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F-14B

2023-12-06T08:08:03Z

U97916902: MiG-29G/SMT R-73 counter-tactics

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link = F-14A Early
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f_14b
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==


Even before the F-14 had its first test flight, Grumman knew the F-14A's performance would be underwhelming due to its TF-30 engines. This, as well as the VAX-2 specification sent out by the US Navy during the 1980s, led to the F-14B. The F-14B was a huge improvement over the F-14A in almost every aspect. New avionics, systems, engines, and much more were done on the F-14B. One of the upgrades included the addition of the AN/AXX-1 Television Camera System (TCS), for IFF purposes. The F-14B's main upgrade were the engines: General Electric F110-GE-400s replaced the TF-30s and massively improved the performance in essentially every aspect. The range, top speed, and turn rate were significantly improved, which meant the F-14B was far more suitable for carrier operations than the F-14A.

Introduced in [[Update "La Royale"]], the '''{{Specs|name}}''' is an extremely capable aircraft. The F-14B is essentially a heavily upgraded [[F-14A Early|F-14A]]. With new engines, avionics, and weapons, the F-14B is a much more potent aircraft. It gets access to [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L Sidewinders]], [[AIM-7M Sparrow|AIM-7M Sparrows]], and [[AIM-54C Phoenix|AIM-54C Phoenixes]], which is a big improvement over the F-14A's armament. Furthermore, the General Electric engines make the F-14B far more competent in dogfights compared to the F-14A. The F-14B is also more capable for ground attack thanks to the addition of the Paveway II guided bomb.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 10,668 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,191 || 2,181 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.4 || 24.5 || 195.5 || 188.7 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,238 || 2,215 || 23.6 || 24.0 || 256.6 || 224.8
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 1,359 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || rowspan="2" | 1,200 || rowspan="2" | 873 || rowspan="2" | 416 || ~10 || ~5
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,555 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 1,200 || < 850 || < 1,800 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="7" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | General Electric F110-GE-400 || 2
| colspan="3" | 19,663 kg || colspan="3" | 514 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 16m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 53m fuel
|-
| 1,897 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 21,868 kg || 22,399 kg || 23,766 kg || 25,818 kg || 27,013 kg || 33,593 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 16m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 53m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 6,200 kgf || 10,230 kgf
| 0.93 || 0.91 || 0.86 || 0.79 || 0.76 || 0.61
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 6,428 kgf (1,200 km/h) || 13,610 kgf (1,200 km/h)
| 1.24 || 1.22 || 1.15 || 1.05 || 1.00 || 0.81
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, cheek-mounted (676 rpg)
* 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="17" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_F-14A_Early.png]]</div>
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|500 lb LDGP Mk 82]] bombs
| || || 8¶ || 6 || ||
|-
! [[Mk 82 AIR (500 lb)|500 lb Mk 82 AIR]] bombs
| || || 8¶ || 6 || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83]] bombs
| || || 2¶ || 2 || ||
|-
! [[Mk 83 AIR (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb Mk 83 AIR]] bombs
| || || 2¶ || 2 || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84]] bombs
| || || 2¶ || 2 || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 84 Air (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 Air]] bombs
| || || 2¶ || 2 || ||
|-
! [[GBU-10 Paveway II (957 kg)|957 kg GBU-10 Paveway II]] bombs
| || || 2†‡¶ || || ||
|-
! [[GBU-12 Paveway II (277 kg)|277 kg GBU-12 Paveway II]] bombs
| || || 2† || † || ||
|-
! [[GBU-16 Paveway II (1,092 lb)|1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II]] bombs
| || || 2† || 2† || ||
|-
! [[GBU-24 Paveway III (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb GBU-24 Paveway III]] bombs
| || || 1†‡¶ || 1† || ||
|-
! [[Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP]] rockets
| || 8 || || || 8 ||
|-
! [[AIM-7M Sparrow]] missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1‡, 2¶ || 1 ||
|-
! [[AIM-9L Sidewinder]] missiles
| 1* || 1* || || || 1* || 1*
|-
! [[AIM-54A Phoenix]] missiles
| || 1 || 2¶ || 2 || 1 ||
|-
! [[AIM-54C Phoenix]] missiles
| || 1 || 2¶ || 2 || 1 ||
|-
! Countermeasures
| 160* || 160* || || || 160* || 160*
|-
! LANTIRN targeting pod
| || 1† || || || ||
|-
| colspan="8" | * AIM-9L missiles can be equipped with countermeasures on the same hardpoint †LANTIRN targeting pod must be equipped when carrying guided bombs ‡Single AIM-7M missile on hardpoint 4 cannot be equipped with GBU-10 or GBU-24 bombs on hardpoint 3 ¶ Dual AIM-7M missiles on hardpoint 4 cannot be equipped with marked options on hardpoint 3
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles + 640 x countermeasures
* 6 x AIM-7M Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
* 6 x AIM-54C Phoenix missiles
* 14 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (7,000 lb total)
* 14 x 500 lb Mk 82 AIR bombs (7,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb Mk 83 AIR bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 Air bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 2 x 957 kg GBU-10 Paveway II bombs (1,914 kg total)
* 4 x 277 kg GBU-12 Paveway II bombs (1,108 kg total)
* 4 x 1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II bombs (4,368 lb total)
* 2 x 2,000 lb GBU-24 Paveway III bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 16 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
{{Navigation-End}}

If you are flying the F-14B, then you most likely have experience with the previous F-14A and thus are aware of the F-14’s wide variety of missile loadout options. Like the F-14A, the F-14B can carry a maximum of four AIM-9 Sidewinders, though two of these can be substituted for AIM-7 Sparrows or AIM-54 Phoenixes. Just like the F-14A, there are also four centerline hardpoints dedicated for Sparrow or Phoenix missiles.

Unlike the previous F-14A which only has 60 countermeasures, the F-14B can unlock extra countermeasure pods with 160 countermeasures that can be carried on the wing pylons in conjunction with a sidewinder missile. Since there are two dedicated Sidewinder pylons on the F-14, the aircraft can have a massive total of 380 countermeasures without sacrificing any hardpoints for Sparrows or Phoenixes. If one opts to take four Sidewinders, they will be able to carry a grand total of 680 countermeasures. Therefore, don’t be afraid to take a half chaff/flare loadout and/or turn on periodic flares. It is highly recommended to take these pods once unlocked; the minimal weight of the extra countermeasure pods and no hardpoint penalty for taking them means they are very much worth it. Keep in mind of the one downside of these pods: it launches countermeasures behind the aircraft, not downwards and/or away. Thus, it may be slightly more difficult to flare off IR missiles launched at shorter ranges.{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==


=== Air Realistic Battles ===

==== Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Combat ====
As one of the only two aircraft with active radar homing missiles in the game, the F-14B has some unique tactics when it comes to radar missile combat.

The most obvious and advantageous feature of the AIM-54 is that it is an active radar homing missile, and thus it is, to an extent, “fire-and-forget”. Unlike other aircraft, which have to stay pointed in the general direction of their target to guide SARH missiles, the F-14 can theoretically completely turn away once AIM-54s are launched. However, just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

Before we get to this, let’s break down in basic terms how the AIM-54C works. The AIM-54’s own radar only activates in its terminal phase (<16 km). When launched at longer ranges, it relies on datalink (DL) and inertial guidance (IOG) to guide itself towards the target. The former, DL, allows the missile to obtain periodic guidance information from the parent F-14’s radar, even from track while scan (TWS) mode. This is what allows the F-14 to launch multiple AIM-54s at multiple targets; each AIM-54 can obtain data link information for their respective targets while the F-14’s radar is in TWS mode. The latter, IOG, means that if the missile were to lose guidance from the parent F-14, then the missile would travel towards the last known predicted location of the enemy aircraft in the hopes that it can get close enough for its own onboard radar to pick up and track the target.

So, while you could theoretically launch AIM-54s towards the enemy and then turn away, it would only be relying on inertial guidance and thus would be very unreliable.

As for guiding the AIM-54 in with your radar, you have a couple different options, both with their own set of pros and cons. A TWS "soft lock" has its advantages; it doesn’t alert the enemy’s radar warning receiver, allows multiple targets to be fired on, and while you are tracking a target you can still scan for other targets, thus providing excellent situational awareness. At the same time, however, it does have some disadvantages. It can track a target while you maneuver, but it is prone to locking another target and is unreliable. Additionally, if a solid lock is quickly needed, it could accidentally lock another target, potentially compromising an engagement. The other option is to fully lock the target, which gives a much more reliable track. If the target starts notching, you can quickly switch the radar mode from PD to SRC to counter the notch and maintain the lock. Of course, since it is a solid lock, you won't be able to scan for other targets, and you can't provide guidance for other AIM-54s you have already launched.

All air-to-air missiles are more effective at higher altitudes, as the air is thinner and thus the drag on the missile is reduced, while the reduction in air density reduces lift and thus maneuverability of aircraft. This holds especially true for the AIM-54, which is programmed to “loft” itself towards targets at longer ranges. This means that, for targets at longer ranges, it flies at an upwards angle (rather than straight) towards the enemy. This will bring it into the aforementioned less dense air, thus increasing its range and speed. Once the missile is close enough to the enemy, it will descend from altitude, attaining maximum speed and maneuverability while falling on top of the enemy. Due to this, the AIM-54 has the most range when launched at higher altitudes (>6 km). While its advertised maximum range of 150 kilometers is over-exaggerated (like most other air-to-air missiles), the AIM-54 still has the longest range of any air-to-air missile in game. A very high altitude launch (>8 km) on a non-maneuvering enemy at lower altitude will still hit at ranges up to 80 kilometers. This can be useful in enduring confrontation maps, as you can quickly and easily take out enemy AI aircraft at long range, which travel in a mostly straight line and don't maneuver much.

However, for fighters piloted by real human beings, launches at high altitude and at around 37-43 kilometers from the target will prove the most lethal; at this range, the missile’s rocket motor will burn for most of the flight time, only burning out when it gets near the target. TThis will allow it to have its maximum speed and maneuverability, increasing its lethality. In addition, with the rocket motor burned out, it will be invisible to the enemy as it approaches, making it more difficult to dodge. And the launch range will allow it to outrange even R-27ERs provided the proper defensive manoeuvers are performed. While the AIM-54C only has 17G of maneuverability, it does have an extremely high top speed of mach 5. These two factors combined are typically enough to reliably hit any target not actively maneuvering to dodge the missile. Thus,the missile is useful to clear higher altitudes of enemies, as it at least forces enemy fighters at high altitude to defend and lose energy and/or positioning.

===== Missile Jousting Techniques =====
After launching a radar-guided missile at medium to long ranges, it is advised to crank to one side. To crank means to turn almost (but not) fully sideways, so that you are flying almost perpendicular to the enemy. This has numerous advantages over simply flying straight in.

* By flying almost sideways to the enemy, you are significantly reducing the speed at which you and the enemy’s missile are approaching each other, while also forcing the missile to maneuver that much further ahead of your aircraft to hit it. These factors combined make the missile have a longer flight time and thus significantly reduces its effectiveness. In addition, if you decrease altitude while also cranking, you are also dragging the missile down into denser air, further reducing its effectiveness.
* Radars in the nose can rotate sideways to a certain degree (for example, the F-14Bs AWG-9 system can keep an enemy locked until they are somewhere around 80 degrees to the right or left of your nose), so you can go almost perpendicular without breaking lock. In a crank, you are still holding a radar lock at the edge of your radar’s rotation limit (or gimbal limit) to guide your own missile in.
* If needed, you can quickly transition from almost perpendicular to fully perpendicular to achieve a defensive notch against pulse-doppler radars, and you can go cold (fully turn away from the incoming missile) quicker than if you were flying straight. Note that these maneuvers will put the enemy outside your radar’s gimbal limit, which will break radar lock and thus trash any SARH missiles you have been guiding.
* As was just mentioned, going defensive will cause you to lose your own radar lock. However, this is where the AIM-54s main advantage kicks in; once you’ve provided a long enough lock for the AIM-54 to track the enemy with its own radar, you can go defensive to break the enemy’s missile lock while your AIM-54 is still guiding itself.
* If needed, you can quickly point the nose at the enemy to launch further AIM-7s or AIM-54s before cranking again to avoid enemy missiles. Provided there is no incoming threat (either the enemy didn’t launch, your crank/defensive maneuvers defeated the missile, or their missile lost lock while they were defending), you can push closer to the enemy to increase the probability your missile will hit the enemy.

In conclusion, cranking will allow you to dramatically decrease the energy of the enemy missile while also allowing you to guide your own missile in. The positioning from the crank also allows you to easily launch further missiles or go defensive against enemy missiles. Usually, just the crank is enough to defeat weaker radar-guided missiles such as Skyflashes or AIM-7Es launched at longer ranges, but further steps must be taken to defeat the more powerful AIM-7F/Ms and R-27s, such as hitting the notch and dropping chaff once the enemy missile begins to get close.

==== Dogfighting ====
With the abundance of potent air-to-air missiles, jet dogfighting at top tier air RB is uncommon, but certainly not absent. As for the F-14, it may have been built as a large and heavy missile-carrying interceptor, but do not be fooled; the F-14B is also a supremely capable dogfighter which, if flown correctly, has the performance to out-manoeuvre nearly every fighter in the game. However, this is much easier said than done, as the plane itself will not do all the work. Proper tactics, energy management, and utilization of the F-14's flaps and variable sweep wings are required to get this fighter to perform in a dogfight.

===== Flaps =====
Usage of the F-14B's flaps is critical in dogfights. With the flaps completely up, the F-14B can attain higher speeds outside of dogfights, though at this flap state the plane will not be at its full manoeuvring potential. Generally, during dogfights, it is preferable to set the flaps to "combat", as this significantly boosts both F-14B's instantaneous and sustained turn rates. Energy retention at this flap state, while lowered, is still sufficient, and the combination of turn and energy retention will make this flap state ideal for two-circle rate fights. The combat flaps can be extended at very high speeds, and thus pilots should not be worried about them falling off. In some cases, the flaps can be brought back up to increase energy retention and gain back energy. Setting the flaps to "takeoff" will further increase manoeuvrability at the expense of additional energy retention. The "landing" flaps gives the F-14B its fastest turn rate and tightest turning circle, but at the expense of greatly diminished energy retention. These flaps should be used at lower speeds, ideally in one-circle fights or if you are behind the enemy. It should be noted that in the "landing" configuration, the flaps have a much lower speed tolerance than the other configurations. Go above 400 km/h with these flaps down, and you risk breaking them off, so be careful.

If it wasn't clear already, it is important to keep these flaps on, as if you do lose your flaps, you will greatly damage your dogfighting capability, not to mention the loss of dogfighting position that comes from the force of the flaps breaking off. If you've lost your flaps but sense you will eventually have to dogfight the enemy, it is best to go back to your airfield to get them repaired. If you end up locked in a dogfight without flaps, your best bet would be to keep your speed up and attempt a two-circle rate fight. Without it's flaps, the F-14B's AOA (angle of attack) is not sufficient for one circle fights, so in most cases, do not attempt them.

=====The Two-Circle (Rate Fight) =====
The F-14B's main advantage in a dogfight is its excellent energy retention and sustained turn rate. These can be used to great extent in a two-circle rate fight, which will be the preferred type of fight for the F-14B. Due to this, it is important that F-14 pilots understand this rate fight. A two-circle rate fight is a type of dogfight where the two fighters attempt to get on each other's tails. In this kind of dogfight, instead of turning as hard as you can, you instead must keep a certain speed. All fighter jets lose speed in turns, and generally, they turn worse at lower speeds. A fighter jet's optimal rate speed is the speed at which they can sustain the highest turn rate (or, the sustained turn rate). While you could pull harder to turn faster, you would be sacrificing speed to do this, and if you cannot take the shot, you will get slow and lose your turning capability, eventually lagging behind the now better turning enemy fighter. All aircraft have different flight capabilities and varied sustained turn rates. In a rate fight, the aircraft with the better sustained turn rate will have the advantage.

The beginning of the fight will have the two fighters' paths form two circles, hence the name. The fighter with the superior sustained turn rate (which we'll call the friendly fighter) will attempt to manoeuvre onto the other enemy fighter's tail. While this is happening, they must carefully manage their energy, taking great care in ensuring they do not go too much faster or slower than their optimal rate speed. During this initial turn, the enemy fighter may turn harder and initially get a shot on the friendly fighter, who must dodge. As the two fighters turn, the enemy fighter with the inferior sustained turn rate will lose speed faster, forcing them to fly downwards to use gravity to gain more speed and thus more turn. The friendly fighter follows the enemy downward, and this has the effect of pushing the fight closer to the ground; this is the goal of the friendly fighter, to push the fight down to the deck, where they will be able to outrate the enemy. Eventually, the fight will lower to the ground, where there won't be any more altitude for the enemy fighter to gain speed. With the enemy fighter now slow, the friendly fighter, still fast and better turning, will begin to get behind the other fighter (the enemy fighter is being "out-rated" here). Once they are approaching the enemy's tail, the enemy fighter may attempt to get the friendly fighter to overshoot by turning hard; to counteract this, the friendly fighter can pull hard, drop the flaps further, and/or airbrake to stay on the enemy's tail. At this point, the friendly fighter will be firmly planted on the tail of the enemy and has an opportunity to shoot them down.

Some jets will prefer the two-circle, while others will prefer other tactics. Again, the F-14B is one that favours this two-circle type of fight; in fact, theoretically, the F-14B has a superior sustained turn rate to just about every single aircraft it will encounter at top tier, with one notable exception in the [[F-16 (Family)|F-16]]. In the F-14B, the optimal turn rate can be achieved with the wings at 0% sweep, combat flaps down, and at a speed of around 700-800km/h with full afterburner (though, ideally, you should keep your speed at the higher end of this range in case you need to pull a hard maneuver), . For maximum turn rate, it is imperative that you stay around this speed. To do this, you can tap your elevator key, or use the mouse to gradually turn. It is fine if it gets below that speed but be sure to regain it eventually. Try not to go below 700km/h, as by that point, the turn rate will start to noticeably suffer. If you get above 830km/h, you will want to drop down back to your optimal rate speed by turning harder, but when doing this sweep the wings back a little (to around 20-30%), as this will help you lose speed quicker and allow you to turn harder without breaking the wings off (at 0% wing sweep, you risk ripping the wing off at these higher speeds). When entering a dogfight in the F-14B, it is preferable to be at a higher speed (>900 km/h). This way, when you merge with an enemy fighter, you can sweep the wings back to around 45% and deploy combat flaps to boost your initial turn rate, thus initially gaining position before sweeping your wings forward and reaching your optimal rate speed.

===== The One-Circle and Counter-Two Circle Tactics =====
The other type of dogfight is the one-circle fight. This one is generally simpler than the two circle. It involves both fighters turning as hard as they can into each other. Unlike a two-circle fight, where the fighters turn opposite of each other to get on each other's tails, a one-circle fight sees the two fighters turning directly into each other. In one-circle dogfights, sustained turn rate is irrelevant, as the fight will come down to which aircraft can turn better in a short amount of time. Speed is not as important in these fights; actually, depending on how the one-circle dogfight develops, it is often advantageous to keep speed low so that the faster enemy aircraft will pass out in front. Due to this, most one-circle fights often occur at low speeds.

Fighters which prefer one-circle tactics are those which can turn tightly (or instantaneous turn rate), have a high AOA (Angle of Attack) and have a low stall speed. One circle fighters often are superior turners at lower speeds. Typically, planes which have excellent instantaneous turn rate have the downside of trading off energy retention and sustained turn rate. Therefore, fighters which prefer the two-circle will want to rate fight these one-circle fighters.

However, in practice, this is much easier said than done. When quickly transitioning from the chaotic and fast-paced nature of Air RB combat to a dogfight, there usually isn't a lot of time to think, so it may not be easy to set up the conditions for a rate fight in such a short amount of time. This is especially true for the F-14; while the multiple flap, wing sweep and radar states give F-14 pilots numerous options for combat, quickly and manually reconfiguring all these parts for a rate fight can prove challenging. It doesn't help that the F-14B's rate speed is rather high at 800km/h, so if the F-14 stars the dogfight slow, it is already at a disadvantage.

Once again, it is important for pilots in two-circle fighters to remember not to panic and keep their speed at their optimal rate speed. Because in rate fights, this is exactly what one-circle fighters attempt to exploit to gain the advantage. It is sort of a mental game, where they attempt to trick you into pulling hard and losing your speed, thus drawing you into the one-circle fight where you will subsequently be destroyed. There are numerous tactics for this. When rating, they may pull into you, cashing in their speed in an attempt to make you panic, pull hard and lose your speed. In a horizontal rate, they may pull downwards to gain speed and pull up into you; when this happens, pull up and sideways perpendicular to them, in order to say out of their guns while maintaining your energy.

One of the more effective tactics is actually performed when the two-circle fighter is on the verge of winning. Like earlier, we'll call the two-circle Fighter the friendly aircraft and the one-circle fighter the enemy aircraft. When the two aircraft are close to the ground, the friendly fighter will out-rate the enemy. It is when the friendly fighter is gaining on the enemy, but is not fully around the circle yet, that the enemy fighter begins to pull a bit harder, suggesting they are slow and vulnerable. Seeing this, and on the verge of wining, the friendly fighter may choose to finish the fight now, cashing in their speed to turn hard and shoot the enemy while they are vulnerable. But, this is a trick. The enemy still has some speed left, and because the friendly fighter wasn't fully around the circle yet, they had insufficient speed to complete the turn and get the shot on the enemy. This results in the friendly fighter now being slow, and the enemy fighter can take this opportunity to close the distance with the friendly fighter and turn it in to a one-circle fight. At this point, it is likely game-over for the friendly fighter. Additionally, this scenario could also happen if the friendly fighter started pulling hard too early, and ran out of speed before they could take the shot. Ideally, the friendly fighter would have ignored the enemy's hard pull, instead continuing with the rate until they are actually close enough to reliably hit the shot. This way, even if the friendly fighter missed their shot, they would have enough speed to continue rating.

As for the F-14B, it is not as much of a one-circle fighter as it is a two-circle fighter, but it still performs well in the one-circle. At the very least, combat flaps should be utilized when in any kind of dogfight. The slower you get, the more you can lower your flaps; set it to "takeoff" from 600-400km/h, and below 400km/h, to "Landing". Landing flaps provides the most lift and turn and therefore should always be used when dogfighting at lower speeds. Keep in mind that it is rather easy to forget to raise them from the "landing" configuration above 400km/h, which may result in them falling off; remember that against capable opponents, losing your flaps may result in your loss.

If necessary, you may set a key bind to switch to the "realistic" or "full-real" control mode, which turns the instructor off. In the F-14B, it allows for much higher angles of attack and highly improved very low-speed control. However, keep in mind that with realistic/full-real, maneuvering harder at lower speeds will bleed speed very quickly. Additionally, depending on the maneuver, one could easily destabilize the aircraft, which would typically mean game-over in the majority of dogfights. Therefore, use advanced controls sparingly if at all.

Though the F-14B is decent in the one-circle, getting locked into a one-circle fight with a dedicated one-circle fighter such as the MiG-29, Mirage 2000 or JA37 will very quickly result in a loss for the F-14. Stick to the two-circle whenever possible.

===== Radar Lead Indicator =====
The F-14 comes equipped with a radar lead indicator, which calculates the lead required to hit a moving aircraft. At higher speeds, this mechanic can be a bit finicky, but at slower speed dogfights, it is much more accurate. The radar lead indicator can be quite helpful in dogfights, especially when the difference between victory and defeat could come down to hitting a single gunshot opportunity. In the F-14, the best way to get this to work is by using the radar's ACM (Acquisition Mode) to automatically radar lock the enemy aircraft once in range. It is important that, in dogfights, the radar is set to the standard SRC mode. The radar's other pulse-Doppler modes, while highly useful in general combat, are highly unreliable in dogfights, as it is prone to losing lock in tail-chase and side-aspect radar locks- both situations you will constantly encounter in dogfights. The normal SRC mode does not have these limitations, and at the close ranges dogfights occur at, ground clutter and chaff will usually not be an issue. To further optimize the radar lead indicator, you can switch the ACM mode on, and then press "change radar mode" to change the small box to a tall rectangle; this can be used to automatically radar lock an aircraft without directly pointing towards them (the shape of this box will usually catch aircraft you are about to take a gunshot at).

===== Aircraft Worth Noting =====
While the F-14B itself is a highly capable dogfighter, so are many of the common enemies that it will face. In order to prevail, you need to know the strengths and weaknesses of both your own and the opposing aircraft you will be facing.

* '''F-16A (All)''': The F-14B is nearly unmatched in a rate fight. Unfortunately, arguably the most common fighter family at top tier- the supremely capable F-16A and its variants- are also the only aircraft superior to the F-14B in a rate fight. Even in the one-circle, the F-16A seems to have a slight advantage. Therefore, if possible, it is best to avoid dogfights with F-16As. Keep in mind that the F-16A being a superior aircraft has nothing to do with its pilot's skill; in a dogfight, if you recognize that an enemy F-16A is pulling too hard and getting too slow, keeping your optimal rate speed will allow you to emerge victorious in a two-circle rate fight.
* '''F-16C''': Sporting more engine power than the previous F-16A, formidable AIM-7M Sparrows and dangerous AIM-9Ms paired with a HMD, this fighter is a force to be reckoned with. In a dogfight, like the previous A variant it is extremely capable. However, despite the extra engine power given from the improved engine, the added weight of other avionics actually makes it a slightly worse dogfighter than the previous F-16A. While the F-16C is still very dangerous in a one-circle against the F-14B, the slight decrease in dogfighting performance allows the F-14B to keep up with the F-16C in a two-circle fight.
* '''MiG-29A''': The MiG-29A is highly capable in the one-circle fight, having a better AOA and tighter turn radius than the F-14B. However, it does also have worse energy retention; thus, as long as you can keep the MiG-29A in a two-circle fight, the F-14B will be able to prevail.
* '''MiG-29SMT, MiG-29G:''' These MiG-29s are massively more capable than the previous MiG-29As. This can be directly attributed to the addition of the all-aspect, thrust-vectoring R-73 air-to-air missile. In a dogfight, these planes' HMDs (Helmet Mounted Device) allow them to easily lock you with the missile as long as you are within a certain angle of their planes nose. The insane manoeuvrability of the R-73 allows it to make extremely sharp turns no other missile can do, and it's IRCCM (Infrared Counter-Counter Measures) can make it difficult to flare. This makes the missile extremely lethal in dogfights; at the low to medium speed and close ranges that dogfights occour at, it isn't uncommon for an R-73 to turn on a dime and completely ignore your flares. This, combined with the HMD, poses a huge threat in dogfights. So, what about the rate fight? Yes, the F-14B's primary strategy against dogfighting MiG-29s is to rate fight them, and that theoretically doesn't change against these versions of the MiG-29. In a rate fight, the inferior rate fighter normally wouldn't be able to pull hard enough to get a shot on the dominant rate fighter. However, the problem is that, because these newer MiG-29s have R-73s and a HMD, all they need to do is simply point their nose in the general direction of you to launch a very dangerous missile. The nature of the rate fight means that until you get the enemy to the ground, you are constantly going to be vulnerable to getting launched on by an R-73, which as was just discussed, will put you in great danger. So, your primary strategy when dogfighting these MiG-29s is to deny the launch of the missile. There are numerous ways to do this.
** First, you have to recognize where the MiG-29’s WEZ (Weapons Employment Zone) is. The HMD of the MiG-29 can only see so far off the nose of the aircraft, and whenever you are within the HMD’s range (and thus in range of an R-73 launch), you are in the WEZ..
** The first strategy is that, whenever you notice you are in this WEZ, you should aggressively pre-flare to prevent the missile from locking on to you. Most other aircraft at top tier would quickly run out of flares doing this, but the F-14B with its large countermeasure capacity can sustain this tactic for some time.
** Another strategy is called "Jamming the WEZ”, which basically means staying out of the HMD’s range (and thus preventing an R-73’s launch). You can do this in a number of different ways. One way is to make the rate fight tighter by rating at the lower end of your optimal rate speed; for the F-14B, this will be around 700km/h.Depending on the speed of both you and your opponent, you could also attempt to simply engage the MiG-29 in a one-circle fight, as the F-14B's instantaneous turn rate is above average and can to an extent compete with the MiG-29. In the tight turns, an R-73 launch would initially be difficult. However, be aware that the MiG-29 is still much better in the one circle, and after the first few turns, the F-14B will often find itself at a disadvantage, so this could be risky if you don’t end the fight quickly. When engaging one of these fighters in a dogfight, if you notice they have depleted all their R-73s, then you can dogfight them in a rate fight normally without worry. It should be noted that the MiG-29SMT is heavier than the other MiG-29s, and so its overall flight performance (and thus overall dogfight performance) is noticeably worse than the other MiG-29s.
* '''Mirage 2000C, Mirage 2000-5F''': The Mirage 2000s are among the tightest and fastest turning fighters in the game. Therefore, in the F-14B, it is highly advised not to attempt engaging them in two-circle fights, as in nearly all situations this will end in your defeat. As a delta-winged fighter, the Mirage 2Ks lose lots of speed in a turn. This makes the two-circle rate fight the F-14B is so good at the main strategy when dogfighting Mirage 2Ks. Against Mirages, it is important to recognize their energy state; even if it seems like the Mirage is getting behind you, it could be that, in reality, they are slow and only sitting inside your circle, unable to shoot you. Stay calm and do your best to stay at the F-14B's optimal rate speed of 800km/h. Try not to panic and pull too hard to get away from the Mirage's nose, as doing so will slow you down and make the Mirage's victory come closer. Continue to rate until you reach the ground, where you will begin outrating them. Remember that the 2000-5F has a HMD, making the Magic 2 missiles a problem in dogfights.
* '''F-14A (Early)''': The earlier F-14A is very similar in dogfighting performance to the F-14B, with similar turn and rate performance. The F-14B does have superior engine power over the F-14A, so make sure to utilize the vertical to gain an advantage against this older F-14.
* '''MiG-23 (All)''': MiG-23s are, like the F-14B, excellent rate fighters. However, the F-14B's sustained turn rate is slightly better than the MiG-23's. An easier tactic is to one-circle them, as the F-14B has a much superior instantaneous turn rate.
* '''Viggens (JA37C, JA37D, AJ37, AJS37)''': The Viggen has an excellent instantaneous turn rate. However, its energy retention is very poor, and thus two-circle rate tactics should be used to overcome this Swedish fighter in a dogfight.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Ability to equip additional countermeasure pods grants a massive amount of countermeasures
* Access to upgraded AIM-7M SARH missiles and AIM-54C ARH missiles
* All-aspect AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles are a significant upgrade from the previous rear-aspect AIM-9H
* High velocity and extremely fast firing M61 rotary cannon
* Large air-to-air missile capacity of eight
* Substantial improvement to thrust and climb rate from the previous F-14A
* Same powerful radar as the previous F-14A
* Strong air-to-ground load out with Paveway laser-guided bombs and the LANTIRN thermal laser targeting pod
* Great instantaneous turn rate and excellent sustained turn rate
* Excellent energy retention
* Built-in camera targeting system automatically zooms in to radar locked aircraft and is useful for identification in simulator mode
* Built-in camera works with the EEGS, allowing you to use the function by applying the target point on the enemy

'''Cons:'''

* Large airframe makes for a large target
* Two very hot engines make it harder to flare off IR-guided missiles
* M61 rotary cannon has a rather small ammunition pool of 676
* The AIM-54C still only has 17G maximum overload and is thus rather easy to kinetically defeat

== History ==

=== F-14B Upgrade Program ===
During the mid-1980s, the United States Navy (USN) made a momentous decision to enhance the F-14 airframe by introducing a remarkable new variant of the aircraft. Originally designated as the F-14A+, this exceptional aircraft would eventually earn the prestigious moniker of the F-14B. The USN's comprehensive modernization program aimed to bring the F-14 airframe up to date with the latest technological advancements. One of the key aspects of this program was the incorporation of numerous electronic upgrades. The F-14B underwent a significant avionics overhaul, introducing advanced systems that improved the aircraft's capabilities in various areas. These upgrades included enhanced RWR systems, improved target detection and tracking capabilities (introduction of the Television Camera System) and upgraded communication systems to ensure seamless integration with other elements of the modern battlefield. In addition to these upgrades, the F-14B also received a major boost in terms of its powerplant. The outdated engines of the original F-14A model were replaced with the more advanced F110-GE-400 engines. These engines provided increased thrust and improved fuel efficiency, resulting in enhanced performance and greater operational flexibility for the aircraft. The F-110 engines also offered improved reliability and reduced maintenance requirements, which were crucial factors in ensuring the overall effectiveness and availability of the F-14B.

===[[wt:en/news/8228-development-grumman-f-14b-tomcat-the-bombcat-en|Devblog]]===
As part of the further upgrade of the Grumman F-14A carrier-based fighters, the aircraft were equipped with new General Electric F110-GE-400 turbojet engines with an afterburner, which significantly increased thrust, while reducing specific fuel consumption. The aircraft also received updated electronic equipment, as well as, unlike early production versions, the TISEO (Target Identification System, Electro Optical) optical target identification system. Initially, the updated Tomcats received the designation F-14A +.

This configuration was applied both to newly manufactured fighters, as well as to those already in service as an upgrade pack. In 1992, the designation was changed to F-14B in order to unify it with other military equipment in service. Subsequently, the F-14B were further upgraded in 1998 under the SLEP program. These jet fighters were in service with the US Navy aviation until 2006.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f_14b Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:F-14B WTWallpaper001.jpg
File:F-14B WTWallpaper002.jpg
File:F-14B WTWallpaper003.jpg
File:F-14B WTWallpaper004.jpg
File:F-14B WTWallpaper005.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|dUa3X0uS70o|'''F-14B Tomcat Ultimate Review''' - ''Bob Dickinson''|LHIGPV9XDjM|'''The Shooting Range #360''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[F-14 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8228-development-grumman-f-14b-tomcat-the-bombcat-en|[Devblog] Grumman F-14B Tomcat: The Bombcat]]

{{AirManufacturer Grumman}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

A-10A Late

2023-11-04T22:21:57Z

U97916902: /* Usage in battles */

{{About
| about = American strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the premium version
| link = A-10A
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=a_10a_late
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|cockpit=cockpit_a_10a_late.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The A-10 Thunderbolt II was developed to fill in the gap created by the more expensive Phantom for strike missions. A ground attack focused plane was needed and that's where the A-10 came into play. In late 1966, the USAF expressed interest in a plane that could carry out close air support missions. Fairchild Republic won the contract over Northrop and birthed the A-10 Thunderbolt II, a homage to the very successful P-47 Thunderbolt in World War 2. The A-10 featured a titanium bathtub to protect the pilot, a redundant control system, turbofan engines that were robust, and much more. The A-10A Late fielded a few new weapons like the AGM-65D Maverick.

Introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]], the '''{{Specs|name}}''' features the ability to carry four AIM-9Ls as well as AGM-65Ds. Unlike the AGM-65B, the D variant uses infrared imaging which gives the pilot a very clear image regardless of the surrounding conditions. Unfortunately, this lacks screen magnification like the AGM-65B but is better for night operations. Players should be more than satisfied with the addition of AGM-65Ds, the ability to use four AIM-9Ls, and retaining almost all of the benefits of the A-10A Early.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The single biggest downside with the A-10 is its top speed. At 642 km/h at sea level, the A-10A is the slowest aircraft at its BR. Not enough emphasis can be put on how much of a disadvantage the A-10's speed is, especially at a battle rating of 10.0, where apart from another A-10, every single aircraft it faces will have at least a 400 km/h faster top speed.

Despite how crippling the A-10's speed is, there are a handful of advantages to being so slow. First, while it is slow, it still is manoeuvrable at those low speeds, even with a heavy weapon loadout. It also means that its turn time is tight and quick compared to supersonic aircraft.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 624 || 609 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 30.2 || 30.8 || 21.0 || 19.9 || rowspan="2" | 700
|-
! Upgraded
| 662 || 642 || 28.5 || 29.0 || 30.3 || 25.3
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 874  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 740 || 370 || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 550 || < 650 || < 500 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="6" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | General Electric TF34-GE-100A || 2
| colspan="3" | 11,636 kg || colspan="3" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 14m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 48m fuel
|-
| 654 kg || colspan="2" | High-bypass turbofan
| 13,092 kg || 13,651 kg || 14,659 kg || 16,170 kg || 16,489 kg || _,___ kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 14m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 48m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 4,036 kgf || N/A
| 0.62 || 0.59 || 0.55 || 0.50 || 0.49 || _.__
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 4,036 kgf (0 km/h) || N/A
| 0.62 || 0.59 || 0.55 || 0.50 || 0.49 || _.__
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The A-10A has substantial armour around the cockpit, fuel tanks, and transmission. This armour effectively protects the pilot from machine gun fire and autocannons up to 25mm. However, while the pilot has ample armour protection, the other parts of the plane, such as the wing, tail and especially the unarmoured and exposed engines, will easily be destroyed by any short cannon burst, so do not expect to tank such attacks.

* 38 mm titanium alloy - "bathtub" around the bottom of the cockpit
* 44 mm bulletproof glass (54°) - windshield in front of the pilot

The A-10A is equipped with a whopping 480 countermeasures. This gives an extended and effective protection against even the most potent heat-seeking missiles it will face. A good strategy is to turn on periodic countermeasures upon entering a battle. The constant flares will make you practically immune to IR guided missiles, and since the A-10A has so many countermeasures, you won't have to worry about running out as you will probably still be left with a large amount provided you survive.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}

=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|GAU-8/A (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 30 mm GAU-8/A cannon, chin-mounted (1,174 rpg)
* 480 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="4%" | 1 !! width="4%" | 2 !! width="4%" | 3 !! width="4%" | 4 !! width="4%" | 5 !! width="4%" | 6 !! width="4%" | 7 !! width="4%" | 8 !! width="4%" | 9 !! width="4%" | 10
| rowspan="9" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|500 lb LDGP Mk 82]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1, 3 || 1, 3 || 1 || 1 || 1, 3 || 1, 3 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[Mk 82 Snakeye (500 lb)|500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1, 3 || 1, 3 || 1 || 1 || 1, 3 || 1, 3 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84]] bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 84 Air (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 Air]] bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[Hydra-70 M247]] rockets
| || 7 || 7, 21 || 7, 21 || || || 7, 21 || 7, 21 || 7 ||
|-
! [[AGM-65D]] missiles
| || || 3 || || || || || 3 || ||
|-
! [[AIM-9L Sidewinder]] missiles
| 1, 2 || || || || || || || || || 1, 2
|-
| colspan="11" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,000 kg
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 42 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets
* 84 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets
* 84 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 10 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (5,000 lb total)
* 12 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 18 x 500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs (9,000 lb total)
* 12 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs + 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles (6,000 lb total)
* 6 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 6 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 Air bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 6 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs + 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles (12,000 lb total)
* 6 x AGM-65D missiles
* 6 x AGM-65D missiles + 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==

The A-10A Late is specifically designed to attack ground targets. The AGM-65Ds and Mk 84s provide substantial firepower against armoured ground units. When within range, the 30 mm GAU-8 cannon can be used: the gun may lack penetration power against armour, but is excellent at destroying exterior modules and inflicting damage by overpressure.

The A-10's low speed makes it difficult to reach enemy ground units and bases without being intercepted, and also makes the A-10 especially vulnerable to both attacking aircraft and SAMs. Another problem with being so slow is that it is very easy to get energy trapped. This means that any common enemy aircraft can simply fly above the A-10, and with its slow speed, it simply has no chance to follow and get in range to use its gun. After the A-10 inevitably pitches back down (or stalls), the enemy aircraft will dive down on the slow and vulnerable A-10. While the A-10 can utilize its all-aspect AIM-9Ls to potentially dispatch aircraft lacking flares before they can initiate an energy trap, skilled players can easily dodge the AIM-9L without flares, while flare-equipped aircraft (which can easily flare an AIM-9L) should never be engaged unless absolutely necessary as it will likely result in the A-10's destruction. The slow speed also disadvantages the A-10 in high-speed head-ons. While it does arguably have the most powerful gun in the game, the A-10 will have trouble dodging the rounds of an enemy aircraft because its low speed prevents it from quickly getting out of the way. Meanwhile, the enemy aircraft, which is likely going much faster than the A-10, won't have too much of a problem dodging the A-10's rounds provided they begin evading at an ample range.

However, its slow speed and great maneuverability allows the A-10 much more time to aim its weapons at ground targets than if it were, say, a supersonic aircraft which is unmanoeuvrable at low speeds. Due to this, the A-10 can farm ground targets much quicker than most other planes; with its 1,174 rounds of 30 mm, a single A-10 left unchecked to freely attack ground targets can reduce an enemy team's ticket count by half or more. As stated before, the A-10 has very little chance in a vertical dogfight. However, the A-10's slow speed and good low speed manoeuvrability gives it the advantage in a horizontal scissors dogfight, as the likely faster enemy aircraft will quickly pass in front of the A-10's devastating gun. In a prolonged horizontal low speed scissors dogfight, the enemy aircraft would have likely bled much of their speed, again giving the A-10 an advantage with its good low speed manoeuvrability. If the enemy attempts to run away, the A-10 can exploit their low speed to launch an AIM-9L. When flying the A-10, if you notice an attacking aircraft may be unaware of the A-10's speed weakness (or unaware of how to exploit it), attempt to force it into a horizontal turn fight or scissors where you will have the advantage.

===== AIM-9L =====
The A-10A Late can equip up to four AIM-9L air-to-air missiles for self-defense. These missiles have long range, high manoeuvrability (30G maximum overload), all-aspect ability (can be launched from all sides including the front), and some degree of flare resistance. The high manoeuvrability sees that most aircraft lacking flares will have extreme difficulty dodging it. Even if an aircraft has flares, a close range launch at rear-aspect may prove somewhat challenging to flare due to its flare resistance. It has a rather long range and can be used to hit unsuspecting enemies at range. It is a very powerful missile found on even top tier aircraft, and at 10.3, it has the potential to wreck havoc. Keep in mind that, on launches other than rear-aspect, they are quite easy to flare. Remember that you are still a very slow and vulnerable A-10, and these four missiles are the only thing allowing you to compete in air combat; use them wisely.

With the AIM-9L, it is important to keep in mind its effective launch/lock ranges. From rear aspect, the missile can hit enemies traveling faster than the A-10 from 2.25 km, or similar speed enemies from 3 km. From side aspect, the missile can hit enemies at 3 km. From the front, the missile can get a lock on hotter aircraft at around 3km.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great manoeuvrability
* Great roll rate
* Good armour protection around the cockpit area that will protect the pilot
* 480 countermeasures are extremely effective against common heat-seeking missiles and early radar-guided missiles
* Devastating cannon with a large ammo pool
* Great payload options for ground attack
* Access to four all-aspect AIM-9L Sidewinder air-to-air missiles with long range, excellent turning ability, and significant flare resistance
* Sturdy wings which are hard to rip and don't break in dives
* Access to AGM-65D air-to-ground TV-guided missiles which have heat-sensing thermal sights and can therefore be used during night operations unlike the previous AGM-65A/B
* The aircraft's slow speed means G-forces sustained during manoeuvres isn't much of an issue

'''Cons:'''

* Very poor climb rate and moderate acceleration
* Extremely poor top speed makes the A-10 easy prey, especially to SAMs and SPAA
* Does not have access to gunpods or guided bombs which the premium A-10 gets
* Engine can potentially overheat when running at or near 100% throttle unless on a winter map
* Engines are heavily exposed and vulnerable
* Large wingspan makes for a large target

== History ==

The A-10A Late was a minor upgrade in the A-10. It featured the new and improved AGM-65D's which was in initial operation in 1985. Unlike the AGM-65B, the D variant featured an IR seeker. The AGM-65B used a TV camera that heavily depended on weather conditions and whether it was night or daytime. The AGM-65D solved that issue by using infrared and could be used in many weather conditions and most importantly, in the night. The Late was largely unchanged compared to the Early.
== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=a_10a_late Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|ty5x8xhle84|'''The Shooting Range #295''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


* [[A-10A]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7590-development-a-10a-thunderbolt-ii-the-warthog-arrives-in-war-thunder-en|[Devblog] A-10A Thunderbolt II: The 'Warthog' Arrives in War Thunder!]]
* [https://archive.org/details/T.O.1A10A1FlightManualA10ASerno7500258AndSubsequent15031988/mode/2up/ Technical Order 1A-10-1 - USAF Series A-10A Aircraft Flight Manual]

{{AirManufacturer Fairchild}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-14B

2023-11-04T22:04:44Z

U97916902:

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link = F-14A Early
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f_14b
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==


Even before the F-14 had its first test flight, Grumann knew the F-14A's performance would be underwhelming due to its TF-30 engines. This, as well as the VAX-2 specification sent out by the US Navy during the 1980s, led to the F-14B. The F-14B was a huge improvement over the F-14A in almost every aspect. New avionics, systems, engines, and much more were done on the F-14B. One of the upgrades included the addition of the AN/AXX-1 Television Camera System (TCS), for IFF purposes. The F-14B's main upgrade were the engines: General Electric F110-GE-400s replaced the TF-30s and massively improved the performance in essentially every aspect. The range, top speed, and turn rate were significantly improved, which meant the F-14B was far more suitable for carrier operations than the F-14A.

