toe-to-toe with what the MiG-25 was supposed to be. The Navy didn't give a damn about that, because they knew they needed to protect Mom from the rampaging hordes of Soviet Backfires if they wanted to operate east of Norway when the balloon went up.

So you could have F-15 performance. You just had to pick one or the other. The missile that had the kinematic performance you needed, or the radar that would let you actually do something with it. Otherwise, you spend millions of dollars to get . . . exactly what you already have. Ain't physics a bitch?

 

[azguy]

Cool article.