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Franklin Mint
Armour CollectionRocket fast and big enough to deliver a nuclear weapons package,
the F-14 Tomcat showed that for nearly 2 decades it really was
TopGun.
Grumman F-14A Tomcat
United States Navy VF-74
"Bedevilers"
USS Saratoga, 1990
Condition: Plane is MINT in Box. Box is Mint.
Comes with Certificate of Authenticity
and white Franklin Mint box
We pack all our planes in new heavy duty shipping boxes
Wingspan: 9 inches ~ Length: 15.5 inches
Scale: 1:48
Franklin Mint Model # B11B239
The History Behind the Plane and the Mission
Though
designed as an interceptor for high speed at the expense of maneuverability,
the F-14 was one of the most maneuverable and agile aircraft of its
generation. Despite the Tomcat's
considerable size, its agility compares well to many other fighters, although
that created problems for the troublesome and unreliable TF30 turbofans, which
were subject to compressor stalls in violent maneuvers or high alpha. Once the
reliable F110 engines arrived, which also provided the F-14 with the full
thrust for which it was designed, the full capability of the aircraft became
apparent. The plane accelerates and decelerates very rapidly, and while it
can't match it in roll, is said to be able to consistently fight F-16Cs to a
draw close in while retaining its speed, endurance and avionics advantages. In
addition, early in its development, an F-14 easily defeated a slatted F-4J
Phantom in mock air-to-air combat. The Tomcat is capable of Mach 2.4+
dashes in a clean configuration, however experience has shown that very little time is
spent above Mach 2.
The Tomcat was intended as an uncompromising air superiority fighter and
interceptor, charged with defending carrier battle groups against Soviet Navy
aircraft armed with cruise missiles. It carried the Hughes AN/AWG-9 long-range
radar originally developed for the F-111B, capable of detecting bomber-sized
targets at ranges exceeding 160 km (100 miles), tracking 24 targets and
engaging six simultaneously. In a now famous test, an F-14 simultaneously shot
down five of six target drones. Since it
was introduced, the F-14 was upgraded and revised. In the Gulf War, it became a light bomber and
ground attack support craft.
In
1985 VF-74 became famous in the fight against terrorism. On October 7th,
members of the PLF hijacked the Italian cruise liner Achille Lauro. When the
ship arrived in Syria the
hijackers made their way to Egypt
where they were promised free passage to Tunisia in return of the hostages’
lives. The terrorists boarded an Egypt Air Boeing 737, but thanks to US
Intelligence, President Ronald Reagan, ordered the Sixth Fleet to take action,
to force down the 737 so US Special Forces could capture the hijackers. Four
F-14s and an E-2C Hawkeye launched from Saratoga.
The plan called for Saratoga's planes to make
night intercepts and identifications of air contacts on the airways
crisscrossing the central Mediterranean as they flew eastward toward a common
airway intersection south of Crete. After four
interceptions, following two hair-raising, lights out intercepts of planes, the
F-14s found the right aircraft. At about 22:30, they closed in on the 737.
After identifying themselves, the American planes eventually were able to
convince the 737 to land at the NATO base in Sigonella, Sicily.
Upon landing, the airliner was quickly surrounded by American soldiers. The
terrorists ultimately were taken into Italian custody.
On
August 11 1988 VF-74 became the first squadron to receive the F-14A+ (now
F-14B). By the end of the year they had finished the transition and VF-74
became the first squadron to launch an AIM-54 Phoenix from an F-14A+. In 1990, VF-74 took part in Operation Desert
Shield and Operation Desert Storm.
Payment,
Shipping and the legal details
Combined Shipping: We combine shipping to save you money. If you are buying 2 or more items, ask
for a new invoice BEFORE YOU PAY so we can give you discounted shipping. If
your order will safely fit in one standard size box, we combine shipping to
save you money. Email us anytime to get a shipping quote before you buy. We
love to save you money on shipping. Payment is due within 7 days. Heavy Bombers,
C-47’s, DC-3’s, Ju-52’s, and PBY’s must ship alone. Within the continental
United States UPS is the most economical service for most packages over 7
pounds; however UPS will not ship to
P.O. boxes.
Payment and Shipping: Take up
to 7 days to pay. We accept PayPal and
other forms of payment in U.S. Dollars.
We offer economy and expedited shipping for U.S. deliveries. International shipping is by U.S. Postal
Service Priority Mail, Express or Global Express Mail.
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Failure to pay within 7 days can lead to the cancellation of your
purchase from Aisle542. If you need extra days to pay, please email us so we
can make arrangements to help you with your purchase.
We pack
every item in NEW heavy duty shipping cartons to protect your valuable
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YOU ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL DUTIES, TAXES, AND CUSTOMS FEES IMPOSED BY YOUR HOME
COUNTRY. We do not collect these fees,
but you may need to pay them to your local authorities at the time of delivery. We report all sales to the U.S. Postal
Service and Customs Office. The value of
an item is the price you paid. Shipping
to countries outside the U.S. can sometimes be delayed by customs inspectors. Please be patient. They are working as fast as they can. International shipping is by U.S. Postal
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Refunds: Aisle542 will refund your
full purchase price if you return the item within 14 days. Items returned must be complete and in the
same condition in which you received them.
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