Introduced in [[Update "La Royale"]], the '''{{Specs|name}}''' is an extremely capable aircraft. The F-14B is essentially a heavily upgraded [[F-14A Early|F-14A]]. With new engines, avionics, and weapons, the F-14B is a much more potent aircraft. It gets access to [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L Sidewinders]], [[AIM-7M Sparrow|AIM-7M Sparrows]], and [[AIM-54C Phoenix|AIM-54C Phoenixes]], which is a big improvement over the F-14A's armament. Furthermore, the General Electric engines make the F-14B far more competent in dogfights compared to the F-14A. The F-14B is also more capable for ground attack thanks to the addition of the Paveway II guided bomb.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 10,668 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,191 || 2,181 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.4 || 24.5 || 195.5 || 188.7 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,238 || 2,215 || 23.6 || 24.0 || 256.6 || 224.8
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 1,359 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || rowspan="2" | 1,200 || rowspan="2" | 873 || rowspan="2" | 416 || ~10 || ~5
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,555 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 1,200 || < 850 || < 1,800 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="7" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | General Electric F110-GE-400 || 2
| colspan="3" | 19,663 kg || colspan="3" | 514 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 16m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 53m fuel
|-
| 1,897 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 21,868 kg || 22,399 kg || 23,766 kg || 25,818 kg || 27,013 kg || 33,593 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 16m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 53m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 6,200 kgf || 10,230 kgf
| 0.93 || 0.91 || 0.86 || 0.79 || 0.76 || 0.61
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 6,428 kgf (1,200 km/h) || 13,610 kgf (1,200 km/h)
| 1.24 || 1.22 || 1.15 || 1.05 || 1.00 || 0.81
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, cheek-mounted (676 rpg)
* 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="17" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_F-14A_Early.png]]</div>
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|500 lb LDGP Mk 82]] bombs
| || || 8¶ || 6 || ||
|-
! [[Mk 82 AIR (500 lb)|500 lb Mk 82 AIR]] bombs
| || || 8¶ || 6 || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83]] bombs
| || || 2¶ || 2 || ||
|-
! [[Mk 83 AIR (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb Mk 83 AIR]] bombs
| || || 2¶ || 2 || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84]] bombs
| || || 2¶ || 2 || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 84 Air (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 Air]] bombs
| || || 2¶ || 2 || ||
|-
! [[GBU-10 Paveway II (957 kg)|957 kg GBU-10 Paveway II]] bombs
| || || 2†‡¶ || || ||
|-
! [[GBU-12 Paveway II (277 kg)|277 kg GBU-12 Paveway II]] bombs
| || || 2† || † || ||
|-
! [[GBU-16 Paveway II (1,092 lb)|1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II]] bombs
| || || 2† || 2† || ||
|-
! [[GBU-24 Paveway III (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb GBU-24 Paveway III]] bombs
| || || 1†‡¶ || 1† || ||
|-
! [[Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP]] rockets
| || 8 || || || 8 ||
|-
! [[AIM-7M Sparrow]] missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1‡, 2¶ || 1 ||
|-
! [[AIM-9L Sidewinder]] missiles
| 1* || 1* || || || 1* || 1*
|-
! [[AIM-54A Phoenix]] missiles
| || 1 || 2¶ || 2 || 1 ||
|-
! [[AIM-54C Phoenix]] missiles
| || 1 || 2¶ || 2 || 1 ||
|-
! Countermeasures
| 160* || 160* || || || 160* || 160*
|-
! LANTIRN targeting pod
| || 1† || || || ||
|-
| colspan="8" | * AIM-9L missiles can be equipped with countermeasures on the same hardpoint †LANTIRN targeting pod must be equipped when carrying guided bombs ‡Single AIM-7M missile on hardpoint 4 cannot be equipped with GBU-10 or GBU-24 bombs on hardpoint 3 ¶ Dual AIM-7M missiles on hardpoint 4 cannot be equipped with marked options on hardpoint 3
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles + 640 x countermeasures
* 6 x AIM-7M Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
* 6 x AIM-54C Phoenix missiles
* 14 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (7,000 lb total)
* 14 x 500 lb Mk 82 AIR bombs (7,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb Mk 83 AIR bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 Air bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 2 x 957 kg GBU-10 Paveway II bombs (1,914 kg total)
* 4 x 277 kg GBU-12 Paveway II bombs (1,108 kg total)
* 4 x 1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II bombs (4,368 lb total)
* 2 x 2,000 lb GBU-24 Paveway III bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 16 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
{{Navigation-End}}

If you are flying the F-14B, then you most likely have experience with the previous F-14A and thus are aware of the F-14’s wide variety of missile loadout options. Like the F-14A, the F-14B can carry a maximum of four AIM-9 Sidewinders, though two of these can be substituted for AIM-7 Sparrows or AIM-54 Phoenixes. Just like the F-14A, there are also four centerline hardpoints dedicated for Sparrow or Phoenix missiles.

Unlike the previous F-14A which only has 60 countermeasures, the F-14B can unlock extra countermeasure pods with 160 countermeasures that can be carried on the wing pylons in conjunction with a sidewinder missile. Since there are two dedicated Sidewinder pylons on the F-14, the aircraft can have a massive total of 380 countermeasures without sacrificing any hardpoints for Sparrows or Phoenixes. If one opts to take four Sidewinders, they will be able to carry a grand total of 680 countermeasures. Therefore, don’t be afraid to take a half chaff/flare loadout and/or turn on periodic flares. It is highly recommended to take these pods once unlocked; the minimal weight of the extra countermeasure pods and no hardpoint penalty for taking them means they are very much worth it. Keep in mind of the one downside of these pods: it launches countermeasures behind the aircraft, not downwards and/or away. Thus, it may be slightly more difficult to flare off IR missiles launched at shorter ranges.{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==


=== Air Realistic Battles ===

==== Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Combat ====
As one of the only two aircraft with active radar homing missiles in the game, the F-14B has some unique tactics when it comes to radar missile combat.

The most obvious and advantageous feature of the AIM-54 is that it is an active radar homing missile, and thus it is, to an extent, “fire-and-forget”. Unlike other aircraft, which have to stay pointed in the general direction of their target to guide SARH missiles, the F-14 can theoretically completely turn away once AIM-54s are launched. However, just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

Before we get to this, let’s break down in basic terms how the AIM-54C works. The AIM-54’s own radar only activates in its terminal phase (<16 km). When launched at longer ranges, it relies on datalink (DL) and inertial guidance (IOG) to guide itself towards the target. The former, DL, allows the missile to obtain periodic guidance information from the parent F-14’s radar, even from track while scan (TWS) mode. This is what allows the F-14 to launch multiple AIM-54s at multiple targets; each AIM-54 can obtain data link information for their respective targets while the F-14’s radar is in TWS mode. The latter, IOG, means that if the missile were to lose guidance from the parent F-14, then the missile would travel towards the last known predicted location of the enemy aircraft in the hopes that it can get close enough for its own onboard radar to pick up and track the target.

So, while you could theoretically launch AIM-54s towards the enemy and then turn away, it would only be relying on inertial guidance and thus would be very unreliable.

As for guiding the AIM-54 in with your radar, you have a couple different options, both with their own set of pros and cons. A TWS "soft lock" has its advantages; it doesn’t alert the enemy’s radar warning receiver, allows multiple targets to be fired on, and while you are tracking a target you can still scan for other targets, thus providing excellent situational awareness. At the same time, however, it does have some disadvantages. It can track a target while you maneuver, but it is prone to locking another target and is unreliable. Additionally, if a solid lock is quickly needed, it could accidentally lock another target, potentially compromising an engagement. The other option is to fully lock the target, which gives a much more reliable track. If the target starts notching, you can quickly switch the radar mode from PD to SRC to counter the notch and maintain the lock. Of course, since it is a solid lock, you won't be able to scan for other targets, and you can't provide guidance for other AIM-54s you have already launched.

All air-to-air missiles are more effective at higher altitudes, as the air is thinner and thus the drag on the missile is reduced, while the reduction in air density reduces lift and thus maneuverability of aircraft. This holds especially true for the AIM-54, which is programmed to “loft” itself towards targets at longer ranges. This means that, for targets at longer ranges, it flies at an upwards angle (rather than straight) towards the enemy. This will bring it into the aforementioned less dense air, thus increasing its range and speed. Once the missile is close enough to the enemy, it will descend from altitude, attaining maximum speed and maneuverability while falling on top of the enemy. Due to this, the AIM-54 has the most range when launched at higher altitudes (>6 km). While its advertised maximum range of 150 kilometers is over-exaggerated (like most other air-to-air missiles), the AIM-54 still has the longest range of any air-to-air missile in game. A very high altitude launch (>8 km) on a non-maneuvering enemy at lower altitude will still hit at ranges up to 80 kilometers. This can be useful in enduring confrontation maps, as you can quickly and easily take out enemy AI aircraft at long range, which travel in a mostly straight line and don't maneuver much.

However, for fighters piloted by real human beings, launches at high altitude and at around 37-43 kilometers from the target will prove the most lethal; at this range, the missile’s rocket motor will burn for most of the flight time, only burning out when it gets near the target. TThis will allow it to have its maximum speed and maneuverability, increasing its lethality. In addition, with the rocket motor burned out, it will be invisible to the enemy as it approaches, making it more difficult to dodge. And the launch range will allow it to outrange even R-27ERs provided the proper defensive manoeuvers are performed. While the AIM-54C only has 17G of maneuverability, it does have an extremely high top speed of mach 5. These two factors combined are typically enough to reliably hit any target not actively maneuvering to dodge the missile. Thus,the missile is useful to clear higher altitudes of enemies, as it at least forces enemy fighters at high altitude to defend and lose energy and/or positioning.

===== Missile Jousting Techniques =====
After launching a radar-guided missile at medium to long ranges, it is advised to crank to one side. To crank means to turn almost (but not) fully sideways, so that you are flying almost perpendicular to the enemy. This has numerous advantages over simply flying straight in.

* By flying almost sideways to the enemy, you are significantly reducing the speed at which you and the enemy’s missile are approaching each other, while also forcing the missile to maneuver that much further ahead of your aircraft to hit it. These factors combined make the missile have a longer flight time and thus significantly reduces its effectiveness. In addition, if you decrease altitude while also cranking, you are also dragging the missile down into denser air, further reducing its effectiveness.
* Radars in the nose can rotate sideways to a certain degree (for example, the F-14Bs AWG-9 system can keep an enemy locked until they are somewhere around 80 degrees to the right or left of your nose), so you can go almost perpendicular without breaking lock. In a crank, you are still holding a radar lock at the edge of your radar’s rotation limit (or gimbal limit) to guide your own missile in.
* If needed, you can quickly transition from almost perpendicular to fully perpendicular to achieve a defensive notch against pulse-doppler radars, and you can go cold (fully turn away from the incoming missile) quicker than if you were flying straight. Note that these maneuvers will put the enemy outside your radar’s gimbal limit, which will break radar lock and thus trash any SARH missiles you have been guiding.
* As was just mentioned, going defensive will cause you to lose your own radar lock. However, this is where the AIM-54s main advantage kicks in; once you’ve provided a long enough lock for the AIM-54 to track the enemy with its own radar, you can go defensive to break the enemy’s missile lock while your AIM-54 is still guiding itself.
* If needed, you can quickly point the nose at the enemy to launch further AIM-7s or AIM-54s before cranking again to avoid enemy missiles. Provided there is no incoming threat (either the enemy didn’t launch, your crank/defensive maneuvers defeated the missile, or their missile lost lock while they were defending), you can push closer to the enemy to increase the probability your missile will hit the enemy.

In conclusion, cranking will allow you to dramatically decrease the energy of the enemy missile while also allowing you to guide your own missile in. The positioning from the crank also allows you to easily launch further missiles or go defensive against enemy missiles. Usually, just the crank is enough to defeat weaker radar-guided missiles such as Skyflashes or AIM-7Es launched at longer ranges, but further steps must be taken to defeat the more powerful AIM-7F/Ms and R-27s, such as hitting the notch and dropping chaff once the enemy missile begins to get close.

==== Dogfighting ====
With the abundance of potent air-to-air missiles, jet dogfighting at top tier air RB is uncommon, but certainly not absent. As for the F-14, it may have been built as a large and heavy missile-carrying interceptor, but do not be fooled; the F-14B is also a supremely capable dogfighter which, if flown correctly, has the performance to out-manoeuvre nearly every fighter in the game. However, this is much easier said than done, as the plane itself will not do all the work. Proper tactics, energy management, and utilization of the F-14's flaps and variable sweep wings are required to get this fighter to perform in a dogfight.

===== Flaps =====
Usage of the F-14B's flaps is critical in dogfights. With the flaps completely up, the F-14B can attain higher speeds outside of dogfights, though at this flap state the plane will not be at its full manoeuvring potential. Generally, during dogfights, it is preferable to set the flaps to "combat", as this significantly boosts both F-14B's instantaneous and sustained turn rates. Energy retention at this flap state, while lowered, is still sufficient, and the combination of turn and energy retention will make this flap state ideal for two-circle rate fights. The combat flaps can be extended at very high speeds, and thus pilots should not be worried about them falling off. In some cases, the flaps can be brought back up to increase energy retention and gain back energy. Setting the flaps to "takeoff" will further increase manoeuvrability at the expense of additional energy retention. The "landing" flaps gives the F-14B its fastest turn rate and tightest turning circle, but at the expense of greatly diminished energy retention. These flaps should be used at lower speeds, ideally in one-circle fights or if you are behind the enemy. It should be noted that in the "landing" configuration, the flaps have a much lower speed tolerance than the other configurations. Go above 400 km/h with these flaps down, and you risk breaking them off, so be careful.

If it wasn't clear already, it is important to keep these flaps on, as if you do lose your flaps, you will greatly damage your dogfighting capability, not to mention the loss of dogfighting position that comes from the force of the flaps breaking off. If you've lost your flaps but sense you will eventually have to dogfight the enemy, it is best to go back to your airfield to get them repaired. If you end up locked in a dogfight without flaps, your best bet would be to keep your speed up and attempt a two-circle rate fight. Without it's flaps, the F-14B's AOA (angle of attack) is not sufficient for one circle fights, so in most cases, do not attempt them.

=====The Two-Circle (Rate Fight) =====
The F-14B's main advantage in a dogfight is its excellent energy retention and sustained turn rate. These can be used to great extent in a two-circle rate fight, which will be the preferred type of fight for the F-14B. Due to this, it is important that F-14 pilots understand this rate fight. A two-circle rate fight is a type of dogfight where the two fighters attempt to get on each other's tails. In this kind of dogfight, instead of turning as hard as you can, you instead must keep a certain speed. All fighter jets lose speed in turns, and generally, they turn worse at lower speeds. A fighter jet's optimal rate speed is the speed at which they can sustain the highest turn rate (or, the sustained turn rate). While you could pull harder to turn faster, you would be sacrificing speed to do this, and if you cannot take the shot, you will get slow and lose your turning capability, eventually lagging behind the now better turning enemy fighter. All aircraft have different flight capabilities and varied sustained turn rates. In a rate fight, the aircraft with the better sustained turn rate will have the advantage.

The beginning of the fight will have the two fighters' paths form two circles, hence the name. The fighter with the superior sustained turn rate (which we'll call the friendly fighter) will attempt to manoeuvre onto the other enemy fighter's tail. While this is happening, they must carefully manage their energy, taking great care in ensuring they do not go too much faster or slower than their optimal rate speed. During this initial turn, the enemy fighter may turn harder and initially get a shot on the friendly fighter, who must dodge. As the two fighters turn, the enemy fighter with the inferior sustained turn rate will lose speed faster, forcing them to fly downwards to use gravity to gain more speed and thus more turn, and the friendly fighter will follow. Eventually, the fight will lower to the ground, where there won't be any more altitude for the enemy fighter to gain speed. With the enemy fighter now slow, the friendly fighter, still fast and better turning, will begin to get behind the other fighter (the enemy fighter is being "out-rated" here). Once they are approaching the enemy's tail, the enemy fighter may attempt to get the friendly fighter to overshoot by turning hard; to counteract this, the friendly fighter can pull hard, drop the flaps further, and/or airbrake to stay on the enemy's tail. At this point, the friendly fighter will be firmly planted on the tail of the enemy and has an opportunity to shoot them down.

Some jets will prefer the two-circle, while others will prefer other tactics. Again, the F-14B is one that favours this two-circle type of fight; in fact, theoretically, the F-14B has a superior sustained turn rate to just about every single aircraft it will encounter at top tier, with one notable exception in the [[F-16 (Family)|F-16]]. In the F-14B, the optimal turn rate can be achieved with the wings at 0% sweep, combat flaps down, and at a speed of around 700-800km/h with full afterburner (though, ideally, you should keep your speed at the higher end of this range in case you need to pull a hard maneuver), . For maximum turn rate, it is imperative that you stay around this speed. To do this, you can tap your elevator key, or use the mouse to gradually turn. It is fine if it gets below that speed but be sure to regain it eventually. Try not to go below 700km/h, as by that point, the turn rate will start to noticeably suffer. If you get above 830km/h, you will want to drop down back to your optimal rate speed by turning harder, but when doing this sweep the wings back a little (to around 20-30%), as this will help you lose speed quicker and allow you to turn harder without breaking the wings off (at 0% wing sweep, you risk ripping the wing off at these higher speeds). When entering a dogfight in the F-14B, it is preferable to be at a higher speed (>900 km/h). This way, when you merge with an enemy fighter, you can sweep the wings back to around 45% and deploy combat flaps to boost your initial turn rate, thus initially gaining position before sweeping your wings forward and reaching your optimal rate speed.

===== The One-Circle and Counter-Two Circle Tactics =====
The other type of dogfight is the one-circle fight. This one is generally simpler than the two circle. It involves both fighters turning as hard as they can into each other. Unlike a two-circle fight, where the fighters turn opposite of each other to get on each other's tails, a one-circle fight sees the two fighters turning directly into each other. In one-circle dogfights, sustained turn rate is irrelevant, as the fight will come down to which aircraft can turn better in a short amount of time. Speed is not as important in these fights; actually, depending on how the one-circle dogfight develops, it is often advantageous to keep speed low so that the faster enemy aircraft will pass out in front. Due to this, most one-circle fights often occur at low speeds.

Fighters which prefer one-circle tactics are those which can turn tightly (or instantaneous turn rate), have a high AOA (Angle of Attack) and have a low stall speed. One circle fighters often are superior turners at lower speeds. Typically, planes which have excellent instantaneous turn rate have the downside of trading off energy retention and sustained turn rate. Therefore, fighters which prefer the two-circle will want to rate fight these one-circle fighters.

However, in practice, this is much easier said than done. When quickly transitioning from the chaotic and fast-paced nature of Air RB combat to a dogfight, there usually isn't a lot of time to think, so it may not be easy to set up the conditions for a rate fight in such a short amount of time. This is especially true for the F-14; while the multiple flap, wing sweep and radar states give F-14 pilots numerous options for combat, quickly and manually reconfiguring all these parts for a rate fight can prove challenging. It doesn't help that the F-14B's rate speed is rather high at 800km/h, so if the F-14 stars the dogfight slow, it is already at a disadvantage.

Once again, it is important for pilots in two-circle fighters to remember not to panic and keep their speed at their optimal rate speed. Because in rate fights, this is exactly what one-circle fighters attempt to exploit to gain the advantage. It is sort of a mental game, where they attempt to trick you into pulling hard and losing your speed, thus drawing you into the one-circle fight where you will subsequently be destroyed. There are numerous tactics for this. When rating, they may pull into you, cashing in their speed in an attempt to make you panic, pull hard and lose your speed. In a horizontal rate, they may pull downwards to gain speed and pull up into you; when this happens, pull up and sideways perpendicular to them, in order to say out of their guns while maintaining your energy.

One of the more effective tactics is actually performed when the two-circle fighter is on the verge of winning. Like earlier, we'll call the two-circle Fighter the friendly aircraft and the one-circle fighter the enemy aircraft. When the two aircraft are close to the ground, the friendly fighter will out-rate the enemy. It is when the friendly fighter is gaining on the enemy, but is not fully around the circle yet, that the enemy fighter begins to pull a bit harder, suggesting they are slow and vulnerable. Seeing this, and on the verge of wining, the friendly fighter may choose to finish the fight now, cashing in their speed to turn hard and shoot the enemy while they are vulnerable. But, this is a trick. The enemy still has some speed left, and because the friendly fighter wasn't fully around the circle yet, they had insufficient speed to complete the turn and get the shot on the enemy. This results in the friendly fighter now being slow, and the enemy fighter can take this opportunity to close the distance with the friendly fighter and turn it in to a one-circle fight. At this point, it is likely game-over for the friendly fighter. Additionally, this scenario could also happen if the friendly fighter started pulling hard too early, and ran out of speed before they could take the shot. Ideally, the friendly fighter would have ignored the enemy's hard pull, instead continuing with the rate until they are actually close enough to reliably hit the shot. This way, even if the friendly fighter missed their shot, they would have enough speed to continue rating.

As for the F-14B, it is not as much of a one-circle fighter as it is a two-circle fighter, but it still performs well in the one-circle. At the very least, combat flaps should be utilized when in any kind of dogfight. The slower you get, the more you can lower your flaps; set it to "takeoff" from 600-400km/h, and below 400km/h, to "Landing". Landing flaps provides the most lift and turn and therefore should always be used when dogfighting at lower speeds. Keep in mind that it is rather easy to forget to raise them from the "landing" configuration above 400km/h, which may result in them falling off; remember that against capable opponents, losing your flaps may result in your loss.

If necessary, you may set a key bind to switch to the "realistic" or "full-real" control mode, which turns the instructor off. In the F-14B, it allows for much higher angles of attack and highly improved very low-speed control. However, keep in mind that with realistic/full-real, maneuvering harder at lower speeds will bleed speed very quickly. Additionally, depending on the maneuver, one could easily destabilize the aircraft, which would typically mean game-over in the majority of dogfights. Therefore, use advanced controls sparingly if at all.

Though the F-14B is decent in the one-circle, getting locked into a one-circle fight with a dedicated one-circle fighter such as the MiG-29, Mirage 2000 or JA37 will very quickly result in a loss for the F-14. Stick to the two-circle whenever possible.

===== Radar Lead Indicator =====
The F-14 comes equipped with a radar lead indicator, which calculates the lead required to hit a moving aircraft. At higher speeds, this mechanic can be a bit finicky, but at slower speed dogfights, it is much more accurate. The radar lead indicator can be quite helpful in dogfights, especially when the difference between victory and defeat could come down to hitting a single gunshot opportunity. In the F-14, the best way to get this to work is by using the radar's ACM (Acquisition Mode) to automatically radar lock the enemy aircraft once in range. It is important that, in dogfights, the radar is set to the standard SRC mode. The radar's other pulse-Doppler modes, while highly useful in general combat, are highly unreliable in dogfights, as it is prone to losing lock in tail-chase and side-aspect radar locks- both situations you will constantly encounter in dogfights. The normal SRC mode does not have these limitations, and at the close ranges dogfights occur at, ground clutter and chaff will usually not be an issue. To further optimize the radar lead indicator, you can switch the ACM mode on, and then press "change radar mode" to change the small box to a tall rectangle; this can be used to automatically radar lock an aircraft without directly pointing towards them (the shape of this box will usually catch aircraft you are about to take a gunshot at).

===== Aircraft Worth Noting =====
While the F-14B itself is a highly capable dogfighter, so are many of the common enemies that it will face. In order to prevail, you need to know the strengths and weaknesses of both your own and the opposing aircraft you will be facing.

* '''F-16A (All)''': The F-14B is nearly unmatched in a rate fight. Unfortunately, arguably the most common fighter family at top tier- the supremely capable F-16A and its variants- are also the only aircraft superior to the F-14B in a rate fight. Even in the one-circle, the F-16A seems to have a slight advantage. Therefore, if possible, it is best to avoid dogfights with F-16As. Keep in mind that the F-16A being a superior aircraft has nothing to do with its pilot's skill; in a dogfight, if you recognize that an enemy F-16A is pulling too hard and getting too slow, keeping your optimal rate speed will allow you to emerge victorious in a two-circle rate fight.
* '''F-16C''': Sporting more engine power than the previous F-16A, formidable AIM-7M Sparrows and extremely dangerous AIM-9Ms paired with a HMD, this fighter is a force to be reckoned with. In a dogfight, like the previous A variant it is extremely capable. However, despite the extra engine power given from the improved engine, the added weight of other avionics actually makes it a slightly worse dogfighter than the previous F-16A. While the F-16C is still very dangerous in a one-circle against the F-14B, the slight decrease in dogfighting performance allows the F-14B to keep up with the F-16C in a two-circle fight.
* '''MiG-29A''': The MiG-29A is highly capable in the one-circle fight, having a better AOA and tighter turn radius than the F-14B. However, it does also have worse energy retention; thus, as long as you can keep the MiG-29A in a two-circle fight, the F-14B will be able to prevail.
* '''MiG-29SMT''': The MiG-29SMT is a heavier MiG-29A, so it can be out-rated easier than the MiG-29A. However, keep in mind that the SMT has extremely dangerous R-73s paired with a HMD, so be sure to start pre-flaring if you notice you may be about to be launched on.
* '''Mirage 2000C, Mirage 2000-5F''': The Mirage 2000s are among the tightest and fastest turning fighters in the game. Therefore, in the F-14B, it is highly advised not to attempt engaging them in two-circle fights, as in nearly all situations this will end in your defeat. As a delta-winged fighter, the Mirage 2Ks lose lots of speed in a turn. This makes the two-circle rate fight the F-14B is so good at the main strategy when dogfighting Mirage 2Ks. Against Mirages, it is important to recognize their energy state; even if it seems like the Mirage is getting behind you, it could be that, in reality, they are slow and only sitting inside your circle, unable to shoot you. Stay calm and do your best to stay at the F-14B's optimal rate speed of 800km/h. Try not to panic and pull too hard to get away from the Mirage's nose, as doing so will slow you down and make the Mirage's victory come closer. Continue to rate until you reach the ground, where you will begin outrating them. Remember that the 2000-5F has a HMD, making the Magic 2 missiles a problem in dogfights.
* '''F-14A (Early)''': The earlier F-14A is very similar in dogfighting performance to the F-14B, with similar turn and rate performance. The F-14B does have superior engine power over the F-14A, so make sure to utilize the vertical to gain an advantage against this older F-14.
* '''MiG-23 (All)''': MiG-23s are, like the F-14B, excellent rate fighters. However, the F-14B's sustained turn rate is slightly better than the MiG-23's. An easier tactic is to one-circle them, as the F-14B has a much superior instantaneous turn rate.
* '''Viggens (JA37C, JA37D, AJ37, AJS37)''': The Viggen has an excellent instantaneous turn rate. However, its energy retention is very poor, and thus two-circle rate tactics should be used to overcome this Swedish fighter in a dogfight.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Ability to equip additional countermeasure pods grants a massive amount of countermeasures
* Access to upgraded AIM-7M SARH missiles and AIM-54C ARH missiles
* All-aspect AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles are a significant upgrade from the previous rear-aspect AIM-9H
* High velocity and extremely fast firing M61 rotary cannon
* Large air-to-air missile capacity of eight
* Substantial improvement to thrust and climb rate from the previous F-14A
* Same powerful radar as the previous F-14A
* Strong air-to-ground load out with Paveway laser-guided bombs and the LANTIRN thermal laser targeting pod
* Great instantaneous turn rate and excellent sustained turn rate
* Excellent energy retention
* Built-in camera targeting system automatically zooms in to radar locked aircraft and is useful for identification in simulator mode
* Built-in camera works with the EEGS, allowing you to use the function by applying the target point on the enemy

'''Cons:'''

* Large airframe makes for a large target
* Two very hot engines make it harder to flare off IR-guided missiles
* M61 rotary cannon has a rather small ammunition pool of 676
* The AIM-54C still only has 17G maximum overload and is thus rather easy to kinetically defeat

== History ==

=== F-14B Upgrade Program ===
During the mid-1980s, the United States Navy (USN) made a momentous decision to enhance the F-14 airframe by introducing a remarkable new variant of the aircraft. Originally designated as the F-14A+, this exceptional aircraft would eventually earn the prestigious moniker of the F-14B. The USN's comprehensive modernization program aimed to bring the F-14 airframe up to date with the latest technological advancements. One of the key aspects of this program was the incorporation of numerous electronic upgrades. The F-14B underwent a significant avionics overhaul, introducing advanced systems that improved the aircraft's capabilities in various areas. These upgrades included enhanced RWR systems, improved target detection and tracking capabilities (introduction of the Television Camera System) and upgraded communication systems to ensure seamless integration with other elements of the modern battlefield. In addition to these upgrades, the F-14B also received a major boost in terms of its powerplant. The outdated engines of the original F-14A model were replaced with the more advanced F110-GE-400 engines. These engines provided increased thrust and improved fuel efficiency, resulting in enhanced performance and greater operational flexibility for the aircraft. The F-110 engines also offered improved reliability and reduced maintenance requirements, which were crucial factors in ensuring the overall effectiveness and availability of the F-14B.

===[[wt:en/news/8228-development-grumman-f-14b-tomcat-the-bombcat-en|Devblog]]===
As part of the further upgrade of the Grumman F-14A carrier-based fighters, the aircraft were equipped with new General Electric F110-GE-400 turbojet engines with an afterburner, which significantly increased thrust, while reducing specific fuel consumption. The aircraft also received updated electronic equipment, as well as, unlike early production versions, the TISEO (Target Identification System, Electro Optical) optical target identification system. Initially, the updated Tomcats received the designation F-14A +.

This configuration was applied both to newly manufactured fighters, as well as to those already in service as an upgrade pack. In 1992, the designation was changed to F-14B in order to unify it with other military equipment in service. Subsequently, the F-14B were further upgraded in 1998 under the SLEP program. These jet fighters were in service with the US Navy aviation until 2006.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f_14b Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:F-14B WTWallpaper001.jpg
File:F-14B WTWallpaper002.jpg
File:F-14B WTWallpaper003.jpg
File:F-14B WTWallpaper004.jpg
File:F-14B WTWallpaper005.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|dUa3X0uS70o|'''F-14B Tomcat Ultimate Review''' - ''Bob Dickinson''|LHIGPV9XDjM|'''The Shooting Range #360''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[F-14 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8228-development-grumman-f-14b-tomcat-the-bombcat-en|[Devblog] Grumman F-14B Tomcat: The Bombcat]]

{{AirManufacturer Grumman}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-14B

2023-11-04T21:59:53Z

U97916902:

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link = F-14A Early
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f_14b
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==


Even before the F-14 had its first test flight, Grumann knew the F-14A's performance would be underwhelming due to its TF-30 engines. This, as well as the VAX-2 specification sent out by the US Navy during the 1980s, led to the F-14B. The F-14B was a huge improvement over the F-14A in almost every aspect. New avionics, systems, engines, and much more were done on the F-14B. One of the upgrades included the addition of the AN/AXX-1 Television Camera System (TCS), for IFF purposes. The F-14B's main upgrade were the engines: General Electric F110-GE-400s replaced the TF-30s and massively improved the performance in essentially every aspect. The range, top speed, and turn rate were significantly improved, which meant the F-14B was far more suitable for carrier operations than the F-14A.

Introduced in [[Update "La Royale"]], the '''{{Specs|name}}''' is an extremely capable aircraft. The F-14B is essentially a heavily upgraded [[F-14A Early|F-14A]]. With new engines, avionics, and weapons, the F-14B is a much more potent aircraft. It gets access to [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L Sidewinders]], [[AIM-7M Sparrow|AIM-7M Sparrows]], and [[AIM-54C Phoenix|AIM-54C Phoenixes]], which is a big improvement over the F-14A's armament. Furthermore, the General Electric engines make the F-14B far more competent in dogfights compared to the F-14A. The F-14B is also more capable for ground attack thanks to the addition of the Paveway II guided bomb.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 10,668 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,191 || 2,181 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.4 || 24.5 || 195.5 || 188.7 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,238 || 2,215 || 23.6 || 24.0 || 256.6 || 224.8
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 1,359 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || rowspan="2" | 1,200 || rowspan="2" | 873 || rowspan="2" | 416 || ~10 || ~5
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,555 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 1,200 || < 850 || < 1,800 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="7" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | General Electric F110-GE-400 || 2
| colspan="3" | 19,663 kg || colspan="3" | 514 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 16m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 53m fuel
|-
| 1,897 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 21,868 kg || 22,399 kg || 23,766 kg || 25,818 kg || 27,013 kg || 33,593 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 16m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 53m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 6,200 kgf || 10,230 kgf
| 0.93 || 0.91 || 0.86 || 0.79 || 0.76 || 0.61
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 6,428 kgf (1,200 km/h) || 13,610 kgf (1,200 km/h)
| 1.24 || 1.22 || 1.15 || 1.05 || 1.00 || 0.81
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, cheek-mounted (676 rpg)
* 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="17" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_F-14A_Early.png]]</div>
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|500 lb LDGP Mk 82]] bombs
| || || 8¶ || 6 || ||
|-
! [[Mk 82 AIR (500 lb)|500 lb Mk 82 AIR]] bombs
| || || 8¶ || 6 || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83]] bombs
| || || 2¶ || 2 || ||
|-
! [[Mk 83 AIR (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb Mk 83 AIR]] bombs
| || || 2¶ || 2 || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84]] bombs
| || || 2¶ || 2 || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 84 Air (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 Air]] bombs
| || || 2¶ || 2 || ||
|-
! [[GBU-10 Paveway II (957 kg)|957 kg GBU-10 Paveway II]] bombs
| || || 2†‡¶ || || ||
|-
! [[GBU-12 Paveway II (277 kg)|277 kg GBU-12 Paveway II]] bombs
| || || 2† || † || ||
|-
! [[GBU-16 Paveway II (1,092 lb)|1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II]] bombs
| || || 2† || 2† || ||
|-
! [[GBU-24 Paveway III (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb GBU-24 Paveway III]] bombs
| || || 1†‡¶ || 1† || ||
|-
! [[Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP]] rockets
| || 8 || || || 8 ||
|-
! [[AIM-7M Sparrow]] missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1‡, 2¶ || 1 ||
|-
! [[AIM-9L Sidewinder]] missiles
| 1* || 1* || || || 1* || 1*
|-
! [[AIM-54A Phoenix]] missiles
| || 1 || 2¶ || 2 || 1 ||
|-
! [[AIM-54C Phoenix]] missiles
| || 1 || 2¶ || 2 || 1 ||
|-
! Countermeasures
| 160* || 160* || || || 160* || 160*
|-
! LANTIRN targeting pod
| || 1† || || || ||
|-
| colspan="8" | * AIM-9L missiles can be equipped with countermeasures on the same hardpoint †LANTIRN targeting pod must be equipped when carrying guided bombs ‡Single AIM-7M missile on hardpoint 4 cannot be equipped with GBU-10 or GBU-24 bombs on hardpoint 3 ¶ Dual AIM-7M missiles on hardpoint 4 cannot be equipped with marked options on hardpoint 3
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles + 640 x countermeasures
* 6 x AIM-7M Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
* 6 x AIM-54C Phoenix missiles
* 14 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (7,000 lb total)
* 14 x 500 lb Mk 82 AIR bombs (7,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb Mk 83 AIR bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 Air bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 2 x 957 kg GBU-10 Paveway II bombs (1,914 kg total)
* 4 x 277 kg GBU-12 Paveway II bombs (1,108 kg total)
* 4 x 1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II bombs (4,368 lb total)
* 2 x 2,000 lb GBU-24 Paveway III bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 16 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets

If you are flying the F-14B, then you most likely have experience with the previous F-14A and thus are aware of the F-14’s wide variety of missile loadout options. Like the F-14A, the F-14B can carry a maximum of four AIM-9 Sidewinders, though two of these can be substituted for AIM-7 Sparrows or AIM-54 Phoenixes. Just like the F-14A, there are also four centerline hardpoints dedicated for Sparrow or Phoenix missiles.

Unlike the previous F-14A which only has 60 countermeasures, the F-14B can unlock extra countermeasure pods with 160 countermeasures that can be carried on the wing pylons in conjunction with a sidewinder missile. Since there are two dedicated Sidewinder pylons on the F-14, the aircraft can have a massive total of 380 countermeasures without sacrificing any hardpoints for Sparrows or Phoenixes. If one opts to take four Sidewinders, they will be able to carry a grand total of 680 countermeasures. Therefore, don’t be afraid to take a half chaff/flare loadout and/or turn on periodic flares. It is highly recommended to take these pods once unlocked; the minimal weight of the extra countermeasure pods and no hardpoint penalty for taking them means they are very much worth it. Keep in mind of the one downside of these pods: it launches countermeasures behind the aircraft, not downwards and/or away. Thus, it may be slightly more difficult to flare off IR missiles launched at shorter ranges.{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==


=== Air Realistic Battles ===

==== Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Combat ====
As one of the only two aircraft with active radar homing missiles in the game, the F-14B has some unique tactics when it comes to radar missile combat.

The most obvious and advantageous feature of the AIM-54 is that it is an active radar homing missile, and thus it is, to an extent, “fire-and-forget”. Unlike other aircraft, which have to stay pointed in the general direction of their target to guide SARH missiles, the F-14 can theoretically completely turn away once AIM-54s are launched. However, just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

Before we get to this, let’s break down in basic terms how the AIM-54C works. The AIM-54’s own radar only activates in its terminal phase (<16 km). When launched at longer ranges, it relies on datalink (DL) and inertial guidance (IOG) to guide itself towards the target. The former, DL, allows the missile to obtain periodic guidance information from the parent F-14’s radar, even from track while scan (TWS) mode. This is what allows the F-14 to launch multiple AIM-54s at multiple targets; each AIM-54 can obtain data link information for their respective targets while the F-14’s radar is in TWS mode. The latter, IOG, means that if the missile were to lose guidance from the parent F-14, then the missile would travel towards the last known predicted location of the enemy aircraft in the hopes that it can get close enough for its own onboard radar to pick up and track the target.

So, while you could theoretically launch AIM-54s towards the enemy and then turn away, it would only be relying on inertial guidance and thus would be very unreliable.

As for guiding the AIM-54 in with your radar, you have a couple different options, both with their own set of pros and cons. A TWS "soft lock" has its advantages; it doesn’t alert the enemy’s radar warning receiver, allows multiple targets to be fired on, and while you are tracking a target you can still scan for other targets, thus providing excellent situational awareness. At the same time, however, it does have some disadvantages. It can track a target while you maneuver, but it is prone to locking another target and is unreliable. Additionally, if a solid lock is quickly needed, it could accidentally lock another target, potentially compromising an engagement. The other option is to fully lock the target, which gives a much more reliable track. If the target starts notching, you can quickly switch the radar mode from PD to SRC to counter the notch and maintain the lock. Of course, since it is a solid lock, you won't be able to scan for other targets, and you can't provide guidance for other AIM-54s you have already launched.

All air-to-air missiles are more effective at higher altitudes, as the air is thinner and thus the drag on the missile is reduced, while the reduction in air density reduces lift and thus maneuverability of aircraft. This holds especially true for the AIM-54, which is programmed to “loft” itself towards targets at longer ranges. This means that, for targets at longer ranges, it flies at an upwards angle (rather than straight) towards the enemy. This will bring it into the aforementioned less dense air, thus increasing its range and speed. Once the missile is close enough to the enemy, it will descend from altitude, attaining maximum speed and maneuverability while falling on top of the enemy. Due to this, the AIM-54 has the most range when launched at higher altitudes (>6 km). While its advertised maximum range of 150 kilometers is over-exaggerated (like most other air-to-air missiles), the AIM-54 still has the longest range of any air-to-air missile in game. A very high altitude launch (>8 km) on a non-maneuvering enemy at lower altitude will still hit at ranges up to 80 kilometers. This can be useful in enduring confrontation maps, as you can quickly and easily take out enemy AI aircraft at long range, which travel in a mostly straight line and don't maneuver much.

However, for fighters piloted by real human beings, launches at high altitude and at around 37-43 kilometers from the target will prove the most lethal; at this range, the missile’s rocket motor will burn for most of the flight time, only burning out when it gets near the target. TThis will allow it to have its maximum speed and maneuverability, increasing its lethality. In addition, with the rocket motor burned out, it will be invisible to the enemy as it approaches, making it more difficult to dodge. And the launch range will allow it to outrange even R-27ERs provided the proper defensive manoeuvers are performed. While the AIM-54C only has 17G of maneuverability, it does have an extremely high top speed of mach 5. These two factors combined are typically enough to reliably hit any target not actively maneuvering to dodge the missile. Thus,the missile is useful to clear higher altitudes of enemies, as it at least forces enemy fighters at high altitude to defend and lose energy and/or positioning.

===== Missile Jousting Techniques =====
After launching a radar-guided missile at medium to long ranges, it is advised to crank to one side. To crank means to turn almost (but not) fully sideways, so that you are flying almost perpendicular to the enemy. This has numerous advantages over simply flying straight in.

* By flying almost sideways to the enemy, you are significantly reducing the speed at which you and the enemy’s missile are approaching each other, while also forcing the missile to maneuver that much further ahead of your aircraft to hit it. These factors combined make the missile have a longer flight time and thus significantly reduces its effectiveness. In addition, if you decrease altitude while also cranking, you are also dragging the missile down into denser air, further reducing its effectiveness.
* Radars in the nose can rotate sideways to a certain degree (for example, the F-14Bs AWG-9 system can keep an enemy locked until they are somewhere around 80 degrees to the right or left of your nose), so you can go almost perpendicular without breaking lock. In a crank, you are still holding a radar lock at the edge of your radar’s rotation limit (or gimbal limit) to guide your own missile in.
* If needed, you can quickly transition from almost perpendicular to fully perpendicular to achieve a defensive notch against pulse-doppler radars, and you can go cold (fully turn away from the incoming missile) quicker than if you were flying straight. Note that these maneuvers will put the enemy outside your radar’s gimbal limit, which will break radar lock and thus trash any SARH missiles you have been guiding.
* As was just mentioned, going defensive will cause you to lose your own radar lock. However, this is where the AIM-54s main advantage kicks in; once you’ve provided a long enough lock for the AIM-54 to track the enemy with its own radar, you can go defensive to break the enemy’s missile lock while your AIM-54 is still guiding itself.
* If needed, you can quickly point the nose at the enemy to launch further AIM-7s or AIM-54s before cranking again to avoid enemy missiles. Provided there is no incoming threat (either the enemy didn’t launch, your crank/defensive maneuvers defeated the missile, or their missile lost lock while they were defending), you can push closer to the enemy to increase the probability your missile will hit the enemy.

In conclusion, cranking will allow you to dramatically decrease the energy of the enemy missile while also allowing you to guide your own missile in. The positioning from the crank also allows you to easily launch further missiles or go defensive against enemy missiles. Usually, just the crank is enough to defeat weaker radar-guided missiles such as Skyflashes or AIM-7Es launched at longer ranges, but further steps must be taken to defeat the more powerful AIM-7F/Ms and R-27s, such as hitting the notch and dropping chaff once the enemy missile begins to get close.

==== Dogfighting ====
With the abundance of potent air-to-air missiles, jet dogfighting at top tier air RB is uncommon, but certainly not absent. As for the F-14, it may have been built as a large and heavy missile-carrying interceptor, but do not be fooled; the F-14B is also a supremely capable dogfighter which, if flown correctly, has the performance to out-manoeuvre nearly every fighter in the game. However, this is much easier said than done, as the plane itself will not do all the work. Proper tactics, energy management, and utilization of the F-14's flaps and variable sweep wings are required to get this fighter to perform in a dogfight.

===== Flaps =====
Usage of the F-14B's flaps is critical in dogfights. With the flaps completely up, the F-14B can attain higher speeds outside of dogfights, though at this flap state the plane will not be at its full manoeuvring potential. Generally, during dogfights, it is preferable to set the flaps to "combat", as this significantly boosts both F-14B's instantaneous and sustained turn rates. Energy retention at this flap state, while lowered, is still sufficient, and the combination of turn and energy retention will make this flap state ideal for two-circle rate fights. The combat flaps can be extended at very high speeds, and thus pilots should not be worried about them falling off. In some cases, the flaps can be brought back up to increase energy retention and gain back energy. Setting the flaps to "takeoff" will further increase manoeuvrability at the expense of additional energy retention. The "landing" flaps gives the F-14B its fastest turn rate and tightest turning circle, but at the expense of greatly diminished energy retention. These flaps should be used at lower speeds, ideally in one-circle fights or if you are behind the enemy. It should be noted that in the "landing" configuration, the flaps have a much lower speed tolerance than the other configurations. Go above 400 km/h with these flaps down, and you risk breaking them off, so be careful.

If it wasn't clear already, it is important to keep these flaps on, as if you do lose your flaps, you will greatly damage your dogfighting capability, not to mention the loss of dogfighting position that comes from the force of the flaps breaking off. If you've lost your flaps but sense you will eventually have to dogfight the enemy, it is best to go back to your airfield to get them repaired. If you end up locked in a dogfight without flaps, your best bet would be to keep your speed up and attempt a two-circle rate fight. Without it's flaps, the F-14B's AOA (angle of attack) is not sufficient for one circle fights, so in most cases, do not attempt them.

