Grumman F-14 Tomcat

A Navy F-14D Super Tomcat is silhouetted against the sun as it flies a mission over the Persian Gulf on Dec. 4, 2005. The Tomcat and its crew are assigned to Fighter Squadron 213 and are operating off of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). Roosevelt and its embarked Carrier Air Wing 8 were conducting maritime security operations in the Persian Gulf.

Date

Taken on 1 December 2005

Source

This image was released by the United States Navy with the ID 051201-N-5088T-001 (next).

This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required. See Commons:Licensing.

العربية ∙ বাংলা ∙ Bahaso Jambi ∙ Deutsch ∙ Deutsch (Sie-Form) ∙ English ∙ español ∙ euskara ∙ فارسی ∙ français ∙ italiano ∙ 日本語 ∙ 한국어 ∙ македонски ∙ മലയാളം ∙ Plattdüütsch ∙ Nederlands ∙ polski ∙ پښتو ∙ português ∙ русский ∙ slovenščina ∙ svenska ∙ Türkçe ∙ українська ∙ 简体中文 ∙ 繁體中文 ∙ +/−

Author

English: Lt. j.g. Scott Timmester, U.S. Navy

Permission

(Reusing this file)

Public domain This file is a work of a sailor or employee of the U.S. Navy, taken or made as part of that person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, it is in the public domain in the United States.

Is there any aircraft more photogenic than the F-14 Tomcat? ✈️🌅

This shot of a VF-32 'Swordsmen' Tomcat cruising over the coastline is pure aviation art. Even decades after its debut, the lines of this jet still look like they belong in a movie.

The Tomcat wasn't just a powerhouse; it was a masterpiece of design. From the carrier deck to the open sky, it always knew how to catch the light.

If you could go back in time for one day, would you spend it on an aircraft carrier watching these take off, or in the backseat of one for a sunset flight? ✈️

Photo Credits: Josh Cooman

An F-14B Tomcat from VF-32 Swordsmen catches the arresting wire.

✈️ Did you know…

Catching the 3-wire on a Navy aircraft carrier is critical because it represents the "perfect" landing, signaling the pilot precisely followed the optimal glide slope and landed at the safest, most efficient spot on the flight deck. It indicates a precise, high-skill approach, balancing safety with optimal stopping distance.

Key Reasons for the 3-Wire Target:

Optimal Safety and Precision:

The 3-wire is positioned for the best landing, preventing the aircraft from being too low (risking a "ramp strike" on the 1-wire) or too high/long (1, 5, 11).

Optimal Stopping:

It provides the best braking performance for the aircraft's tailhook.

"Grade" Marker:

Landing on the 3-wire is considered the standard for a well-executed, high-grade carrier landing.

"Hook Skip" Protection:

If a pilot is slightly too high, a "hook skip" can occur where the tailhook bounces over the 3-wire, but the 4-wire (or 3-wire in newer, 3-cable systems) is still available, avoiding a "bolter" (missing all wires).

While 2-wire and 4-wire catches are acceptable, the 3-wire is the primary goal for naval aviators to demonstrate precision and safely manage the aircraft's energy.