evirus Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 looks like the history channel has a special episode of "Modern Marvels" involving the retireing of the F-14 tomcat, inspiration for the VF-1 series from macross. its on right now but i dont know when the replays are Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mechamaniac Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Actually, the VF-1 was based on a combination of the F-111, F-14 and F-18. And this is in the wrong forum, BTW. Moving to Anime & SF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingNor Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 thanks for the heads up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalvasflam Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 It was a nice episode, learned a few new things about the Tomcat I never knew about. Kind of sad to see it go. The Hornet is just not quite up to snuff in my view... oh well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skull Leader Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Since I already have the "Modern Marvels" on DVD and I was actually there for the sunset, I saw no need to watch this one. It is definately worth watching if you've never seen it though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myk Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 What's wrong with the Hornet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaijin Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 What's wrong with the Hornet? For one...it's not an F-14. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mechaninac Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Saw it last night. Other than the farewell aspects of the program it was mostly a retread of a previous Modern Marvels; but it was still great. Saying goodbye to the F-14 is bittersweet since it is so iconic and has served admirably for over 35 years. However, the decision to retire it is sound: It is an aging airframe that requires more maintenance per flight hour than more modern fighters; the taxpayer in me can see the wisdom in it, but the enthusiast in me can't help but shed a tear seeing such a thoroughbred being relegated to the bone yard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apollo Leader Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Since I already have the "Modern Marvels" on DVD and I was actually there for the sunset, I saw no need to watch this one. It is definately worth watching if you've never seen it though! I was looking for you in the show last night. Do you remember seeing any camera guys or crew from the History Channel there? It was a good show. Still hard to believe that the Tomcat is gone. The last of Grumman's US Navy "cats" is now history. Also hard to believe that it was 20 years ago in late October 1986 that I went and saw Top Gun twice during that week! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skull Leader Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 I was looking for you in the show last night. Do you remember seeing any camera guys or crew from the History Channel there? It was a good show. Still hard to believe that the Tomcat is gone. The last of Grumman's US Navy "cats" is now history. Also hard to believe that it was 20 years ago in late October 1986 that I went and saw Top Gun twice during that week! LOL, got your phone message, I was actually out with my buddy in the USAF at McConnell AFB skulking about the flightline... a pair of VFA-32 Super Hornets stopped in for fuel and dinner (we took them out to eat some local BBQ). It sucked that I didn't have my camera with me! There were a ton of camera guys there at Oceana... I'm not sure I could pick out any one specifically from the History Channel though. Most of them were up on top of the hangars. During the ceremony itself, while most of the talking was done, I was standing almost directly behind the band. (which, in turn, was almost directly behind the static F-14 with all the weaponry arrayed around it. I loved this because I was well forward of the crowd line, and no one seemed inclined to tell me to move. During the warm-up of Bandwagon 102, I was sitting underneath the nose of the new VFA-213 Black Lions Super hornet. After the taxi-out, I moved out next to the rear of the VX-9 Super Hornet. This is where I stayed during the flyby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nied Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Hey speaking of VX-9, does anyone know if/when we'll be seeing an all black Vandy 1? Seems strange one hasn't appeared yet. Strange that we haven't yet to see any signs of a VFA-31 Super Hornet too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skull Leader Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Hey speaking of VX-9, does anyone know if/when we'll be seeing an all black Vandy 1? Seems strange one hasn't appeared yet. Strange that we haven't yet to see any signs of a VFA-31 Super Hornet too. Surprisingly, I had a chance to talk to the XO of VX-9 during the Black Lions Bash/Key West night at the O-club on that thursday. I asked him the very same question. He mentioned that a few of the higher ups would like to see another all-black jet, but evidently those with the power of "yes/no" were not in favor of it. They were also very upset to see that the Vandy-one F-14D (now a gate guard there at Oceana) was repainted from it's all black paintscheme. (When it was first set on display, it wore VF-143 Pukin dogs markings, now it bears VF-31 markings on one side and VFA-211 markings on the other) VFA-31 Superhornets already exist in the form of VFA-22's F/A-18Es. They're getting 22s E models while VFA-22 is transitioning to F/A-18F models. Myself and two friends are going out to Nellis AFB for the airshow next week, and one of those friends is taking a side-flight to NAS Lemoore to see if any of 22's F models have been delivered yet or if any of 22's E models have already been repainted in VFA-31 colors. (I don't believe the squadron has been officially re-designated yet though) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nied Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 Surprisingly, I had a chance to talk to the XO of VX-9 during the Black Lions Bash/Key West night at the O-club on that thursday. I asked him the very same question. He mentioned that a few of the higher ups would like to see another all-black jet, but evidently those with the power of "yes/no" were not in favor of it. They were also very upset to see that the Vandy-one F-14D (now a gate guard there at Oceana) was repainted from it's all black paintscheme. (When it was first set on display, it wore VF-143 Pukin dogs markings, now it bears VF-31 markings on one side and VFA-211 markings on the other) VFA-31 Superhornets already exist in the form of VFA-22's F/A-18Es. They're getting 22s E models while VFA-22 is transitioning to F/A-18F models. Myself and two friends are going out to Nellis AFB for the airshow next week, and one of those friends is taking a side-flight to NAS Lemoore to see if any of 22's F models have been delivered yet or if any of 22's E models have already been repainted in VFA-31 colors. (I don't believe the squadron has been officially re-designated yet though) Geez. I can't help but think that someone in the DoD just has it out for naval aviation, or at least it's traditions. Either that or someone really hates the Super Hornet and wants to make sure it's always going to look worse than the Tomcat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skull Leader Posted November 2, 2006 Share Posted November 2, 2006 (edited) Geez. I can't help but think that someone in the DoD just has it out for naval aviation, or at least it's traditions. Either that or someone really hates the Super Hornet and wants to make sure it's always going to look worse than the Tomcat. give it a few years and all those regs will be reduced or withdrawn completely. A guy I know who was in VF-84 when they transitioned from F-4Ns to F-14s told me they had some restrictions in place about what they could and could not paint on also. An example of this was the fact that originally, all squadrons had to paint their jets control surfaces white... however by the time VF-84 transitioned, they were already starting to ease up on that (hence the all-black tails) he went on to say that by the very late 1970s, those regs were already being turned a blind eye to, which is, I believe why the white dissapeared from gull grey paintschemes all together. It happened again in the very early 1980s when they began to make the switch to low-visability paintschemes. There was a year or two in there where NO color-birds were allowed in the squadron, this was, of course eventually backed off of. I guess it's just a cycle! Edited November 2, 2006 by Skull Leader Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warmaker Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 Geez. I can't help but think that someone in the DoD just has it out for naval aviation, or at least it's traditions. Either that or someone really hates the Super Hornet and wants to make sure it's always going to look worse than the Tomcat. No paint job will ever make the Super Hornet look better than a Tomcat! A colorful scheme on a Super Hornet will still look worse than any low-visibility schemed Tomcat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JsARCLIGHT Posted November 3, 2006 Share Posted November 3, 2006 Don't mean to rain on this parade but since the show has passed I'm going to close this topic. This is basically housekeeping, don't take it as a slight on this topic. Please continue the discussion in the big Aircraft Thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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