=====The Two-Circle (Rate Fight) =====
The F-14B's main advantage in a dogfight is its excellent energy retention and sustained turn rate. These can be used to great extent in a two-circle rate fight, which will be the preferred type of fight for the F-14B. Due to this, it is important that F-14 pilots understand this rate fight. A two-circle rate fight is a type of dogfight where the two fighters attempt to get on each other's tails. In this kind of dogfight, instead of turning as hard as you can, you instead must keep a certain speed. All fighter jets lose speed in turns, and generally, they turn worse at lower speeds. A fighter jet's optimal rate speed is the speed at which they can sustain the highest turn rate (or, the sustained turn rate). While you could pull harder to turn faster, you would be sacrificing speed to do this, and if you cannot take the shot, you will get slow and lose your turning capability, eventually lagging behind the now better turning enemy fighter. All aircraft have different flight capabilities and varied sustained turn rates. In a rate fight, the aircraft with the better sustained turn rate will have the advantage.

The beginning of the fight will have the two fighters' paths form two circles, hence the name. The fighter with the superior sustained turn rate (which we'll call the friendly fighter) will attempt to manoeuvre onto the other enemy fighter's tail. While this is happening, they must carefully manage their energy, taking great care in ensuring they do not go too much faster or slower than their optimal rate speed. During this initial turn, the enemy fighter may turn harder and initially get a shot on the friendly fighter, who must dodge. As the two fighters turn, the enemy fighter with the inferior sustained turn rate will lose speed faster, forcing them to fly downwards to use gravity to gain more speed and thus more turn, and the friendly fighter will follow. Eventually, the fight will lower to the ground, where there won't be any more altitude for the enemy fighter to gain speed. With the enemy fighter now slow, the friendly fighter, still fast and better turning, will begin to get behind the other fighter (the enemy fighter is being "out-rated" here). Once they are approaching the enemy's tail, the enemy fighter may attempt to get the friendly fighter to overshoot by turning hard; to counteract this, the friendly fighter can pull hard, drop the flaps further, and/or airbrake to stay on the enemy's tail. At this point, the friendly fighter will be firmly planted on the tail of the enemy and has an opportunity to shoot them down.

Some jets will prefer the two-circle, while others will prefer other tactics. Again, the F-14B is one that favours this two-circle type of fight; in fact, theoretically, the F-14B has a superior sustained turn rate to just about every single aircraft it will encounter at top tier, with one notable exception in the [[F-16 (Family)|F-16]]. In the F-14B, the optimal turn rate can be achieved with the wings at 0% sweep, combat flaps down, and at a speed of around 700-800km/h with full afterburner (though, ideally, you should keep your speed at the higher end of this range in case you need to pull a hard maneuver), . For maximum turn rate, it is imperative that you stay around this speed. To do this, you can tap your elevator key, or use the mouse to gradually turn. It is fine if it gets below that speed but be sure to regain it eventually. Try not to go below 700km/h, as by that point, the turn rate will start to noticeably suffer. If you get above 830km/h, you will want to drop down back to your optimal rate speed by turning harder, but when doing this sweep the wings back a little (to around 20-30%), as this will help you lose speed quicker and allow you to turn harder without breaking the wings off (at 0% wing sweep, you risk ripping the wing off at these higher speeds). When entering a dogfight in the F-14B, it is preferable to be at a higher speed (>900 km/h). This way, when you merge with an enemy fighter, you can sweep the wings back to around 45% and deploy combat flaps to boost your initial turn rate, thus initially gaining position before sweeping your wings forward and reaching your optimal rate speed.

===== The One-Circle and Counter-Two Circle Tactics =====
The other type of dogfight is the one-circle fight. This one is generally simpler than the two circle. It involves both fighters turning as hard as they can into each other. Unlike a two-circle fight, where the fighters turn opposite of each other to get on each other's tails, a one-circle fight sees the two fighters turning directly into each other. In one-circle dogfights, sustained turn rate is irrelevant, as the fight will come down to which aircraft can turn better in a short amount of time. Speed is not as important in these fights; actually, depending on how the one-circle dogfight develops, it is often advantageous to keep speed low so that the faster enemy aircraft will pass out in front. Due to this, most one-circle fights often occur at low speeds.

Fighters which prefer one-circle tactics are those which can turn tightly (or instantaneous turn rate), have a high AOA (Angle of Attack) and have a low stall speed. One circle fighters often are superior turners at lower speeds. Typically, planes which have excellent instantaneous turn rate have the downside of trading off energy retention and sustained turn rate. Therefore, fighters which prefer the two-circle will want to rate fight these one-circle fighters.

However, in practice, this is much easier said than done. When quickly transitioning from the chaotic and fast-paced nature of Air RB combat to a dogfight, there usually isn't a lot of time to think, so it may not be easy to set up the conditions for a rate fight in such a short amount of time. This is especially true for the F-14; while the multiple flap, wing sweep and radar states give F-14 pilots numerous options for combat, quickly and manually reconfiguring all these parts for a rate fight can prove challenging. It doesn't help that the F-14B's rate speed is rather high at 800km/h, so if the F-14 stars the dogfight slow, it is already at a disadvantage.

Once again, it is important for pilots in two-circle fighters to remember not to panic and keep their speed at their optimal rate speed. Because in rate fights, this is exactly what one-circle fighters attempt to exploit to gain the advantage. It is sort of a mental game, where they attempt to trick you into pulling hard and losing your speed, thus drawing you into the one-circle fight where you will subsequently be destroyed. There are numerous tactics for this. When rating, they may pull into you, cashing in their speed in an attempt to make you panic, pull hard and lose your speed. In a horizontal rate, they may pull downwards to gain speed and pull up into you; when this happens, pull up and sideways perpendicular to them, in order to say out of their guns while maintaining your energy.

One of the more effective tactics is actually performed when the two-circle fighter is on the verge of winning. Like earlier, we'll call the two-circle Fighter the friendly aircraft and the one-circle fighter the enemy aircraft. When the two aircraft are close to the ground, the friendly fighter will out-rate the enemy. It is when the friendly fighter is gaining on the enemy, but is not fully around the circle yet, that the enemy fighter begins to pull a bit harder, suggesting they are slow and vulnerable. Seeing this, and on the verge of wining, the friendly fighter may choose to finish the fight now, cashing in their speed to turn hard and shoot the enemy while they are vulnerable. But, this is a trick. The enemy still has some speed left, and because the friendly fighter wasn't fully around the circle yet, they had insufficient speed to complete the turn and get the shot on the enemy. This results in the friendly fighter now being slow, and the enemy fighter can take this opportunity to close the distance with the friendly fighter and turn it in to a one-circle fight. At this point, it is likely game-over for the friendly fighter. Additionally, this scenario could also happen if the friendly fighter started pulling hard too early, and ran out of speed before they could take the shot. Ideally, the friendly fighter would have ignored the enemy's hard pull, instead continuing with the rate until they are actually close enough to reliably hit the shot. This way, even if the friendly fighter missed their shot, they would have enough speed to continue rating.

As for the F-14B, it is not as much of a one-circle fighter as it is a two-circle fighter, but it still performs well in the one-circle. At the very least, combat flaps should be utilized when in any kind of dogfight. The slower you get, the more you can lower your flaps; set it to "takeoff" from 600-400km/h, and below 400km/h, to "Landing". Landing flaps provides the most lift and turn and therefore should always be used when dogfighting at lower speeds. Keep in mind that it is rather easy to forget to raise them from the "landing" configuration above 400km/h, which may result in them falling off; remember that against capable opponents, losing your flaps may result in your loss.

If necessary, you may set a key bind to switch to the "realistic" or "full-real" control mode, which turns the instructor off. In the F-14B, it allows for much higher angles of attack and highly improved very low-speed control. However, keep in mind that with realistic/full-real, maneuvering harder at lower speeds will bleed speed very quickly. Additionally, depending on the maneuver, one could easily destabilize the aircraft, which would typically mean game-over in the majority of dogfights. Therefore, use advanced controls sparingly if at all.

Though the F-14B is decent in the one-circle, getting locked into a one-circle fight with a dedicated one-circle fighter such as the MiG-29, Mirage 2000 or JA37 will very quickly result in a loss for the F-14. Stick to the two-circle whenever possible.

===== Radar Lead Indicator =====
The F-14 comes equipped with a radar lead indicator, which calculates the lead required to hit a moving aircraft. At higher speeds, this mechanic can be a bit finicky, but at slower speed dogfights, it is much more accurate. The radar lead indicator can be quite helpful in dogfights, especially when the difference between victory and defeat could come down to hitting a single gunshot opportunity. In the F-14, the best way to get this to work is by using the radar's ACM (Acquisition Mode) to automatically radar lock the enemy aircraft once in range. It is important that, in dogfights, the radar is set to the standard SRC mode. The radar's other pulse-Doppler modes, while highly useful in general combat, are highly unreliable in dogfights, as it is prone to losing lock in tail-chase and side-aspect radar locks- both situations you will constantly encounter in dogfights. The normal SRC mode does not have these limitations, and at the close ranges dogfights occur at, ground clutter and chaff will usually not be an issue. To further optimize the radar lead indicator, you can switch the ACM mode on, and then press "change radar mode" to change the small box to a tall rectangle; this can be used to automatically radar lock an aircraft without directly pointing towards them (the shape of this box will usually catch aircraft you are about to take a gunshot at).

===== Aircraft Worth Noting =====
While the F-14B itself is a highly capable dogfighter, so are many of the common enemies that it will face. In order to prevail, you need to know the strengths and weaknesses of both your own and the opposing aircraft you will be facing.

* '''F-16A (All)''': The F-14B is nearly unmatched in a rate fight. Unfortunately, arguably the most common fighter family at top tier- the supremely capable F-16A and its variants- are also the only aircraft superior to the F-14B in a rate fight. Even in the one-circle, the F-16A seems to have a slight advantage. Therefore, if possible, it is best to avoid dogfights with F-16As. Keep in mind that the F-16A being a superior aircraft has nothing to do with its pilot's skill; in a dogfight, if you recognize that an enemy F-16A is pulling too hard and getting too slow, keeping your optimal rate speed will allow you to emerge victorious in a two-circle rate fight.
* '''F-16C''': Sporting more engine power than the previous F-16A, formidable AIM-7M Sparrows and extremely dangerous AIM-9Ms paired with a HMD, this fighter is a force to be reckoned with. In a dogfight, like the previous A variant it is extremely capable. However, despite the extra engine power given from the improved engine, the added weight of other avionics actually makes it a slightly worse dogfighter than the previous F-16A. While the F-16C is still very dangerous in a one-circle against the F-14B, the slight decrease in dogfighting performance allows the F-14B to keep up with the F-16C in a two-circle fight.
* '''MiG-29A''': The MiG-29A is highly capable in the one-circle fight, having a better AOA and tighter turn radius than the F-14B. However, it does also have worse energy retention; thus, as long as you can keep the MiG-29A in a two-circle fight, the F-14B will be able to prevail.
* '''MiG-29SMT''': The MiG-29SMT is a heavier MiG-29A, so it can be out-rated easier than the MiG-29A. However, keep in mind that the SMT has extremely dangerous R-73s paired with a HMD, so be sure to start pre-flaring if you notice you may be about to be launched on.
* '''Mirage 2000C, Mirage 2000-5F''': The Mirage 2000s are among the tightest and fastest turning fighters in the game. Therefore, in the F-14B, it is highly advised not to attempt engaging them in two-circle fights, as in nearly all situations this will end in your defeat. As a delta-winged fighter, the Mirage 2Ks lose lots of speed in a turn. This makes the two-circle rate fight the F-14B is so good at the main strategy when dogfighting Mirage 2Ks. Against Mirages, it is important to recognize their energy state; even if it seems like the Mirage is getting behind you, it could be that, in reality, they are slow and only sitting inside your circle, unable to shoot you. Stay calm and do your best to stay at the F-14B's optimal rate speed of 800km/h. Try not to panic and pull too hard to get away from the Mirage's nose, as doing so will slow you down and make the Mirage's victory come closer. Continue to rate until you reach the ground, where you will begin outrating them. Remember that the 2000-5F has a HMD, making the Magic 2 missiles a problem in dogfights.
* '''F-14A (Early)''': The earlier F-14A is very similar in dogfighting performance to the F-14B, with similar turn and rate performance. The F-14B does have superior engine power over the F-14A, so make sure to utilize the vertical to gain an advantage against this older F-14.
* '''MiG-23 (All)''': MiG-23s are, like the F-14B, excellent rate fighters. However, the F-14B's sustained turn rate is slightly better than the MiG-23's. An easier tactic is to one-circle them, as the F-14B has a much superior instantaneous turn rate.
* '''Viggens (JA37C, JA37D, AJ37, AJS37)''': The Viggen has an excellent instantaneous turn rate. However, its energy retention is very poor, and thus two-circle rate tactics should be used to overcome this Swedish fighter in a dogfight.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Ability to equip additional countermeasure pods grants a massive amount of countermeasures
* Access to upgraded AIM-7M SARH missiles and AIM-54C ARH missiles
* All-aspect AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles are a significant upgrade from the previous rear-aspect AIM-9H
* High velocity and extremely fast firing M61 rotary cannon
* Large air-to-air missile capacity of eight
* Substantial improvement to thrust and climb rate from the previous F-14A
* Same powerful radar as the previous F-14A
* Strong air-to-ground load out with Paveway laser-guided bombs and the LANTIRN thermal laser targeting pod
* Great instantaneous turn rate and excellent sustained turn rate
* Excellent energy retention
* Built-in camera targeting system automatically zooms in to radar locked aircraft and is useful for identification in simulator mode
* Built-in camera works with the EEGS, allowing you to use the function by applying the target point on the enemy

'''Cons:'''

* Large airframe makes for a large target
* Two very hot engines make it harder to flare off IR-guided missiles
* M61 rotary cannon has a rather small ammunition pool of 676
* The AIM-54C still only has 17G maximum overload and is thus rather easy to kinetically defeat

== History ==

=== F-14B Upgrade Program ===
During the mid-1980s, the United States Navy (USN) made a momentous decision to enhance the F-14 airframe by introducing a remarkable new variant of the aircraft. Originally designated as the F-14A+, this exceptional aircraft would eventually earn the prestigious moniker of the F-14B. The USN's comprehensive modernization program aimed to bring the F-14 airframe up to date with the latest technological advancements. One of the key aspects of this program was the incorporation of numerous electronic upgrades. The F-14B underwent a significant avionics overhaul, introducing advanced systems that improved the aircraft's capabilities in various areas. These upgrades included enhanced RWR systems, improved target detection and tracking capabilities (introduction of the Television Camera System) and upgraded communication systems to ensure seamless integration with other elements of the modern battlefield. In addition to these upgrades, the F-14B also received a major boost in terms of its powerplant. The outdated engines of the original F-14A model were replaced with the more advanced F110-GE-400 engines. These engines provided increased thrust and improved fuel efficiency, resulting in enhanced performance and greater operational flexibility for the aircraft. The F-110 engines also offered improved reliability and reduced maintenance requirements, which were crucial factors in ensuring the overall effectiveness and availability of the F-14B.

===[[wt:en/news/8228-development-grumman-f-14b-tomcat-the-bombcat-en|Devblog]]===
As part of the further upgrade of the Grumman F-14A carrier-based fighters, the aircraft were equipped with new General Electric F110-GE-400 turbojet engines with an afterburner, which significantly increased thrust, while reducing specific fuel consumption. The aircraft also received updated electronic equipment, as well as, unlike early production versions, the TISEO (Target Identification System, Electro Optical) optical target identification system. Initially, the updated Tomcats received the designation F-14A +.

This configuration was applied both to newly manufactured fighters, as well as to those already in service as an upgrade pack. In 1992, the designation was changed to F-14B in order to unify it with other military equipment in service. Subsequently, the F-14B were further upgraded in 1998 under the SLEP program. These jet fighters were in service with the US Navy aviation until 2006.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f_14b Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:F-14B WTWallpaper001.jpg
File:F-14B WTWallpaper002.jpg
File:F-14B WTWallpaper003.jpg
File:F-14B WTWallpaper004.jpg
File:F-14B WTWallpaper005.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|dUa3X0uS70o|'''F-14B Tomcat Ultimate Review''' - ''Bob Dickinson''|LHIGPV9XDjM|'''The Shooting Range #360''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[F-14 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8228-development-grumman-f-14b-tomcat-the-bombcat-en|[Devblog] Grumman F-14B Tomcat: The Bombcat]]

{{AirManufacturer Grumman}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-14B

2023-10-13T03:50:43Z

U97916902:

F-14B

2023-10-11T05:03:04Z

U97916902: More additions to dogfighting info in F-14B, still not done, will add more later

F-14B

2023-10-04T18:42:26Z

U97916902: /* Description */ Air RB dogfighting tactics. Not complete yet, will finish later

F-100D

2023-07-09T20:51:21Z

U97916902:

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-100 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-100d
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
|cockpit=cockpit_f-100d.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]] and was one of the first three jets to feature guided air-to-air missiles, the other two being the [[MiG-19PT]] and the [[Javelin F.(A.W.) Mk.9]].

The dogfighting days of World War II were over and while there was air-to-air combat during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, it was nowhere the level of previous wars. Jets were becoming faster, electronics and avionics were making them more manoeuvrable and the fighters were able to carry extremely large amounts of ordnance. The {{PAGENAME}} was no exception to this, as it was designed to be a ground attacker first and a fighter/interceptor as a secondary role. One noticeable difference from earlier aircraft is that early on in development the {{PAGENAME}} was known as the ''45-Sabre'' (officially later it was dubbed ''Super Sabre'') due to its wings being swept back at a 45° angle. The fighter's elevators were also swept back to help increase the aerodynamics of the aircraft. This, combined with a strong engine, upgraded avionics and early computer systems made this the first US fighter which was able to fly faster than the speed of sound in level flight.

[[File:F-100 duckmcmallardson001.png|350px|thumb|left|Literally looking down the barrels of an oncoming {{PAGENAME}}.]]

Weapon loadout options allow the pilot to tailor the aircraft to their playstyle or even mix it up depending on the map they are flying. This fighter excels as a ground attack bomber utilizing up to 6,000 lb of bombs, [[AGM-12B Bullpup]] missiles, [[FFAR Mighty Mouse|Mighty Mouse]] rockets or several combinations of the three. Whether you are into dropping and running or firing and forgetting, there are ordnance choices will fit the pilot's style. For those pilots who want to hunt fighters and bombers, the four nose-mounted 20 mm cannons and choice of [[AIM-9B]]/[[AIM-9E Sidewinder|E]] Sidewinder air-to-air missiles will fit the bill. The Sidewinders can also be used an intimidation factor as pilots with one on their tail must focus on outmanoeuvring the missile, providing you with the opportunity to manoeuvre in and line up the kill-shot with your cannons if the missile does not make contact. The speed of the {{PAGENAME}} can come in handy when attacking bomber aircraft as Boom & Zoom tactics will help you avoid any defensive weapons allowing you to wreak havoc during an attacking dive.

With the advent of other faster supersonic aircraft such as MiG-21s, J35As, and F-5s as well as powerful missile wielding A-5Cs, Su-25s and A-10s, aircraft lacking countermeasures such as the {{PAGENAME}} tend to be seen as easy prey. However, if handled correctly, the {{PAGENAME}} can be a formidable aircraft in both the fighter and strike roles.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


The F-100D's flight performance is adequate. Being supersonic at its BR, the F-100D can outrun many of the subsonic opponents it faces. Despite this, its top speed is slightly below average for a supersonic jet, being able to approach but not quite reach Mach 1 at sea level. However, it isn't the only supersonic jet at this BR; Early MiG-21s and F-104s, and Su-7s are all supersonic jets also found at the same BR which all have a higher sea level top speed than the F-100D.

Although the F-100D is supersonic and equipped with an afterburner, one of its weaknesses is its slow acceleration, especially at lower speeds, compared to other supersonic jets. Many subsonic jets can keep up with your acceleration, while the faster subsonic jets such as Saab 32s, Sea Vixens and Harriers out-accelerate the F-100D.

The F-100D's overall manoeuvrability is decent, having a fairly good turn rate, but its energy retention is poor. These two characteristics combined mean that if the F-100D is forced to dogfight, one-circle dogfights (such as scissors) should be favored as prolonged dogfights will see the its poor energy retention and mediocre acceleration disadvantage it. This poor energy retention, though for the most part a weakness, can occasionally be useful in situations where speed must be bled quickly (such as to get an enemy to overshoot). Of course, as with any high tier jet, dogfighting should generally be avoided as it leaves you slow and vulnerable, and this is especially true for the F-100D due to its slow acceleration.

[[File:F-100 fulzy nyan001.png|350px|thumb|right|Bird's eye view of a {{PAGENAME}} after unloading on ground targets.]]

Flying at speeds close to Mach 1 or past can pose a challenge for pilots utilizing the 3rd-person view as a condensation cloud forms around the aircraft and obscures your view (not an issue for those flying simulator-style from in the cockpit). While this can make targeting enemy aircraft a challenge, it just takes a little more work to line up the shot either with the cannons or air-to-air missiles.

Previously, attack aircraft fly slow to ensure they accurately hit their ground targets with guns, rockets or bombs. However, with poor low-speed manoeuvrability and acceleration, the {{PAGENAME}} becomes difficult to get out of harms way when flying slow, so it requires the pilot to learn how to bomb and fire rockets at targets at higher speeds than what they may be used to ensure anti-aircraft fire nor any trailing fighters gain a targeting solution on you. Speed in and speed out is the key with the {{PAGENAME}}.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 10,668 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,419 || 1,412 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 40.5 || 41.2 || 88.1 || 78.8 || rowspan="2" | 1,400
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,448 || 1,433 || 39.5 || 40.0 || 123.6 || 105.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
[[File:F-100 rheinberg001.png|500px|thumb|right|{{PAGENAME}} at cruising altitude on the watch for potential enemy fighters.]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 620 || 590 || 435 || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 640 || < 540 || < 610 || -
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney J57P21 || 1
| colspan="2" | 9,658 kg || colspan="3" | 354 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 14m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 46m fuel
|-
| 2,361 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 10,708 kg || 11,156 kg || 11,905 kg || 13,159 kg || 16,436 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 14m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 46m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 4,424 kgf || 5,823 kgf
| 0.54 || 0.52 || 0.49 || 0.45 || 0.35
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 4,424 kgf (0 km/h) || 8,364 kgf (1,200 km/h)
| 0.78 || 0.75 || 0.70 || 0.64 || 0.51
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


Designers of post-war jet fighters wanted to take advantage of the newer jet technology and maximize both speed and ordnance carried, and to do this, something had to give and that was armour. The idea was that, if you are faster than the enemy, it is difficult for them to hit you, and armour will not be necessary. The {{PAGENAME}} follows this doctrine; though it does have some protection for the pilot, it isn't much and leaves the rest of the critical components virtually unprotected with armour. For the pilot, the back of the seat and headrest maintains a continuous piece of steel at 12.7 mm thick and the windscreen is rated at 64 mm bulletproof windscreen. Typically this type of protection is meant more for lighter protection from defensive turret attacks from bombers rather than cannon attacks from other aircraft.

The {{PAGENAME}} is a relatively sturdy aircraft and can take a beating before critical components begin to fail. While the engine and the pilot are important to protect as much as possible, the wings are another critical component which you must protect, as hits to the wings can effectively cripple the aircraft. If being tailed by another aircraft try to speed away because if you try to pull up, turn to the side or pull-down, you risk exposing increased surface area of the skin, giving the enemy pilot more to shoot at and a greater opportunity of taking out a wing. If possible, increase speed and sway back and forth, even some very shallow elevator dips up and down maybe enough to throw off the sighting of the enemy pilot and spray his bullets all around you without exposing very much surface area of the jet.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M39A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 4 x 20 mm M39A1 cannons, chin-mounted (200 rpg = 800 total)

For internal guns, the F-100D has four 20 mm M39A1 revolver autocannons mounted under the nose intake. Those familiar with the preceding [[F-86F-2]] and its extremely powerful 20 mm T-160 cannons will be delighted to hear that the F-100D's M39A1 cannons are nearly identical to the F-86F-2's T-160, and in addition, have 50 more rounds of ammo per gun. These cannons are fast-firing, have high velocity, and deal heavy damage. Its only downside is that, with a fast fire rate and 200 rounds per gun, one must be careful of spraying the guns, as ammo will run out quicker than expected.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="11" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|500 lb LDGP Mk 82]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1, 3 || 1, 3 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[Mk 82 Snakeye (500 lb)|500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|750 lb M117 cone 45]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || 1, 2 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83]] bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! [[BLU-27/B incendiary]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || 1, 2 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[FFAR Mighty Mouse]] rockets
| 19 || 19 || || || 19 || 19
|-
! [[AGM-12B Bullpup]] missiles
| || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[AIM-9B Sidewinder]] missiles
| || || 1, 2 || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[AIM-9E Sidewinder]] missiles
| || || 2 || 2 || ||
|-
| colspan="7" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 3,220 kg Maximum permissible wing load: 1,610 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,400 kg
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 6 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 6 x 500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 10 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (5,000 lb total)
* 6 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (4,500 lb total)
* 8 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 6 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
* 8 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
{{Navigation-End}}

One of the areas where the F-100D shines is its armament options, boasting a variety of different armaments for both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.

For unguided rockets, the F-100D can carry up to 76 x 70 mm Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR) Mighty Mouse rockets. They can be used to attack lighter targets in air RB, as well as armoured targets such as pillboxes and tanks, but due to their inaccuracy the latter is generally not advised. If needed, a small amount of these rockets can be used as makeshift flares to decoy all-aspect missiles in head-one, but don’t expect them to work on missiles fired at you in the rear aspect. In ground RB, these rockets have decent penetration, but due to their inaccuracy and generally low damage, it is best used against less armoured targets such as SPAA and light tanks.

For dumb bombs, the F-100D can carry either 500 lb, 750 lb or 1,000 lb bombs, as well as BLU-27/B napalm bombs. The F-100D can carry enough bombs to take out one base in air RB. For CAS in ground RB, the lack of ballistics computer means you must manually compute where your bombs will land. For many, this leaves out the 500 lb bombs as the amount of explosive in them may not be large enough to account for the margin of error in a manual bomb drop; the 750 lb or 1,000 lb bombs are generally better for this CAS job. Some may prefer to take the 750 lb bombs instead of the 1,000 lb bombs, as the explosive in them is sufficient and the F-100D can carry eight 750 lb bombs in comparison to four 1,000 lb bombs.
[[File:F-100 wp gaming001.jpg|500px|thumb|right|{{PAGENAME}} peeling away from the flight revealing the suspended ordnance it is carrying.]]

A more reliable CAS option for the F-100D is the AGM-12B Bullpup air-to-ground guided missile. Once fired, this missile can be manoeuvred via your keyboard (keybinds must be set); simply keep the flare light on the missile near the intended target until the missile hits them. The 250 lb warhead in the missile gives a high likelyhood of destroying most enemy armoured vehicles in one hit, though its lethality in practice will rely on the player's ability to keep the missile centered on the target. The downside of using these missiles is that, compared to the high volume of unguided bombs or rockets the F-100D can take, it can only take two AGM-12Bs. Due to this, the AGM-12B is most useful in ground RB, where in the presence of radar SPAA and SAMs, precision strikes at longer ranges are generally favored over close range high volume unguided bombing.

For the air-to-air role, the F-100D can carry up to four AIM-9B/E Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. Though the AIM-9 Sidewinder is a well-known and successful air-to-air weapon, this version, the AIM-9B Sidewinder, is one of its earliest variants and thus is fairly weak. It locks on to targets via their heat signature, but being an early variant, the AIM-9B can only do so from the rear-aspect where the target's hot engine exhaust is. It generally has a 1.8 km range against targets flying straight and at the same speed as the launching aircraft. Its main and significant weakness lies in its inability to turn very hard; oftentimes, the enemy simply turning slightly is enough to dodge the missile kinetically. The upgraded AIM-9E allows the missile to be "lead" a little, that is, it can still keep a lock on an enemy within a small radius of the launching aircraft's nose, but is otherwise similar to the AIM-9B and will still be performing similarly to it. Though the AIM-9B/E is fairly weak, they can be useful in situations. At higher altitudes (>5,000 m), the missile is more effective due to lower air density hampering an aircraft's manoeuvrability and thrust while leaving the missile generally unaffected. The AIM-9B/E is also useful against aircraft in a low energy state (in other words, slow) that don't have the speed to escape the missile.

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:F-100 tio pilin001.png|350px|thumb|right|The {{PAGENAME}} caught in the cross-hairs of a MiG fighter.]]

;Air Realistic Battles

The F-100 is a decent fighter aircraft in air RB.

In a downtier, few aircraft can match the F-100's speed. Thus, boom-and-zoom tactics utilizing its excellent cannons and useful AIM-9s will work well on the slower, subsonic fighters. Generally, do not commit to a turning dogfight as most of these slower subsonic fighters are likely much better turners than the F-100 is.

In an uptier, the plane is much more limited to a support role due to the presence of higher performance fighters such as MiG-19s and MiG-21s. Though one-on-one these planes can be fought to an extent, you will be at a acceleration disadvantage and therefore it is not recommended. The F-100 should continue to be played in a support role, catching these superior enemies while they are already engaged and vulnerable. The F-100's speed is good enough that even these superior enemies cannot pursue while engaged with other allies. If dogfighting these superior enemies cannot be avoided, the F-100's low energy retention and fairly good turn can be used to initially fall on an enemy's tail, but this will only give you a short firing solution for a few turns before you are left out of energy and vulnerable.

A common enemy you will face in uptiers are Su-25s with all-aspect missiles. Due to the lack of countermeasures, F-100 pilots should always be distancing themselves from Su-25s in the area to avoid all-aspect R-60M launches. If a one-on-one with a Su-25 cannot be avoided, you must bait both of its R-60M missiles before you can begin dogfighting them. One option is to keep your distance and trick them into launching a missile at a rather long range. For example, provided you are faster than the Su-25, a tempting 2 km rear-aspect R-60M launch will likely not hit (even more so if you do defensive manoeuvres after its motor has burned out). Another option is to take some FFAR rockets. When an R-60M is launched in a head-on, launch a bunch of rockets towards the missile while disengaging your afterburner and turning out of the way; the missile will be fooled. You can drop the drag-inducing rocket pods once they are not needed. Once the Su-25 has been depleted of its R-60Ms, it can easily be fought. It is a slow aircraft and easily energy-trapped by the F-100's superior speed, and once you are on its tail, there is generally little they can do to shake you off. Just be careful to stay out of its powerful gun.

Full uptiers see aircraft such as the MiG-21SMT/MF, J35D and Mirage III with high-performance air-to-air missiles and supersonic, manoeuvrable performance to back it up, which the F-100D simply has no chance of fighting on its own. F-100 pilots must be much more careful with when to engage these aircraft. Only when they are distracted and slow should they be engaged. Make absolutely sure that one of these aircraft at a similar speed as you doesn't get on your tail, because if they do, they will chase you down and launch difficult to dodge missiles at you. Provided you are actually able to dodge these missiles, they all have substantially superior flight performance and manoeuvrability which the F-100 is simply incapable of matching.

The F-100 is an amalgamation of paradoxical design features that results in an aircraft too heavy to sustain manoeuvring engagements despite its strong slats, slow to accelerate to its surprisingly high rip speeds, and too sluggish at speed to take full advantage of its strong armament. Overall to get this bus to perform, it must be at high speeds. Keep your energy up.

;Ground attack

The {{PAGENAME}} is no stranger to ground attack and can be effectively outfitted with just about anything necessary to destroy ground targets both large and small. While bombers could deliver a massive amount of ordnance, they typically flew slow and high and were not always as precise as hoped for. Therefore, the USAF designed many of their fighter aircraft not only as air-to-air platforms but to additionally excel as low altitude bombers.

A fully researched {{PAGENAME}} can carry an assortment of low-drag general-purpose bombs ranging from 500 lb, 750 lb and 1,000 lb. The F-100D’s maximum bomb payload weight is 6,000 lb, the same amount carried by a single [[B-17E]] bomber, but the {{PAGENAME}} can heft this amount at almost 1,000 km/h faster and at a lower, more accurate altitude. Of course, the bomb size will be determined by which type of target will be in the crosshairs. For smaller targets the 500 and 750 lb bombs will work best. The full 8 x 750 lb is the best load out for base bombing since this load out has the highest total TNT.

Not all targets will require the usage of bombs. You may be fortunate enough to have several strike aircraft working on ground targets, or ground targets may be spread out. this is where rockets begin to shine. The AGM-12B Bullpup is essentially a 250 lb bomb attached to a rocket motor and is spin-stabilized. The Bullpup can be quite precise as long as the pilot can maintain visual of the target as he will need to guide the Bullpup in. However, any break from the target (due to defensive manoeuvring or avoiding incoming enemies) will most likely cause the missile to miss the target. If needed, the {{PAGENAME}} can throttle back and deploy the speed brake to ensure the Bullpup hits the target. Keep in mind that the entire Bullpup guiding process makes you vulnerable, as not only you will be slowed down, but you will also be forced to tunnel-vision on guiding the missile in and won’t be able to see what happening around you for a few seconds. Therefore, if enemy fighters are in the area, it is best to hold back launching one.

On the other hand, the smaller [[FFAR Mighty Mouse]] unguided rockets can do a good amount of damage against ground and aerial targets, but the one drawback is that they are unguided. This means that once they are fired, they continue at their trajectory until they either hit something or run out of fuel and crash into the ground. Without a ballistic computer, it can be somewhat difficult to accurately aim these rockets. The main strength of taking these Mighty Mouse rockets is that 76 of them can be carried. Rockets work best when they are fired in groups as this significantly increases chances that one or more rockets will hit their target. In ground RB, these rockets are best used against lighter targets such as light tanks and SPAA, as usually a rocket striking in the vicinity of their lightly armored vehicle will cause it to simply be destroyed. Rockets are especially useful for taking out SPAA, as they are more accurate at longer ranges compared to bombs and therefore are the safer option when engaging these anti-air vehicles. While more armored targets can be attacked, this is not fully advised. Direct hits must be achieved to obtain significant damage on armored targets, and the likelyhood of a direct hit with these rockets is not very high. Even so, a direct hit has no guarantee of dealing significant damage to a tank; in the case of more heavily armored targets, there is a chance a direct hit may not even penetrate.

=== Radars ===

The F-100D is equipped with an AN/APG-30 rangefinding radar, located in the nose of the aircraft.
It will automatically detect other planes within the scanning area and display the range to the closest target. It is linked with a gyro gunsight and can help with aiming at close range. This can be useful in simulator battles. However, the radar rangefinder lock will set off radar warning receivers, so in air RB pilots may prefer to switch it off to maintain the element of surprise.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="4" | AN/APG-30 - Rangefinding radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Tracking Range|The maximum range at which a target can be tracked}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Tracking Range|The range below which targets cannot be tracked by the radar}}
! {{Annotation|Azimuth Tracking Angle|How far to each side the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Elevation Tracking Angle|How far up and down the radar can track a target}}
|-
| 2,750 m || 300 m || ±9° || ±9°
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent cannons that has a high muzzle velocity, rate of fire, an adequate amount of ammo (200 rpg), and pack a good punch with high-explosive shells
* Can carry a wide array of suspended armaments including bombs, rockets and guided missiles
* 4 x AIM-9Es can be useful for air combat
* Above average speed; outruns the subsonic jets it commonly faces
* Good roll rate at lower speeds
* Access to a radar warning receiver

'''Cons:'''

* Thoroughly unmanoeuvrable at low speeds
* Loses lots of energy in turns
* Suffers from significant elevator and aileron (pitch and roll) control stiffening at higher speeds
* Slow acceleration at lower speeds, even with afterburner
* On warmer maps, engine may overheat after extended periods of afterburner usage
* While rather fast, cannot go supersonic at sea level; not nearly fast enough to outrun supersonic jets it commonly faces such as the MiG-21, F-104, and F-5C
* No countermeasures

== History ==

By the mid-50s, jet aircraft had become robust machines which had obtained sufficient combat experience for the next step into a fundamentally new age: the era of supersonic speed. Supersonic fighters were developed by both of the main opposing nations of the Cold War. In parallel with the development of the MIG-19 in the USSR, American aircraft designers were putting the finishing touches on their own design for a supersonic fighter. The F-100 Super Sabre entered serial production somewhat later than its Soviet counterpart, but it needed just as many improvements and upgrades.

The F-100's main problems were its high failure rate and the shortcomings of its control systems. In addition, a fighter-bomber version was also being developed based on the Super Sabre: the F-100D, which featured an increased vertical and horizontal fin area and expanded capabilities with regard to suspended weaponry. In the end, it was the D version that became the most widespread modification of the single-seat Super Sabre thanks to its improved control and excellent combat abilities as either a fighter-bomber or pure fighter. In terms of suspended weaponry, the F-100D was able to carry over twenty extremely varied weapon load-outs, from traditional high-explosive bombs and rockets to air-to-air rockets and nuclear bombs.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5929-development-f-100d-super-sabre-the-new-era-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-100d Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:F_100d_wallpaper_001.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_002.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_003.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_004.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_005.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_006.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_007.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|XFKJSkrgA0w|'''The Shooting Range #133''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:32 discusses the F-100D.|r4iaAbCImj0|'''F-100D Super Sabre [CloudMaker!]''' - Jengar|udBJeO9aMbg|'''How To Grind The F100 In War Thunder''' - ''TheLoganatorz''|fjqlRenNUAs|'''F-100 Super Sabre - Tips and Gameplay''' - ''WhooptieDo''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* North American [[F-86 (Family)|F-86]] Sabre

;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Dassault [[Super_Mystere_B2|Super Mystere]]
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-19PT|MiG-19]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5929-development-f-100d-super-sabre-the-new-era-en|[Devblog] F-100D Super Sabre: The New Era]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/436416-f-100d-super-sabre/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer NAA}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-104C

2023-07-07T09:03:05Z

U97916902: /* Usage in battles */

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-104 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-104c
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]]. Designed for pure speed and acceleration, the F-104C is among the fastest planes at its BR, but its terrible manoeuvrability relegates it to the role of support fighter.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 10,668 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,097 || 2,070 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 34.5 || 34.9 || 203.3 || 194.7 || rowspan="2" | 1,200
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,188 || 2,142 || 33.6 || 34.0 || 269.3 || 235.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,527  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 827 || 444 || ~13 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 720 || < 950 || < 800 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | General Electric J79-GE-7a || 1
| colspan="2" | 6,235 kg || colspan="3" | 514 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 35m fuel
|-
| 1,540 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 7,027 kg || 7,740 kg || 8,493 kg || 8,874 kg || 24,000 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 35m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 4,171 kgf || 6,540 kgf
| 0.93 || 0.84 || 0.77 || 0.74 || 0.27
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 4,171 kgf (0 km/h) || 8,544 kgf (1,200 km/h)
| 1.22 || 1.10 || 1.01 || 0.96 || 0.36
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

In terms of armour, there is no armour on the F-104C. Since the F-104C relies on high speed, it wouldn't need armour as that would reduce the speed and manoeuvrability of the plane. The F-104C is a very long plane and it is not very manoeuvrable, making it a large, easy target for enemy guns. As such, the only characteristic that should be relied upon for survivability is the plane's speed. It is very quick, and as such is hard to catch.

* No armour
* Self-sealing fuel tanks

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, chin-mounted (750 rpg)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|BLU-1 incendiary|AIM-9B Sidewinder|FFAR Mighty Mouse}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
* 2 x BLU-1 incendiary bombs

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="9%" | 1 !! width="9%" | 2 !! width="9%" | 3 !! width="9%" | 4 !! width="9%" | 5
| rowspan="6" width="25%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! BLU-1 incendiary bombs
| || 1 || || 1 ||
|-
! FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
| || 19 || || 19 ||
|-
! AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || || || || 1
|-
| colspan="6" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 400 kg
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The F-104 is an interceptor which relies solely on its extremely high speed and acceleration. This great speed comes with a great cost; the F-104 undoubtedly has the worst overall turn rate at high tiers (and perhaps in the whole game as well). Keep that in mind when playing it. It is highly recommended not to dogfight in the F-104 as you aren't out-turning anything, and even if you have someone energy trapped, it is hard to capitalize on it as the F-104's manoeuvrability is just so poor. Additionally, if someone gets on your tail, there isn't much you can do. While the F-104 does have a good roll rate, the turning capability makes it so it cannot effectively perform defensive manoeuvres. Even if you manage to get a tailing enemy to overshoot, the F-104 can't turn well enough to use the opportunity to attack.

Due to this, the best way to play the F-104 is to keep its speed up as much as possible and at all times. You will want to play the F-104 primarily in the support role as either a boom and zoom fighter or a hit and run fighter, picking on slow enemies that are preferably distracted and already engaged in a dogfight with teammates. This strategy prioritizes that no enemy get on a slow F-104's tail, because as discussed before, there is little one can do once this happens. This also means that the F-104 is very team-reliant in most battles, as it does not fare well in any 1v1 scenario. As the F-104’s poor maneuverability is a well known weakness, if needed this can be used to bait slower enemy fighters for your teammates. By slowing down to near an enemy fighter’s speed and turning, you can fool them into thinking they have you in a turn when in reality you can keep the distance from closing using your acceleration.

At a BR of 9.3, the F-104C will likely always be the fastest plane on the battlefield. In downtiers, its speed makes it nearly untouchable. However, don’t think this means you can carry your team. The F-104’s extremely poor manoeuvrability not only means it is highly disadvantaged in a dogfight, but that it also has small nose authority and thus the window to take shots at enemies at higher speeds is small. This means that, when presented with high angle shots, you may need to turn your aircraft in advance to get the shot.

In an uptier, the F-104 becomes outclassed. Some other fighters can somewhat keep up with its speed while also being much more maneuverable and having better missiles. In uptiers, your lack of flares means that a solid launch of most potent air-to-air missiles found in an uptier (AIM-9J/G/L, R-60/R-60Ms, Magic 1s) mean a nearly unavoidable death. This means that in uptiers, it will be the same support strategy as discussed before, except you will need to be more cautious. The one and only thing you have is, again, your speed, which is still strongly competitive at 10.3. It will be especially important to keep this speed as high as possible at all times. To avoid missiles, you will want to keep your distance from the more dangerous missile-wielding enemies while being cautious and waiting for the right opportunity to strike. Again, slow and/or distracted enemies will ideally be your targets. Fast planes and planes with excellent missiles like the [[MiG-19S (Germany)|MiG-19S]], [[MiG-21F-13]], [[Yak-38]], [[Yak-38M]], [[A-5C]], etc. should be prioritized as main threats. Attack when you are sure no one can or will bother to follow you or launch a missile at you.

For the F-104C’s gun, it gets the powerful M61 Vulcan rotary cannon. This is arguably one of the best aircraft guns in the game and sports extremely high rate of fire, high velocity, and high damage. Its only downside is that it only gets 750 rounds of ammunition; while it may seem like a lot, the cannon's extreme fire rate sees that it gets depleted quicker than one would expect. Since this will be your primary weapon when engaging enemy fighters, you should maintain trigger discipline when using it. As for your missiles, you have two AIM-9B Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. These are the basic air-to-air missile and as such aren't very strong. They don't turn well and are sensitive to flares. Due to this, they shouldn't be your main weapon, but they are better than nothing, and can sometimes be useful. They should be launched only when needed, such as at long ranges, at distracted enemies, or to make an enemy drop speed.

In the ground attack role, there are many better choices than the F-104C (such as the F3H-2, F-100D or A-4E), though unlike the preceding F-104A, the F-104C isn't completely helpless when it comes to the task. It can carry either 3x 750lb bombs, 38x FFAR rockets, or 2x Napalm bombs. Since only 38 rockets can be carried (which even in higher quantities aren't very powerful), it isn't recommended to take them. Napalm can be used to bomb bases in air RB, but in ground RB it has little overall use and shouldn't be taken. This leaves the only acceptable option being the 3x 750lb bombs. These 750lb bombs have an adequate explosion size which is enough to reliably destroy tanks. The two wing-mounted bombs drop together first, followed by the single centerline one, giving two bomb drops. Since the F-104C lacks the luxury of a ballistic computer, you must manually calculate the point of impact for the bombs and rockets. Additionally, the M61 Cannon has decent penetration and can be used to attack lighter targets or the roofs of MBTs, and the two wingtip AIM-9B sidewinders can be taken with any of these for some semblance of multi-role capability. After you drop the bombs, you can either use the cannon for strafing, or you can use the cannon and missiles to engage enemy aircraft (the M61 cannon is great for taking out helicopters).The F-104C's speed will help it get in and out of the battlefield quickly, and the RWR is a helpful tool to alert you of SPAA and SAMs. Keep the F-104C's bad manoeuvrability in mind when doing ground attack runs, as it will prove fatal if you don't pull up in time.

