As “Maverick” Mitchell’s main fighter in the original movie, the Grumman F-14 Tomcat was a product of the Cold War, designed to combat the looming threat of the ever-developing Soviet long-range aircraft. This agile sweep-wing aircraft was heavily laden with Phoenix air-to-air missiles, effective at various speeds with a full payload, and could engage the enemy from afar. It also became the pin-up of fighter jets, adorning posters in bedrooms across the world, following the success of the first “Top Gun” movie in the mid-1980s.
By the time Pete “Maverick” Mitchell first set foot in an F-14, the “Tomcat” was over a decade old, having first been delivered in 1972. However, it didn’t see its first aerial combat until 1981, when it downed two Libyan fighter jets, before featuring in the Gulf War, Iraq War, and Afghan War. This was a dual-seater, with room for a pilot and a radar intercept officer (as played by “Maverick” and “Goose,” respectively). Its stats remain impressive, even by today’s standards, with a maximum speed of over 1,500 miles per hour and a climb rate of 30,000 feet per minute, up to a ceiling of 55,000 feet.
The F-14’s sweep wing design provided extra lift for short takeoffs and landings when extended, and would tuck in for a more aerodynamic profile at supersonic speeds. When pushed during test flights, it could achieve Mach 2.5, a rate that would give even modern fighter jets like the F-35 a run for their money. It is the plane most closely associated with “Top Gun,” and it featured in both films, placing the Grumman F-14 Tomcat highest among the Cold War-era planes in this ranking.
For all the latest Gaming News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
