A plane. A ship. A car. A sword. A statue. A painting. In reality they're nothing but scraps of metal, wood, stone, or cloth shaped and cobbled together for various purposes. Often those purposes don't exist anymore. "Better" designs have been developed. Copies can be fabricated, 3D printed, stored digitally if needed. What makes the old, outdated, obsolete original special is within us, not the object. A spark of the makers and the wielders somehow jumps across the years. We honor their memory. That's why.
The thing is, there really aren't any 'better' designs. You can't fabricate or 3d print the parts, because it's just not that simple. This airplane wasn't done away with because there was anything better - there isn't. It was killed solely by politics and greed by powerful people in our government.
IC chips were invented by Grumman for this airplane (but it was a secret so they couldn't tell anyone and Intel came along and took the credit). A lot of other things were invented or brought to production so this aircraft could be built.
Yeah they -told- everyone that all of the spare parts, all of the jigs, all of the stuff needed to build them had to be destroyed to stop the Iranians from getting parts. But, that was a lie. The truth is, the people behind all of it wanted to guarantee that the airplane was gone for good and could never be produced again.
Not Ever.
I worked for Grumman during all of this. I watched as we were put out of business. I lost my job. I worked in building 6A, right off the production line (Flight Test). During breaks I could go out and watch the F-14's and the A-6's being built on the factory floor. The US Navy has yet to get an aircraft better than, or even as good, as an F-14. Or an A-6 for that matter.
I am thinking if we had several F-14's that could do low level fly-by's at mach speed we could sell enough tickets to pay for their ongoing maintenance. I'd probably pay $750 for a 15 minute ride in the RIO seat (if a barf bag was included).
Last time I saw a Tomcat up close was back in 1991 time frame. I got the honor to fly on an ACM hop with CAG Captain "Rabbit" Campbell in the Viking. We were out in the So. Cal. Op Area and that "Top Gun" dude was locked up hard by the lowly S-3.
All ribbing aside, actually just saw a couple of them in phenomenal condition at the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola. Few things more exhilarating than being aboard a carrier, standing in the catwalk on Cat 1, mere feet from a Tomcat in full afterburner while getting ready to launch. Insane raw power.
Would love to see one fly. Static displays always remind me of taxidermy in museums.
Aircraft should be flown, like firearms should be fired and tractors should be ridden—not turned into safe queens and lawn ornaments. 🫤
A plane. A ship. A car. A sword. A statue. A painting. In reality they're nothing but scraps of metal, wood, stone, or cloth shaped and cobbled together for various purposes. Often those purposes don't exist anymore. "Better" designs have been developed. Copies can be fabricated, 3D printed, stored digitally if needed. What makes the old, outdated, obsolete original special is within us, not the object. A spark of the makers and the wielders somehow jumps across the years. We honor their memory. That's why.
The thing is, there really aren't any 'better' designs. You can't fabricate or 3d print the parts, because it's just not that simple. This airplane wasn't done away with because there was anything better - there isn't. It was killed solely by politics and greed by powerful people in our government.
IC chips were invented by Grumman for this airplane (but it was a secret so they couldn't tell anyone and Intel came along and took the credit). A lot of other things were invented or brought to production so this aircraft could be built.
Yeah they -told- everyone that all of the spare parts, all of the jigs, all of the stuff needed to build them had to be destroyed to stop the Iranians from getting parts. But, that was a lie. The truth is, the people behind all of it wanted to guarantee that the airplane was gone for good and could never be produced again.
Not Ever.
I worked for Grumman during all of this. I watched as we were put out of business. I lost my job. I worked in building 6A, right off the production line (Flight Test). During breaks I could go out and watch the F-14's and the A-6's being built on the factory floor. The US Navy has yet to get an aircraft better than, or even as good, as an F-14. Or an A-6 for that matter.
"The thing is, there really aren't any 'better' designs."
I think you nailed it. Particularly the A-6. It was a work horse, a beast.
I am thinking if we had several F-14's that could do low level fly-by's at mach speed we could sell enough tickets to pay for their ongoing maintenance. I'd probably pay $750 for a 15 minute ride in the RIO seat (if a barf bag was included).
Last time I saw a Tomcat up close was back in 1991 time frame. I got the honor to fly on an ACM hop with CAG Captain "Rabbit" Campbell in the Viking. We were out in the So. Cal. Op Area and that "Top Gun" dude was locked up hard by the lowly S-3.
All ribbing aside, actually just saw a couple of them in phenomenal condition at the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola. Few things more exhilarating than being aboard a carrier, standing in the catwalk on Cat 1, mere feet from a Tomcat in full afterburner while getting ready to launch. Insane raw power.