=== Radars ===

The F-104C is equipped with an AN/ASG-14 search and track radar mounted in the nose of the aircraft. This is a relatively simple radar. It has one search mode, which scans 45 degrees to each side and continuously scans from 47 degrees below the radar to 90 degrees above the radar. It’s tracking radar can only lock targets directly in front of the aircraft, and upon a successful lock only a diagram showing the angle and range to the target aircraft is displayed; no numbers are shown on the diagram and no lock box is shown around the target in third person. Despite these limitations, the radar is still useful for locating enemies at longer ranges or through clouds. However, the radar will alert enemies with radar warning receivers, so if it is not needed or you are attempting to ambush an enemy, it should be turned off.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="4" | AN/ASG-14 - Target Detection Radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Detection Range|The maximum possible range at which a target can be detected}}
! {{Annotation|Guaranteed Detection Range|The range, below which, detection of a target is practically guaranteed}}
! {{Annotation|Max Azimuth Scan Angle|How far to each side the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
! {{Annotation|Max Elevation Scan Angle|How far up and down the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
|-
| 37,000 m || 15,000 m || ±45° || ±45°
|-
! colspan="4" | AN/ASG-14 - Target Tracking Radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Tracking Range|The maximum range at which a target can be tracked}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Tracking Range|The range below which targets cannot be tracked by the radar}}
! {{Annotation|Azimuth Tracking Angle|How far to each side the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Elevation Tracking Angle|How far up and down the radar can track a target}}
|-
| 18,500 m || 150 m || ±10° || ±10°
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent top speed and acceleration
* Excellent climb rate
* Good roll rate
* Powerful M61 Vulcan cannon with a very high rate of fire, great ballistics and high damage
* Availability of ground attack ordnance

'''Cons:'''

* Very poor overall manoeuvrability and terrible low-speed manoeuvrability
* The cannon's high rate of fire forces the player to have some trigger discipline
* Air-to-air missiles can be easily dodged if not used correctly
* Lacks countermeasures

== History ==

The brainchild of famed Lockheed engineer Clarence "Kelly" Johnson, after having spoken to USAF pilots about their experience in the Korean Air War, the F-104 Starfighter was innovative in both its design and speed. Developed from the start as a daytime air-superiority fighter with speed in mind, the Starfighter began life at Lockheed's famous "Skunk Works" facility in 1952 to combat the Soviets' new age of supersonic jet fighters. The aircraft would incorporate the smallest airframe, combined with the most technologically advanced turbojet at the time, to create the base of what would become the F-104.

In 1953, the USAF showed interest in the project, and proposed an open contest with Lockheed and multiple other firms for a supersonic interceptor, based wholly on performance. Lockheed evidently won the contest and approval for two prototypes to be produced and, in February of 1954, took flight for the first time. Although it was slated to be fitted with the General Electric J79 turbofan, due to shortages of the engines the prototypes were mated to a license-built variant of the British Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire engine, called the Wright XJ65-W-6, until the initial power-plant was available. The aircraft however was not without its problems, resulting in a four-year long developmental period for the aircraft. By the end of it, 17 pre-production YF-104As had been built, tested, and used to iron out any problems that would be noticeable on the final F-104. In 1958, the F-104 would finally be available for deliveries featuring some differences from the initial prototypes in the form of a longer fuselage as well as the fitting of General Electric J79GE-3 engines putting out a whopping 14,800 lbs of thrust.

From the start the F-104A smashed records, taking the record as the first operational fighter in service to succeed Mach 2, as well as going on to take the records for both altitude and speed in both the F-104A and F-104C variants respectively. On May 7th, 1958, Maj. Howard C. Johnson, in his F-104A, set a new world altitude record at 91,243 feet, and 11 days later another aircraft set a new speed record at 1,403.19 mph. The altitude record was later bested by another variant of the aircraft, the F-104C, at a whopping altitude of 103,389 feet. In the 1950s, the aircraft had come to be exactly what the public had expected a fighter of this magnitude to look like. With a long, pencil shaped fuselage with short, sharp edged wings it encompassed the era of space flight and Sci-Fi with its design. The wings were one of the most unique parts of the aircraft, as well as its long fuselage taken up mostly by its large engine and fuel storage, and were only 4 inches and its thickest. Sweeping was only utilized on the leading edge, and a slight anhedral was in place to combat "Dutch Roll", a phenomenon where the aircraft rocks side-to-side uncontrollably. The wings, while helping with supersonic flight, were harmful to ground crews, and special equipment had to be issued to service these areas.

While having a history of accidents and high pilot attrition, the aircraft was fitted with an ejection seat. Due to the great speed of the aircraft at Mach 2, it was believed that the seat wouldn't have enough time to clear the tail section in an ejection scenario. Therefore, a downward firing ejection seat known as the Stanley C-1 was fitted into early models of the F-104. While a good idea, and in theory could work, the C-1 was also believed harmful in the case of a low-altitude ejection of the aircraft. After a failed introduction of the Stanley C-2 ejection seat, the problem was finally solved by the introduction of the Martin-Baker ejection system, particularly in foreign-operator's Starfighters. Roughly 153 F-104As were produced, with 26 more being F-104B two-seat variants. The F-104A spend a short time in USAF service before being send to Air National Guard (ANG) units, which some others being sent to foreign operators which had some success in their service. In September of 1958 the USAF would get the F-104C, a dedicated fighter-bomber variant designed for the USAF's Tactical Air Command's 479th Tactical Fighter Squadron. The F-104C featured improvements over the F-104A in the form of a better fire-control system as well as hardpoints on the centerline on the belly and under the wings. The aircraft also introduced the ability to refuel mid-flight via a probe running along the right side of the aircraft, extending the reach of the aircraft somewhat. However, like most of the A models ended up, the C models were quickly transferred to Air National Guard (ANG) units both of which served until around 1975 in their service. The first combat of the F-104 however wouldn't be seen until the Vietnam War, and while not having any kills to count was successful in keeping MiGs back and from intercepting friendly aircraft. The aircraft had a short service life in this theatre, only serving in 1965, and again from 1967-1969 until the introduction of the more-capable F-4 Phantom II by which it was replaced.

=== [[wt:en/news/6731-development-f-104-starfighter-the-manned-missile-en|Devblog]] ===
The development history of the F-104 Starfighter begins in 1951, when Lockheed's lead engineer visited US pilots in Korea. The feedback given to Johnson was clear - US planes were too large and complex and would often find themselves inferior to the much smaller and simpler Soviet MiG-15. On his return to the United States, Johnson assembled a team of engineers and started developing an aircraft that would address the concerns of the pilots.

The result of this undertaking was the F-104 Starfighter, whose first prototype, designated XF-104, first took to the skies on the 4th March 1954. Although both prototypes were lost during testing, the results delivered by the prototypes were promising enough for the USAF to accept the aircraft into service in November 1955.

Soon after entering production, the F-104 quickly also became a highly popular aircraft on the export market. West Germany was, alongside the United States, the primary operator of the Starfighter, owning over 900 F-104s in its air force at the peak of its service career. However, 13 other nations also employed the F-104 such as Canada, Italy, Japan, Spain, and many more.

The F-104 saw most of its combat service with the USAF, most notably taking part in the Vietnam War. Furthermore, the F-104 also saw combat during the Indo-Pakistani Wars in the mid '60s - early '70s while flying under Pakistani colors.

In the end, over 2,500 Starfighters would be built, with most being gradually decommissioned by the end of the Cold War. Italy was the last to decommission its F-104s in the early 2000s.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-104c Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:F104C in the hangar.png|F-104C in the hangar
</gallery>

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[F-104 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=113 <nowiki>[Military Factory]</nowiki> Lockheed F-104 Starfighter]
* [http://www.alternatewars.com/SAC/F-104C_Starfighter_SAC_-_8_December_1958.pdf Standard Aircraft Characteristics of the F-104C]

{{AirManufacturer Lockheed}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-14B

2023-06-19T22:27:37Z

U97916902: /* Pros and cons */

AV-8C

2023-06-05T01:00:52Z

U97916902: /* Usage in battles */

{{About
| about = American strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Harrier (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=av_8c
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "New Power"]]. Like all members of the [[Harrier (Family)|Harrier family]], the AV-8C is a [[VTOL]] aircraft with thrust vectoring nozzles, which allow it to take off and land vertically.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,143 || 1,137 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 32.5 || 33.7 || 69.5 || 67.8 || rowspan="2" | 550
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,161 || 1,152 || 31.5 || 32.0 || 106.1 || 87.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 828 || 556 || ~14 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 648 || < 950 || < 790 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic Mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot, engine oil, and full water tank; but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Rolls-Royce F402-RR-402 || 1
| colspan="2" | 5,918 kg || colspan="3" | 439 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 34m fuel
|-
| 1,687 kg || colspan="2" | Vectored-thrust low-bypass turbofan
| 6,605 kg || 7,292 kg || 7,978 kg || 8,253 kg || 12,679 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 34m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 9,071 kgf || 9,625 kgf
| 1.46 || 1.32 || 1.21 || 1.17 || 0.76
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 9,071 kgf (0 km/h) || 9,625 kgf (0 km/h)
| 1.46 || 1.32 || 1.21 || 1.17 || 0.76
|-
|}
{{Notice|The F402-RR-402 engine loses a significant amount of thrust as your speed increases}}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The AV-8C has no armour. The engine and all fuel tanks are packed in a tight cluster in the centre of the fuselage.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|ADEN Mk.4 (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 2 x 30 mm ADEN Mk.4 cannons, belly-mounted (130 rpg = 260 total)
** 2 x 30 mm ADEN Mk.4 cannons + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|Mk 77 mod 4 incendiary}}
{{main|AIM-9G Sidewinder|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 28 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 16 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 5 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (1,250 lb total)
* 5 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (2,500 lb total)
* 2 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (2,000 lb total)
* 5 x Mk 77 mod 4 incendiary bombs

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="9%" | 1 !! width="9%" | 2 !! width="9%" | 3 !! width="9%" | 4 !! width="9%" | 5
| rowspan="8" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_Harrier_GR.3.png]]</div>
|-
! 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| || 1 || || 1 ||
|-
! Mk 77 mod 4 incendiary bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
| 7, 19 || 7, 19 || || 7, 19 || 7, 19
|-
! Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
| 4 || 4 || || 4 || 4
|-
! AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || || || || 1
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The AV-8C can be considered a multirole aircraft which can focus in air-to-air combat, air to ground combat and air to sea combat. Its firepower and ordnance make it a competitive aircraft in all game modes. The roles can be divided in such:

'''When air to air:'''

The Harrier has access to AIM-9G Sidewinder air to air missiles capable of taking down all enemy aircraft in the game. It should be noted that the AIM-9G is a rear-aspect lock-on missile, meaning the Harrier must be behind the enemy aircraft to be able to launch the missile.

'''When facing enemy bombers:'''

Enemy bombers are the easiest targets for the Harrier both in gun strafe and when using missiles as they lack agility when dogfighting against the Harrier and countermeasures such as flares to be able to counter the missiles. It is unlikely to face enemy bombers besides the [[Vautour IIA IDF/AF (France)|Vautour IIA IDF/AF]] as most of them stay at 8.0. AI-controlled bombers are the exception.

'''When facing enemy attackers:'''

When facing player-controlled attackers (not neccesarily planes labelled as attackers but planes who focus on ground striking), the pilot must stay aware that, besides the Harrier superior mobility, they can outturn you as they will often fly at lower speeds than you, meaning their turn radius compared to yours will be much smaller. Most of the enemy planes that do CAS runs will often be enemy fighters (not labelled as attackers) but with ground ordnance, meaning they can or will be heavier than you, increasing drag and reducing agility when in a dogfight, use this as an advantage.

'''As an attacker/bomber:'''

The Harrier has access to a wide variety of ground ordnance capable of destroying enemy ground units and bases. It also has access to CCIP ballistics computer (refer to [[Ballistic Computer]] for explanation) meaning the pilot has access to ground ordnance crosshairs which will increase ordnance accuracy, both rockets and bombs. It is not recommended to fly as a bomber (in terms of altitude) but fly as a tree cutter (as close to the ground as possible). This is recommended to achieve multiple things: radar interference, max speed, reduce enemy visibility and awareness. It also makes bombing easier without the need of ballistics computer (although it is recommended to use it since it will not require any practice). Time fuze MUST BE ADDED to avoid assault fuze explosion, risking your plane to be hit by the explosion causing a death. Ground striking ordnance should be taken at pilot's discretion, but it is recommended to take the 2 x 1000 lb and 3 x 500lb bombs in order to take a whole base completely and still maintain high speeds. You are unable to carry any sort of anti-air missiles with this payload.

*Note: radar interference is mostly irrelevant in air realistic battles as the plane will still be highlighted and enemy pilots could use eye aiming. However, it will interfere with radar homing missiles (SARH missiles such as AIM-7E, R-3R, etc carried by F-4 Phantoms and MiG-21's) and will be your main line of defence when flying in simulator battles, you will be able to fly stealthily if flying in tree cutting tactic.

'''When in combined battles (ground realistic battles):'''

This is where the Harrier is able to shine as an attacker, primarily using VTOL and hovering mode to an advantage (will be explained more detailed later). There is multiple loadouts which can be used in order to make the Harrier a scary attacker.

'''Bomb payload:'''

This is often the most used payload for multiple reasons: has the biggest explosion radius compared to rockets, are more forgiving when missing by couple meters, can take multiple targets with a single bomb. The use of ballistics computer makes their aiming much easier than with eye aiming both in realistic and simulator battles. The x4 1000lb bombs are recommended as, if aimed correctly, will destroy one or multiple enemy targets with a single bomb, meaning you are able to get at least 2 kills (as bombs drop in pair)

'''Rocket payload:'''

This is the trickiest but most rewarding payload the Harrier can carry (rewarding as it is able to make much more kills than bombs). Tanks can be taken with one to three rocket salvos (launched in pairs, meaning with 2 to 6 rockets in total). This means you are able to get 12 kills (considering you take 6 rockets per tank) if you take the 76 x Might Mouse rocket payload.

'''VTOL trick:'''

Harrier can be used as a helicopter thanks to the VTOL capabilities, rockets are recommended if used like this. It is able to hide behind mountains, poke to attack and go back into cover as a helicopter would do. Handling this technique can be tricky and will require practice but is an alternate way of playing CAS.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Thrust vectoring capabilities, helpful in low-speed dogfights
* Insane thrust-to-weight ratio; superb acceleration and climb rate, and can sustain Mach 0.88 in level flight with just 50% throttle
* Excellent roll rate
* Strong flaps
* Versatile secondary weapons consisting of air-to-air missiles, rockets, and bombs
* AIM-9G sidewinders are good long range missiles
* Has a ballistic computer for precision strikes
* 30 mm ADEN cannons do high damage
* High ammo count for the cannons
* Has a [[HUD#410SUM1|Head-Up Display]] in the cockpit which provides flight information and weapon-aiming functionality
* Has a radar warning receiver and countermeasures
* Equipped with an engine fire extinguisher

'''Cons:'''

* Below average top speed (subsonic)
* The engine has an insane overheating problem; running at 91% throttle is recommended to avoid overheating the engine
* Limited maximum payload compared to conventional strike aircraft
* Very poor energy retention; massive energy losses when turning
* Below average turn rate
* ADEN cannons have a low muzzle velocity and are belly-mounted, making some shots difficult
* Guns are highly inaccurate when stock

== History ==


'''Predecessor: AV-8A Harrier'''

The AV-8A Harrier was an American version of the British Harrier GR.1 that entered service with the Marine Corps. Congress approved the purchase of 114 Harriers in 1970. Marine Attack Squadron 513 (VMA-513) was the first squadron to receive its Harriers, with the delivery taking place in March 1971; VMA-231 and VMA-542 received their AV-8As next.

It was mostly similar to the Harrier GR.1, but had a number of changes. All magnesium components were replaced in order to prevent corrosion. American identification friend or foe (IFF) systems and radio equipment were fitted. The British GR.1 was fitted with the Ferranti FE541 inertial navigation/attack suite, but these were replaced in the USMC Harriers by a simpler Interface/Weapon Aiming Computer.

The outer wing pylons were modified to allow the carrying of AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles (AAMs). The AV-8A also utilized a more powerful version of the Rolls-Royce Pegasus than on the GR.1, the Mk 103 (called F402-RR-402 by the Americans).

'''AV-8C Harrier'''

47 AV-8A Harriers were upgraded to the AV-8C standard starting in 1979. Inertial navigation system equipment was added and the Lift Improvement Devices were also improved. Various components were also restored or replaced to increase the service life of the aircraft. The ECM capability was bolstered with the addition of the ALR-45F/APR-43 radar warning receiver and ALE-39 countermeasures dispenser. An AN/ALE-37 chaff-dispenser pod could be carried on a hardpoint.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=av_8c Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[AV-8A]]
* [[Harrier GR.1]]
* [[Harrier GR.3]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6918-development-jump-jets-arrive-in-war-thunder-meet-the-harrier-en|[Devblog] Jump Jets arrive in War Thunder: Meet the Harrier]]

{{AirManufacturer Hawker}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-14A Early

2023-04-28T07:52:44Z

U97916902: /* Usage in battles */

{{Specs-Card
|code=f_14a_early
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Danger Zone"]]. One of the most iconic US naval fighter jets of the Cold War era, the F-14A was developed as the US Navy's fleet-defense fighter jet to protect their carrier groups over a vast swath of ocean. First deployed in 1974, the F-14A wields the advanced AN/AWG-9 radar and up to eight missiles, including the iconic [[AIM-54A Phoenix|Phoenix missile,]] to locate and target bandits at long range.

In the game, these characteristics allow the F-14A to engage enemy air targets at far greater distances than most enemy aircraft can, allowing the F-14A to take the initiative and achieve air superiority by firing first. At long range, Phoenix missiles force enemy fighters to actively monitor the sky even when they cannot yet see or detect the F-14A. While Phoenix missiles may prove too sluggish to target enemy fighters at high-speed merges, its [[AIM-7F Sparrow|Sparrows]] can engage manoeuvring targets at short and medium ranges before engaging at closer ranges with [[AIM-9H Sidewinder|Sidewinders]] and M61 cannon fire.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The F-14A might be seen underpowered compared to other aircraft, primarily the F-4J Phantom II and other Phantom variants such as the Phantom FG.1. While it is true that the engines are not as powerful, the F-14A is far superior in terms of top speed and energy management. However, insufficient power can be noticed when zoom climbing or when turning at low speed, and regaining the speed back can take a while. The engines also consume tremendous amounts of fuel: while the F-14A can stay in the air for at least one hour with full fuel tanks, at full afterburner (WEP) the jet can fly for only 7 minutes at sea level.

The F-14A is more of a two-circle dogfighter since it keeps speed very well in hard turns, but might not have as much nose authority as other planes to win one-circle fights (such as scissors and anything similar when you turn into the opponent's nose). Although it can still beat planes like the MiG-23MLD in the instantaneous turn-rate performance, delta-wing fighters like the J35 or MiG-21 could have the advantage during the first seconds of the fight. Like other planes with variable wing geometry, the F-14A reaches its most efficient turn rate performance when wings are swept fully forward (set to 0%) and that can be achieved only by using the manual wing sweep controls. Since it is semi-automatic, the wing will automatically change its position after reaching around ~800 km/h IAS.

The most optimal turning speed is around 900 km/h IAS at sea level (it reaches the highest sustained turn rate there), but the best is actually between 700 and 830 km/h IAS since any faster, and it becomes impossible to maintain the turn without the crew blacking out. At such speeds, the F-14A in a clean configuration with 30 minutes of fuel can reach up to 23 deg/s of sustained turn rate, which is better than any MiG-23, Su-17, or even other more manoeuvrable fighters like the MiG-19. Both the sustained and instantaneous turn rate can be improved by using combat flaps, which can function at speeds up to 850 km/h IAS.

Thanks to the variable wing sweep, the F-14A is able to move its center of mass and thus increase or decrease its roll rate. High sweep allows higher speeds at reduced roll rate and vice versa. Low sweep increases roll rate and energy retention at subsonic speeds.

To get the most of its turn rate performance in Simulator Battles, you should always try to use the manual SAS (Stability Augmentation System) mode. The damping mode severely limits its nose authority, and it is harder to win fights against planes like the MiG-21 or other delta-wing fighters. In general, combat flaps should always be used when you are about to merge with the enemy plane, as they not only increase the sustained turn rate but also improves nose authority. In turn, it becomes easier to get lead on the enemy plane and to control the plane when using manual SAS mode. The player should still be very careful with pulling the stick around 500 km/h IAS. Below that speed, it's very easy to abruptly lose speed, reach the critical AoA, and stall out the plane. Pulling the stick all the way to yourself should be done only when you are going for snap shots. The other downside manual SAS mode is the plane is much more sensitive to controls, especially in pitch. For this reason, it is recommended to use the damping SAS mode during cruising and BVR combat.

While using the manual SAS mode, it is can be easy to stall out the plane when flying below 400 km/h IAS. In this case, after entering the flat spin, the quickest method to recover the plane is to increase the wing sweep angle and then counter the plane rotation with the rudder.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 12,192 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,202 || 2,191 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.4 || 25.1 || 178.4 || 170.5 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,245 || 2,221 || 23.6 || 24.0 || 231.6 || 203.8
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 1,359 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || rowspan="2" | 1,200 || rowspan="2" | 873 || rowspan="2" | 416 || ~10 || ~5
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,555 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 1,200 || < 850 || < 1,800 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="7" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="4" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-412A || 2
| colspan="3" | 18,545 kg || colspan="4" | 493 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 18m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 62m fuel
|-
| 1,802 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 20,750 kg || 20,905 kg || 22,085 kg || 23,855 kg || 25,895 kg || 30,935 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 18m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 62m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 4,860 kgf || 8,019 kgf
| 0.77 || 0.77 || 0.73 || 0.67 || 0.62 || 0.52
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,808 kgf (1,555 km/h) || 12,692 kgf (1,555 km/h)
| 1.22 || 1.21 || 1.15 || 1.06 || 0.98 || 0.82
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The F-14A holds 60 countermeasures, which is a decent number of chaff and flares that can let the Tomcat survive multiple missiles. Due to its massive engines, the IR signature of the aircraft is not an easy thing to conceal when fighting heat-seeking missiles. As with other jets around its battle rating, flares alone are generally not enough to defeat IR-guided missiles. To defeat an IR-guided missile (heat-seeker), turn off afterburner and reduce throttle to at least 80-85% while dumping flares and turning away from the missile. This is to ensure that an IR-guided missile will track the flares and not the engines. Due to the massive size compared to other aircraft, the chances of a successful hit from enemies, both missile and cannon, are higher compared to smaller aircraft such as the Harrier or F-5. This should be taken into consideration as proximity fuses will trigger with more ease as the wingspan of the Tomcat is considerably larger than most jets seen in game.

Fuel tanks are housed flatly in both the fuselage and wings. The F-14A will easily catch fire from enemy rounds from above and below the plane. Thankfully, the fuel tanks are well-separated compared to other fighters like the F-4 family, so damage to one part of the plane may not necessarily compromise the whole plane. However, fires will rapidly destroy traction of control surfaces, so they must be immediately extinguished. As long as some control surfaces are usable, the F-14A can survive critical damage (such as losing a wing) and return to base. Its multiple fuel tanks help isolate fuel fires especially on the wings, and the plane can fly on one engine.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, cheek-mounted (676 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP}}
{{main|AIM-7E-2 Sparrow|AIM-7F Sparrow|AIM-54A Phoenix}}
{{main|AIM-9D Sidewinder|AIM-9G Sidewinder|AIM-9H Sidewinder}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles
* 5 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
* 14 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (3,500 lb total)
* 14 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (7,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 16 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets

The F-14A is the first aircraft in game to have access to Active Radar Homing missiles with internal navigation. While it is mostly used for air defense and anti-air duties, it holds decent ground pounding abilities that are nothing new to American pilots. The F-14A has access to a wide variety of weapon selections due to having 'Custom Loadouts' feature. Depending on the needs of the pilot, one can carry different loadouts for different needs.

The F-14A comes with three options for missiles: shorter-ranged AIM-9H Sidewinders, medium-ranged AIM-7F Sparrows, and long-range AIM-54A Phoenixes.

The '''AIM-9H Sidewinder''' is very similar to the previous AIM-9G — having good range but below average manoeuvrability. Its seeker can also be slaved to a radar lock or TWS soft lock. With only 18G maximum overload, the AIM-9H should not be used in high-aspect or hard-turning shots at close ranges. Instead, the AIM-9H's good range should be used to catch enemies off guard. A good way to utilize this range is to position yourself over the battlefield and dive down on enemies. Your dive speed combined with gravity will increase the speed and range of your missiles, your angle to the enemy will give the missiles an easier time locking on to their exhaust, and your unexpected direction will see that many enemies will not notice the missile until they have been destroyed by it.

The '''AIM-7F Sparrow''' is a medium-range, SARH (Semi-Active Radar Homing) missile. Pilots of the F-14A are probably familiar with the AIM-7F from the previous F-4J. The AIM-7F is one of the best radar-guided missiles in the game. It has good 25G manoeuvrability, and a very long motor burn time gives it long range and sustained manoeuvrability (whereas other missiles will stop producing thrust and lose speed in manoeuvres, the long burn time of the AIM-7F sustains its speed and manoeuvrability for a long time). This should be the F-14A's go-to missile; it can be launched from all aspects and is difficult to dodge without the correct defensive manoeuvres. The AIM-7F can be launched from longer ranges to utilize its long burn time and the F-14A's good radar. Pay attention to your Radar Warning Receiver; if the enemy you are radar locking is also radar locking you, it is likely that they are about to or already have launched a radar-guided missile at you. In this case, do not fly straight; you are going to be hit first. Launch your missile, then crank to one side. To crank means to turn to one side as far as possible without losing radar lock. This makes the enemy's missile travel further at higher angles and thus decreases the chance it will hit you during defensive manoeuvres. If you have Sparrows to spare and an enemy is approaching head-on, you can launch Sparrows in succession (2-3 seconds between launches) to increase your probability of a kill. An enemy can avoid one missile with manoeuvres, but will have bled speed and will have a more difficult time avoiding further missiles.

The '''AIM-54A Phoenix''' is a long-range, ARH (Active Radar Homing) missile, and is only found on the F-14 (both in-game and in real life). The AIM-54A is a unique missile with unique capabilities. It has an extremely long burn time and thus an extremely long range, as well as a rather large proximity fuse and a large amount of explosive (doesn't have to be as close as other missiles to enemies to explode and cause critical damage). However, its more interesting features come in the form of its behaviour. First, it's an active radar homing missile, meaning it has a small internal radar which at closer ranges it can use to automatically search for, track and guide itself to targets without any input from the parent (the F-14's) radar. Second, it can be guided via the parent (F-14's) radar, but if it loses lock, the missile will fly straight for a while and use the aforementioned internal radar to search for enemies to home in towards. Third, the AIM-54 does not need a true radar lock to be launched; when the F-14's radar is in TWS (Track While Scan) mode, you can simply hover the radar cursor over a radar contact to launch the AIM-54. This also means you can launch more than one Phoenix at a time by hovering over a target, launching, and then hovering over another target to launch another Phoenix.

It is important to know that despite these seemingly impressive features, the AIM-54 is not an all-powerful missile and has its downsides; there are many scenarios where it is advisable not to use them. First, some F-14A players may feel tempted to take six AIM-54s, take off, and then launch at six enemy targets very far away. This is not advised, as there is a very high chance none will hit; at such a long-range, and with player behaviour at the start of a match, it is very likely that the missiles will be inadvertently notched, or the missiles will get distracted by enemy and/or friendly AI bots. In addition, the AIM-54A only has 16G overload — less than an AIM-9H — and with its very long burn time, it is easily seen and dodged by enemies. It is more worth it to save your missiles for a better firing window. Second, the missile should not be used at closer ranges (< 5 km). In addition to having low manoeuvrability, the AIM-54 has a very, very slow acceleration, and it highly likely won't be able to follow the defensive manoeuvres of such a close enemy. For this case, Sparrows are a much better option. Third, the AIM-54 should not be launched in the direction of friendly aircraft. The AIM-54 and its internal radar will go for the first target it sees, regardless if it is friend or foe. And fourth and finally, the AIM-54 is the heaviest air-to-air missile in the game, and they impact aircraft performance significantly. To make use of the AIM-54's advantages, it is advisable to use them at higher altitudes (> 5 km) and at long ranges. The AIM-54 will have time to accelerate to its maximum speed, and due to the low air density at high altitudes as well as the AIM-54’s high speed, enemy aircraft will have a hard time evading the missile (even if it is just 16G). The AIM-54 can home in on enemies on its own, so if necessary you can completely turn away from the enemy after launching to avoid enemy missiles. However, the AIM-54 has datalink and thus is it recommended to keep painting the target(s) through TWS radar mode for more reliable missile tracking.

Each of these missiles has its strengths and weaknesses. A mix between long-range weapons and short-range weapons must be used at the pilot's discretion. A maximum of six of a mix of Sparrows or Phoenixes can be taken, two Sidewinders can always be carried on separate hard points, and pilots can choose to substitute up to two Sparrows or Phoenixes for Sidewinders. At the very least one or two sparrows should be taken as they are useful in lots of different engagements at most altitudes. For high altitude engagements, a small number of Phoenixes (1-3) can be taken. Phoenixes are especially useful for enduring confrontation (operation) air battles, where air combat is prevalent at higher altitudes where the Phoenix will truly shine. While the AIM-9H Sidewinders will seem like nothing new and perhaps a bit outdated, it’s long range capability should not be underestimated, and users may prefer to switch out some radar guided missiles for Sidewinders.

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="12" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs
| || || 8* || 6 || ||
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| || || 8* || 6 || ||
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| || || 2* || 2 || ||
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| || || 2*† || 2 || ||
|-
! Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
| || 8 || || || 8 ||
|-
! AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1, 2* || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
| || 1 || 2* || 2† || 1 ||
|-
| colspan="9" | * Use of dual Sparrow missiles on hardpoint 4 prevents use of the marked options on hardpoint 3 † The AIM-54A Phoenix missiles on hardpoint 4 cannot be carried in conjunction with 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs on hardpoint 3
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Boasting a high top speed, excellent turning characteristics, a large number of excellent missiles, and a powerful radar, the F-14A (Early) Tomcat is a potent air superiority fighter and should be used as such.

'''Flying the F-14A'''

Despite being a very large aircraft, the F-14A Tomcat's manoeuvrability and energy retention are excellent. With the wings swept out, it's among the best rate fighters in the game, and has excellent instantaneous turn rate. This allows the F-14A to out-dogfight most aircraft in-game. For planes with poor energy retention such as F-4s, MiG-21s, J35s, and JA37s, you can use the F-14's excellent turn rate to enter a prolonged two-circle fight, where the F-14's superior energy retention will drain the energy of these delta-winged fighters. The optimal rate speed of the F-14A is around 750 km/h, though 600 km/h will still allow you to out-rate fighters with poor energy retention. For planes with better energy retention such as F-8s and MiG-23s, you can use F-14A's excellent instantaneous turn rate to force a one-circle fight. It should be noted that when dogfighting in the F-14A, it is critical to always sweep your wings forward to 0% wing sweep. At this wing sweep, you will obtain the optimal energy retention and turn characteristics of the F-14A. Therefore, it is highly recommended to set key binds for manually changing the sweep angle and switching between auto to manual wing sweep. Keep in mind that, although the F-14A has excellent dogfighting characteristics, it is still a very large aircraft with extremely hot engines. Due to this, it is advised to avoid turn-fighting in the Tomcat unless absolutely necessary because, as with all other top-tier jets, doing so will bleed your speed and make you an easy target for enemy aircraft.

The early F-14A with its TF30 engines were historically underpowered, and this shows in-game: while the F-14A has a great top speed with the wings swept back, the acceleration and climb rate is below average. Faster planes such as MiG-23s, Mirage 2000s, F-16s, and MiG-29s will easily out-accelerate you. Even F-4s will accelerate faster at lower speeds. Therefore, it is advisable to keep your speed up in the F-14. Due to this, vertical dogfights are generally not advisable, especially with faster accelerating and climbing opponents such as MiG-23s, MiG-29s and F-16s. In addition, this acceleration is another reason to be careful when engaging in dogfights, as you will have difficulty out-accelerating your opponents should you need to exit.

'''Wing Sweep'''

The F-14A has a variable sweep wing, which means the wings can change angle during flight to obtain the desirable flight characteristics. As discussed before, when the wings are swept forward (0%), the F-14A obtains high energy retention and excellent instantaneous and sustained turn rate. However, the wings being swept forwards limits the Tomcat's top speed, and therefore should only be used at lower speeds, when dogfighting, or takeoff/landing (especially with carriers). On the other hand, the wings being swept back allows the F-14A to reach its top speed, but at lower speeds, loss of lift greatly reduces manoeuvrability. Generally, pilots can keep the wing sweep mode set to automatic (AUTO); this will automatically sweep the wings without player input based on how fast or slow the Tomcat is going. However, when dogfighting, you will want to switch the sweep mode to manual, and use selected key binds to manually sweep the wing forward to obtain optimal manoeuvrability.

'''Fuel Consumption and Engine Heat'''

It should be noted that the F-14A burns up fuel very fast when on afterburner. This should be taken into consideration as one can burn up all the fuel without realizing until it is too late. Due to this, it is advisable to take at the very least 30 minutes of fuel. You can use the mouse scroll wheel to save a lot more fuel by using the first-stage afterburner, which gives a significant power boost from 100% throttle but a little less power than full afterburner. On minimum fuel (18 minutes) the full afterburner can only last about 2 minutes and 30 seconds, but the afterburner (first-stage) can last you 8 minutes.

Something to be aware of when playing the F-14A is the insane heat of its engines. At high throttle and afterburner, its engines emit an unparalleled amount of heat at around 2,100 °F (1,150 °C). For reference, that is around 66% hotter than the F-4J's engines, which is around 1,239 °F (671 °C) at 100% throttle and 1,256 °F (680 °C) during full afterburner. During gameplay, this means that in the F-14A simply just turning off the afterburner and deploying flares may not be enough to avoid an incoming IR missile. You will also have to throttle down the engine significantly (at least 80-85%) to make sure that an incoming IR missile goes for the flare. This is especially true for more flare-resistant IR missiles such as the [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] and [[Matra R550 Magic 2|Magic 2]], which may need substantial throttling down to flare off. Keep in mind that throttling down means that you will lose a decent amount of speed in the process, so be prepared.

'''Radar and Radar Modes'''

The AN/AWG-9 radar set carried by the F-14A is an extremely potent radar, especially for long-range missile combat. It has great range (a maximum of 185 km tracking and 370 km detecting). For most normal air RB maps, a 37km or 93km display range should suffice, while 93 km should be enough for most enduring confrontation air RB maps. A radar lock is necessary to guide Sparrows, while either radar lock or soft lock (selecting targets in TWS) will suffice for a Phoenix launch. The radar has four different modes which have different purposes, capabilities and usages:

* '''SRC PD HDN''' (Surveillance Radar Computer, Pulse-Doppler, Head-On): Users of the F-14 are likely at least somewhat aware of what a pulse-Doppler radar is from usage of the previous F-4J. This is a pulse-Doppler mode, meaning it measures an aircraft's Doppler shift (difference in velocity compared to surroundings) in order to "see" targets. Due to the nature of the detection method, this pulse-Doppler mode is most ideal for targets close to the ground, as well as in head-on situations (as the name suggests). However, this pulse-Doppler mode has a weakness: it can be [[Airborne_radars#Notching_a_Pulse-Doppler_radar|notched]]; pulse-Doppler measures the target aircraft's velocity change compared to surroundings, so if a target flies perpendicular to the radar (not moving closer or further compared to the surroundings), the radar will not observe a change in velocity and therefore cannot see the aircraft. F-14A pilots must be aware of how the notch works; if an enemy radar is locking you at low altitude, they are likely using a pulse-Doppler mode, and thus notching becomes a defensive option to break radar lock. Provided the target is not at very low altitudes, an enemy notching your pulse-Doppler radar can be countered by switching the radar mode to SRC. Another weakness to be aware of is that pulse-Doppler modes generally have trouble detecting and locking targets travelling away from the radar. In conclusion, the pulse-Doppler mode is good for tracking targets at very low altitudes, but is vulnerable to notching and has difficulty finding targets moving away.
* '''SRC''' (Surveillance Radar Computer): This is the standard radar mode. It is not a pulse-Doppler mode and does not have its weaknesses; it cannot be notched like pulse-Doppler can, and has an easier time tracking targets moving away. Therefore, if an enemy is attempting to notch your pulse-Doppler mode, you can switch the radar lock from a pulse-Doppler one to standard SRC. However, due to the radar return from ground clutter, it has great trouble locking targets at very low altitude, though it can still lock higher targets. It's worth noting that the SRC mode on the AN/AWG-9 is more resistant to ground clutter than previous radars; while you still cannot detect or lock a target very close to the ground, it can sometimes detect targets as little as 1 km from the ground. In conclusion, SRC is generally more reliable at finding and tracking targets than pulse-Doppler mode, but cannot see targets at very low altitudes like pulse-Doppler can.
* '''TWS HDN''' (Track While Scan, Head-On): This mode allows targets to be detected and "tracked" simultaneously. By hovering your radar cursor over detected targets, you can "soft lock" them; their position is marked in third-person view, and their general speed, heading, and height are displayed. With a soft lock, the radar return is not strong enough to trigger the RWR, so enemies will not know you are soft locking them. AIM-54A Phoenixes can be launched via a soft lock, and after launching a Phoenix, you can hover over another enemy to launch another Phoenix. Using onboard electronics, the Phoenixes will guide themselves to the target after this. In addition, AIM-9G/H Sidewinders can be slaved to the soft lock. However, for a Sparrow launch, you will need to "hard lock" the target. This can be done simply by locking the target the cursor is hovering over (as with other radar modes). In addition, track while scan uses pulse-Doppler, so it can detect targets close to the ground as well. Unfortunately, this also means it has the same weaknesses as pulse-Doppler mode (vulnerable to notching or targets flying away). The capabilities of the track while scan mode are potent and allows pilots great situational awareness, and therefore should generally be your go-to radar mode, only switching to SRC to overcome pulse-Doppler's weaknesses.
* '''SRC PDV HDN''' (Surveillance Radar Computer, Pulse-Doppler Velocity, Head-On): This radar mode is very similar to pulse-Doppler, but instead displays the velocity of the aircraft on the radar screen rather than the range. This is the only radar mode on the AN/AWG-9 which does not utilize IFF (Identification Friend or Foe), so in simulator mode, be careful.
* The AN/AWG-9 has two acquisition modes, ACM PD HDN and ACQ, and two track modes, TRK PD HDN and TRK.
** SRC PD HDN, TWS HDN and SRC PDV HDN radar modes all use '''ACM PD HDN''' (Air Combat Maneuvering, Pulse-Doppler, Head-On) as the acquisition mode, and '''TRK PD HDN''' (Track, Pulse-Doppler, Head-On) as the lock mode. These are pulse-Doppler search and lock methods, and as such have the same strengths and weaknesses. SRC uses '''ACQ''' and '''TRK''' as acquisition and lock modes, respectively, which are the non pulse-Doppler counterparts to ACM PD HDN and TRK PD HDN.
** When in these acquisition modes, you can press your keybind for “Change Radar/IRST Search Mode” to change the scope of the acquisition search area. Clicking it once changes it from a square to a vertically long rectangle, clicking it twice moves this rectangle to an upper position (to lock enemies above you), and clicking it a third time changes it back to a square.
** A nice and very useful feature of the F-14's radar is that, if you have a target radar locked, you can switch between pulse-Doppler and normal SRC tracking without breaking lock (most other radars will require the lock to be broken before switching radar mode to reattempt a lock). This allows you to quickly and easily switch to TRK (SRC) if the target is notching, or switch to TRK PD HDN (Pulse-Doppler) if the target is going close to the ground.

'''Realistic Battles'''

In realistic battles, the F-14A is a powerful air superiority fighter. With a maximum of six medium-range AIM-7F or very long range AIM-54A missiles and a powerful radar, it is among the best BVR (Beyond Visual Range) fighters in the game, and it is advisable to exploit this advantage. In air realistic battles, players can side climb to high altitudes (>5 km) and search for targets to engage with the long-range Sparrows or Phoenixes. At high altitude, Phoenixes can hit as far as 50km head-on launches from high altitude, while Sparrows can hit at (generally) maximum ranges of 30km. Once higher altitude is swept of enemy fighters, pilots can dive down on lower altitude enemies and use the energy advantage to obtain missile kills from an unexpected angle. If necessary, the Tomcat's excellent manoeuvrability can be used to dogfight any remaining enemy aircraft.

In ground realistic battles, the F-14A can use its long-range missiles to clear the sky of enemy strike aircraft. With its excellent Sparrow and Phoenix missiles, the F-14A will be especially potent at destroying enemy strike aircraft at high altitudes who are using guided munitions to attack your team outside of SAM range. While the F-14A gets access to some air-to-ground bombs and rockets, these are all unguided and thus are very risky to use in the presence of SAMs. Therefore, unless a ground strike is absolutely necessary, a Tomcat is much better off in the air-to-air role guarding the skies.

'''Enemies Worth Noting'''

* '''F-16A:''' These planes have excellent acceleration and decent top speed. In addition, they have AIM-9Ls, which can sometimes be difficult to flare with the F-14’s two very hot engines, as well as AIM-7Ms (except the “normal” US F-16A and Israeli Netz”), which can give competition to the F-14’s AIM-7Fs. One weakness of the F-16 is its angle of attack limiter which effectively bricks the F-16 at high speeds. This means it will have trouble dodging the F-14’s AIM-7Fs at higher speeds. In a dogfight, the F-16 outturns the F-14 with it’s excellent maneuverability, but the angle of attack limiter can be exploited in a merge with an F-16, where air braking, down-throttling and pulling hard into the F-16 may let you park yourself on his tail. The F-16’s excellent acceleration in contrast with the F-14’s poor acceleration makes it ill-advised to engage in a vertical dogfight with the F-16. It is generally best to avoid dogfighting the F-16, but if needed, a rate fight is favored by the F-14.
* '''MiG-29''': The MiG-29 has excellent acceleration and top speed. Though it’s R-60Ms are a far cry from the F-16’s AIM-9Ls, it does possess the extremely dangerous R-27ER long range SARH missile. These missiles are faster accelerating and more maneuverable than the F-14’s AIM-7Fs while having the same listed maximum range of 100km. However, the MiG-29 can only carry two of them. They can be outranged by your AIM-54s, but at closer ranges, even a single missile can mean death for you, so you will have to use missile jousting strategies to beat the R-27ER with your AIM-7Fs. In a dogfight, it’s mostly the same story as with the F-16: the MiG-29 has excellent maneuverability, and while the F-14 can certainly keep up, vertical dogfights should be avoided due to the stark difference in acceleration between the MiG-29 and F-14A. The best way to dogfight the MiG-29 in the F-14 is to utilize the F-14’s excellent turn rate in a rate fight; staying at around 750 km/h will let the F-14 slowly out-rate the MiG-29.
* '''Mirage 2000C:''' Mirage 2000s have excellent acceleration and top speed, as well as powerful missiles. Like AIM-9Ls, the Magic 2 can be difficult to flare, and the Super 530D is comparable to the AIM-7F, but it should be noted that the Mirage 2000C only has two of each of these missiles. In a dogfight, the Mirage 2000 has excellent instantaneous turn rate, but due to it’s delta wing design bleeds speed quickly; in this case the F-14A’s excellent rate speed should be used to drain the Mirage 2000 of energy and outrate it.
* '''F-4J, F-4S, F-4EJ Kai, Kurnass 2000:''' These Phantoms can very easily be beaten in a dogfight by the F-14A, but beware of potent AIM-7Fs, and in the case of the EJ Kai and Kurnass 2000, a powerful radar and all-aspect AIM-9Ls.
* '''MiG-23ML/MLA/MLD:''' These MiG-23s boast good R-24s which can compete with the AIM-7F, as well as dangerous R-24Ts which can lock on to the F-14’s hot heat signature and stealthily destroy it. Good situational awareness is key to defeating these missiles. In a dogfight, MiG-23s have a surprisingly good rate speed which can keep up with the F-14. However, their instantaneous turn rate is poor, so a one circle or scissors can be used with the F-14A to easily gain an advantage over MiG-23s.
* '''F-5E:''' F-5s have a surprisingly excellent turn rate that can rival even the F-14A. However, it has slow acceleration, it’s guns are mediocre and it has very limited missiles. Therefore, they can be engaged with Sparrows and Phoenixes without retaliation, and in a dogfight, the vertical can be used on the F-5 to stall them out and gain the advantage.

'''Simulator Battles - Enduring Confrontation'''

Before you take the F-14A to battle you need to figure out what weapons you want to use. All the available IR missiles have almost identical turn performance, the range is almost the same too. The D version cannot be slaved to the locked target, the G can be and the H works exactly like the G, but has a higher tracking rate. Taking at least two of them is highly recommended since they almost do not affect the flight performance.

There are also two options for radar-guided missiles. The AIM-7F works very well at close and medium ranges (3-20 km) and can hit a target which is pulling lots of G. They are harder to dodge in Simulator Battles, though you need to keep your lock all the time. The AIM-54A is an active radar-guided missile, it does not require the radar lock when it is launched 16 km from the target (or when it gets that close, then you can break your lock), but it can pull only up to 16G which is quite easy to dodge, both these missiles can also be avoided by just simply notching when the F-14 uses the pulse-Doppler radar mode.

A few loadout recommendations:

* 4x AIM-9H + 4x AIM-7F - Works very well in almost any scenario, and does not affect the flight performance that much.
* 4x AIM-9H + 4x AIM-54A or 2x AIM-9H + 6x AIM-54A - Makes the plane turn a lot worse, in most cases will not work against fighters which know how to deal with radar-guided missiles, this loadout is useful mainly against planes that attack the bombing bases or airfields only, so for example Su-7s loaded with bombs etc. (farmers). It is not recommended to use it in normal EC battles.
* 4x AIM-9H + 2x AIM-54A + 2x AIM-7F

To make full use of the F-14A's manoeuvrability it is best to buy the expert crew and the ace crew if it is possible, since the plane pulls around 8G at 750 km/h IAS in a sustained turn and that increases even further when the player decided to pull it even more, though you need to keep in mind that the G limit is ~11G.

'''Outside the combat''' - As a start, keep in mind that the F-14A really likes to burn fuel a lot when the afterburner is used, at low altitudes it can fly up to 7 minutes with full fuel tanks, so it is recommended to fly either with 45 minutes of fuel (on 64x64 km maps like Ruhr, Port Moresby) or full fuel tanks (128x128 km maps like Vietnam, Denmark). WEP should not be used while cruising and only during combat or while chasing someone, flying with the throttle set to 85-90% should be fine too. There are a few tactics that can be used in the F-14 in SB, but it mostly depends on what map you play. On more open maps like Denmark you can at 1,000-3,000 m alt while looking for targets, though some MiGs can still sneak up to you if you are not paying enough attention to your surroundings, doing so you are mostly vulnerable to attack from below and behind, especially when the enemy has access to all-aspect missiles. The other tactic is just simply hugging the ground, in most cases it is the safest one and should be used on maps with hills and mountains where you can break the enemy's line of sight by flying between them. It is more difficult and requires lots of focus. The player needs to keep looking around all the time to find the target, the radar is less useful in this scenario, though the TWS mode can be helpful on maps like Vietnam to check the enemy plane direction and ambush them while you are flying in areas where it is hard to spot the planes due to the ground colour and many objects like trees. To make cruising easier the damping SAS mode can be used, which limits the angle of attack (AoA) so much that the G limit cannot be reached at any speed, the automatic wing sweep control also can be activated. About the radar modes, the PDV should not really be used since it is the only one which does not have any kind of IFF and it is as good at detecting targets as the normal PD mode. Since the PD radar cannot track targets that are flying perpendicular to your plane switching between modes is very important, even the normal Pulse (SRC) mode can detect targets against the ground up to 15-20 km and even further when it is above the horizon. To be safe from enemy missiles it is best to stay around 20-30 km away from enemy planes.

'''During the combat''' - During the BVR combat when both sides have similar missiles it is important to get to a higher speed before launching it and launch the missile before the enemy does, for now the only plane that can actually start this kind of fight is the Viggen (Sweden is very often on the Russian side), though you can just ignore it and keep notching while getting below the enemy plane (missiles have much lower range at low altitude) and wait until it gets close, the start a dogfight. The AIM-54A can be useful in such scenarios, even when the F-14 will be forced to break away the missile will still be tracking the target, then the enemy will be forced to dodge it and when that happens you can launch another missile to force the enemy into an even more defensive position. When the distance between planes is around 10 km, the radar mode should be switched to either BST or VSL since they offer an instant radar lock after pointing at the targets, locking on manually can sometimes take a few seconds and a few failed attempts. Those two modes can also be used when the player in the F-14A is trying to be sneaky, then when the enemy is not aware of being tracked by TWS mode on maps like Vietnam the F-14 can switch to them when the enemy gets close from the front and then right after that launch the AIM-7F. Overall learning quick switching between radar modes depending on the situation is very important.

Within visual range (up to ~10 km) against opponents in a head-on, it is important to keep launching 1 flare every few seconds, it will reduce the chance of being tracked by the R-23T, R-24T or R-60M, also as soon as the missile launch happens a few more of them should be launched. For this kind of scenario it is best to be equipped with AIM-7F missiles, by using them you can deny the enemy any head-on attempts, by launching it they will be forced to notch it, while the IR missiles in most cases can be dodged by using flares right before the launch, not using WEP before the dogfight starts and it can be done by just flying in a straight line (when the distance between the missile and the F-14 is big enough).
The enemy will not be able to safely reengage until it gets very close (when the AIM-7F becomes less effective, so within 2 km from the target), but at that point the AIM-9H can be used in some cases against afterburning targets trying to notch the PD radar. All of this can lead to the enemy having to dodge the missile and becoming an easy target, you can easily get on their six and shoot them down by using the gun.

When the dogfight happens it is needed to switch the SAS mode to manual, the damping limits the manoeuvrability too much and can put the F-14 in a worse position, especially against the delta wing planes, though using it makes the plane harder to control. The other thing to remember is switching the wing sweep controls to manual, then reducing it to 0% for the best manoeuvrability.
The last thing is using the combat flaps, but overusing them and doing it in the wrong situation can lead to being shot down faster. Before the merge between both planes happens the speed should be around 800 km/h IAS and 900 km/h (450-500 kn IAS), it will make starting a two-circle fight (where the F-14 excels) easier. The combat flaps in the F-14 improve both the sustained and instantaneous turn rate, the only downside is that they work effectively only up to 900 km/h IAS and make reaching speed above that harder. The one-circle fight can be done only with planes like the MiG-23, Su-17/22 or the Japanese Phantoms; against other planes, especially the delta wing planes, it is not very safe, although the F-14 can sometimes pull a very tight turn (takeoff flaps have a speed limit up to 800 km/h and can help with that). Generally, the safest way to win the fight is to keep your speed around 800 km/h IAS in a two-circle fight, there is not a single plane that can win it. There are a few planes which can give a hard time in close-range fights, the MiG-23MLD, J35s, MiG-21bis, J-7E, Chinese F-5E, the player should be very careful while engaging any of these.

'''Basic mistakes''' - Ignoring the IFF and teamkilling are the biggest mistakes happening in SB, it is always important to check if the target is a friendly plane or not (one line - unknown/enemy, two lines - friendly). Also, launching the AIM-54 into a direction with a few friendly planes can end really badly, just like launching any kind of missile into furballs. Ignoring the IFF readouts will lead to being kicked from the session and the team performing worse because they will also need to worry about dodging friendly missiles.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very effective dogfighter at any speed with its variable wing sweep which gives it great energy retention
* Variable swept wings can help plane accelerate fast when swept back and turn better when the wing is less swept
* High top speed (can cap out at 1500 km/h IAS at sea level)
* Lethal M61 Vulcan cannon which has an extremely fast fire rate, great velocity, and great damage
* Can carry up to 8 missiles maximum, with options of AIM-7s, AIM-9s, and [[AIM-54A Phoenix|AIM-54]]<nowiki/>s for versatile use
* The AIM-54 has insane range (100 km max), its rocket booster lasts for a very long time, and it's an Active Radar Homing missile (at closer ranges can automatically guide itself towards enemies using its own radar)
* Multi-mode radar makes it effective in any situation (the TWS mode allows launching AIM-54s at multiple aircraft at once and provides amazing situational awareness)
* The new [[AIM-9H Sidewinder|AIM-9H]] has much better flare resistance than previous AIM-9s (such as the [[AIM-9G Sidewinder|G]] or [[AIM-9J Sidewinder|J]] variants)

'''Cons:'''

* Big plane and thus an easy target to hit
* The afterburner's fuel consumption is otherworldly fast; constant usage of it requires carrying a lot of fuel that can hamper the plane's performance and manoeuvrability
* Massive wing and fuselage fuel tanks make it especially prone to catching fire
* Cannot pull sustained Gs when above 1,000 km/h IAS (11-13 G) in RB or the wings will rip
* At high throttle and afterburner, the engine emits an unparalleled amount of heat, requiring throttling down (and therefore significantly bleeding speed) to reliably flare missiles off
* 60 countermeasures may be a bit lacking considering the extremely high engine temperature
* The AIM-54A only has 16G overload and thus is rather easy to dodge
* The AIM-54A's rocket motor lasts for a very long time, giving plenty of time for enemies to spot and evade it
* Requires lots of work and control binds related to the radar and variable wing sweep angle to make the most of the aircraft
* The Damping SAS mode limits the AoA so much that it cannot be used in one-circle fights (scissors etc.) thus forcing the player to use the much harder to use the Manual SAS mode (SB with full-real controls)

== History ==

=== Early Development ===
In 1967, the U.S. Navy wanted a long-range fleet defence fighter to boost their naval plane capabilities with the "VFX" program. The USN first started with a redesigned F-111 Aardvark named the F-111B (basically an F-111 designed around the TF30 engine and AIM-54 Phoenix missiles), they soon found out that the F-111 was too big for practical reasons so the F-111B plan never came to fruition. Fast forward to 1969, the USN gave the contract to Grumman to build the new fleet defence fighter named the F-14 Tomcat, its first variants were built around the TF30 engines found on the F-111B and to use the AN/AWG-9 radar set and the airframe was specifically built to carry the AIM-54 Phoenix missile.

===[[wt:en/news/7705-development-f-14a-tomcat-into-the-danger-zone-en|Devblog]]===
In 1968, five aircraft building companies entered the Pentagon's competition for a new carrier-based interceptor fighter. The commission's preference was given to Grumman's design, a twin-engine jet fighter with a variable-swept wing. Work on the F-14A fighter began in February 1969, and in December of the next year, the new aircraft took her maiden flight. The main weapon of the F-14A was the AIM-54 Phoenix long-range missiles controlled by the newest to date weapon control system. Instead of building prototypes, Grumman immediately switched to the production of an experimental series, and already on December 31, 1972, the first batch of jet fighters were put into service with the VF-124 Fleet Replacement Squadron . Pilot training took place on the deck of the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier, and during the withdrawal of US troops from Vietnam, combat sorties were also made from the deck. In total 557 F-14A fighters were delivered to the US Navy until 1987, and another 80 aircraft were built for Iran. Tomcats were used in all military conflicts where US aircraft took part until the very decommissioning. Iranian F-14s took an active part in the Iran-Iraq war, scoring dozens of air kills.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f_14a_early Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
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</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Wdnef_6_6oM|'''The Shooting Range #307''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Other jet planes with variable sweep wings

* [[MiG-23 (Family)]]
* [[Su-17/22 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7705-development-f-14a-tomcat-into-the-danger-zone-en|[Devblog] F-14A Tomcat: Into the Danger Zone!]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/557191-f-14a-early/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Grumman}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-14A Early

2023-04-28T07:45:20Z

U97916902:

{{Specs-Card
|code=f_14a_early
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Danger Zone"]]. One of the most iconic US naval fighter jets of the Cold War era, the F-14A was developed as the US Navy's fleet-defense fighter jet to protect their carrier groups over a vast swath of ocean. First deployed in 1974, the F-14A wields the advanced AN/AWG-9 radar and up to eight missiles, including the iconic [[AIM-54A Phoenix|Phoenix missile,]] to locate and target bandits at long range.

In the game, these characteristics allow the F-14A to engage enemy air targets at far greater distances than most enemy aircraft can, allowing the F-14A to take the initiative and achieve air superiority by firing first. At long range, Phoenix missiles force enemy fighters to actively monitor the sky even when they cannot yet see or detect the F-14A. While Phoenix missiles may prove too sluggish to target enemy fighters at high-speed merges, its [[AIM-7F Sparrow|Sparrows]] can engage manoeuvring targets at short and medium ranges before engaging at closer ranges with [[AIM-9H Sidewinder|Sidewinders]] and M61 cannon fire.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The F-14A might be seen underpowered compared to other aircraft, primarily the F-4J Phantom II and other Phantom variants such as the Phantom FG.1. While it is true that the engines are not as powerful, the F-14A is far superior in terms of top speed and energy management. However, insufficient power can be noticed when zoom climbing or when turning at low speed, and regaining the speed back can take a while. The engines also consume tremendous amounts of fuel: while the F-14A can stay in the air for at least one hour with full fuel tanks, at full afterburner (WEP) the jet can fly for only 7 minutes at sea level.

The F-14A is more of a two-circle dogfighter since it keeps speed very well in hard turns, but might not have as much nose authority as other planes to win one-circle fights (such as scissors and anything similar when you turn into the opponent's nose). Although it can still beat planes like the MiG-23MLD in the instantaneous turn-rate performance, delta-wing fighters like the J35 or MiG-21 could have the advantage during the first seconds of the fight. Like other planes with variable wing geometry, the F-14A reaches its most efficient turn rate performance when wings are swept fully forward (set to 0%) and that can be achieved only by using the manual wing sweep controls. Since it is semi-automatic, the wing will automatically change its position after reaching around ~800 km/h IAS.

The most optimal turning speed is around 900 km/h IAS at sea level (it reaches the highest sustained turn rate there), but the best is actually between 700 and 830 km/h IAS since any faster, and it becomes impossible to maintain the turn without the crew blacking out. At such speeds, the F-14A in a clean configuration with 30 minutes of fuel can reach up to 23 deg/s of sustained turn rate, which is better than any MiG-23, Su-17, or even other more manoeuvrable fighters like the MiG-19. Both the sustained and instantaneous turn rate can be improved by using combat flaps, which can function at speeds up to 850 km/h IAS.

Thanks to the variable wing sweep, the F-14A is able to move its center of mass and thus increase or decrease its roll rate. High sweep allows higher speeds at reduced roll rate and vice versa. Low sweep increases roll rate and energy retention at subsonic speeds.

To get the most of its turn rate performance in Simulator Battles, you should always try to use the manual SAS (Stability Augmentation System) mode. The damping mode severely limits its nose authority, and it is harder to win fights against planes like the MiG-21 or other delta-wing fighters. In general, combat flaps should always be used when you are about to merge with the enemy plane, as they not only increase the sustained turn rate but also improves nose authority. In turn, it becomes easier to get lead on the enemy plane and to control the plane when using manual SAS mode. The player should still be very careful with pulling the stick around 500 km/h IAS. Below that speed, it's very easy to abruptly lose speed, reach the critical AoA, and stall out the plane. Pulling the stick all the way to yourself should be done only when you are going for snap shots. The other downside manual SAS mode is the plane is much more sensitive to controls, especially in pitch. For this reason, it is recommended to use the damping SAS mode during cruising and BVR combat.

While using the manual SAS mode, it is can be easy to stall out the plane when flying below 400 km/h IAS. In this case, after entering the flat spin, the quickest method to recover the plane is to increase the wing sweep angle and then counter the plane rotation with the rudder.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 12,192 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,202 || 2,191 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.4 || 25.1 || 178.4 || 170.5 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,245 || 2,221 || 23.6 || 24.0 || 231.6 || 203.8
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 1,359 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || rowspan="2" | 1,200 || rowspan="2" | 873 || rowspan="2" | 416 || ~10 || ~5
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,555 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 1,200 || < 850 || < 1,800 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="7" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="4" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-412A || 2
| colspan="3" | 18,545 kg || colspan="4" | 493 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 18m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 62m fuel
|-
| 1,802 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 20,750 kg || 20,905 kg || 22,085 kg || 23,855 kg || 25,895 kg || 30,935 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 18m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 62m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 4,860 kgf || 8,019 kgf
| 0.77 || 0.77 || 0.73 || 0.67 || 0.62 || 0.52
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,808 kgf (1,555 km/h) || 12,692 kgf (1,555 km/h)
| 1.22 || 1.21 || 1.15 || 1.06 || 0.98 || 0.82
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The F-14A holds 60 countermeasures, which is a decent number of chaff and flares that can let the Tomcat survive multiple missiles. Due to its massive engines, the IR signature of the aircraft is not an easy thing to conceal when fighting heat-seeking missiles. As with other jets around its battle rating, flares alone are generally not enough to defeat IR-guided missiles. To defeat an IR-guided missile (heat-seeker), turn off afterburner and reduce throttle to at least 80-85% while dumping flares and turning away from the missile. This is to ensure that an IR-guided missile will track the flares and not the engines. Due to the massive size compared to other aircraft, the chances of a successful hit from enemies, both missile and cannon, are higher compared to smaller aircraft such as the Harrier or F-5. This should be taken into consideration as proximity fuses will trigger with more ease as the wingspan of the Tomcat is considerably larger than most jets seen in game.

Fuel tanks are housed flatly in both the fuselage and wings. The F-14A will easily catch fire from enemy rounds from above and below the plane. Thankfully, the fuel tanks are well-separated compared to other fighters like the F-4 family, so damage to one part of the plane may not necessarily compromise the whole plane. However, fires will rapidly destroy traction of control surfaces, so they must be immediately extinguished. As long as some control surfaces are usable, the F-14A can survive critical damage (such as losing a wing) and return to base. Its multiple fuel tanks help isolate fuel fires especially on the wings, and the plane can fly on one engine.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, cheek-mounted (676 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP}}
{{main|AIM-7E-2 Sparrow|AIM-7F Sparrow|AIM-54A Phoenix}}
{{main|AIM-9D Sidewinder|AIM-9G Sidewinder|AIM-9H Sidewinder}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles
* 5 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
* 14 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (3,500 lb total)
* 14 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (7,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 16 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets

The F-14A is the first aircraft in game to have access to Active Radar Homing missiles with internal navigation. While it is mostly used for air defense and anti-air duties, it holds decent ground pounding abilities that are nothing new to American pilots. The F-14A has access to a wide variety of weapon selections due to having 'Custom Loadouts' feature. Depending on the needs of the pilot, one can carry different loadouts for different needs.

The F-14A comes with three options for missiles: shorter-ranged AIM-9H Sidewinders, medium-ranged AIM-7F Sparrows, and long-range AIM-54A Phoenixes.

The '''AIM-9H Sidewinder''' is very similar to the previous AIM-9G — having good range but below average manoeuvrability. Its seeker can also be slaved to a radar lock or TWS soft lock. With only 18G maximum overload, the AIM-9H should not be used in high-aspect or hard-turning shots at close ranges. Instead, the AIM-9H's good range should be used to catch enemies off guard. A good way to utilize this range is to position yourself over the battlefield and dive down on enemies. Your dive speed combined with gravity will increase the speed and range of your missiles, your angle to the enemy will give the missiles an easier time locking on to their exhaust, and your unexpected direction will see that many enemies will not notice the missile until they have been destroyed by it.

The '''AIM-7F Sparrow''' is a medium-range, SARH (Semi-Active Radar Homing) missile. Pilots of the F-14A are probably familiar with the AIM-7F from the previous F-4J. The AIM-7F is one of the best radar-guided missiles in the game. It has good 25G manoeuvrability, and a very long motor burn time gives it long range and sustained manoeuvrability (whereas other missiles will stop producing thrust and lose speed in manoeuvres, the long burn time of the AIM-7F sustains its speed and manoeuvrability for a long time). This should be the F-14A's go-to missile; it can be launched from all aspects and is difficult to dodge without the correct defensive manoeuvres. The AIM-7F can be launched from longer ranges to utilize its long burn time and the F-14A's good radar. Pay attention to your Radar Warning Receiver; if the enemy you are radar locking is also radar locking you, it is likely that they are about to or already have launched a radar-guided missile at you. In this case, do not fly straight; you are going to be hit first. Launch your missile, then crank to one side. To crank means to turn to one side as far as possible without losing radar lock. This makes the enemy's missile travel further at higher angles and thus decreases the chance it will hit you during defensive manoeuvres. If you have Sparrows to spare and an enemy is approaching head-on, you can launch Sparrows in succession (2-3 seconds between launches) to increase your probability of a kill. An enemy can avoid one missile with manoeuvres, but will have bled speed and will have a more difficult time avoiding further missiles.

The '''AIM-54A Phoenix''' is a long-range, ARH (Active Radar Homing) missile, and is only found on the F-14 (both in-game and in real life). The AIM-54A is a unique missile with unique capabilities. It has an extremely long burn time and thus an extremely long range, as well as a rather large proximity fuse and a large amount of explosive (doesn't have to be as close as other missiles to enemies to explode and cause critical damage). However, its more interesting features come in the form of its behaviour. First, it's an active radar homing missile, meaning it has a small internal radar which at closer ranges it can use to automatically search for, track and guide itself to targets without any input from the parent (the F-14's) radar. Second, it can be guided via the parent (F-14's) radar, but if it loses lock, the missile will fly straight for a while and use the aforementioned internal radar to search for enemies to home in towards. Third, the AIM-54 does not need a true radar lock to be launched; when the F-14's radar is in TWS (Track While Scan) mode, you can simply hover the radar cursor over a radar contact to launch the AIM-54. This also means you can launch more than one Phoenix at a time by hovering over a target, launching, and then hovering over another target to launch another Phoenix.

It is important to know that despite these seemingly impressive features, the AIM-54 is not an all-powerful missile and has its downsides; there are many scenarios where it is advisable not to use them. First, some F-14A players may feel tempted to take six AIM-54s, take off, and then launch at six enemy targets very far away. This is not advised, as there is a very high chance none will hit; at such a long-range, and with player behaviour at the start of a match, it is very likely that the missiles will be inadvertently notched, or the missiles will get distracted by enemy and/or friendly AI bots. In addition, the AIM-54A only has 16G overload — less than an AIM-9H — and with its very long burn time, it is easily seen and dodged by enemies. It is more worth it to save your missiles for a better firing window. Second, the missile should not be used at closer ranges (< 5 km). In addition to having low manoeuvrability, the AIM-54 has a very, very slow acceleration, and it highly likely won't be able to follow the defensive manoeuvres of such a close enemy. For this case, Sparrows are a much better option. Third, the AIM-54 should not be launched in the direction of friendly aircraft. The AIM-54 and its internal radar will go for the first target it sees, regardless if it is friend or foe. And fourth and finally, the AIM-54 is the heaviest air-to-air missile in the game, and they impact aircraft performance significantly. To make use of the AIM-54's advantages, it is advisable to use them at higher altitudes (> 5 km) and at long ranges. The AIM-54 will have time to accelerate to its maximum speed, and due to the low air density at high altitudes as well as the AIM-54’s high speed, enemy aircraft will have a hard time evading the missile (even if it is just 16G). The AIM-54 can home in on enemies on its own, so if necessary you can completely turn away from the enemy after launching to avoid enemy missiles. However, the AIM-54 has datalink and thus is it recommended to keep painting the target(s) through TWS radar mode for more reliable missile tracking.

Each of these missiles has its strengths and weaknesses. A mix between long-range weapons and short-range weapons must be used at the pilot's discretion. A maximum of six of a mix of Sparrows or Phoenixes can be taken, two Sidewinders can always be carried on separate hard points, and pilots can choose to substitute up to two Sparrows or Phoenixes for Sidewinders. At the very least one or two sparrows should be taken as they are useful in lots of different engagements at most altitudes. For high altitude engagements, a small number of Phoenixes (1-3) can be taken. Phoenixes are especially useful for enduring confrontation (operation) air battles, where air combat is prevalent at higher altitudes where the Phoenix will truly shine. While the AIM-9H Sidewinders will seem like nothing new and perhaps a bit outdated, it’s long range capability should not be underestimated, and users may prefer to switch out some radar guided missiles for Sidewinders.

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="12" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs
| || || 8* || 6 || ||
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| || || 8* || 6 || ||
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| || || 2* || 2 || ||
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| || || 2*† || 2 || ||
|-
! Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
| || 8 || || || 8 ||
|-
! AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1, 2* || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
| || 1 || 2* || 2† || 1 ||
|-
| colspan="9" | * Use of dual Sparrow missiles on hardpoint 4 prevents use of the marked options on hardpoint 3 † The AIM-54A Phoenix missiles on hardpoint 4 cannot be carried in conjunction with 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs on hardpoint 3
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Boasting a high top speed, excellent turning characteristics, a large number of excellent missiles, and a powerful radar, the F-14A (Early) Tomcat is a potent air superiority fighter and should be used as such.

'''Flying the F-14A'''

Despite being a very large aircraft, the F-14A Tomcat's manoeuvrability and energy retention are excellent. With the wings swept out, it's among the best rate fighters in the game, and has excellent instantaneous turn rate. This allows the F-14A to out-dogfight most aircraft in-game. For planes with poor energy retention such as F-4s, MiG-21s, J35s, and JA37s, you can use the F-14's excellent turn rate to enter a prolonged two-circle fight, where the F-14's superior energy retention will drain the energy of these delta-winged fighters. The optimal rate speed of the F-14A is around 750 km/h, though 600 km/h will still allow you to out-rate fighters with poor energy retention. For planes with better energy retention such as F-8s and MiG-23s, you can use F-14A's excellent instantaneous turn rate to force a one-circle fight. It should be noted that when dogfighting in the F-14A, it is critical to always sweep your wings forward to 0% wing sweep. At this wing sweep, you will obtain the optimal energy retention and turn characteristics of the F-14A. Therefore, it is highly recommended to set key binds for manually changing the sweep angle and switching between auto to manual wing sweep. Keep in mind that, although the F-14A has excellent dogfighting characteristics, it is still a very large aircraft with extremely hot engines. Due to this, it is advised to avoid turn-fighting in the Tomcat unless absolutely necessary because, as with all other top-tier jets, doing so will bleed your speed and make you an easy target for enemy aircraft.

The early F-14A with its TF30 engines were historically underpowered, and this shows in-game: while the F-14A has a great top speed with the wings swept back, the acceleration and climb rate is below average. Faster planes such as MiG-23s, Mirage 2000s, F-16s, and MiG-29s will easily out-accelerate you. Even F-4s will accelerate faster at lower speeds. Therefore, it is advisable to keep your speed up in the F-14. Due to this, vertical dogfights are generally not advisable, especially with faster accelerating and climbing opponents such as MiG-23s, MiG-29s and F-16s. In addition, this acceleration is another reason to be careful when engaging in dogfights, as you will have difficulty out-accelerating your opponents should you need to exit.

'''Wing Sweep'''

The F-14A has a variable sweep wing, which means the wings can change angle during flight to obtain the desirable flight characteristics. As discussed before, when the wings are swept forward (0%), the F-14A obtains high energy retention and excellent instantaneous and sustained turn rate. However, the wings being swept forwards limits the Tomcat's top speed, and therefore should only be used at lower speeds, when dogfighting, or takeoff/landing (especially with carriers). On the other hand, the wings being swept back allows the F-14A to reach its top speed, but at lower speeds, loss of lift greatly reduces manoeuvrability. Generally, pilots can keep the wing sweep mode set to automatic (AUTO); this will automatically sweep the wings without player input based on how fast or slow the Tomcat is going. However, when dogfighting, you will want to switch the sweep mode to manual, and use selected key binds to manually sweep the wing forward to obtain optimal manoeuvrability.

'''Fuel Consumption and Engine Heat'''

It should be noted that the F-14A burns up fuel very fast when on afterburner. This should be taken into consideration as one can burn up all the fuel without realizing until it is too late. Due to this, it is advisable to take at the very least 30 minutes of fuel. You can use the mouse scroll wheel to save a lot more fuel by using the first-stage afterburner, which gives a significant power boost from 100% throttle but a little less power than full afterburner. On minimum fuel (18 minutes) the full afterburner can only last about 2 minutes and 30 seconds, but the afterburner (first-stage) can last you 8 minutes.

Something to be aware of when playing the F-14A is the insane heat of its engines. At high throttle and afterburner, its engines emit an unparalleled amount of heat at around 2,100 °F (1,150 °C). For reference, that is around 66% hotter than the F-4J's engines, which is around 1,239 °F (671 °C) at 100% throttle and 1,256 °F (680 °C) during full afterburner. During gameplay, this means that in the F-14A simply just turning off the afterburner and deploying flares may not be enough to avoid an incoming IR missile. You will also have to throttle down the engine significantly (at least 80-85%) to make sure that an incoming IR missile goes for the flare. This is especially true for more flare-resistant IR missiles such as the [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] and [[Matra R550 Magic 2|Magic 2]], which may need substantial throttling down to flare off. Keep in mind that throttling down means that you will lose a decent amount of speed in the process, so be prepared.

'''Radar and Radar Modes'''

The AN/AWG-9 radar set carried by the F-14A is an extremely potent radar, especially for long-range missile combat. It has great range (a maximum of 185 km tracking and 370 km detecting). For most normal air RB maps, a 37km or 93km display range should suffice, while 93 km should be enough for most enduring confrontation air RB maps. A radar lock is necessary to guide Sparrows, while either radar lock or soft lock (selecting targets in TWS) will suffice for a Phoenix launch. The radar has four different modes which have different purposes, capabilities and usages:

* '''SRC PD HDN''' (Surveillance Radar Computer, Pulse-Doppler, Head-On): Users of the F-14 are likely at least somewhat aware of what a pulse-Doppler radar is from usage of the previous F-4J. This is a pulse-Doppler mode, meaning it measures an aircraft's Doppler shift (difference in velocity compared to surroundings) in order to "see" targets. Due to the nature of the detection method, this pulse-Doppler mode is most ideal for targets close to the ground, as well as in head-on situations (as the name suggests). However, this pulse-Doppler mode has a weakness: it can be [[Airborne_radars#Notching_a_Pulse-Doppler_radar|notched]]; pulse-Doppler measures the target aircraft's velocity change compared to surroundings, so if a target flies perpendicular to the radar (not moving closer or further compared to the surroundings), the radar will not observe a change in velocity and therefore cannot see the aircraft. F-14A pilots must be aware of how the notch works; if an enemy radar is locking you at low altitude, they are likely using a pulse-Doppler mode, and thus notching becomes a defensive option to break radar lock. Provided the target is not at very low altitudes, an enemy notching your pulse-Doppler radar can be countered by switching the radar mode to SRC. Another weakness to be aware of is that pulse-Doppler modes generally have trouble detecting and locking targets travelling away from the radar. In conclusion, the pulse-Doppler mode is good for tracking targets at very low altitudes, but is vulnerable to notching and has difficulty finding targets moving away.
* '''SRC''' (Surveillance Radar Computer): This is the standard radar mode. It is not a pulse-Doppler mode and does not have its weaknesses; it cannot be notched like pulse-Doppler can, and has an easier time tracking targets moving away. Therefore, if an enemy is attempting to notch your pulse-Doppler mode, you can switch the radar lock from a pulse-Doppler one to standard SRC. However, due to the radar return from ground clutter, it has great trouble locking targets at very low altitude, though it can still lock higher targets. It's worth noting that the SRC mode on the AN/AWG-9 is more resistant to ground clutter than previous radars; while you still cannot detect or lock a target very close to the ground, it can sometimes detect targets as little as 1 km from the ground. In conclusion, SRC is generally more reliable at finding and tracking targets than pulse-Doppler mode, but cannot see targets at very low altitudes like pulse-Doppler can.
* '''TWS HDN''' (Track While Scan, Head-On): This mode allows targets to be detected and "tracked" simultaneously. By hovering your radar cursor over detected targets, you can "soft lock" them; their position is marked in third-person view, and their general speed, heading, and height are displayed. With a soft lock, the radar return is not strong enough to trigger the RWR, so enemies will not know you are soft locking them. AIM-54A Phoenixes can be launched via a soft lock, and after launching a Phoenix, you can hover over another enemy to launch another Phoenix. Using onboard electronics, the Phoenixes will guide themselves to the target after this. In addition, AIM-9G/H Sidewinders can be slaved to the soft lock. However, for a Sparrow launch, you will need to "hard lock" the target. This can be done simply by locking the target the cursor is hovering over (as with other radar modes). In addition, track while scan uses pulse-Doppler, so it can detect targets close to the ground as well. Unfortunately, this also means it has the same weaknesses as pulse-Doppler mode (vulnerable to notching or targets flying away). The capabilities of the track while scan mode are potent and allows pilots great situational awareness, and therefore should generally be your go-to radar mode, only switching to SRC to overcome pulse-Doppler's weaknesses.
* '''SRC PDV HDN''' (Surveillance Radar Computer, Pulse-Doppler Velocity, Head-On): This radar mode is very similar to pulse-Doppler, but instead displays the velocity of the aircraft on the radar screen rather than the range. This is the only radar mode on the AN/AWG-9 which does not utilize IFF (Identification Friend or Foe), so in simulator mode, be careful.
* The AN/AWG-9 has two acquisition modes, ACM PD HDN and ACQ, and two track modes, TRK PD HDN and TRK.
** SRC PD HDN, TWS HDN and SRC PDV HDN radar modes all use '''ACM PD HDN''' (Air Combat Maneuvering, Pulse-Doppler, Head-On) as the acquisition mode, and '''TRK PD HDN''' (Track, Pulse-Doppler, Head-On) as the lock mode. These are pulse-Doppler search and lock methods, and as such have the same strengths and weaknesses. SRC uses '''ACQ''' and '''TRK''' as acquisition and lock modes, respectively, which are the non pulse-Doppler counterparts to ACM PD HDN and TRK PD HDN.
** When in these acquisition modes, you can press your keybind for “Change Radar/IRST Search Mode” to change the scope of the acquisition search area. Clicking it once changes it from a square to a vertically long rectangle, clicking it twice moves this rectangle to an upper position (to lock enemies above you), and clicking it a third time changes it back to a square.
** A nice and very useful feature of the F-14's radar is that, if you have a target radar locked, you can switch between pulse-Doppler and normal SRC tracking without breaking lock (most other radars will require the lock to be broken before switching radar mode to reattempt a lock). This allows you to quickly and easily switch to TRK (SRC) if the target is notching, or switch to TRK PD HDN (Pulse-Doppler) if the target is going close to the ground.

'''Realistic Battles'''

In realistic battles, the F-14A is a powerful air superiority fighter. With a maximum of six medium-range AIM-7F or very long range AIM-54A missiles and a powerful radar, it is among the best BVR (Beyond Visual Range) fighters in the game, and it is advisable to exploit this advantage. In air realistic battles, players can side climb to high altitudes (>5 km) and search for targets to engage with the long-range Sparrows or Phoenixes. At high altitude, Phoenixes can hit as far as 50km head-on launches from high altitude, while Sparrows can hit at (generally) maximum ranges of 30km. Once higher altitude is swept of enemy fighters, pilots can dive down on lower altitude enemies and use the energy advantage to obtain missile kills from an unexpected angle. If necessary, the Tomcat's excellent manoeuvrability can be used to dogfight any remaining enemy aircraft.

In ground realistic battles, the F-14A can use its long-range missiles to clear the sky of enemy strike aircraft. With its excellent Sparrow and Phoenix missiles, the F-14A will be especially potent at destroying enemy strike aircraft at high altitudes who are using guided munitions to attack your team outside of SAM range. While the F-14A gets access to some air-to-ground bombs and rockets, these are all unguided and thus are very risky to use in the presence of SAMs. Therefore, unless a ground strike is absolutely necessary, a Tomcat is much better off in the air-to-air role guarding the skies.

'''Enemies Worth Noting'''

* '''F-16A:''' These planes have excellent acceleration and decent top speed. In addition, they have AIM-9Ls, which can sometimes be difficult to flare with the F-14’s two very hot engines, as well as AIM-7Ms (except the “normal” US F-16A and Israeli Netz”), which can give competition to the F-14’s AIM-7Fs. In a dogfight, the F-16 can and will compete with the F-14 with it’s excellent maneuverability, but a weakness is it’s G-limiter which effectively bricks the F-16 at high speeds. This can be exploited in a merge with an F-16, where air braking, down-throttling pulling hard into the F-16 will let you park yourself on his tail. The F-16’s excellent acceleration in contrast with the F-14’s poor acceleration makes it ill-advised to engage in a vertical dogfight with the F-16.
* '''MiG-29''': The MiG-29 has excellent acceleration and top speed. Though it’s R-60Ms are a far cry from the F-16’s AIM-9Ls, it does possess the extremely dangerous R-27ER long range SARH missile. These missiles are faster accelerating and more maneuverable than the F-14’s AIM-7Fs while having the same listed maximum range of 100km. However, the MiG-29 can only carry two of them. They can be outranged by your AIM-54s, but at closer ranges, even a single missile can mean death for you, so you will have to use missile jousting strategies to beat the R-27ER with your AIM-7Fs. In a dogfight, it’s mostly the same story as with the F-16: the MiG-29 has excellent maneuverability, and while the F-14 can certainly keep up, vertical dogfights should be avoided due to the stark difference in acceleration between the MiG-29 and F-14A.
* '''Mirage 2000C:''' Mirage 2000s have excellent acceleration and top speed, as well as powerful missiles. Like AIM-9Ls, the Magic 2 can be difficult to flare, and the Super 530D is comparable to the AIM-7F, but it should be noted that the Mirage 2000C only has two of each of these missiles. In a dogfight, the Mirage 2000 has excellent instantaneous turn rate, but due to it’s delta wing design bleeds speed quickly; in this case the F-14A’s excellent rate speed should be used to drain the Mirage 2000 of energy and outrate it.
* '''F-4J, F-4S, F-4EJ Kai, Kurnass 2000:''' These Phantoms can very easily be beaten in a dogfight by the F-14A, but beware of potent AIM-7Fs, and in the case of the EJ Kai and Kurnass 2000, a powerful radar and all-aspect AIM-9Ls.
* '''MiG-23ML/MLA/MLD:''' These MiG-23s boast good R-24s which can compete with the AIM-7F, as well as dangerous R-24Ts which can lock on to the F-14’s hot heat signature and stealthily destroy it. Good situational awareness is key to defeating these missiles. In a dogfight, MiG-23s have a surprisingly good rate speed which can keep up with the F-14. However, their instantaneous turn rate is poor, so a one circle or scissors can be used with the F-14A to easily gain an advantage over MiG-23s.
* '''F-5E:''' F-5s have a surprisingly excellent turn rate that can rival even the F-14A. However, it has slow acceleration, it’s guns are mediocre and it has very limited missiles. Therefore, they can be engaged with Sparrows and Phoenixes without retaliation, and in a dogfight, the vertical can be used on the F-5 to stall them out and gain the advantage.

'''Simulator Battles - Enduring Confrontation'''

Before you take the F-14A to battle you need to figure out what weapons you want to use. All the available IR missiles have almost identical turn performance, the range is almost the same too. The D version cannot be slaved to the locked target, the G can be and the H works exactly like the G, but has a higher tracking rate. Taking at least two of them is highly recommended since they almost do not affect the flight performance.

There are also two options for radar-guided missiles. The AIM-7F works very well at close and medium ranges (3-20 km) and can hit a target which is pulling lots of G. They are harder to dodge in Simulator Battles, though you need to keep your lock all the time. The AIM-54A is an active radar-guided missile, it does not require the radar lock when it is launched 16 km from the target (or when it gets that close, then you can break your lock), but it can pull only up to 16G which is quite easy to dodge, both these missiles can also be avoided by just simply notching when the F-14 uses the pulse-Doppler radar mode.

A few loadout recommendations:

* 4x AIM-9H + 4x AIM-7F - Works very well in almost any scenario, and does not affect the flight performance that much.
* 4x AIM-9H + 4x AIM-54A or 2x AIM-9H + 6x AIM-54A - Makes the plane turn a lot worse, in most cases will not work against fighters which know how to deal with radar-guided missiles, this loadout is useful mainly against planes that attack the bombing bases or airfields only, so for example Su-7s loaded with bombs etc. (farmers). It is not recommended to use it in normal EC battles.
* 4x AIM-9H + 2x AIM-54A + 2x AIM-7F

To make full use of the F-14A's manoeuvrability it is best to buy the expert crew and the ace crew if it is possible, since the plane pulls around 8G at 750 km/h IAS in a sustained turn and that increases even further when the player decided to pull it even more, though you need to keep in mind that the G limit is ~11G.

'''Outside the combat''' - As a start, keep in mind that the F-14A really likes to burn fuel a lot when the afterburner is used, at low altitudes it can fly up to 7 minutes with full fuel tanks, so it is recommended to fly either with 45 minutes of fuel (on 64x64 km maps like Ruhr, Port Moresby) or full fuel tanks (128x128 km maps like Vietnam, Denmark). WEP should not be used while cruising and only during combat or while chasing someone, flying with the throttle set to 85-90% should be fine too. There are a few tactics that can be used in the F-14 in SB, but it mostly depends on what map you play. On more open maps like Denmark you can at 1,000-3,000 m alt while looking for targets, though some MiGs can still sneak up to you if you are not paying enough attention to your surroundings, doing so you are mostly vulnerable to attack from below and behind, especially when the enemy has access to all-aspect missiles. The other tactic is just simply hugging the ground, in most cases it is the safest one and should be used on maps with hills and mountains where you can break the enemy's line of sight by flying between them. It is more difficult and requires lots of focus. The player needs to keep looking around all the time to find the target, the radar is less useful in this scenario, though the TWS mode can be helpful on maps like Vietnam to check the enemy plane direction and ambush them while you are flying in areas where it is hard to spot the planes due to the ground colour and many objects like trees. To make cruising easier the damping SAS mode can be used, which limits the angle of attack (AoA) so much that the G limit cannot be reached at any speed, the automatic wing sweep control also can be activated. About the radar modes, the PDV should not really be used since it is the only one which does not have any kind of IFF and it is as good at detecting targets as the normal PD mode. Since the PD radar cannot track targets that are flying perpendicular to your plane switching between modes is very important, even the normal Pulse (SRC) mode can detect targets against the ground up to 15-20 km and even further when it is above the horizon. To be safe from enemy missiles it is best to stay around 20-30 km away from enemy planes.

'''During the combat''' - During the BVR combat when both sides have similar missiles it is important to get to a higher speed before launching it and launch the missile before the enemy does, for now the only plane that can actually start this kind of fight is the Viggen (Sweden is very often on the Russian side), though you can just ignore it and keep notching while getting below the enemy plane (missiles have much lower range at low altitude) and wait until it gets close, the start a dogfight. The AIM-54A can be useful in such scenarios, even when the F-14 will be forced to break away the missile will still be tracking the target, then the enemy will be forced to dodge it and when that happens you can launch another missile to force the enemy into an even more defensive position. When the distance between planes is around 10 km, the radar mode should be switched to either BST or VSL since they offer an instant radar lock after pointing at the targets, locking on manually can sometimes take a few seconds and a few failed attempts. Those two modes can also be used when the player in the F-14A is trying to be sneaky, then when the enemy is not aware of being tracked by TWS mode on maps like Vietnam the F-14 can switch to them when the enemy gets close from the front and then right after that launch the AIM-7F. Overall learning quick switching between radar modes depending on the situation is very important.

Within visual range (up to ~10 km) against opponents in a head-on, it is important to keep launching 1 flare every few seconds, it will reduce the chance of being tracked by the R-23T, R-24T or R-60M, also as soon as the missile launch happens a few more of them should be launched. For this kind of scenario it is best to be equipped with AIM-7F missiles, by using them you can deny the enemy any head-on attempts, by launching it they will be forced to notch it, while the IR missiles in most cases can be dodged by using flares right before the launch, not using WEP before the dogfight starts and it can be done by just flying in a straight line (when the distance between the missile and the F-14 is big enough).
The enemy will not be able to safely reengage until it gets very close (when the AIM-7F becomes less effective, so within 2 km from the target), but at that point the AIM-9H can be used in some cases against afterburning targets trying to notch the PD radar. All of this can lead to the enemy having to dodge the missile and becoming an easy target, you can easily get on their six and shoot them down by using the gun.

When the dogfight happens it is needed to switch the SAS mode to manual, the damping limits the manoeuvrability too much and can put the F-14 in a worse position, especially against the delta wing planes, though using it makes the plane harder to control. The other thing to remember is switching the wing sweep controls to manual, then reducing it to 0% for the best manoeuvrability.
The last thing is using the combat flaps, but overusing them and doing it in the wrong situation can lead to being shot down faster. Before the merge between both planes happens the speed should be around 800 km/h IAS and 900 km/h (450-500 kn IAS), it will make starting a two-circle fight (where the F-14 excels) easier. The combat flaps in the F-14 improve both the sustained and instantaneous turn rate, the only downside is that they work effectively only up to 900 km/h IAS and make reaching speed above that harder. The one-circle fight can be done only with planes like the MiG-23, Su-17/22 or the Japanese Phantoms; against other planes, especially the delta wing planes, it is not very safe, although the F-14 can sometimes pull a very tight turn (takeoff flaps have a speed limit up to 800 km/h and can help with that). Generally, the safest way to win the fight is to keep your speed around 800 km/h IAS in a two-circle fight, there is not a single plane that can win it. There are a few planes which can give a hard time in close-range fights, the MiG-23MLD, J35s, MiG-21bis, J-7E, Chinese F-5E, the player should be very careful while engaging any of these.

'''Basic mistakes''' - Ignoring the IFF and teamkilling are the biggest mistakes happening in SB, it is always important to check if the target is a friendly plane or not (one line - unknown/enemy, two lines - friendly). Also, launching the AIM-54 into a direction with a few friendly planes can end really badly, just like launching any kind of missile into furballs. Ignoring the IFF readouts will lead to being kicked from the session and the team performing worse because they will also need to worry about dodging friendly missiles.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very effective dogfighter at any speed with its variable wing sweep which gives it great energy retention
* Variable swept wings can help plane accelerate fast when swept back and turn better when the wing is less swept
* High top speed (can cap out at 1500 km/h IAS at sea level)
* Lethal M61 Vulcan cannon which has an extremely fast fire rate, great velocity, and great damage
* Can carry up to 8 missiles maximum, with options of AIM-7s, AIM-9s, and [[AIM-54A Phoenix|AIM-54]]<nowiki/>s for versatile use
* The AIM-54 has insane range (100 km max), its rocket booster lasts for a very long time, and it's an Active Radar Homing missile (at closer ranges can automatically guide itself towards enemies using its own radar)
* Multi-mode radar makes it effective in any situation (the TWS mode allows launching AIM-54s at multiple aircraft at once and provides amazing situational awareness)
* The new [[AIM-9H Sidewinder|AIM-9H]] has much better flare resistance than previous AIM-9s (such as the [[AIM-9G Sidewinder|G]] or [[AIM-9J Sidewinder|J]] variants)

'''Cons:'''

* Big plane and thus an easy target to hit
* The afterburner's fuel consumption is otherworldly fast; constant usage of it requires carrying a lot of fuel that can hamper the plane's performance and manoeuvrability
* Massive wing and fuselage fuel tanks make it especially prone to catching fire
* Cannot pull sustained Gs when above 1,000 km/h IAS (11-13 G) in RB or the wings will rip
* At high throttle and afterburner, the engine emits an unparalleled amount of heat, requiring throttling down (and therefore significantly bleeding speed) to reliably flare missiles off
* 60 countermeasures may be a bit lacking considering the extremely high engine temperature
* The AIM-54A only has 16G overload and thus is rather easy to dodge
* The AIM-54A's rocket motor lasts for a very long time, giving plenty of time for enemies to spot and evade it
* Requires lots of work and control binds related to the radar and variable wing sweep angle to make the most of the aircraft
* The Damping SAS mode limits the AoA so much that it cannot be used in one-circle fights (scissors etc.) thus forcing the player to use the much harder to use the Manual SAS mode (SB with full-real controls)

== History ==

=== Early Development ===
In 1967, the U.S. Navy wanted a long-range fleet defence fighter to boost their naval plane capabilities with the "VFX" program. The USN first started with a redesigned F-111 Aardvark named the F-111B (basically an F-111 designed around the TF30 engine and AIM-54 Phoenix missiles), they soon found out that the F-111 was too big for practical reasons so the F-111B plan never came to fruition. Fast forward to 1969, the USN gave the contract to Grumman to build the new fleet defence fighter named the F-14 Tomcat, its first variants were built around the TF30 engines found on the F-111B and to use the AN/AWG-9 radar set and the airframe was specifically built to carry the AIM-54 Phoenix missile.

===[[wt:en/news/7705-development-f-14a-tomcat-into-the-danger-zone-en|Devblog]]===
In 1968, five aircraft building companies entered the Pentagon's competition for a new carrier-based interceptor fighter. The commission's preference was given to Grumman's design, a twin-engine jet fighter with a variable-swept wing. Work on the F-14A fighter began in February 1969, and in December of the next year, the new aircraft took her maiden flight. The main weapon of the F-14A was the AIM-54 Phoenix long-range missiles controlled by the newest to date weapon control system. Instead of building prototypes, Grumman immediately switched to the production of an experimental series, and already on December 31, 1972, the first batch of jet fighters were put into service with the VF-124 Fleet Replacement Squadron . Pilot training took place on the deck of the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier, and during the withdrawal of US troops from Vietnam, combat sorties were also made from the deck. In total 557 F-14A fighters were delivered to the US Navy until 1987, and another 80 aircraft were built for Iran. Tomcats were used in all military conflicts where US aircraft took part until the very decommissioning. Iranian F-14s took an active part in the Iran-Iraq war, scoring dozens of air kills.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f_14a_early Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 1.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 2.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 3.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 4.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 5.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 6.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 7.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Wdnef_6_6oM|'''The Shooting Range #307''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Other jet planes with variable sweep wings

* [[MiG-23 (Family)]]
* [[Su-17/22 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7705-development-f-14a-tomcat-into-the-danger-zone-en|[Devblog] F-14A Tomcat: Into the Danger Zone!]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/557191-f-14a-early/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Grumman}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

M26

2023-04-28T07:44:15Z

U97916902: /* Usage in battles */

{{About
| about = American medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = M26 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m26_pershing
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. Armed with the 90 mm M3 gun, this vehicle is able to compete effectively against late World War II tanks.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour (Front, turret)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Side, Rear, Roof)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 101.6 mm (42-46°) ''Front Glacis'' 162.5 mm (25-60°) ''Upper front glacis'' 76.2 mm (28-53°) ''Lower Glacis'' || 76.2 mm (0-1°) ''Front'' 50.8 mm (0-3°) ''Rear'' || 50.8 mm (7°) ''Top'' 22.2 mm (71°) ''Bottom'' || 22.2 mm
|-
| Turret || 101.6 mm (1-55°) ''Turret front'' 114.3 mm (1-84°) ''Gun mantlet''|| 76.2 mm (2-54°) || 76.2 mm (0-79°) || 25.4 mm
|-
| Cupola || 76.2 mm || 76.2 mm || 76.2 mm || 25.4 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 25.4 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=775|rbMinHp=442}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

The best thing to do for this tank is getting "Parts", "FPE", "M82 Shot", and "M304 Shot" as fast as you can. With M304 shot you'll be a lot stronger on the field as you'll be able to penetrate relatively any medium and most heavies. However, you are subject to get hit in the side or front many times and will need the FPE and parts to repair on the field or you'll become burnt toast. After you've unlocked these modules, it's best to work down by putting manoeuvrability as a priority.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|M3 (90 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (90 mm)|90 mm M3]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 70 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 20.0 || 27.7 || 33.6 || 37.2 || 39.5 || rowspan="2" | 9.75 || rowspan="2" | 8.63 || rowspan="2" | 7.95 || rowspan="2" | 7.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 12.5 || 14.7 || 17.9 || 19.7 || 21.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:M3 (90 mm)/Ammunition|T33 shot, M82 shot (M26), M304 shot, M71 shell, M313}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''70''' || 65 ''(+5)'' || 56 ''(+14)'' || 48 ''(+22)'' || 40 ''(+30)'' || 32 ''(+38)'' || 24 ''(+46)'' || 17 ''(+53)'' || 11 ''(+59)'' || 1 ''(+69)'' || No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* 1 shell from rack 7 is fired after rack 1 is emptied. For the purpose of clarity, it is counted as belonging to rack 2 in the table above.
* Rack 9 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 10 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
* This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 9 - 1 - 2 - etc. until 8.
* If you pack 17 ''(+53)'' shells, it will keep most of the hull empty of ammo.
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as shells are available in the ready rack 9. If the ready rack is empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1-8 into rack 9. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 600 (200) || 577 || -10°/+50° || ±120°
|-
|}
The roof-mounted M2HB .50 cal heavy machine gun is very good at knocking out tracks, punching through lightly armoured vehicles and shooting down low-flying aircraft. Use it sparingly because of its low ammo count.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 5,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
The small calibre of the M1919A4 machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.

== Usage in battles ==


;Combat tactics

The {{PAGENAME}} can perform in many different roles in battle. It can be used for supporting heavy tanks with long reload time as [[IS-2]] or [[T32]] or it can take part in flanking manoeuvres: your speed and agility are not brilliant but sufficient for that role. It can also be successful in sniping and ambushing situations. Use the lower profile of Pershing compared to the Shermans’ to navigate through. Your depression angle allows you to shoot from upper positions without exposing too much yourself. That's an advantage compared to most Soviet vehicles which have close to no gun depression angle.

The 90 mm M3 gun owns a wide selection of ammunition to be used. The M82 APCBC with an explosive filler is extremely deadly; commonly, a successful penetration with this shell can lead to a single-shot knock-out on a vehicle. The downside of M82 is that it has below average penetration for the rank this vehicle sits at, but it still has enough penetration to penetrate many of the vehicles found at its BR. The M26 also has access to the M304 APCR shot, which has 287mm of flat penetration. While in theory this would make it a very powerful round, there are some downsides one should be aware of. First, due to the behavior of APCR in War Thunder, M304 quickly loses its penetration against angled armor, so despite the high flat penetration, in practice it feels like only a minor increase in penetration compared to M82. In addition, the post penetration damage of M304 is on the subpar side, so unlike M82, M304 should not be expected to one-shot. This means you need to target crew positions or modules and aim at (almost) vertical armour. Against a [[Tiger II (H)]], this means aiming for the turret right side if he is looking directly at you on the gunner side. However, M304 has some good uses; more heavily armored spots such as the Tiger I and II (H)’s turret front, and even the flat frontal armor of the Ferdinand and Jagdtiger, can be penetrated fairly reliably. Thus it is advised to take at least some M304 for these more heavily armored targets; some may even prefer M304 as the M26’s main ammunition, as opposed to M82.

Although you are moderately armoured for your class, most enemies can easily destroy you at this rank if you expose your tank too much. To reduce direct impacts in frontal engagements angle the Pershing, the V-shape frontal armour can deflect some shots. The M26’s armor is decent enough for angling tactics, and against weaker guns the armor will hold. Your lower glacis is a weak spot, so try to keep it hidden from the enemy.

One downside to the Pershing is the engine: the power-to-weight ratio is poor (it uses the same engine as the late series M4 Sherman tanks while being nearly 8 tons heavier) and does not allow for very quick manoeuvring. Being slightly underpowered, the {{PAGENAME}} has a hard time climbing hills.

Urban maps (Poland, Eastern Europe, Hürtgen Forest, Cologne) are perfect for ambushing, use your moderate speed to catch off-guard heavier enemy tanks. Drop arty in front of suspected enemy positions if you need to cross a street and relocate, the smoke screen will cover you.

If you've been able to flank an enemy, your first shot is decisive. Always shoot to disable the gun first (gunner or breech). M304 generally has a better chance of penetration compared to M82, though with a side shot M82 has sufficient penetration to reliably penetrate and will guarantee heavy damage upon successful penetration. Considering the 90mm M3’s subpar reload, care should be taken not to miss. If you have a side shot on a turretless tank destroyer such as a Jagdpanther or Ferdinand, just aim at the engine and you will have virtually destroyed it.

;Arcade Battles

In arcade battles, it is much harder to flank and ambush enemy tanks because of the tag system (player name). However, the tank is still very playable and you can do different tactics depending on the situation. For urban environments, it's best to move with the team and only poke your head out when you have a good shot and the enemy tank isn't aimed at you. In open terrain, you will still be able to use the hills to your advantage and side-shot / pot-shot enemy tanks. The main rule here is don't show your sides and stay low.

;Realistic/Simulator Battles

In realistic and simulator battles, The {{PAGENAME}} shouldn't be in the toughest part of the match facing very heavily armoured enemies. It's better to stay behind front lines supporting or try a flanking manoeuvre, you can't be spotted in the mini-map. The high battle rating means you can be up-tiered and fight Cold War era tanks in simulator mode. The compression and matchmaking can put you into situations where enemies are especially hard to penetrate, even from the sides.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Side armour is adequate enough for angling tactics
* Generally adequate all-round armor resists weaker guns and may stop stronger guns
* Good top armour resists aircraft gun strafes
* Low profile, excels at a hull down position
* Good high speed handling
* Fast reverse speed
* Very fast turret rotation
* The M82 shot has a high chance of knocking out most tanks in one shot
* Top-mounted .50 cal machine gun is useful against aircraft and open-topped or lightly-armoured vehicles
* M304 APCR round has very high penetration power against flat surfaces

'''Cons:'''

* While Armor is decent, it can still be penetrated frontally by more powerful cannons and should not be fully relied upon
* Lower glacis and hull machine gun are weak spots
* Slow acceleration; rarely able to reach its top speed
* Sluggish handling at low speed
* 90 mm gun has a long reload time
* 90 mm gun has some difficulty penetrating better-armoured foes

== History ==

===Development===
The development of this tank can be traced to the number of tank prototypes produced in the Spring of 1942 as a replacement for the [[M4]] Shermans then in use.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt">Hunnicutt, R.P. ''Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series'' U.S.A.: Feist Publications, 1971</ref> One of these prototypes was the [[T20]] medium tank, which was more heavily armoured than the Sherman. This eventually developed to the T22 and T23 designs with different transmissions, all of which were in the rear of the vehicle instead of the front like the Shermans. These designs were comparable to a [[T-34-85]], but these were not quickly adopted over the M4 as the M4 performed fabulously in combat in Africa and Italy.

Development continued with different interests in 1944, starting around the concept to mount a 90 mm cannon to fight the heavily armoured German tanks and fortifications in Europe. The first was the [[T25]] series, which was an up-gunned T23 with a 90 mm gun, but they also designed a bigger and more armoured design T26.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt">Hunnicutt, R.P. ''Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series'' U.S.A.: Feist Publications, 1971</ref> The design held the 90 mm cannon and a front armour thickness of 102 mm thick and sloped. However, the design has a weight of about 40 tons, which decreased its mobility and durability as it still uses the old Sherman engine. Though starting with an electric drive, the design proved too complicated for field use and was replaced by a torqmatic transmission in the T26E1. The designs were eventually finalized as the T26E3, which would be the production version of the T26E1. Production started in November 1944, with 10 being produced by the end of the month, 30 by December, 70 in January 1945, and 132 by February.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" /> It would take a few months for even the T26E3s built in November to get to Europe, hence why the first models did not appear in Europe until January 1945. The T26E3 would be adopted by the US Army as the Heavy Tank M26 Pershing with a total of 2,212 units produced.

The reasons why the M26 Pershing was delayed since its time as the T20 series brought much controversy. Today it is agreed that the reasons why the Pershings did not get into combat faster were the combination of the Tank Destroyer Doctrine, logistics, and complacency. The TD doctrine dictated that tank destroyers were the primary anti-tank force while the armoured forces were a support and exploitation force, so tank firepower against other tanks was not prioritized, leading to much opposition when Ordnance attempts to develop heavy tanks with the 90 mm cannons. Logistics for supplying a battlefield more than 3,000 miles away from the factories would prove more difficult if the M26 Pershing and its ammo must be supplied as well when the more common Sherman could be easily supplied. Complacency in the Army Ground Forces brought by the overwhelming performance of the Sherman in the opening stages of World War II set the belief that the M4 and their 75/76 mm cannons would be adequate in future combat, which resulted in it becoming outgunned by newer and better German tanks.

===Combat usage===
====Zebra mission====
The deployment of the M26 Pershings (still called T26E3s at the time as they are not formally adopted) in Europe was made under the Zebra Mission headed by General Barnes. The Zebra Mission was a form of combat evaluation of the M26 tanks in Europe. In January 1945, the shipment of M26 tanks deployed in December 1944 arrived at Antwerp with only 20 tanks. The tanks first arrived at Paris in February 1945 with General Barnes and a few high-ranking officers from the Tank Automotive Command, Army Ground Forces, and Aberdeen Proving Grounds. Two civilians also arrived from Fisher Tank Arsenal and Aberdeen Proving Ground, the latter an expert on the 90 mm guns. These men helped expedite the training and equipping of the 20 M26 tanks into the units. General Eisenhower assigned the M26 in the 12th Army Group under General Omar Bradley, who sent them to First Army and split them among the 3rd and 9th Armored Divisions. The officers and the new tank crew members spend the period from 11 February to the 23rd training in the new tanks for familiarization.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

The M26 tanks underwent their first combat mission on February 25th. 3rd Armored Division attacked across the Roer River, with the 9th following three days later. On the 26th, the first M26 Pershing knocked out in combat was reported at Elsdorf. The Pershing named "Fireball" in F Company, 33rd Armored regiment was penetrated by a German [[Tiger I (Family)|Tiger I]] tank through the gun mantlet; this killed the gunner and loader instantly. After firing two more shots that damaged the components of "Fireball", the Tiger itself tried to reverse away from the position and disabled itself on debris. The captured loader of the Tiger crew confirmed the kill, as well as photographic evidence. "Fireball" was sent back for repairs and was ready for action again on March 7th. On the same day of "Fireball's" loss, an M26 in E Company at Eldsorf managed to destroy a Tiger I and two [[Pz.IV_J|Panzer IV]]s. The Tiger I was hit approximately 900 m out with an HVAP round, with a second T33 AP shot causing a catastrophic explosion, the two Panzer IVs were also knocked out with the AP rounds. The same crew killed another Panzer IV as they drove towards Cologne. Another Pershing was disabled on March 1st by artillery fire, killing the tank commander Sergeant Kay and causing massive damage to components of the M26, forcing it back to be repaired for several weeks. Other Pershing breakdowns include engine failures and components breaking, but these were all fixed easily in a few days.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

Around March 6th, a Pershing led by a Captain Gray was ambushed by a [[Nashorn]] that penetrated the front armour at a range of 300 m. The crew all survived, but their Pershing became the only one of the original 20 that arrived to not make it through the war. The same day in Cologne, a Pershing from E Company, 32nd Armored Regiment headed by Sergeant Earley destroyed a [[Panther G|Panther tank]] in front of the Cologne Cathedral, which was famously captured on film by Jim Bates from Signal Corps. Around the same time, a Pershing from D Company destroyed a Tiger I with two AP rounds, and another Pershing from G Company took out a Panzer IV with three M82 APCBC rounds. Other resistance faced at Cologne and the approach to the Rhine River were emplaced anti-aircraft guns, but the high explosive payload in the 90 mm proved very effective in destroying them. A platoon of five Pershings led by Lt. Grimball in March 7th and 8th assisted in the taking of the Ludendorff Bridge in the Battle of Remagen. The bridge was damaged during the battle, but was still intact, though the M26 Pershings were unable to cross it compared to the M4 Shermans and tank destroyers due to their heavier weight and width, an indication on how the M26 Pershings are not logistically sound in Europe's infrastructure. It would not be until March 12th when ferries are made available to transport the Pershings across the Rhine. In March 25th, additional shipping of M26s arrived at Europe, a total of 40 tanks, 22 going to 2nd Armored Division and 18 going to the 5th. Additional Pershings came in from then until the end of the war on VE Day at 8 May 1945; by that time, a total of 310 Pershings have made it to Europe, 200 in combat units, and only the first 20 ever seeing action against the enemy.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

The end of the war in Europe shifted attention to the Pacific Theater, where the Battle of Okinawa was still underway. The increasing US armoured losses due to the Japanese 47 mm anti-tank guns and the demands for a better tank by US tankers caused Ordnance to send a mission similar to the Zebra Mission to reinforce the US troops at Okinawa. The ship carrying the Pershings left on May 31st and was expected to reach Okinawa at June 30th, but constant stops due to transport priorities caused the tanks to arrive July 21st, at which point hostilities ended a month ago. Nevertheless, the Pershings were still unloaded via landing crafts tanks (LCT) on July 30th. Only 4 of the 12 Pershings were unloaded before the rest was diverted to Naha due to typhoon warnings. The Pershings on Okinawa were to be allocated to the 193rd and 711th Tank Battalion with familiarization starting on August 10th. However, training stopped when Japan surrendered on August 15th, 1945, ending the Pershing's combat life during World War II.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

====Post World War II====
After World War II, the M26 Pershing was reclassified as the Medium Tank M26 Pershing to fill the army's tank needs, but its specifications were not satisfactory for the role of it due to low mobility and heavyweight. Despite that, the M26 Pershings became urgently needed when the North Korea People's Army suddenly attack South Korea, armed with the Soviet-supplied [[T-34-85]]s. South Korea and the US Forces stationed there had no armour except the [[M24]] light tank and no adequate anti-tank weaponry to fight off the T-34 onslaught. A search for any suitable armour commenced in Japan and the US Army was able to procure three M26 Pershings at Ordnance storage. Though in a poor state, they were quickly refurbished and landed in Korea on 16 July 1950, the only medium tanks available in Korea. These three tanks moved to the front line on July 28 and fought with North Korean forces on the 31st, but were lost when the engines overheated due to lack of fan belts.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

Following this event, more medium tanks were sent from the United States to Korea, mainly the 6th, 70th, and 73rd Tank Battalions armed with [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3]] Shermans, Pershings, and [[M46]] Pattons. The 8072nd Tank Battalion from Japan was also sent, redesignated the 89th when it arrived to Korea. All the Tank Battalions arrive at Korea around August 8th. The first combat mission with the Pershings in this group was at the north of Taegu, a location known as the "Bowling Alley". It was here that the Pershings faced off against three T-34-85s and managed to destroy them.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" /> The M26 proved to be more than a match against the T-34-85s as it could penetrate through the T-34-85 front and back when using HVAP ammo, while the T-34-85 couldn't even penetrate the front of the Pershing.<ref name="ZalogaM26vsT-34">Zaloga Steven. ''T-34-85 vs M26 Pershing: Korea 1950'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2010</ref> After November 1950, the lack of enemy tanks and the mechanical deficiency the Pershing has compared to the Shermans caused many of them to be shipped back to the states in 1951 and were replaced by the improved [[M46]] Patton tanks, which were upgraded M26 Pershings made to be more reliable. The Patton series of tanks would basically be based off the M26 Pershing's design.

The M26 served its last few years in the American occupation zone in Europe and were supplied to America's Allies during the Cold War. Belgium received 426 units of this tank, and France and Italy received Pershings as well, though later replaced by the [[M47]] Pattons.

{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
The M26 Pershing heavy tank was a development of the T26, in turn one of the M6's prototype descendants. Its story began in 1942, when U.S. Army Ordnance received the go-ahead to begin working on the M20 medium tank. It did not turn out to be particularly successful, though it boasted potential for modernization.

In 1943 and 1944 several T22 and T23 prototypes and experimental models were built. However, their weapon calibre had fallen behind current requirements and in 1944 priorities shifted to a program developing T25 and T26 tanks with 90 mm cannons. The T26 appeared to be the more promising option. It was equipped with a Torquematic hydraulic transmission, torsion bar suspension, and cast hull, while its significantly increased weight and sized resulted in a move to the heavy tank category.

At the beginning of 1945 several pre-production T26E3 models were released, 20 of which were sent to Europe for combat trials. Tankers reported that the T26E3 was a match for the Pz.V and Pz.VI, even somewhat outperforming them in manoeuvrability. One 1945 battle saw a T26E3 taking out two Pz.IV medium tanks and one Pz.VI heavy tank.

By the summer of 1945 the T26E3 was officially accepted as the M26 Pershing, with a total of 2,222 produced. The M26 did not have a chance to fully prove itself, though it was shown to be a capable weapon against heavy armour.

The M26 really only saw combat during the Korean War in 1950-1953, where it was up against Soviet T-34s and 85s. The American heavy tanks outgunned the T-34 and were better armoured, though they were much less manoeuvrable and reliable. The M26's running gear had much more trouble in the mountainous conditions as opposed to its experience in Europe, and it had practically no advantages over Soviet medium tanks in close combat.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m26_pershing Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|-ieHq6BW0xc|'''{{PAGENAME}} Pershing - Midrange American Might!''' - ''JustinPlaysYT''|89z2_0CHr8o|'''Why does no one play this? {{PAGENAME}} Pershing''' - ''Virus''|Fqb9Y27QMNU|'''{{PAGENAME}} Pershing- The Brute''' - ''Oxy''|AqqbAwSGSvM|'''Tank Chats #90 {{!}} M26 Pershing''' - ''The Tank Museum''}}

== See also ==


;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[T20]]
* [[T25]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/3085/current/|[Vehicle Profile] M26 Pershing [Decal Included]]]
* [[wt:en/news/3638-profile-m26-pershing-a-medium-heavy-tank-en|[Vehicle Profile] M26 Pershing: A Medium Heavy Tank]]
* [[wikipedia:M26_Pershing|[Wikipedia] M26 Pershing]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/M26_Pershing.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Medium/Heavy Tank M26 Pershing]
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=64 <nowiki>[Military Factory]</nowiki> M26 Pershing]

=== References ===
<references />

{{TankManufacturer Ordnance Department}}
{{USA medium tanks}}

F-14A Early

2023-04-20T21:09:40Z

U97916902: /* Usage in battles */

{{Specs-Card
|code=f_14a_early
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Danger Zone"]]. One of the most iconic US naval fighter jets of the Cold War era, the F-14A was developed as the US Navy's fleet-defense fighter jet to protect their carrier groups over a vast swath of ocean. First deployed in 1974, the F-14A wields the advanced AN/AWG-9 radar and up to eight missiles, including the iconic [[AIM-54A Phoenix|Phoenix missile,]] to locate and target bandits at long range.

In the game, these characteristics allow the F-14A to engage enemy air targets at far greater distances than most enemy aircraft can, allowing the F-14A to take the initiative and achieve air superiority by firing first. At long range, Phoenix missiles force enemy fighters to actively monitor the sky even when they cannot yet see or detect the F-14A. While Phoenix missiles may prove too sluggish to target enemy fighters at high-speed merges, its [[AIM-7F Sparrow|Sparrows]] can engage manoeuvring targets at short and medium ranges before engaging at closer ranges with [[AIM-9H Sidewinder|Sidewinders]] and M61 cannon fire.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The F-14A might be seen underpowered compared to other aircraft, primarily the F-4J Phantom II and other Phantom variants such as the Phantom FG.1. While it is true that the engines are not as powerful, the F-14A is far superior in terms of top speed and energy management. However, insufficient power can be noticed when zoom climbing or when turning at low speed, and regaining the speed back can take a while. The engines also consume tremendous amounts of fuel: while the F-14A can stay in the air for at least one hour with full fuel tanks, at full afterburner (WEP) the jet can fly for only 7 minutes at sea level.

The F-14A is more of a two-circle dogfighter since it keeps speed very well in hard turns, but might not have as much nose authority as other planes to win one-circle fights (such as scissors and anything similar when you turn into the opponent's nose). Although it can still beat planes like the MiG-23MLD in the instantaneous turn-rate performance, delta-wing fighters like the J35 or MiG-21 could have the advantage during the first seconds of the fight. Like other planes with variable wing geometry, the F-14A reaches its most efficient turn rate performance when wings are swept fully forward (set to 0%) and that can be achieved only by using the manual wing sweep controls. Since it is semi-automatic, the wing will automatically change its position after reaching around ~800 km/h IAS.

The most optimal turning speed is around 900 km/h IAS at sea level (it reaches the highest sustained turn rate there), but the best is actually between 700 and 830 km/h IAS since any faster, and it becomes impossible to maintain the turn without the crew blacking out. At such speeds, the F-14A in a clean configuration with 30 minutes of fuel can reach up to 23 deg/s of sustained turn rate, which is better than any MiG-23, Su-17, or even other more manoeuvrable fighters like the MiG-19. Both the sustained and instantaneous turn rate can be improved by using combat flaps, which can function at speeds up to 850 km/h IAS.

Thanks to the variable wing sweep, the F-14A is able to move its center of mass and thus increase or decrease its roll rate. High sweep allows higher speeds at reduced roll rate and vice versa. Low sweep increases roll rate and energy retention at subsonic speeds.

To get the most of its turn rate performance in Simulator Battles, you should always try to use the manual SAS (Stability Augmentation System) mode. The damping mode severely limits its nose authority, and it is harder to win fights against planes like the MiG-21 or other delta-wing fighters. In general, combat flaps should always be used when you are about to merge with the enemy plane, as they not only increase the sustained turn rate but also improves nose authority. In turn, it becomes easier to get lead on the enemy plane and to control the plane when using manual SAS mode. The player should still be very careful with pulling the stick around 500 km/h IAS. Below that speed, it's very easy to abruptly lose speed, reach the critical AoA, and stall out the plane. Pulling the stick all the way to yourself should be done only when you are going for snap shots. The other downside manual SAS mode is the plane is much more sensitive to controls, especially in pitch. For this reason, it is recommended to use the damping SAS mode during cruising and BVR combat.

While using the manual SAS mode, it is can be easy to stall out the plane when flying below 400 km/h IAS. In this case, after entering the flat spin, the quickest method to recover the plane is to increase the wing sweep angle and then counter the plane rotation with the rudder.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 12,192 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,202 || 2,191 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.4 || 25.1 || 178.4 || 170.5 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,245 || 2,221 || 23.6 || 24.0 || 231.6 || 203.8
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 1,359 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || rowspan="2" | 1,200 || rowspan="2" | 873 || rowspan="2" | 416 || ~10 || ~5
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,555 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 1,200 || < 850 || < 1,800 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="7" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="4" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-412A || 2
| colspan="3" | 18,545 kg || colspan="4" | 493 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 18m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 62m fuel
|-
| 1,802 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 20,750 kg || 20,905 kg || 22,085 kg || 23,855 kg || 25,895 kg || 30,935 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 18m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 62m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 4,860 kgf || 8,019 kgf
| 0.77 || 0.77 || 0.73 || 0.67 || 0.62 || 0.52
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,808 kgf (1,555 km/h) || 12,692 kgf (1,555 km/h)
| 1.22 || 1.21 || 1.15 || 1.06 || 0.98 || 0.82
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The F-14A holds 60 countermeasures, which is a decent number of chaff and flares that can let the Tomcat survive multiple missiles. Due to its massive engines, the IR signature of the aircraft is not an easy thing to conceal when fighting heat-seeking missiles. As with other jets around its battle rating, flares alone are generally not enough to defeat IR-guided missiles. To defeat an IR-guided missile (heat-seeker), turn off afterburner and reduce throttle to at least 80-85% while dumping flares and turning away from the missile. This is to ensure that an IR-guided missile will track the flares and not the engines. Due to the massive size compared to other aircraft, the chances of a successful hit from enemies, both missile and cannon, are higher compared to smaller aircraft such as the Harrier or F-5. This should be taken into consideration as proximity fuses will trigger with more ease as the wingspan of the Tomcat is considerably larger than most jets seen in game.

Fuel tanks are housed flatly in both the fuselage and wings. The F-14A will easily catch fire from enemy rounds from above and below the plane. Thankfully, the fuel tanks are well-separated compared to other fighters like the F-4 family, so damage to one part of the plane may not necessarily compromise the whole plane. However, fires will rapidly destroy traction of control surfaces, so they must be immediately extinguished. As long as some control surfaces are usable, the F-14A can survive critical damage (such as losing a wing) and return to base. Its multiple fuel tanks help isolate fuel fires especially on the wings, and the plane can fly on one engine.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, cheek-mounted (676 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP}}
{{main|AIM-7E-2 Sparrow|AIM-7F Sparrow|AIM-54A Phoenix}}
{{main|AIM-9D Sidewinder|AIM-9G Sidewinder|AIM-9H Sidewinder}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles
* 5 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
* 14 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (3,500 lb total)
* 14 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (7,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 16 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets

The F-14A is the first aircraft in game to have access to Active Radar Homing missiles with internal navigation. While it is mostly used for air defense and anti-air duties, it holds decent ground pounding abilities that are nothing new to American pilots. The F-14A has access to a wide variety of weapon selections due to having 'Custom Loadouts' feature. Depending on the needs of the pilot, one can carry different loadouts for different needs.

The F-14A comes with three options for missiles: shorter-ranged AIM-9H Sidewinders, medium-ranged AIM-7F Sparrows, and long-range AIM-54A Phoenixes.

The '''AIM-9H Sidewinder''' is very similar to the previous AIM-9G — having good range but below average manoeuvrability. Its seeker can also be slaved to a radar lock or TWS soft lock. With only 18G maximum overload, the AIM-9H should not be used in high-aspect or hard-turning shots at close ranges. Instead, the AIM-9H's good range should be used to catch enemies off guard. A good way to utilize this range is to position yourself over the battlefield and dive down on enemies. Your dive speed combined with gravity will increase the speed and range of your missiles, your angle to the enemy will give the missiles an easier time locking on to their exhaust, and your unexpected direction will see that many enemies will not notice the missile until they have been destroyed by it.

The '''AIM-7F Sparrow''' is a medium-range, SARH (Semi-Active Radar Homing) missile. Pilots of the F-14A are probably familiar with the AIM-7F from the previous F-4J. The AIM-7F is one of the best radar-guided missiles in the game. It has good 25G manoeuvrability, and a very long motor burn time gives it long range and sustained manoeuvrability (whereas other missiles will stop producing thrust and lose speed in manoeuvres, the long burn time of the AIM-7F sustains its speed and manoeuvrability for a long time). This should be the F-14A's go-to missile; it can be launched from all aspects and is difficult to dodge without the correct defensive manoeuvres. The AIM-7F can be launched from longer ranges to utilize its long burn time and the F-14A's good radar. Pay attention to your Radar Warning Receiver; if the enemy you are radar locking is also radar locking you, it is likely that they are about to or already have launched a radar-guided missile at you. In this case, do not fly straight; you are going to be hit first. Launch your missile, then crank to one side. To crank means to turn to one side as far as possible without losing radar lock. This makes the enemy's missile travel further at higher angles and thus decreases the chance it will hit you during defensive manoeuvres. If you have Sparrows to spare and an enemy is approaching head-on, you can launch Sparrows in succession (2-3 seconds between launches) to increase your probability of a kill. An enemy can avoid one missile with manoeuvres, but will have bled speed and will have a more difficult time avoiding further missiles.

The '''AIM-54A Phoenix''' is a long-range, ARH (Active Radar Homing) missile, and is only found on the F-14 (both in-game and in real life). The AIM-54A is a unique missile with unique capabilities. It has an extremely long burn time and thus an extremely long range, as well as a rather large proximity fuse and a large amount of explosive (doesn't have to be as close as other missiles to enemies to explode and cause critical damage). However, its more interesting features come in the form of its behaviour. First, it's an active radar homing missile, meaning it has a small internal radar which at closer ranges it can use to automatically search for, track and guide itself to targets without any input from the parent (the F-14's) radar. Second, it can be guided via the parent (F-14's) radar, but if it loses lock, the missile will fly straight for a while and use the aforementioned internal radar to search for enemies to home in towards. Third, the AIM-54 does not need a true radar lock to be launched; when the F-14's radar is in TWS (Track While Scan) mode, you can simply hover the radar cursor over a radar contact to launch the AIM-54. This also means you can launch more than one Phoenix at a time by hovering over a target, launching, and then hovering over another target to launch another Phoenix.

It is important to know that despite these seemingly impressive features, the AIM-54 is not an all-powerful missile and has its downsides; there are many scenarios where it is advisable not to use them. First, some F-14A players may feel tempted to take six AIM-54s, take off, and then launch at six enemy targets very far away. This is not advised, as there is a very high chance none will hit; at such a long-range, and with player behaviour at the start of a match, it is very likely that the missiles will be inadvertently notched, or the missiles will get distracted by enemy and/or friendly AI bots. In addition, the AIM-54A only has 16G overload — less than an AIM-9H — and with its very long burn time, it is easily seen and dodged by enemies. It is more worth it to save your missiles for a better firing window. Second, the missile should not be used at closer ranges (< 5 km). In addition to having low manoeuvrability, the AIM-54 has a very, very slow acceleration, and it highly likely won't be able to follow the defensive manoeuvres of such a close enemy. For this case, Sparrows are a much better option. Third, the AIM-54 should not be launched in the direction of friendly aircraft. The AIM-54 and its internal radar will go for the first target it sees, regardless if it is friend or foe. And fourth and finally, the AIM-54 is the heaviest air-to-air missile in the game, and they impact aircraft performance significantly. To make use of the AIM-54's advantages, it is advisable to use them at higher altitudes (> 5 km) and at long ranges. The AIM-54 will have time to accelerate to its maximum speed, and due to the low air density at high altitudes as well as the AIM-54’s high speed, enemy aircraft will have a hard time evading the missile (even if it is just 16G). The AIM-54 can home in on enemies on its own, so if necessary you can completely turn away from the enemy after launching to avoid enemy missiles. However, the AIM-54 has datalink and thus is it recommended to keep painting the target(s) through TWS radar mode for more reliable missile tracking.

Each of these missiles has its strengths and weaknesses. A mix between long-range weapons and short-range weapons must be used at the pilot's discretion. A maximum of six of a mix of Sparrows or Phoenixes can be taken, two Sidewinders can always be carried on separate hard points, and pilots can choose to substitute up to two Sparrows or Phoenixes for Sidewinders. At the very least one or two sparrows should be taken as they are useful in lots of different engagements at most altitudes. For high altitude engagements, a small number of Phoenixes (1-3) can be taken. Phoenixes are especially useful for enduring confrontation (operation) air battles, where air combat is prevalent at higher altitudes where the Phoenix will truly shine. While the AIM-9H Sidewinders will seem like nothing new and perhaps a bit outdated, it’s long range capability should not be underestimated, and users may prefer to switch out some radar guided missiles for Sidewinders.

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="12" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs
| || || 8* || 6 || ||
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| || || 8* || 6 || ||
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| || || 2* || 2 || ||
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| || || 2*† || 2 || ||
|-
! Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
| || 8 || || || 8 ||
|-
! AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1, 2* || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
| || 1 || 2* || 2† || 1 ||
|-
| colspan="9" | * Use of dual Sparrow missiles on hardpoint 4 prevents use of the marked options on hardpoint 3 † The AIM-54A Phoenix missiles on hardpoint 4 cannot be carried in conjunction with 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs on hardpoint 3
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Boasting a high top speed, excellent turning characteristics, a large number of excellent missiles, and a powerful radar, the F-14A (Early) Tomcat is a potent air superiority fighter and should be used as such.

'''Flying the F-14A'''

Despite being a very large aircraft, the F-14A Tomcat's manoeuvrability and energy retention are excellent. With the wings swept out, it's among the best rate fighters in the game, and has excellent instantaneous turn rate. This allows the F-14A to out-dogfight most aircraft in-game. For planes with poor energy retention such as F-4s, MiG-21s, J35s, and JA37s, you can use the F-14's excellent turn rate to enter a prolonged two-circle fight, where the F-14's superior energy retention will drain the energy of these delta-winged fighters. The optimal rate speed of the F-14A is around 750 km/h, though 600 km/h will still allow you to out-rate fighters with poor energy retention. For planes with better energy retention such as F-8s and MiG-23s, you can use F-14A's excellent instantaneous turn rate to force a one-circle fight. It should be noted that when dogfighting in the F-14A, it is critical to always sweep your wings forward to 0% wing sweep. At this wing sweep, you will obtain the optimal energy retention and turn characteristics of the F-14A. Therefore, it is highly recommended to set key binds for manually changing the sweep angle and switching between auto to manual wing sweep. Keep in mind that, although the F-14A has excellent dogfighting characteristics, it is still a very large aircraft with extremely hot engines. Due to this, it is advised to avoid turn-fighting in the Tomcat unless absolutely necessary because, as with all other top-tier jets, doing so will bleed your speed and make you an easy target for enemy aircraft.

The early F-14A with its TF30 engines were historically underpowered, and this shows in-game: while the F-14A has a great top speed with the wings swept back, the acceleration and climb rate is below average. Faster planes such as MiG-23s, Mirage 2000s, F-16s, and MiG-29s will easily out-accelerate you. Even F-4s will accelerate faster at lower speeds. Therefore, it is advisable to keep your speed up in the F-14. Due to this, vertical dogfights are generally not advisable, especially with faster accelerating and climbing opponents such as MiG-23s, MiG-29s and F-16s. In addition, this acceleration is another reason to be careful when engaging in dogfights, as you will have difficulty out-accelerating your opponents should you need to exit.

'''Wing Sweep'''

The F-14A has a variable sweep wing, which means the wings can change angle during flight to obtain the desirable flight characteristics. As discussed before, when the wings are swept forward (0%), the F-14A obtains high energy retention and excellent instantaneous and sustained turn rate. However, the wings being swept forwards limits the Tomcat's top speed, and therefore should only be used at lower speeds, when dogfighting, or takeoff/landing (especially with carriers). On the other hand, the wings being swept back allows the F-14A to reach its top speed, but at lower speeds, loss of lift greatly reduces manoeuvrability. Generally, pilots can keep the wing sweep mode set to automatic (AUTO); this will automatically sweep the wings without player input based on how fast or slow the Tomcat is going. However, when dogfighting, you will want to switch the sweep mode to manual, and use selected key binds to manually sweep the wing forward to obtain optimal manoeuvrability.

'''Fuel Consumption and Engine Heat'''

It should be noted that the F-14A burns up fuel very fast when on afterburner. This should be taken into consideration as one can burn up all the fuel without realizing until it is too late. Due to this, it is advisable to take at the very least 30 minutes of fuel. You can use the mouse scroll wheel to save a lot more fuel by using the first-stage afterburner, which gives a significant power boost from 100% throttle but a little less power than full afterburner. On minimum fuel (18 minutes) the full afterburner can only last about 2 minutes and 30 seconds, but the afterburner (first-stage) can last you 8 minutes.

Something to be aware of when playing the F-14A is the insane heat of its engines. At high throttle and afterburner, its engines emit an unparalleled amount of heat at around 2,100 °F (1,150 °C). For reference, that is around 66% hotter than the F-4J's engines, which is around 1,239 °F (671 °C) at 100% throttle and 1,256 °F (680 °C) during full afterburner. During gameplay, this means that in the F-14A simply just turning off the afterburner and deploying flares may not be enough to avoid an incoming IR missile. You will also have to throttle down the engine significantly (at least 80-85%) to make sure that an incoming IR missile goes for the flare. This is especially true for more flare-resistant IR missiles such as the [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] and [[Matra R550 Magic 2|Magic 2]], which may need substantial throttling down to flare off. Keep in mind that throttling down means that you will lose a decent amount of speed in the process, so be prepared.

'''Radar and Radar Modes'''

The AN/AWG-9 radar set carried by the F-14A is an extremely potent radar, especially for long-range missile combat. It has great range (a maximum of 185 km tracking and 370 km detecting). For most normal air RB maps, a 37km or 93km display range should suffice, while 93 km should be enough for most enduring confrontation air RB maps. A radar lock is necessary to guide Sparrows, while either radar lock or soft lock (selecting targets in TWS) will suffice for a Phoenix launch. The radar has four different modes which have different purposes, capabilities and usages:

* '''SRC PD HDN''' (Surveillance Radar Computer, Pulse-Doppler, Head-On): Users of the F-14 are likely at least somewhat aware of what a pulse-Doppler radar is from usage of the previous F-4J. This is a pulse-Doppler mode, meaning it measures an aircraft's Doppler shift (difference in velocity compared to surroundings) in order to "see" targets. Due to the nature of the detection method, this pulse-Doppler mode is most ideal for targets close to the ground, as well as in head-on situations (as the name suggests). However, this pulse-Doppler mode has a weakness: it can be [[Airborne_radars#Notching_a_Pulse-Doppler_radar|notched]]; pulse-Doppler measures the target aircraft's velocity change compared to surroundings, so if a target flies perpendicular to the radar (not moving closer or further compared to the surroundings), the radar will not observe a change in velocity and therefore cannot see the aircraft. F-14A pilots must be aware of how the notch works; if an enemy radar is locking you at low altitude, they are likely using a pulse-Doppler mode, and thus notching becomes a defensive option to break radar lock. Provided the target is not at very low altitudes, an enemy notching your pulse-Doppler radar can be countered by switching the radar mode to SRC. Another weakness to be aware of is that pulse-Doppler modes generally have trouble detecting and locking targets travelling away from the radar. In conclusion, the pulse-Doppler mode is good for tracking targets at very low altitudes, but is vulnerable to notching and has difficulty finding targets moving away.
* '''SRC''' (Surveillance Radar Computer): This is the standard radar mode. It is not a pulse-Doppler mode and does not have its weaknesses; it cannot be notched like pulse-Doppler can, and has an easier time tracking targets moving away. Therefore, if an enemy is attempting to notch your pulse-Doppler mode, you can switch the radar lock from a pulse-Doppler one to standard SRC. However, due to the radar return from ground clutter, it has great trouble locking targets at very low altitude, though it can still lock higher targets. It's worth noting that the SRC mode on the AN/AWG-9 is more resistant to ground clutter than previous radars; while you still cannot detect or lock a target very close to the ground, it can sometimes detect targets as little as 1 km from the ground. In conclusion, SRC is generally more reliable at finding and tracking targets than pulse-Doppler mode, but cannot see targets at very low altitudes like pulse-Doppler can.
* '''TWS HDN''' (Track While Scan, Head-On): This mode allows targets to be detected and "tracked" simultaneously. By hovering your radar cursor over detected targets, you can "soft lock" them; their position is marked in third-person view, and their general speed, heading, and height are displayed. With a soft lock, the radar return is not strong enough to trigger the RWR, so enemies will not know you are soft locking them. AIM-54A Phoenixes can be launched via a soft lock, and after launching a Phoenix, you can hover over another enemy to launch another Phoenix. Using onboard electronics, the Phoenixes will guide themselves to the target after this. In addition, AIM-9G/H Sidewinders can be slaved to the soft lock. However, for a Sparrow launch, you will need to "hard lock" the target. This can be done simply by locking the target the cursor is hovering over (as with other radar modes). In addition, track while scan uses pulse-Doppler, so it can detect targets close to the ground as well. Unfortunately, this also means it has the same weaknesses as pulse-Doppler mode (vulnerable to notching or targets flying away). The capabilities of the track while scan mode are potent and allows pilots great situational awareness, and therefore should generally be your go-to radar mode, only switching to SRC to overcome pulse-Doppler's weaknesses.
* '''SRC PDV HDN''' (Surveillance Radar Computer, Pulse-Doppler Velocity, Head-On): This radar mode is very similar to pulse-Doppler, but instead displays the velocity of the aircraft on the radar screen rather than the range. This is the only radar mode on the AN/AWG-9 which does not utilize IFF (Identification Friend or Foe), so in simulator mode, be careful.
* The AN/AWG-9 has two acquisition modes, ACM PD HDN and ACQ, and two track modes, TRK PD HDN and TRK.
** SRC PD HDN, TWS HDN and SRC PDV HDN radar modes all use '''ACM PD HDN''' (Air Combat Maneuvering, Pulse-Doppler, Head-On) as the acquisition mode, and '''TRK PD HDN''' (Track, Pulse-Doppler, Head-On) as the lock mode. These are pulse-Doppler search and lock methods, and as such have the same strengths and weaknesses. SRC uses '''ACQ''' and '''TRK''' as acquisition and lock modes, respectively, which are the non pulse-Doppler counterparts to ACM PD HDN and TRK PD HDN.
** When in these acquisition modes, you can press your keybind for “Change Radar/IRST Search Mode” to change the scope of the acquisition search area. Clicking it once changes it from a square to a vertically long rectangle, clicking it twice moves this rectangle to an upper position (to lock enemies above you), and clicking it a third time changes it back to a square.
** A nice and very useful feature of the F-14's radar is that, if you have a target radar locked, you can switch between pulse-Doppler and normal SRC tracking without breaking lock (most other radars will require the lock to be broken before switching radar mode to reattempt a lock). This allows you to quickly and easily switch to TRK (SRC) if the target is notching, or switch to TRK PD HDN (Pulse-Doppler) if the target is going close to the ground.

'''Realistic Battles'''

In realistic battles, the F-14A is a powerful air superiority fighter. With a maximum of six medium-range AIM-7F or very long range AIM-54A missiles and a powerful radar, it is among best BVR (Beyond Visual Range) fighters in the game, and it is advisable to exploit this advantage. In air realistic battles, players can side climb to high altitudes (>5 km) and search for targets to engage with the long-range Sparrows or Phoenixes. At high altitude, Phoenixes can hit as far as 45km head-on launches from high altitude, while Sparrows can hit at (generally) maximum ranges of 30km. Once higher altitude is swept of enemy fighters, pilots can dive down on lower altitude enemies and use the energy advantage to obtain missile kills from an unexpected angle. If necessary, the Tomcat's excellent manoeuvrability can be used to dogfight any remaining enemy aircraft.

In ground realistic battles, the F-14A can use its long-range missiles to clear the sky of enemy strike aircraft. With its excellent Sparrow and Phoenix missiles, the F-14A will be especially potent at destroying enemy strike aircraft at high altitudes who are using guided munitions to attack your team outside of SAM range. While the F-14A gets access to some air-to-ground bombs and rockets, these are all unguided and thus are very risky to use in the presence of SAMs. Therefore, unless a ground strike is absolutely necessary, a Tomcat is much better off in the air-to-air role guarding the skies.

'''Enemies Worth Noting'''

* '''F-16A:''' These planes have excellent acceleration and decent top speed. In addition, they have AIM-9Ls, which can sometimes be difficult to flare with the F-14’s two very hot engines, as well as AIM-7Ms (except the “normal” US F-16A and Israeli Netz”), which can give competition to the F-14’s AIM-7Fs. In a dogfight, the F-16 can and will compete with the F-14 with it’s excellent maneuverability, but a weakness is it’s G-limiter which effectively bricks the F-16 at high speeds. This can be exploited in a merge with an F-16, where air braking, down-throttling pulling hard into the F-16 will let you park yourself on his tail. The F-16’s excellent acceleration in contrast with the F-14’s poor acceleration makes it ill-advised to engage in a vertical dogfight with the F-16.
* '''MiG-29''': The MiG-29 has excellent acceleration and top speed. Though it’s R-60Ms are a far cry from the F-16’s AIM-9Ls, it does possess the extremely dangerous R-27ER long range SARH missile. These missiles are faster accelerating and more maneuverable than the F-14’s AIM-7Fs while having the same listed maximum range of 100km. However, the MiG-29 can only carry two of them. They can be outranged by your AIM-54s, but at closer ranges, even a single missile can mean death for you, so you will have to use missile jousting strategies to beat the R-27ER with your AIM-7Fs. In a dogfight, it’s mostly the same story as with the F-16: the MiG-29 has excellent maneuverability, and while the F-14 can certainly keep up, vertical dogfights should be avoided due to the stark difference in acceleration between the MiG-29 and F-14A.
* '''Mirage 2000C:''' Mirage 2000s have excellent acceleration and top speed, as well as powerful missiles. Like AIM-9Ls, the Magic 2 can be difficult to flare, and the Super 530D is comparable to the AIM-7F, but it should be noted that the Mirage 2000C only has two of each of these missiles. In a dogfight, the Mirage 2000 has excellent instantaneous turn rate, but due to it’s delta wing design bleeds speed quickly; in this case the F-14A’s excellent rate speed should be used to drain the Mirage 2000 of energy and outrate it.
* '''F-4J, F-4S, F-4EJ Kai, Kurnass 2000:''' These Phantoms can very easily be beaten in a dogfight by the F-14A, but beware of potent AIM-7Fs, and in the case of the EJ Kai and Kurnass 2000, a powerful radar and all-aspect AIM-9Ls.
* '''MiG-23ML/MLA/MLD:''' These MiG-23s boast good R-24s which can compete with the AIM-7F, as well as dangerous R-24Ts which can lock on to the F-14’s hot heat signature and stealthily destroy it. Good situational awareness is key to defeating these missiles. In a dogfight, MiG-23s have a surprisingly good rate speed which can keep up with the F-14. However, their instantaneous turn rate is poor, so a one circle or scissors can be used with the F-14A to easily gain an advantage over MiG-23s.
* '''F-5E:''' F-5s have a surprisingly excellent turn rate that can rival even the F-14A. However, it has slow acceleration, it’s guns are mediocre and it has very limited missiles. Therefore, they can be engaged with Sparrows and Phoenixes without retaliation, and in a dogfight, the vertical can be used on the F-5 to stall them out and gain the advantage.

'''Simulator Battles - Enduring Confrontation'''

Before you take the F-14A to battle you need to figure out what weapons you want to use. All the available IR missiles have almost identical turn performance, the range is almost the same too. The D version cannot be slaved to the locked target, the G can be and the H works exactly like the G, but has a higher tracking rate. Taking at least two of them is highly recommended since they almost do not affect the flight performance.

There are also two options for radar-guided missiles. The AIM-7F works very well at close and medium ranges (3-20 km) and can hit a target which is pulling lots of G. They are harder to dodge in Simulator Battles, though you need to keep your lock all the time. The AIM-54A is an active radar-guided missile, it does not require the radar lock when it is launched 16 km from the target (or when it gets that close, then you can break your lock), but it can pull only up to 16G which is quite easy to dodge, both these missiles can also be avoided by just simply notching when the F-14 uses the pulse-Doppler radar mode.

A few loadout recommendations:

* 4x AIM-9H + 4x AIM-7F - Works very well in almost any scenario, and does not affect the flight performance that much.
* 4x AIM-9H + 4x AIM-54A or 2x AIM-9H + 6x AIM-54A - Makes the plane turn a lot worse, in most cases will not work against fighters which know how to deal with radar-guided missiles, this loadout is useful mainly against planes that attack the bombing bases or airfields only, so for example Su-7s loaded with bombs etc. (farmers). It is not recommended to use it in normal EC battles.
* 4x AIM-9H + 2x AIM-54A + 2x AIM-7F

To make full use of the F-14A's manoeuvrability it is best to buy the expert crew and the ace crew if it is possible, since the plane pulls around 8G at 750 km/h IAS in a sustained turn and that increases even further when the player decided to pull it even more, though you need to keep in mind that the G limit is ~11G.

'''Outside the combat''' - As a start, keep in mind that the F-14A really likes to burn fuel a lot when the afterburner is used, at low altitudes it can fly up to 7 minutes with full fuel tanks, so it is recommended to fly either with 45 minutes of fuel (on 64x64 km maps like Ruhr, Port Moresby) or full fuel tanks (128x128 km maps like Vietnam, Denmark). WEP should not be used while cruising and only during combat or while chasing someone, flying with the throttle set to 85-90% should be fine too. There are a few tactics that can be used in the F-14 in SB, but it mostly depends on what map you play. On more open maps like Denmark you can at 1,000-3,000 m alt while looking for targets, though some MiGs can still sneak up to you if you are not paying enough attention to your surroundings, doing so you are mostly vulnerable to attack from below and behind, especially when the enemy has access to all-aspect missiles. The other tactic is just simply hugging the ground, in most cases it is the safest one and should be used on maps with hills and mountains where you can break the enemy's line of sight by flying between them. It is more difficult and requires lots of focus. The player needs to keep looking around all the time to find the target, the radar is less useful in this scenario, though the TWS mode can be helpful on maps like Vietnam to check the enemy plane direction and ambush them while you are flying in areas where it is hard to spot the planes due to the ground colour and many objects like trees. To make cruising easier the damping SAS mode can be used, which limits the angle of attack (AoA) so much that the G limit cannot be reached at any speed, the automatic wing sweep control also can be activated. About the radar modes, the PDV should not really be used since it is the only one which does not have any kind of IFF and it is as good at detecting targets as the normal PD mode. Since the PD radar cannot track targets that are flying perpendicular to your plane switching between modes is very important, even the normal Pulse (SRC) mode can detect targets against the ground up to 15-20 km and even further when it is above the horizon. To be safe from enemy missiles it is best to stay around 20-30 km away from enemy planes.

'''During the combat''' - During the BVR combat when both sides have similar missiles it is important to get to a higher speed before launching it and launch the missile before the enemy does, for now the only plane that can actually start this kind of fight is the Viggen (Sweden is very often on the Russian side), though you can just ignore it and keep notching while getting below the enemy plane (missiles have much lower range at low altitude) and wait until it gets close, the start a dogfight. The AIM-54A can be useful in such scenarios, even when the F-14 will be forced to break away the missile will still be tracking the target, then the enemy will be forced to dodge it and when that happens you can launch another missile to force the enemy into an even more defensive position. When the distance between planes is around 10 km, the radar mode should be switched to either BST or VSL since they offer an instant radar lock after pointing at the targets, locking on manually can sometimes take a few seconds and a few failed attempts. Those two modes can also be used when the player in the F-14A is trying to be sneaky, then when the enemy is not aware of being tracked by TWS mode on maps like Vietnam the F-14 can switch to them when the enemy gets close from the front and then right after that launch the AIM-7F. Overall learning quick switching between radar modes depending on the situation is very important.

Within visual range (up to ~10 km) against opponents in a head-on, it is important to keep launching 1 flare every few seconds, it will reduce the chance of being tracked by the R-23T, R-24T or R-60M, also as soon as the missile launch happens a few more of them should be launched. For this kind of scenario it is best to be equipped with AIM-7F missiles, by using them you can deny the enemy any head-on attempts, by launching it they will be forced to notch it, while the IR missiles in most cases can be dodged by using flares right before the launch, not using WEP before the dogfight starts and it can be done by just flying in a straight line (when the distance between the missile and the F-14 is big enough).
The enemy will not be able to safely reengage until it gets very close (when the AIM-7F becomes less effective, so within 2 km from the target), but at that point the AIM-9H can be used in some cases against afterburning targets trying to notch the PD radar. All of this can lead to the enemy having to dodge the missile and becoming an easy target, you can easily get on their six and shoot them down by using the gun.

When the dogfight happens it is needed to switch the SAS mode to manual, the damping limits the manoeuvrability too much and can put the F-14 in a worse position, especially against the delta wing planes, though using it makes the plane harder to control. The other thing to remember is switching the wing sweep controls to manual, then reducing it to 0% for the best manoeuvrability.
The last thing is using the combat flaps, but overusing them and doing it in the wrong situation can lead to being shot down faster. Before the merge between both planes happens the speed should be around 800 km/h IAS and 900 km/h (450-500 kn IAS), it will make starting a two-circle fight (where the F-14 excels) easier. The combat flaps in the F-14 improve both the sustained and instantaneous turn rate, the only downside is that they work effectively only up to 900 km/h IAS and make reaching speed above that harder. The one-circle fight can be done only with planes like the MiG-23, Su-17/22 or the Japanese Phantoms; against other planes, especially the delta wing planes, it is not very safe, although the F-14 can sometimes pull a very tight turn (takeoff flaps have a speed limit up to 800 km/h and can help with that). Generally, the safest way to win the fight is to keep your speed around 800 km/h IAS in a two-circle fight, there is not a single plane that can win it. There are a few planes which can give a hard time in close-range fights, the MiG-23MLD, J35s, MiG-21bis, J-7E, Chinese F-5E, the player should be very careful while engaging any of these.

'''Basic mistakes''' - Ignoring the IFF and teamkilling are the biggest mistakes happening in SB, it is always important to check if the target is a friendly plane or not (one line - unknown/enemy, two lines - friendly). Also, launching the AIM-54 into a direction with a few friendly planes can end really badly, just like launching any kind of missile into furballs. Ignoring the IFF readouts will lead to being kicked from the session and the team performing worse because they will also need to worry about dodging friendly missiles.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very effective dogfighter at any speed with its variable wing sweep which gives it great energy retention
* Variable swept wings can help plane accelerate fast when swept back and turn better when the wing is less swept
* High top speed (can cap out at 1500 km/h IAS at sea level)
* Lethal M61 Vulcan cannon which has an extremely fast fire rate, great velocity, and great damage
* Can carry up to 8 missiles maximum, with options of AIM-7s, AIM-9s, and [[AIM-54A Phoenix|AIM-54]]<nowiki/>s for versatile use
* The AIM-54 has insane range (100 km max), its rocket booster lasts for a very long time, and it's an Active Radar Homing missile (at closer ranges can automatically guide itself towards enemies using its own radar)
* Multi-mode radar makes it effective in any situation (the TWS mode allows launching AIM-54s at multiple aircraft at once and provides amazing situational awareness)
* The new [[AIM-9H Sidewinder|AIM-9H]] has much better flare resistance than previous AIM-9s (such as the [[AIM-9G Sidewinder|G]] or [[AIM-9J Sidewinder|J]] variants)

'''Cons:'''

* Big plane and thus an easy target to hit
* The afterburner's fuel consumption is otherworldly fast; constant usage of it requires carrying a lot of fuel that can hamper the plane's performance and manoeuvrability
* Massive wing and fuselage fuel tanks make it especially prone to catching fire
* Cannot pull sustained Gs when above 1,000 km/h IAS (11-13 G) in RB or the wings will rip
* At high throttle and afterburner, the engine emits an unparalleled amount of heat, requiring throttling down (and therefore significantly bleeding speed) to reliably flare missiles off
* 60 countermeasures may be a bit lacking considering the extremely high engine temperature
* The AIM-54A only has 16G overload and thus is rather easy to dodge
* The AIM-54A's rocket motor lasts for a very long time, giving plenty of time for enemies to spot and evade it
* Requires lots of work and control binds related to the radar and variable wing sweep angle to make the most of the aircraft
* The Damping SAS mode limits the AoA so much that it cannot be used in one-circle fights (scissors etc.) thus forcing the player to use the much harder to use the Manual SAS mode (SB with full-real controls)

== History ==

=== Early Development ===
In 1967, the U.S. Navy wanted a long-range fleet defence fighter to boost their naval plane capabilities with the "VFX" program. The USN first started with a redesigned F-111 Aardvark named the F-111B (basically an F-111 designed around the TF30 engine and AIM-54 Phoenix missiles), they soon found out that the F-111 was too big for practical reasons so the F-111B plan never came to fruition. Fast forward to 1969, the USN gave the contract to Grumman to build the new fleet defence fighter named the F-14 Tomcat, its first variants were built around the TF30 engines found on the F-111B and to use the AN/AWG-9 radar set and the airframe was specifically built to carry the AIM-54 Phoenix missile.

===[[wt:en/news/7705-development-f-14a-tomcat-into-the-danger-zone-en|Devblog]]===
In 1968, five aircraft building companies entered the Pentagon's competition for a new carrier-based interceptor fighter. The commission's preference was given to Grumman's design, a twin-engine jet fighter with a variable-swept wing. Work on the F-14A fighter began in February 1969, and in December of the next year, the new aircraft took her maiden flight. The main weapon of the F-14A was the AIM-54 Phoenix long-range missiles controlled by the newest to date weapon control system. Instead of building prototypes, Grumman immediately switched to the production of an experimental series, and already on December 31, 1972, the first batch of jet fighters were put into service with the VF-124 Fleet Replacement Squadron . Pilot training took place on the deck of the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier, and during the withdrawal of US troops from Vietnam, combat sorties were also made from the deck. In total 557 F-14A fighters were delivered to the US Navy until 1987, and another 80 aircraft were built for Iran. Tomcats were used in all military conflicts where US aircraft took part until the very decommissioning. Iranian F-14s took an active part in the Iran-Iraq war, scoring dozens of air kills.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f_14a_early Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 1.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 2.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 3.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 4.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 5.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 6.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 7.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Wdnef_6_6oM|'''The Shooting Range #307''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Other jet planes with variable sweep wings

* [[MiG-23 (Family)]]
* [[Su-17/22 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7705-development-f-14a-tomcat-into-the-danger-zone-en|[Devblog] F-14A Tomcat: Into the Danger Zone!]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/557191-f-14a-early/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Grumman}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

M26

2023-04-07T09:04:01Z

U97916902: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = American medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = M26 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m26_pershing
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. Armed with the 90 mm M3 gun, this vehicle is able to compete effectively against late World War II tanks.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour (Front, turret)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Side, Rear, Roof)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 101.6 mm (42-46°) ''Front Glacis'' 162.5 mm (25-60°) ''Upper front glacis'' 76.2 mm (28-53°) ''Lower Glacis'' || 76.2 mm (0-1°) ''Front'' 50.8 mm (0-3°) ''Rear'' || 50.8 mm (7°) ''Top'' 22.2 mm (71°) ''Bottom'' || 22.2 mm
|-
| Turret || 101.6 mm (1-55°) ''Turret front'' 114.3 mm (1-84°) ''Gun mantlet''|| 76.2 mm (2-54°) || 76.2 mm (0-79°) || 25.4 mm
|-
| Cupola || 76.2 mm || 76.2 mm || 76.2 mm || 25.4 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 25.4 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=775|rbMinHp=442}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

The best thing to do for this tank is getting "Parts", "FPE", "M82 Shot", and "M304 Shot" as fast as you can. With M304 shot you'll be a lot stronger on the field as you'll be able to penetrate relatively any medium and most heavies. However, you are subject to get hit in the side or front many times and will need the FPE and parts to repair on the field or you'll become burnt toast. After you've unlocked these modules, it's best to work down by putting manoeuvrability as a priority.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|M3 (90 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (90 mm)|90 mm M3]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 70 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 20.0 || 27.7 || 33.6 || 37.2 || 39.5 || rowspan="2" | 9.75 || rowspan="2" | 8.63 || rowspan="2" | 7.95 || rowspan="2" | 7.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 12.5 || 14.7 || 17.9 || 19.7 || 21.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:M3 (90 mm)/Ammunition|T33 shot, M82 shot (M26), M304 shot, M71 shell, M313}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''70''' || 65 ''(+5)'' || 56 ''(+14)'' || 48 ''(+22)'' || 40 ''(+30)'' || 32 ''(+38)'' || 24 ''(+46)'' || 17 ''(+53)'' || 11 ''(+59)'' || 1 ''(+69)'' || No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* 1 shell from rack 7 is fired after rack 1 is emptied. For the purpose of clarity, it is counted as belonging to rack 2 in the table above.
* Rack 9 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 10 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
* This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 9 - 1 - 2 - etc. until 8.
* If you pack 17 ''(+53)'' shells, it will keep most of the hull empty of ammo.
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as shells are available in the ready rack 9. If the ready rack is empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1-8 into rack 9. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 600 (200) || 577 || -10°/+50° || ±120°
|-
|}
The roof-mounted M2HB .50 cal heavy machine gun is very good at knocking out tracks, punching through lightly armoured vehicles and shooting down low-flying aircraft. Use it sparingly because of its low ammo count.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 5,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
The small calibre of the M1919A4 machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.

== Usage in battles ==


;Combat tactics

The {{PAGENAME}} can perform in many different roles in battle. It can be used for supporting heavy tanks with long reload time as [[IS-2]] or [[T32]] or it can take part in flanking manoeuvres: your speed and agility are not brilliant but sufficient for that role. It can also be successful in sniping and ambushing situations. Use the lower profile of Pershing compared to the Sherman's to navigate through. Your depression angle allows you to shoot from upper positions without exposing too much yourself. That's an advantage compared to most Soviet vehicles which have close to no gun depression angle.

The 90 mm M3 gun owns a wide selection of ammunition to be used. The M82 APCBC with an explosive filler is extremely deadly. Usually, successful penetration with this shell can lead to a single-shot knock-out on a vehicle. It lacks a bit of penetration for the rank this vehicle sits at, but it's great for flanking shots. The M304 APCR shot gives the vehicle the ability to penetrate thick armour (provided it is a flat surface). This means you need to target crew positions or modules and aim at (almost) vertical armour. Against a [[Tiger II (H)]], this means aiming for the turret right side if he is looking directly at you on the gunner side. At that position, you can penetrate up to a distance of 1,800 m.

Although you are moderately armoured for your class, most enemies can easily destroy you at this rank if you expose your tank too much. To reduce direct impacts in frontal engagements angle the Pershing, the V-shape frontal armour can deflect some shots. Your lower glacis is a weak spot, keep it hidden from the enemy.

One downside to the Pershing is the engine: the power-to-weight ratio is poor and does not allow for very quick manoeuvring. It uses the same Ford GAF that can be found in the late series M4 Medium tanks, with nearly 8 tons more weight. Being slightly underpowered, the {{PAGENAME}} has a hard time climbing hills. You will need to know the maps and areas you are operating in and use them wisely.

Urban maps (Poland, Eastern Europe, Hürtgen Forest, Cologne) are perfect for ambushing, use your moderate speed to catch off-guard heavier enemy tanks. Drop arty in front of suspected enemy positions if you need to cross a street and relocate, the smoke screen will cover you.

If you've been able to flank an enemy, your first shot is decisive. Always shoot to disable the gun first (gunner or breech). The best ammo to do this is M304 APCR round, or M82 APCBC shell. M304 will guarantee a 100% successful shot, M82 can also work very good and might deal heavy damage inside the turret. But some Germans have tracks on the hull's sides and if the enemy is in the process of turning the turret, the M82 could bounce. Make sure you not to miss. The large sides of German heavy tanks are tempting targets but its very easy to punch through without dealing damage with the wrong ammo like the T33 or M304 rounds. If you flanked a turretless tank destroyer like a Jagdpanther or a Ferdinand, just aim at the engine and you will have virtually destroyed it.

;Arcade Battles

In arcade battles, it is much harder to flank and ambush enemy tanks because of the tag system (player name). However, the tank is still very playable and you can do different tactics depending on the situation. For urban environments, it's best to move with the team and only poke your head out when you have a good shot and the enemy tank isn't aimed at you. In open terrain, you will still be able to use the hills to your advantage and side-shot / pot-shot enemy tanks. The main rule here is don't show your sides and stay low.

;Realistic/Simulator Battles

In realistic and simulator battles, The {{PAGENAME}} shouldn't be in the toughest part of the match facing very heavily armoured enemies. It's better to stay behind front lines supporting or try a flanking manoeuvre, you can't be spotted in the mini-map. The high battle rating means you can be up-tiered and fight Cold War era tanks in simulator mode. The compression and matchmaking can put you into situations where enemies are especially hard to penetrate, even from the sides.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Side armour is adequate enough for angling tactics
* Adequate armor in general which resists weaker guns and may stop stronger guns
* Good top armour resists aircraft gun strafes
* Low profile, excels at a hull down position
* Good high speed handling
* Fast reverse speed
* Very fast turret rotation
* The M82 shot has a high chance of knocking out most tanks in one shot
* Top-mounted .50 cal machine gun is useful against aircraft and open-topped or lightly-armoured vehicles
* M304 APCR round has very high penetration power against flat surfaces

'''Cons:'''

* While Armor is decent, it can still be penetrated frontally by more powerful cannons and should not be fully relied upon
* Lower glacis and hull machine gun are weak spots
* Slow acceleration; rarely able to reach its top speed
* Sluggish handling at low speed
* 90 mm gun has a long reload time
* 90 mm gun has some difficulty penetrating better-armoured foes

== History ==

===Development===
The development of this tank can be traced to the number of tank prototypes produced in the Spring of 1942 as a replacement for the [[M4]] Shermans then in use.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt">Hunnicutt, R.P. ''Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series'' U.S.A.: Feist Publications, 1971</ref> One of these prototypes was the [[T20]] medium tank, which was more heavily armoured than the Sherman. This eventually developed to the T22 and T23 designs with different transmissions, all of which were in the rear of the vehicle instead of the front like the Shermans. These designs were comparable to a [[T-34-85]], but these were not quickly adopted over the M4 as the M4 performed fabulously in combat in Africa and Italy.

Development continued with different interests in 1944, starting around the concept to mount a 90 mm cannon to fight the heavily armoured German tanks and fortifications in Europe. The first was the [[T25]] series, which was an up-gunned T23 with a 90 mm gun, but they also designed a bigger and more armoured design T26.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt">Hunnicutt, R.P. ''Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series'' U.S.A.: Feist Publications, 1971</ref> The design held the 90 mm cannon and a front armour thickness of 102 mm thick and sloped. However, the design has a weight of about 40 tons, which decreased its mobility and durability as it still uses the old Sherman engine. Though starting with an electric drive, the design proved too complicated for field use and was replaced by a torqmatic transmission in the T26E1. The designs were eventually finalized as the T26E3, which would be the production version of the T26E1. Production started in November 1944, with 10 being produced by the end of the month, 30 by December, 70 in January 1945, and 132 by February.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" /> It would take a few months for even the T26E3s built in November to get to Europe, hence why the first models did not appear in Europe until January 1945. The T26E3 would be adopted by the US Army as the Heavy Tank M26 Pershing with a total of 2,212 units produced.

The reasons why the M26 Pershing was delayed since its time as the T20 series brought much controversy. Today it is agreed that the reasons why the Pershings did not get into combat faster were the combination of the Tank Destroyer Doctrine, logistics, and complacency. The TD doctrine dictated that tank destroyers were the primary anti-tank force while the armoured forces were a support and exploitation force, so tank firepower against other tanks was not prioritized, leading to much opposition when Ordnance attempts to develop heavy tanks with the 90 mm cannons. Logistics for supplying a battlefield more than 3,000 miles away from the factories would prove more difficult if the M26 Pershing and its ammo must be supplied as well when the more common Sherman could be easily supplied. Complacency in the Army Ground Forces brought by the overwhelming performance of the Sherman in the opening stages of World War II set the belief that the M4 and their 75/76 mm cannons would be adequate in future combat, which resulted in it becoming outgunned by newer and better German tanks.

===Combat usage===
====Zebra mission====
The deployment of the M26 Pershings (still called T26E3s at the time as they are not formally adopted) in Europe was made under the Zebra Mission headed by General Barnes. The Zebra Mission was a form of combat evaluation of the M26 tanks in Europe. In January 1945, the shipment of M26 tanks deployed in December 1944 arrived at Antwerp with only 20 tanks. The tanks first arrived at Paris in February 1945 with General Barnes and a few high-ranking officers from the Tank Automotive Command, Army Ground Forces, and Aberdeen Proving Grounds. Two civilians also arrived from Fisher Tank Arsenal and Aberdeen Proving Ground, the latter an expert on the 90 mm guns. These men helped expedite the training and equipping of the 20 M26 tanks into the units. General Eisenhower assigned the M26 in the 12th Army Group under General Omar Bradley, who sent them to First Army and split them among the 3rd and 9th Armored Divisions. The officers and the new tank crew members spend the period from 11 February to the 23rd training in the new tanks for familiarization.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

The M26 tanks underwent their first combat mission on February 25th. 3rd Armored Division attacked across the Roer River, with the 9th following three days later. On the 26th, the first M26 Pershing knocked out in combat was reported at Elsdorf. The Pershing named "Fireball" in F Company, 33rd Armored regiment was penetrated by a German [[Tiger I (Family)|Tiger I]] tank through the gun mantlet; this killed the gunner and loader instantly. After firing two more shots that damaged the components of "Fireball", the Tiger itself tried to reverse away from the position and disabled itself on debris. The captured loader of the Tiger crew confirmed the kill, as well as photographic evidence. "Fireball" was sent back for repairs and was ready for action again on March 7th. On the same day of "Fireball's" loss, an M26 in E Company at Eldsorf managed to destroy a Tiger I and two [[Pz.IV_J|Panzer IV]]s. The Tiger I was hit approximately 900 m out with an HVAP round, with a second T33 AP shot causing a catastrophic explosion, the two Panzer IVs were also knocked out with the AP rounds. The same crew killed another Panzer IV as they drove towards Cologne. Another Pershing was disabled on March 1st by artillery fire, killing the tank commander Sergeant Kay and causing massive damage to components of the M26, forcing it back to be repaired for several weeks. Other Pershing breakdowns include engine failures and components breaking, but these were all fixed easily in a few days.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

Around March 6th, a Pershing led by a Captain Gray was ambushed by a [[Nashorn]] that penetrated the front armour at a range of 300 m. The crew all survived, but their Pershing became the only one of the original 20 that arrived to not make it through the war. The same day in Cologne, a Pershing from E Company, 32nd Armored Regiment headed by Sergeant Earley destroyed a [[Panther G|Panther tank]] in front of the Cologne Cathedral, which was famously captured on film by Jim Bates from Signal Corps. Around the same time, a Pershing from D Company destroyed a Tiger I with two AP rounds, and another Pershing from G Company took out a Panzer IV with three M82 APCBC rounds. Other resistance faced at Cologne and the approach to the Rhine River were emplaced anti-aircraft guns, but the high explosive payload in the 90 mm proved very effective in destroying them. A platoon of five Pershings led by Lt. Grimball in March 7th and 8th assisted in the taking of the Ludendorff Bridge in the Battle of Remagen. The bridge was damaged during the battle, but was still intact, though the M26 Pershings were unable to cross it compared to the M4 Shermans and tank destroyers due to their heavier weight and width, an indication on how the M26 Pershings are not logistically sound in Europe's infrastructure. It would not be until March 12th when ferries are made available to transport the Pershings across the Rhine. In March 25th, additional shipping of M26s arrived at Europe, a total of 40 tanks, 22 going to 2nd Armored Division and 18 going to the 5th. Additional Pershings came in from then until the end of the war on VE Day at 8 May 1945; by that time, a total of 310 Pershings have made it to Europe, 200 in combat units, and only the first 20 ever seeing action against the enemy.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

The end of the war in Europe shifted attention to the Pacific Theater, where the Battle of Okinawa was still underway. The increasing US armoured losses due to the Japanese 47 mm anti-tank guns and the demands for a better tank by US tankers caused Ordnance to send a mission similar to the Zebra Mission to reinforce the US troops at Okinawa. The ship carrying the Pershings left on May 31st and was expected to reach Okinawa at June 30th, but constant stops due to transport priorities caused the tanks to arrive July 21st, at which point hostilities ended a month ago. Nevertheless, the Pershings were still unloaded via landing crafts tanks (LCT) on July 30th. Only 4 of the 12 Pershings were unloaded before the rest was diverted to Naha due to typhoon warnings. The Pershings on Okinawa were to be allocated to the 193rd and 711th Tank Battalion with familiarization starting on August 10th. However, training stopped when Japan surrendered on August 15th, 1945, ending the Pershing's combat life during World War II.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

====Post World War II====
After World War II, the M26 Pershing was reclassified as the Medium Tank M26 Pershing to fill the army's tank needs, but its specifications were not satisfactory for the role of it due to low mobility and heavyweight. Despite that, the M26 Pershings became urgently needed when the North Korea People's Army suddenly attack South Korea, armed with the Soviet-supplied [[T-34-85]]s. South Korea and the US Forces stationed there had no armour except the [[M24]] light tank and no adequate anti-tank weaponry to fight off the T-34 onslaught. A search for any suitable armour commenced in Japan and the US Army was able to procure three M26 Pershings at Ordnance storage. Though in a poor state, they were quickly refurbished and landed in Korea on 16 July 1950, the only medium tanks available in Korea. These three tanks moved to the front line on July 28 and fought with North Korean forces on the 31st, but were lost when the engines overheated due to lack of fan belts.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" />

Following this event, more medium tanks were sent from the United States to Korea, mainly the 6th, 70th, and 73rd Tank Battalions armed with [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3]] Shermans, Pershings, and [[M46]] Pattons. The 8072nd Tank Battalion from Japan was also sent, redesignated the 89th when it arrived to Korea. All the Tank Battalions arrive at Korea around August 8th. The first combat mission with the Pershings in this group was at the north of Taegu, a location known as the "Bowling Alley". It was here that the Pershings faced off against three T-34-85s and managed to destroy them.<ref name="PershingHunnicutt" /> The M26 proved to be more than a match against the T-34-85s as it could penetrate through the T-34-85 front and back when using HVAP ammo, while the T-34-85 couldn't even penetrate the front of the Pershing.<ref name="ZalogaM26vsT-34">Zaloga Steven. ''T-34-85 vs M26 Pershing: Korea 1950'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2010</ref> After November 1950, the lack of enemy tanks and the mechanical deficiency the Pershing has compared to the Shermans caused many of them to be shipped back to the states in 1951 and were replaced by the improved [[M46]] Patton tanks, which were upgraded M26 Pershings made to be more reliable. The Patton series of tanks would basically be based off the M26 Pershing's design.

The M26 served its last few years in the American occupation zone in Europe and were supplied to America's Allies during the Cold War. Belgium received 426 units of this tank, and France and Italy received Pershings as well, though later replaced by the [[M47]] Pattons.

{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
The M26 Pershing heavy tank was a development of the T26, in turn one of the M6's prototype descendants. Its story began in 1942, when U.S. Army Ordnance received the go-ahead to begin working on the M20 medium tank. It did not turn out to be particularly successful, though it boasted potential for modernization.

In 1943 and 1944 several T22 and T23 prototypes and experimental models were built. However, their weapon calibre had fallen behind current requirements and in 1944 priorities shifted to a program developing T25 and T26 tanks with 90 mm cannons. The T26 appeared to be the more promising option. It was equipped with a Torquematic hydraulic transmission, torsion bar suspension, and cast hull, while its significantly increased weight and sized resulted in a move to the heavy tank category.

At the beginning of 1945 several pre-production T26E3 models were released, 20 of which were sent to Europe for combat trials. Tankers reported that the T26E3 was a match for the Pz.V and Pz.VI, even somewhat outperforming them in manoeuvrability. One 1945 battle saw a T26E3 taking out two Pz.IV medium tanks and one Pz.VI heavy tank.

By the summer of 1945 the T26E3 was officially accepted as the M26 Pershing, with a total of 2,222 produced. The M26 did not have a chance to fully prove itself, though it was shown to be a capable weapon against heavy armour.

The M26 really only saw combat during the Korean War in 1950-1953, where it was up against Soviet T-34s and 85s. The American heavy tanks outgunned the T-34 and were better armoured, though they were much less manoeuvrable and reliable. The M26's running gear had much more trouble in the mountainous conditions as opposed to its experience in Europe, and it had practically no advantages over Soviet medium tanks in close combat.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m26_pershing Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|-ieHq6BW0xc|'''{{PAGENAME}} Pershing - Midrange American Might!''' - ''JustinPlaysYT''|89z2_0CHr8o|'''Why does no one play this? {{PAGENAME}} Pershing''' - ''Virus''|Fqb9Y27QMNU|'''{{PAGENAME}} Pershing- The Brute''' - ''Oxy''|AqqbAwSGSvM|'''Tank Chats #90 {{!}} M26 Pershing''' - ''The Tank Museum''}}

== See also ==


;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[T20]]
* [[T25]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/3085/current/|[Vehicle Profile] M26 Pershing [Decal Included]]]
* [[wt:en/news/3638-profile-m26-pershing-a-medium-heavy-tank-en|[Vehicle Profile] M26 Pershing: A Medium Heavy Tank]]
* [[wikipedia:M26_Pershing|[Wikipedia] M26 Pershing]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/M26_Pershing.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Medium/Heavy Tank M26 Pershing]
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=64 <nowiki>[Military Factory]</nowiki> M26 Pershing]

=== References ===
<references />

{{TankManufacturer Ordnance Department}}
{{USA medium tanks}}

F-16A ADF

2023-03-24T23:14:27Z

U97916902: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-16 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f_16a_block_15_adf
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 10,973 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,093 || 2,063 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 20.3 || 20.6 || 252.7 || 240.2 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,198 || 2,146 || 19.3 || 19.8 || 340.8 || 295.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,555  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 470 || 463 || ~10 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 || 1
| colspan="2" | 7,970 kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with internal fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 29m fuel
|-
| 1,470 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 8,942 kg || 10,193 kg || 11,210 kg || 12,914 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 29m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 6,490 kgf || 8,985 kgf
| 1.01 || 0.88 || 0.80 || 0.70
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 7,434 kgf (1,555 km/h) || 15,225 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.71 || 1.49 || 1.36 || 1.18
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, wing root-mounted (512 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|AIM-7M Sparrow|AIM-9L Sidewinder}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 1 x 300 gal drop tank
* 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AIM-7M Sparrow missiles

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="6%" | 1 !! width="6%" | 2 !! width="6%" | 3 !! width="6%" | 4 !! width="6%" | 5 !! width="6%" | 6 !! width="6%" | 7
| rowspan="4" width="25%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! AIM-7M Sparrow missiles
| || || 1 || || 1 || ||
|-
! AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! 300 gal drop tanks
| || || || 1 || || ||
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The F-16A ADF can be a powerful fighter with multiple playstyles, rushing straight into battle or hanging high and utilizing the [[AIM-7M Sparrow]]s. Players that plan to stay low and accelerate straight into action will be satisfied with the F-16's low-altitude performance and radar. Players that want to keep high and sling AIM-7Ms at targets will be more than pleased with the F-16's strong climb rate, range of the AIM-7M, and radar. A mixed countermeasure loadout (1 flare, 1 chaff) is recommended because it allows 30 countermeasure drops against radar or IR missiles. In order to be prepared for matches that may extend longer than usual, select the 20-minute fuel option in conjunction with the 300-gallon drop tank. The F-16 consumes a lot of fuel on afterburner, so it's essential to use it wisely unless the max fuel amount is selected.

The AIM-7Ms must be used wisely since only 2 Sparrows can be carried simultaneously. For long-range, high-altitude fights, seek out targets closing in fast. Do not fire at targets already about to notch or beginning to notch. AIM-7Ms are excellent for these types of engagements due to their range and manoeuvrability. As for low-altitude engagements, look for targets closing in fast and at around 500 metres altitude or above. Do not fire at targets that are flying very close to the ground because the radar will track underneath the intended target, and the missile will miss. As for [[AIM-9L Sidewinder]]s, players can be more generous with them since the ADF can carry up to 6 AIM-9Ls. If a player finds themselves above the fight, it will be effortless to fire off missiles at distracted enemies and score kills quickly. AIM-9Ls are very strong from the rear aspect and require hard defending from the opponent to evade successfully.

The F-16 is very strong in a dogfight due to its excellent TWR and energy retention. Before entering a dogfight, however, it's critical to be at the correct speed. The F-16 has a very wide turning circle at high speeds, so make sure to stay around 800-850 km/h (497-528 mph) when entering a dogfight.

'''Countering the [[MiG-29]]'''

The MiG-29 is a very versatile and capable fighter and will be one of the most common enemies you will face. However, like many planes, it's possible to counter it. It's one of the fastest jets on the deck (~1,550 km/h, 963 mph) and has access to a helmet-mounted sight, which allows the player to lock the missile in the direction of the pilot's view rather than just along the nose of the aircraft. This allows for off-bore missile launches which can be a threat. It's important to be on the lookout all the time for any missile launches, whether it be an [[R-60M]] or an [[R-27T]].

In a dogfight, the F-16 will easily outperform a MiG-29 due to its superior low-speed handling. It should be noted that the F-16 can be a bit "floppy" at low speeds , and if not corrected, can lead to being shot down.
[[File:MiG-29 vs F-16A ADF performance (WT version 2.23.1.17).png|thumb|460x460px|F-16A ADF has excellent hidden sustain turn performance only available to those using sim controls due to the artificial G-limiter (which is actually just aggressive control stiffness/"compressibility") of the aircraft.]]
The MiG-29 at high altitude can be dangerous if the opponent utilizes [[R-27ER]]s. The R-27ER has superb range, acceleration, and manoeuvrability. To counter this, stay on the lookout for MiG-29s and R-27ERs and be prepared to go into a notch position and drop chaff. The R-27ER burns for 9 seconds which allows it to be spotted for a long time before the motor burns out. The F-16 will not be able to fight BVR against a MiG-29 unless it gets the jump/fires the missile far in advance. The R-27ER is a much quicker missile than the AIM-7M, and the R-27ER will reach its intended target much faster than the AIM-7M, even if launched at the same time.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent acceleration and climb rate, the former of which helps the F-16 recover from the lower speeds that it can dogfight at
* Excellent energy retention
* Excellent manoeuvrability at low to medium speeds
* Decent top speed
* 20 mm Vulcan cannon has high velocity and rate of fire
* Six powerful missiles: up to six all aspect AIM-9Ls and up to two potent SARH AIM-7Ms
* Drop tank available to extend range
* Bubble canopy with excellent unobstructed 360° visibility gives great situational awareness in simulator mode

'''Cons:'''

* Lacks any air-to-ground suspended ordnance whatsoever
* Internal M61 cannon has a small ammo pool
* Very poor manoeuvrability at higher speeds (above around 850km/h) due to angle of attack (AOA) limiter
** Staying at these higher speeds is ideal for general air combat, but greatly limits manoeuvring and dogfighting ability
** At these speeds, poor nose pointing ability makes it troublesome to lock Sidewinders, get an ACM radar lock, or aim the gun
** Only by going below these speeds (thus getting slow) does ''any'' semblance of dogfighting ability whatsoever begin to be gained
** Acceleration can be "too good": Poor high speed manoeuvrability combined with excellent acceleration and energy retention means heavy down-throttling, air braking and energy management is practically required to drop below these speeds to dogfight
* Very hot engine temperature
* Extremely high fuel consumption on afterburner

== History ==

In the mid-1980s, after the deactivation of the USAF Air Defense Command, the ANG (Air National Guard) was tasked with defending North American airspace from Soviet bombers. To complete this task, 270 F-16A/Bs were to be converted into ADFs (Air Defense Fighters) at Ogden Air Logistics Center in Utah. General Dynamics carried out the first conversions and then sent kits to Ogden to complete the conversion. The ADF conversion included upgrading the AN/APG-66 radar to improve target acquisition of small targets, IFF for distinguishing friendlies and foes (AN/APX-109), and a 150,000-candlepower night spotlight for identification.

The first F-16 ADF was delivered to the Oregon Air National Guard in March 1989. Conversions started from 1989 to 1992, with around 270 airframes converted to ADF F-16s. However, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, there was no longer a purpose for the F-16 ADF. The Air National Guard F-16s were to be slowly phased out and were either converted back to the original F-16A/B configuration or placed in storage. The North Dakota ANG had the last few F-16 ADFs in service until they were retired in 2007. Since the F-16 ADFs in storage had low flight hours, they were sold to other countries like Jordan (Peace Falcon program) and Thailand (Peace Naresuan IV program.)

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f_16a_block_15_adf Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:IFF F-16 ADF.png|4-blade "bird slicer" antenna on the nose of the F-16A ADF (AN/APX-109)
</gallery>

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[F-16 (Family)]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer General Dynamics}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

Tornado F.3

2023-03-24T07:09:25Z

U97916902: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = British jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Tornado (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=tornado_f3
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Sky Guardians"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 11,582 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,280 || 2,269 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 28.4 || 28.6 || 167.3 || 163.4 || rowspan="2" | 800
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || ___ || ___ || ___ || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || > ___
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | _____ || _
| colspan="2" | _,___ kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel
|-
| ___ kg || colspan="2" | ___
| _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || ___%/WEP
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || ___ kgf || ___ kgf
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Optimal'' || ___ kgf (_ km/h) || ___ kgf (_ km/h)
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Mauser BK27 (27 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon, chin-mounted (180 rpg)
** 1 x 27 mm Mauser BK27 cannon + 32 x large calibre countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|AIM-9L Sidewinder|Skyflash|Skyflash SuperTEMP}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 2 x 330 gal drop tanks
* 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles + 320 x countermeasures
* 4 x Skyflash missiles
* 4 x Skyflash SuperTEMP missiles

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="9.0%" | 1 !! width="9.0%" | 2 !! width="9.0%" | 3 !! width="9.0%" | 4 !! width="9.0%" | 5
| rowspan="6" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
| 1, 2 *|| || || || 1, 2 *
|-
! Skyflash missiles
| || || 4 || ||
|-
! Skyflash SuperTEMP missiles
| || || 4 || ||
|-
! Countermeasures
| 160 * || || || || 160 *
|-
! 330 gal drop tanks
| || 1 || || 1 ||
|-
| colspan="7" | * Countermeasures can be carried with Sidewinder missiles on the same hardpoint
|}

== Usage in battles ==


Like other planes at this BR, the Tornado F.3 is outclassed by higher tier aircraft. This is especially problematic given the Tornado F.3 is heavily dependent on its weaponry and avionics to be competitive.

The Skyflash Super TEMPs are very potent but not on par with the [[AIM-7F Sparrow]]s. They accelerate faster and will outpace the AIM-7F within 4-6 km but refrain from trying to BVR Duel with the rank VIII Phantoms or the F-4J/S. The Skyflash will hang at around the same speed as the AIM-7F at BVR ranges. Due to how long the AIM-7F/M burns it will eventually outpace the Skyflash at longer ranges It goes without saying but The Skyflash is not an effective weapon against the [[R-27ER]] or the [[Matra Super 530D]]. Your prime targets are unsuspecting targets 4-9 km away heading generally towards you.

Try and avoid "fair" missile jousts considering the atrocious manoeuvrability of the Tornado F.3 makes it near impossible to kinetically dodge SARH missiles. Most of the high-end radar missiles can still guide into you due to CW missiles tracking residual radar returns or just gliding into you since the Tornado F.3 is not manoeuvrable enough to change course quickly to dodge the missile, even if the lock was broken. While most planes can outmanoeuvre a head on SARH missile by manoeuvring (rolling) out of the way, the Tornado cannot. It's even difficult to notch a radar-guided missile within 10 km given the closure speed and nearly orbital turning circle of the tornado. Of course, both are possible in certain circumstances but it isn't a reliable way to survive an competent opponent who has taken their time setting up a good SARH missile. Within 5 km, there isn't much you can do other than spam chaff and hope for the best.

Don't dogfight. You have no workable advantages against your opponent unless they are already badly crippled with large sections of their wings/tail missing. If you are chased, get a teammate to cover your back or run back to the airfield. Try and fly in a straight line given your speed bleed in any sort of turn manoeuvre.

The tornado F.3 likes to fly predictable, straight paths and makes very predictable manoeuvres. Any enemy with an ounce of situational awareness will easily be able to keep tabs on you with no effort whatsoever. You can't really make unpredictable manoeuvres and sneak up on people given your overall lack of mobility in any direction other than forward. This makes it hard to employ your AIM-9Ls or your guns, given it is very difficult to stick to an opponent's tail for a good rear aspect shot. Although you will still find the AIM-9L to be a very consistent weapon and a good close range missile.

At this BR, you can outrange pretty much anyone at your own BR with BVR missiles. Your biggest challenge will be F-4J/S with their AIM-7Fs and PDV radars. You have a fair chance of spotting and locking them first given your superior radar. When BVR fighting with an equal BR opponent, it might be a good idea to deliberately waste a Skyflash with a launch from maximum range just to give the enemy something to think about if they continue to commit to a head on. Once the missile is headed your way there isn't much you can do so the best defense is a good offence in this situation.

Never pull negative Gs in the Tornado F.3. As with many top tier planes the negative G performance of the tornado is poor. Unlike the British [[Phantom FGR.2|Phantoms]] your wings are not sturdy enough to sustain negative Gs even for a few seconds, often snapping as soon as you put your nose down. The Tornado is generally an unstable aircraft and prone to flat spinning as soon as the wing falls off, so don't expect to get back to base once you've lost a wing. Rolling can easily make the Tornado snap its wings. When in a turn, refrain from rolling in a 2G+ turn or else there is a good chance you may loose one or both wings. You may not have the controllability to recover and you may go into an uncontrollable spin depending on how violently you were rolling.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Has a lot of countermeasures, including large-calibre ones
* Can carry 8 air-to-air missiles at once
** Skyflash SuperTEMPs are effective SARH missiles in a BVR role
** Potent all-aspect heat-seeking AIM-9L missiles
* Has radar gunsight
* Advanced radar for its BR
** Includes TWS that indicates direction of enemy
** PD has IFF
* Can carry drop tanks to extend range

'''Cons:'''

* Poor turning performance
* Loses energy quickly in a turn
* Lacklustre acceleration
* Other BVR missiles have a longer range in an uptier
* Very difficult to kinetically dodge SARH missiles due to aforementioned poor turn rate
* Short ACM range
* The 27 mm cannon has a low rate of fire, low ammunition count, and mediocre damage
* Absence of drogue chute requires a long distance to land

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=tornado_f3 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Kk-ag2B2ZqU|'''Tornado F.3: A Basic Review''' - ''Tims Variety''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Tornado (Family)]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer Panavia}}
{{Britain jet aircraft}}

F-4E Phantom II

2023-03-20T22:22:52Z

U97916902: /* Notable Air RB enemies */

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-4 Phantom II (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-4e
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
|cockpit=F-4E II Cockpit.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.97 "Viking Fury"]].

The mighty F-4E Phantom II is a famous US aircraft from the Vietnam War era and a reliable workhorse of many militaries around the world. Powered by two General Electric J79-GE-17 jets, each producing an incredible 8,010 kgf on maximum afterburner, the F-4E boasts high speed and a solid climb rate. Leading-edge "Agile Eagle" slats increase its turning capability and somewhat mitigate the reputation of the Phantom family as flying bricks. In the weapons department, the F-4E has access to AIM-7E-2 Sparrows for medium-to-long range combat, AIM-9J Sidewinders for close-in work, and an enormous array of ground attack ordnance including AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missiles and AGM-62 Walleye glide bombs. This multi-role vehicle is a supremely capable ground attacker and a competitive fighter, though in air combat pilots must account for its lack of a pulse-Doppler radar.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 12,192 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,097 || 2,074 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.5 || 27.5 || 160.8 || 151.2 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,202 || 2,140 || 25.5 || 26.0 || 221.6 || 190.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
[[File:F-4E Phantom II deploying drogue chute.png|right|thumb|420x420px|A ROKAF F-4E Phantom II from to 153th Combat Squadron deploying its drogue chute for landing]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 1,458 || 625 || 463 || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 810 || < 750 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | General Electric J79-GE-17 || 2
| colspan="2" | 14,205 kg || colspan="2" | 408 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel
|-
| 1,750 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 15,964 kg || 18,027 kg || 20,069 kg || 28,681 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 5,200 kgf || 8,010 kgf
| 1.00 || 0.89 || 0.80 || 0.56
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,200 kgf (0 km/h) || 10,170 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.27 || 1.13 || 1.01 || 0.71
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


The survivability features of the {{PAGENAME}} have grown compared to its [[F-4C Phantom II|predecessor]] with an armour plate and missile countermeasures attached.

By this stage in the high-rank battles, all the fuel tanks are self-sealing. While this will assist with any fuel tank punctures from machine gun calibre weapons, the presence of fast-firing autocannons and missiles mean that these self-sealing tanks are only an accessory to the overall survival of the aircraft.

The addition of an armour plate is a minor benefit as it is only an 8.5 mm steel plate just below the forward fuel tank in the fuselage. This is only thick enough to block a glancing shot to the fuselage. Its most effective use seems to when the {{PAGENAME}} as it is pulling up from an attack run, as it is in that angle where the armour plate can potentially block any shot threatening the fuselage fuel tanks and engine. However, considering the small size it is made up of and the large plane overall, this armour plate should not be relied upon for the overall survival of the aircraft.

The biggest change from previous version is the countermeasure flares, which are greatly useful at deterring incoming infrared-homing missiles like the [[AIM-9J Sidewinder|Sidewinders]] or [[R-60]]s. To utilise the flares, one must turn off their engine afterburners to eliminate that as a significant source of heat, deploy the flares in a suitable manner, then bank away from the flares to that the missile lock onto the remaining heat source rather than the plane's engine.

A survivability feature shared with its predecessor is the Radar Warning Receiver (RWR). The RWR will ping the player in the source of any incoming radar scans, and will also notify if the radar source have achieved a lock-on with the player. Keep an eye on this as it may signify to the player that an enemy semi-active radar homing missile may be launched soon and evasive actions should be taken.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, chin-mounted (640 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 90 x countermeasures

Due to this cannon's high rate of fire, trigger discipline is a must.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)}}
{{main|AGM-62A Walleye I (505 kg)|GBU-8 (2,000 lb)|GBU-15(V)1/B (2,000 lb)|AGM-12C Bullpup|AGM-65B}}
{{main|AIM-7E Sparrow|AIM-7E-2 Sparrow|AIM-9E Sidewinder|AIM-9J Sidewinder}}
{{main|BLU-27/B incendiary|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP|GAU-4 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 3 x 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1,200 rpg = 3,600 total)
* 24 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 24 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 17 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (12,750 lb total)
* 13 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (13,000 lb total)
* 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
* 285 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 60 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
* 2 x AGM-12C Bullpup missiles
* 6 x AGM-65B missiles
* 4 x 505 kg AGM-62A Walleye I bombs (2,020 kg total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb GBU-8 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 2 x 2,000 lb GBU-15(V)1/B bombs (4,000 lb total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" width="100%" style="text-align:center"
|-
! !! width="4%" | 1 !! width="4%" | 2 !! width="4%" | 3 !! width="4%" | 4 !! width="4%" | 5 !! width="4%" | 6 !! width="4%" | 7 !! width="4%" | 8 !! width="4%" | 9 !! width="4%" | 10 !! width="4%" | 11
| rowspan="20" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_F-4C_Phantom_II.png]]</div>
|-
! 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1,200 rpg)
| 1 || || || || || 1 || || || || || 1
|-
! 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs
| 6 || 3 || || || || 6 || || || || 3 || 6
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| 6 || 3 || || || || 6 || || || || 3 || 6
|-
! 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs
| 3 || 3 || || || || 5 || || || || 3 || 3
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| 2 || 3 || || || || 3 || || || || 3 || 2
|-
! 505 kg AGM-62A Walleye I bombs
| 1 || 1* || || || || || || || || 1* || 1
|-
! 2,000 lb GBU-8 bombs
| 1 || 1* || || || || || || || || 1* || 1
|-
! 2,000 lb GBU-15(V)1/B bombs
| || 1* || || || || || || || || 1* ||
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| 1 || || || || || 1 || || || || || 1
|-
! BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
| 1 || || || || || 2 || || || || || 1
|-
! FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
| 57 || 57 || || || || 57 || || || || 57 || 57
|-
! Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
| 12 || 12 || || || || 12 || || || || 12 || 12
|-
! AGM-12C Bullpup missiles
| || 1* || || || || || || || || 1* ||
|-
! AGM-65B missiles
| || 3* || || || || || || || || 3* ||
|-
! AIM-7E Sparrow missiles
| || || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
! AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
| || || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
! AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
| || || 1, 2* || || || || || || 1, 2* || ||
|-
! AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
| || || 2* || || || || || || 2* || ||
|-
| colspan="12" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg
|-
| colspan="13" | * Marked options for hardpoints 2/10 cannot be used in conjunction with air-to-air missiles on hardpoints 3/9 respectively
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The F-4E Phantom II is well-suited for most in-game situations. For attacking ground targets, the plane is armed with an assortment of bombs, rockets, and missiles. And against air targets, players may employ the vehicle's deadly air-to-air missiles and frontal cannon(s). If desired, three externally-mounted gunpods may be equipped, but note that these may not be useful in certain situations. Although they will undoubtedly increase the vehicle's destructive capabilities, they also appreciably hinder flight performance through induced drag. In many situations, one front-facing cannon is all that is required to dispatch an opponent aircraft. As for the missiles, the ones used by this plane are average at its rank, comparable to the [[R-60]] missiles equipped by the [[MiG-21MF (Germany)]] and the [[MiG-21SMT]] (albeit with worse manoeuvrability). The AIM-9J missiles are most effective when fired from between 1 to 3 km away from the target. Any closer and they will struggle to track and likely veer off target for a miss.

The F-4E has one of the highest rates of climb out of any vehicle in the game. This is however where most of its performance advantages end. Due to its weight, the Phantom has rather mediocre acceleration, and not the best top speed. It is not advised to dogfight anything other than Starfighters and other Phantom variants, as the F-4 has a very poor turn rate. Although the aircraft has better energy retention than most of its opponents, it still bleeds considerable amounts of speed while turning, which can't be regained very quickly due to the aircraft's heavy weight. It also performs quite poorly at low speeds, which is also caused by its weight.

=== Air-to-Air ===
In air realistic battles, it is recommended to take a balanced fuel load of 20 or 30 minutes, depending on how aggressive you fly (this will also allow you to liberally use the afterburner without fear of premature fuel exhaustion). The most useful default Air RB armament for the F-4E are the 4 AIM-9Js or 4 AIM-7E-2s, though both missiles can be used under a custom loadout setting. As the F-4E's dogfighting abilities are rather lacklustre, the Sparrows may prove more useful in the long run compared to the AIM-9J Sidewinders. The best strategy is to accelerate to a speed of roughly 900-1,100 km/h on the deck and then zoom climb to altitude (5 km or higher), where the pilot should accelerate to the highest speed possible. Lock on to targets with your radar and use your Sparrows to shoot down enemy aircraft when in range; and remember to keep an eye on your RWR as being at altitude makes you an easy target for the long range missiles prevalent at this tier. Sparrows should ideally be launched above Mach 1 to take maximum advantage of their range and manoeuvrability. After using up all your Sparrows, return to base to rearm, with the Sidewinders (if brought along) used moreso for self-defense rather than as a primary weapon. Because of its poor flight characteristics, the Phantom will struggle in one-on-one fights, making it vital to keep your teammates around and to avoid dogfighting whenever possible. The Phantom should target enemies turnfighting its friendlies, as not only will the enemy be distracted and slow, but it provides you a chance to save your teammate, who in turn may down another enemy chasing you later in the match.

To reiterate, dogfighting should be avoided as much as possible. The Phantom was designed around missiles, so they will naturally be your main way of getting kills, with the gun being a backup weapon for opportune targets. Furthermore, most of the enemies you will face at 11.0 or above can and will be able to easily manoeuvre around you, if they haven't already fired a high performance AAM at you. Although if one has unlocked the triple SUU-23/A gunpods, that is an almost surefire way to earn at least one kill in the classic head-on (in addition to its usefulness in attacking ground targets, possibly being the best option in Air Realistic).

==== Notable Air RB enemies ====

* [[MiG-21bis]]: the most advanced Soviet MiG-21, with amazing acceleration that can catch up to the F-4E quite easily, a good turn rate than can easily out-dogfight the F-4E, and flares to evade missiles. The German [[MiG-21bis-SAU]] has access to all-aspect R-60MK missiles as well. Neither has competitive radar-guided missiles however.
* [[JA37C|JA37C Viggen]]: a Swedish powerhouse that boasts high low-altitude speed, good turning performance, similar weapons to the F-4E, and a Pulse-Doppler radar.
* [[Mirage IIIC]]/[[Mirage IIIE|IIIE]]: armed with two of the best infrared missiles in the game, the R.550 Magic, and a long-range radar-guided missile with similar performance to the AIM-7. Strong short-term turning capabilities make them dangerous in snapshots. However, the former does not have countermeasures, and both have rather sluggish flight performance that is easily outran by the F-4E.
* [[Phantom FGR.2]]/[[Phantom FG.1|FG.1]]: British Phantoms with more powerful engines, can out accelerate and outrun the F-4E. They also have pulse-Doppler radars and are superior in BVR. However, the F-4E beats these phantoms in a dogfight as they lack the F-4E’s agile eagle slats.
* [[F-4EJ Kai Phantom II|F-4EJ Kai]]: Japanese Phantom with an excellent pulse-Doppler radar and dangerous AIM-9L and AIM-7F missiles. However, similar to the British Phantoms. it lacks the F-4E’s agile eagle slats and thus is beaten by the F-4E in a dogfight.
* F-4E Phantom II: This very aircraft, as a result you simply play around its weaknesses as described in the "[[#Pros and cons|Pros and cons]]" section.
* [[F-4J Phantom II]]: Equivalent naval American Phantom variant, sacrifices ATGM/GBU capability for superior AIM-7F SARH missiles and a PD radar, but lack of "agile eagle" wing slats means it is beaten by the F-4E in a dogfight.
* [[MiG-23M]]/[[MiG-23MF (Germany)|MF]]/[[MiG-23MLD|MLD]]: swing-wing fighters with potent missiles, good avionics, and superior agility to the F-4E on lower sweep settings. Avoid dogfighting and keep an eye out for sneak attacks with the R-23T/24T missiles. The MiG-23M and MiG-23MF have very limited countermeasures, which the F-4E can exploit with its large missile capacity. The MiG-23MLD has excellent speed and climb performance that can match or exceed the F-4E.
* [[J-7E]]: a light and nimble Chinese fighter with exceptional agility but no radar-guided missiles. Avoid dogfighting whenever possible.
* [[F-14A Early]]: Fourth generation fighter and American successor to the F-4, with the ultra-long range and fire-and-forget Phoenix missiles, superior radar and missiles, and vastly superior dogfighting performance. Acceleration and top speed is mediocre, however, and the F-4E can keep up with its speed.
* [[Mirage 2000C-S5|Mirage 2000C]]: French fourth generation fighter with vastly superior turn rate, acceleration, and missiles. It only has four missiles, however, as opposed to the F-4E’s eight.
* [[F-16 (Family)|F-16A]]: American fourth generation fighter with superior AIM-9L (and, in most cases, AIM-7F/Ms), superior PD radar, vastly superior turn rate and acceleration. Its top speed can be matched by the F-4E. Avoid dogfighting whenever possible.
* [[MiG-29]]: Russia fourth generation fighter with R-60Ms, extremely dangerous R-27ER radar guided missiles, look-down radar, and vastly superior turn rate, acceleration and top speed. Generally should be avoided.

=== Ground Realistic ===
While the AA threat at this BR is significant, this aircraft can still find great utility if used properly and is among the top aircraft for CAS in the American tech tree when the appropriate modifications are unlocked. However, like most aircraft at this BR it has little utility in ground RB when stock/without countermeasures unlocked and even when spaded is still heavily pressured by SAMs, which on some maps can even immediately engage the aircraft as it spawns. In the ground attack role, while its 20 mm cannon can do significant damage against the thinly armoured topsides of most vehicles at this BR, the strafing runs required to do so put you at immense risk of being shot down by radar-guided AAA, any SAM, or even some tanks with proximity fused ammunition/ATGMs/autocannons. Due to this, CAS should be completely avoided in a stock F-4E.

As a result, you want to rely on quick strikes that put you in the line of fire for as little time as possible or long range attacks that eliminate the need to enter enemy AA range at all. The latter is most prominently done with its TV-guided munitions, the best of which are the AGM-62 Walleyes, GBU-8s and AGM-65 Mavericks. To significantly make use of these guided weapons, you often need to put several kilometers worth of distance between you and the target so you can properly aim, fire, and pull away (and optimally against a stationary target). All these weapons have two lock modes: point lock and track lock (you can tell what kind of lock you have by looking at the selected weapon name). Point lock means that the weapon has locked on to a point of the ground, and upon optimal conditions will hit that point. Track lock means that the weapon has locked on to an enemy vehicle, and under optimal conditions will follow its movement and hit it. Track locks are usually much more difficult to achieve, needing a much closer range, but is the more reliable option when attempting to destroy vehicles (oftentimes an unaware enemy will accidentally move outside the point lock of your weapon and dodge it).

* The AGM-62A Walleye is a guided bomb, meaning it has no power and glides to a target via gravity and launch speed of the aircraft. It is a smaller, lighter weapon than the heavier GBU-8.
* The GBU-8 HOBOS is also a guided bomb similar to the Walleye. Compared to the Walleye, it has a vastly heavier 2,000lb warhead, but is also heavier in weight.
* The GBU-15(V)1/B is another guided bomb that the F-4E has. It is very similar to the GBU-8, but cannot be launched at supersonic speeds, and so taking these over GBU-8s or AGM-65s are generally not recommended.
* The AGM-65B Maverick is an air-to-ground missile. This means it has a rocket motor that propels it for a short amount of time, making it more suitable for lower altitude launches where the guided bombs would not have enough altitude to glide to the target. The Maverick is also generally better than the guided bombs at obtaining and holding a track lock on enemy vehicles. In addition, more can be taken (3 can be taken in the place of one bomb). However, the AGM-65 can sometimes be unreliable, such as exploding randomly or losing lock, especially in the case of long range launches (<8 km). Compared to the guided bombs, the Maverick has an anti-tank HEAT warhead, which theoretically should destroy any vehicle it hits but sometimes can fail to kill heavily-armoured MBTs. In addition, being a HEAT warhead and not a bomb, the Maverick doesn't have the blast radius to score critical hits from near misses.

Obtaining a lock can be difficult as the launch parameters for a reliable track lock with the TV-guided weapons put you in the range of most radar-guided SAMs due to the limited zoom of its seeker head. This is especially true with the advent of the highly advanced Pantsir-S1, with SAMs that vastly outrange your weapons. Therefore, in order to properly perform CAS, the SAM vehicles must first be destroyed. For the Pantsir, the most reliable strategy is quick pop-up strikes with the guided weapons. Upon spawning, immediately dive for treetop level as your airspawn is in range of the Pantsir's SAMs. Attempt to use terrain to stay hidden from the SAMs, which are likely located in the enemy's spawn area, while flanking left, right or behind the enemy's spawn. Once around 10 km away from the spawn, turn in and accelerate directly towards the enemy's spawn while staying low. Get as close as you can without being detected; at around 4-5 km, start rapidly climbing to around 500 m, and use the TV sight to attempt to locate any SAMs in the enemy's spawn. At 3-4 km, your TV-guided munitions have a better chance of tracking the enemy, and if you've located a SAM vehicle, launch your weapon. Quickly go defensive by turning away from the spawn while releasing chaff (also turn away if you haven't located any SAMs by 3 km). By any luck, your TV-guided weapon will destroy the SAM. You can circle around and rinse and repeat to attempt to destroy additional SAMs. Once you are sure there are no more SAMs, you can climb to a higher altitude to launch your ordnance against enemy tanks.

AGM-12C Bullpup missiles must be guided with your keyboard, thus highly reducing your situational awareness and aircraft movement while you attempt to guide the missile. Though Bullpups were powerful at lower BRs, at top tier and in a SAM prevalent environment, it is not recommended to use them.

Air-to-air ordnance can be taken, but in a limited amount. Sidewinders can generally be omitted for additional ordnance due to the prevalence of countermeasures at this BR. Additionally, they are of little use against many helicopters such as the Ka-50/52 which have IRCM and countermeasure dispensers that automatically activate upon a missile launch. What does work against helicopters is the radar-guided AIM-7E/E-2 Sparrow. Though the F-4E's radar unfortunately cannot lock on to low-flying aircraft, at top tier, oftentimes helicopters will be flying high enough to be locked onto. Due to the to helicopter's slow speed, the radar will still not lock on to the helicopter until at most <3 km, and sometimes will only lock as close as 1.5 km. At this close range, chaff launches and evasive manoeuvres from the helicopter will not be enough to fool the radar-guided missile. While the M61 cannon can be used to shoot down helicopters, they have tracking-assisted cannons which will likely destroy you if you are spotted. Thus Sparrows are the safer weapon choice against helicopters. Sparrows can also be used against strike drones, which are not hot and difficult to get a Sidewinder lock on. This air-to-air ordnance adds to the SP costs of air to ground loadouts, it's generally worth it to entirely omit or take a reduced loadout of said weapons.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Can carry up to eight missiles, allowing a total of four AIM-9Js and AIM-7E-2 (DF) for fighting either manoeuvring aircraft or at close-medium range head-on engagements respectively.
* Equipped with flares and chaff for evading enemy missiles
* Can carry a vast range of deadly ground attack ordnance (including fire-and-forget ATGMs and guided bombs)
* Deadly frontal armament with high burst mass and high damage
* Has a ballistic computer for assisting in the aim of cannons, rockets, and bombs
* Better manoeuvrability than most other Phantoms due to slats
* Best CAS payload out of all US Phantoms

'''Cons:'''

* Susceptible to wing rip, especially when doing negative G manoeuvres or rolls
* Limited ammunition in the frontally-mounted cannon
* Large target for aircraft and AA alike
* Despite having slats, it is still a heavy aircraft which bleeds speed quickly and will struggle in dogfights versus more manoeuvrable opponents
* Two engines make for a strong heat signature, making it harder to dodge missiles
* Flight performance suffers immensely when carrying large amounts of ordnance
* Radar lacks pulse-Doppler or look-down capabilities, meaning it is difficult to lock and engage enemies below the horizon and/or at low altitudes with Sparrows
* In Air Battles, is often uptiered to top-rank where it can become vastly outclassed in speed, manoeuvrability, and firepower

== History ==

[[File:F-4E Phantom.jpg|thumb|350px|An F-4E of Holloman Air Force base.]]
The F-4E was initially designed as an incremental upgrade to the standard F-4C airframe used by the US Air Force. The aircraft carried a new radar in a redesigned radome, and more importantly, an internal M61 cannon mounted in the nose. As well, later-production aircraft featured the Agile Eagle upgrade, which gave the Phantom leading edge slats which improved manoeuvrability at the expense of top speed. The addition of an internal cannon was a highly anticipated upgrade, as it fixed a problem that F-4C squadrons faced when operating over Vietnam.

The first F-4Es entered service in the 1960s and were dispatched to serve in Vietnam, where they complemented the existing inventories of F-4C and D variant aircraft. The aircraft type was credited with 21 kills in Vietnam, most of which were achieved using the AIM-7E-2 'Dogfight Sparrow'. Several pilots achieved Ace status while flying the F-4 in Vietnam, including Charles B. DeBellevue, who was the highest-scoring American ace in Vietnam. The F-4 went on to form the backbone of the US fighter force for the bulk of the 1960s and 70s. As well, F-4E was flown by the USAF Thunderbirds Demonstration Team between 1969 and 1974. The large, noisy Phantom performed around the world until 1974, when rising fuel costs forced the Thunderbirds to convert to the smaller T-38 Talon.

The F-4E was exported to a variety of countries. Israel was the largest foreign user of the F-4 Phantom, having purchased 124 F-4 Phantoms from the United States betwen 1971 and 1974; the Israelis were credited with at least 115 kills using the F-4 Phantom during various conflicts. As well, Germany and Japan both procured modified versions of the F-4E, being the F-4F and F-4EJ, respectively. Other notable foreign users of the F-4E include Australia (24 aircraft), Egypt (35 aircraft), Greece (34 aircraft), and Turkey (40 aircraft).

During service, the Phantom gained a number of nicknames, including "Rhino" (referencing its titanium construction and long nose), "Double-Ugly", and even "The world's largest distributor of MiG Parts", referencing the 277 MiGs downed by the Phantom during various conflicts. The USAF retired the aircraft in 1996, and the aircraft was used as a target drone until 2016. The aircraft remains in service with Iran, Japan, South Korea, Greece and Turkey, 62 years after its maiden flight.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-4e Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|TWT-ETcU_No|'''The Shooting Range #198''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:33 discusses the F-4E Phantom II.}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[F-4 Phantom II (Family)]]

;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-21 (Family)]]
* SAAB [[J35D]] ''Draken''
* Dassault [[Mirage IIIC]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/479889-f-4e/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* [https://archive.org/details/t.o.1f4c1flightmanualf4cf4df4e01101970/mode/2up/ Technical Order 1F-4C-1 - Flight Manual for F-4C/F-4D/F-4E Aircraft]

{{AirManufacturer McDonnell}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

Leopard 2A6

2023-03-18T08:04:42Z

U97916902: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Leopard 2 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_leopard_2a6
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "New Power"]].

The succeeding variant of the [[Leopard 2A5]], the {{PAGENAME}} is distinguished by a longer gun barrel, the 120 mm Rh120 L/55, a 55 calibre (6.6 m) long gun, 11 calibres (1.32 m) longer than its predecessor.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

[[File:Leopard 2A5 armour scheme.png|thumb|The frontal KE protection of the {{PAGENAME}} against 3BM42 at 500 m.]]

The {{PAGENAME}} retains the same excellent armour than its predecessor, the hull remains well protected and the turret cheeks are just as impenetrable. Add-on hull armour boosts the ability to protect against HEAT-FS and early APFSDS rounds. The wedges on the front of the turret are able to be blown off if a round with enough energy hits it. This isn't an issue since the armour underneath has ~710 mm of KE protection. The gunner's optic is also moved into the roof to eliminate the weak spot which was easily penetrated by any tank.

[[File:Leopard 2A5 CE armour scheme.png|thumb|The frontal CE protection of the {{PAGENAME}} against MIM-146.]]
Be aware of High Explosive rounds and ATGMs though. If these land on your commander's cupola, the fragments can knock out 3/4 crew members inside the turret. A hit to the lower part of the V shaped turret cheeks with an ATGM will most likely send fragments into your hull, penetrate and either detonate your ammo or incapacitate several crew members. Don't get hit by an ATGM-

The frontal hull can be penetrated by all APFSDS rounds and ATGM warheads at its Battle Rating - if possible, hiding it by hulldowning properly is recommended.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 35 mm (53-82°) ''Upper glacis'' 40 mm (50-51°) ''Lower glacis'' || 10 mm (5°) ''Upper hull'' 35 mm (0°) ''Lower forward hull'' 20 mm (0°) ''Lower rear hull'' || 20 mm (12-50°) ''All rear'' || 20 mm (0-8°) ''Hull roof incl. engine deck''
|-
|Turret || 80 mm (57-59°) ''Right cheek add-on'' 80 mm (55-58°) ''Left cheek add-on'' 30 mm (63°) ''Upper mantlet add-on'' 400 mm (1°) ''Mantlet armour'' 250 mm (9°) ''Mantlet shroud'' || 80 mm (20-22°) ''Right add-on'' 80 mm (22°) ''Left add-on'' 35 mm (0°) ''Forward'' 15 mm (0°) ''Rear'' || 20 mm (10°) ''Basket'' 20 mm (70°) ''Turret underside'' || 35 - 40 mm (80-89°) ''Forehead Armour'' 14 mm (68-82°) ''Forward sides'' 20 mm (89°) ''Rear turret'' 20 mm (83°) ''Basket''
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite armour !! Front !! Sides
|-
| Hull || '''Upper+Lower glacis''' 440 - 480 mm ''Kinetic'' 600 mm ''Chemical'' || N/A
|-
| Turret || '''Cheeks''' 850 - 950 mm ''Kinetic'' 1200 mm ''Chemical'' '''Gun mantlet (Centre)''' 260 - 325 mm ''Kinetic'' 600 - 690 mm ''Chemical'' '''Gun mantlet (Outer)''' 425 - 460 mm ''Kinetic'' 825 - 905 ''Chemical'' || '''Side armour''' 260 mm ''Kinetic'' 230 - 285 mm ''Chemical''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Upper hull and Lower rear hull overlap (10 + 20 mm thick)
* Upper mantlet add-on and Mantlet armour overlap (30 + 400 mm thick)
* Holes in the engine deck are covered by 8 mm of mesh

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=2,032|rbMinHp=1,327}}

The only drawback compared to the previous model would be the {{PAGENAME}}'s mobility since, despite the half ton increase in weight, the engine remains the same, so the {{PAGENAME}} retains the rather average mobility at its BR like the [[Leopard 2A5]]. Although, this difference is negligible and it is by no means a slow vehicle.
The engine is, as with all Leopard 2 variants, the MTU MB 873 Ka-501 engine which produces 1,500 hp (1,100 KW) at 2,600 RPM.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|Rh120 L/55 (120 mm)}}

The {{PAGENAME}} has access to the DM53 APFSDS, a high penetrating APFSDS shell. Such shell is able to penetrate [[M1A2 Abrams]], [[Challenger 2]] and [[T-80U]] more easily than its predecessor.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Rh120 L/55 (120 mm)|120 mm Rh120 L/55]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 42 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Rh120 L/55 (120 mm)/Ammunition|DM12A1, DM33, DM53}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''42''' || 16 ''(+26)'' || 1 ''(+41)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 2 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 15 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
* This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 2 - 1.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from rack 1 into rack 2. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,500 (1,000) || 1,200 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 2,000 (1,000) || 1,200 || -8°/+20° || ±120°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The {{PAGENAME}} retains almost the same mobility and exactly the same armour as Leopard 2A5. It does have a better gun with a better round. Yet, its playstyle remains the same.

;Hull-Down Long Distance Combat

* The Leopard 2A6's turret is one of the hardest in the game to penetrate. But, it shares the same weak spot as any other vehicle at its BR - the mantlet area. It can also be destroyed by a well-aimed shot with an ATGM.
* To eliminate the risk of getting penetrated in the gun mantlet, the use of commander's thermals which are at the roof are recommended for scouting the area without exposing the turret itself at all. Make sure to always enable Commander's fire control, so the turret itself rotates with the sight. When you spot a target, you can use the laser rangefinder whilst still being in commander's view, then switch to gunner's sight, quickly peek, eliminate the target and quickly reverse back behind cover. Your turret will be exposed for only around 2 seconds, giving your target very slim chances to retaliate.
* Stay still only when taking a shot at the target, never any longer, since the longer you stay exposed, the higher the risk that your gun, along with some crew members is going to get taken out.
* This strategy makes you more or less immortal. You can fight and win against multiple opponents at a distance. CAS and flankers can still defeat you though. Watch your flanks.

;Close-Quarters Combat

*Use 3rd person view in close quarters, always. This gives you a much better situational awareness than 10 degrees of FoV in gunner's sight. Night battles are an exception, you can use commander's thermals at medium ranges, which have a better FoV than the gunner's sight. Rotate your camera around all the time.
*Have your headphones on and watch out for engine sounds. They can give you a heads up against an enemy coming close that you don't see yet.
*In close quarters, any vehicle at your BR can penetrate you and so can you. Don't rush around mindlessly and pay attention to your surroundings.
*Sticking around your teammates can improve your lifespan.
*Since you can get penetrated easily from the front, you always have to shoot first to win. You need to be especially careful against Swedish Leopards and all Russian T-series tanks at your BR, since you have to aim for their weak spots more precisely than they need to aim at yours. If they manage to shoot you anywhere in the hull or the mantlet area, you have a problem. Meanwhile, you have to aim at the driver's hatch of T-series or the mantlet from the front and in the case of Strv 122s, only the mantlet is a reliable way of disabling them from the front.
*Never, ever peek around a corner if the enemy behind it is aiming at the corner. Your chances of shooting first are slim to none and you will most likely die.
*If uneven terrain such as a hill separates you and there is an enemy vehicle that is aware of you and aiming at you, you can peek first, provided you do it properly - don't use gunner's sight. Use 3rd person view and aim with the center of the outer crosshair circle directly at their mantlet area. Then, peek as fast as you can and as soon as you see the inner crosshair circle connect with what you are aiming at, take the shot immediately. When you learn to do this quickly enough, you will always win in this situation against any vehicle you face.
*If an enemy vehicle is rushing at you and going to peek around a corner, let them. You can easily shoot faster than they do.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Incredibly powerful DM53 APFSDS round (650 mm of penetration at 100 m)
* Great all-round turret armor
** The add-on wedge armour makes the turret cheeks impenetrable (average of 850 mm against APFSDS and 1,450 mm against HEAT)
** Small mantlet weak spot
** Side turret covered by add-on armour can bounce early APFSDS shells and newer ones too if you get lucky
* Commander's camera with 2nd generation thermal imager; this is similar to binoculars, but with thermals
* Good armour on the UFP (430 mm against APFSDS) makes it immune to older shells, though all vehicles at its BR except some SPAAs can reliably penetrate it
* Extremely good gun handling for an MBT: 40°/s for both turret rotation and gun elevation speed (with Ace crew) and -9°/+20° of maximum vertical guidance
* Gunner optics are now mounted on top of the turret, removing the annoying weak spot present on the Leopard 2A4
* Cannon barrel and cannon breech can absorb impact rounds which may otherwise penetrate the turret and injure crew members

'''Cons:'''

* Lower glacis (~250 mm of KE protection against APFSDS) can still be penetrated by most shells, similar to most MBTs
* 16 shells in the ready-rack may be insufficient when playing in Arcade Battles; be prepared to fall back and wait for a minute for the rack to replenish
* Huge hull ammo-rack if more than 16 shells are carried makes the tank vulnerable to HE shells and presents an annoying hull weak spot
* Hull penetrations are likely fatal; a penetrating shot on the left side of the hull will most likely knock out the driver, gunner and commander, while a penetrating shell on the right side of the hull will most likely hit the ammo-rack, in both cases destroying the tank
* The wedges can be shot off with several hits, though the turret cheeks alone provide 710 mm against KE
* Despite all the added armour, the turret ring and the mantlet are both easily penetrated, and the enemy will most likely aim at these two spots to disable or destroy the tank

== History ==

Following the rollout of the Leopard 2A5 modification with enhanced protection, German engineers, in cooperation with international partners, immediately began working on improving the MBTs firepower.

This was achieved by, among other minor modifications, lengthening the Rh 120 L44 cannon by 1,320 mm, thus creating the Rh 120 L55. As a result, the Leopard 2A6's firing range was extended in addition to other ballistic properties being improved.

Production of the vehicle began in the early 2000s by converting older Leopard 2A4 and A5 models to the new standard. Initially, around 225 Leopard 2A6s were produced for the German Bundeswehr. Apart from domestic use, the Leopard 2A6 also sees service with Dutch, Canadian, Greek and Portuguese forces, among others. In particular, the Leopard 2A6 was deployed with Canadian forces to Afghanistan in 2007, marking its first operational use.

The Leopard 2A6 is still in service today and, along with other variants, forms the spearhead of the armoured units of the German Bundeswehr.

''- From [[wt:en/news/6927-development-leopard-2a6-deadlier-than-ever-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_leopard_2a6 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" caption="Leopard 2A6 Devblog Images" heights="200">
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 005.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 006.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 007.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 008.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|zesNf8kYsKg|'''The Shooting Range #229''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|BkompiilVQw|'''Should You Grind The {{PAGENAME}}?''' - ''Sako Sniper''|nUJ9BpfFxNA|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6927-development-leopard-2a6-deadlier-than-ever-en|[Devblog] Leopard 2A6: Deadlier than ever]]

{{Germany medium tanks}}

Leopard 2A6

2023-03-18T08:03:53Z

U97916902: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Leopard 2 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_leopard_2a6
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "New Power"]].

The succeeding variant of the [[Leopard 2A5]], the {{PAGENAME}} is distinguished by a longer gun barrel, the 120 mm Rh120 L/55, a 55 calibre (6.6 m) long gun, 11 calibres (1.32 m) longer than its predecessor.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

[[File:Leopard 2A5 armour scheme.png|thumb|The frontal KE protection of the {{PAGENAME}} against 3BM42 at 500 m.]]

The {{PAGENAME}} retains the same excellent armour than its predecessor, the hull remains well protected and the turret cheeks are just as impenetrable. Add-on hull armour boosts the ability to protect against HEAT-FS and early APFSDS rounds. The wedges on the front of the turret are able to be blown off if a round with enough energy hits it. This isn't an issue since the armour underneath has ~710 mm of KE protection. The gunner's optic is also moved into the roof to eliminate the weak spot which was easily penetrated by any tank.

[[File:Leopard 2A5 CE armour scheme.png|thumb|The frontal CE protection of the {{PAGENAME}} against MIM-146.]]
Be aware of High Explosive rounds and ATGMs though. If these land on your commander's cupola, the fragments can knock out 3/4 crew members inside the turret. A hit to the lower part of the V shaped turret cheeks with an ATGM will most likely send fragments into your hull, penetrate and either detonate your ammo or incapacitate several crew members. Don't get hit by an ATGM-

The frontal hull can be penetrated by all APFSDS rounds and ATGM warheads at its Battle Rating - if possible, hiding it by hulldowning properly is recommended.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 35 mm (53-82°) ''Upper glacis'' 40 mm (50-51°) ''Lower glacis'' || 10 mm (5°) ''Upper hull'' 35 mm (0°) ''Lower forward hull'' 20 mm (0°) ''Lower rear hull'' || 20 mm (12-50°) ''All rear'' || 20 mm (0-8°) ''Hull roof incl. engine deck''
|-
|Turret || 80 mm (57-59°) ''Right cheek add-on'' 80 mm (55-58°) ''Left cheek add-on'' 30 mm (63°) ''Upper mantlet add-on'' 400 mm (1°) ''Mantlet armour'' 250 mm (9°) ''Mantlet shroud'' || 80 mm (20-22°) ''Right add-on'' 80 mm (22°) ''Left add-on'' 35 mm (0°) ''Forward'' 15 mm (0°) ''Rear'' || 20 mm (10°) ''Basket'' 20 mm (70°) ''Turret underside'' || 35 - 40 mm (80-89°) ''Forehead Armour'' 14 mm (68-82°) ''Forward sides'' 20 mm (89°) ''Rear turret'' 20 mm (83°) ''Basket''
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite armour !! Front !! Sides
|-
| Hull || '''Upper+Lower glacis''' 440 - 480 mm ''Kinetic'' 600 mm ''Chemical'' || N/A
|-
| Turret || '''Cheeks''' 850 - 950 mm ''Kinetic'' 1200 mm ''Chemical'' '''Gun mantlet (Centre)''' 260 - 325 mm ''Kinetic'' 600 - 690 mm ''Chemical'' '''Gun mantlet (Outer)''' 425 - 460 mm ''Kinetic'' 825 - 905 ''Chemical'' || '''Side armour''' 260 mm ''Kinetic'' 230 - 285 mm ''Chemical''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Upper hull and Lower rear hull overlap (10 + 20 mm thick)
* Upper mantlet add-on and Mantlet armour overlap (30 + 400 mm thick)
* Holes in the engine deck are covered by 8 mm of mesh

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=2,032|rbMinHp=1,327}}

The only drawback compared to the previous model would be the {{PAGENAME}}'s mobility since, despite the half ton increase in weight, the engine remains the same, so the {{PAGENAME}} retains the rather average mobility at its BR like the [[Leopard 2A5]]. Although, this difference is negligible and it is by no means a slow vehicle.
The engine is, as with all Leopard 2 variants, the MTU MB 873 Ka-501 engine which produces 1,500 hp (1,100 KW) at 2,600 RPM.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|Rh120 L/55 (120 mm)}}

The {{PAGENAME}} has access to the DM53 APFSDS, a high penetrating APFSDS shell. Such shell is able to penetrate [[M1A2 Abrams]], [[Challenger 2]] and [[T-80U]] more easily than its predecessor.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Rh120 L/55 (120 mm)|120 mm Rh120 L/55]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 42 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Rh120 L/55 (120 mm)/Ammunition|DM12A1, DM33, DM53}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''42''' || 16 ''(+26)'' || 1 ''(+41)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 2 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 15 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
* This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 2 - 1.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from rack 1 into rack 2. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,500 (1,000) || 1,200 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 2,000 (1,000) || 1,200 || -8°/+20° || ±120°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The {{PAGENAME}} retains almost the same mobility and exactly the same armour as Leopard 2A5. It does have a better gun with a better round. Yet, its playstyle remains the same.

;Hull-Down Long Distance Combat

* The Leopard 2A6's turret is one of the hardest in the game to penetrate. But, it shares the same weak spot as any other vehicle at its BR - the mantlet area. It can also be destroyed by a well-aimed shot with an ATGM.
* To eliminate the risk of getting penetrated in the gun mantlet, the use of commander's thermals which are at the roof are recommended for scouting the area without exposing the turret itself at all. Make sure to always enable Commander's fire control, so the turret itself rotates with the sight. When you spot a target, you can use the laser rangefinder whilst still being in commander's view, then switch to gunner's sight, quickly peek, eliminate the target and quickly reverse back behind cover. Your turret will be exposed for only around 2 seconds, giving your target very slim chances to retaliate.
* Stay still only when taking a shot at the target, never any longer, since the longer you stay exposed, the higher the risk that your gun, along with some crew members is going to get taken out.
* This strategy makes you more or less immortal. You can fight and win against multiple opponents at a distance. CAS and flankers can still defeat you though. Watch your flanks.

;Close-Quarters Combat

*Use 3rd person view in close quarters, always. This gives you a much better situational awareness than 10 degrees of FoV in gunner's sight. Night battles are an exception, you can use commander's thermals at medium ranges, which have a better FoV than the gunner's sight. Rotate your camera around all the time.
*Have your headphones on and watch out for engine sounds. They can give you a heads up against an enemy coming close that you don't see yet.
*In close quarters, any vehicle at your BR can penetrate you and so can you. Don't rush around mindlessly and pay attention to your surroundings.
*Sticking around your teammates can improve your lifespan.
*Since you can get penetrated easily from the front, you always have to shoot first to win. You need to be especially careful against Swedish Leopards and all Russian T-series tanks at your BR, since you have to aim for their weak spots more precisely than they need to aim at yours. If they manage to shoot you anywhere in the hull or the mantlet area, you have a problem. Meanwhile, you have to aim at the driver's hatch of T-series or the mantlet from the front and in the case of Strv 122s, only the mantlet is a reliable way of disabling them from the front.
*Never, ever peek around a corner if the enemy behind it is aiming at the corner. Your chances of shooting first are slim to none and you will most likely die.
*If uneven terrain such as a hill separates you and there is an enemy vehicle that is aware of you and aiming at you, you can peek first, provided you do it properly - don't use gunner's sight. Use 3rd person view and aim with the center of the outer crosshair circle directly at their mantlet area. Then, peek as fast as you can and as soon as you see the inner crosshair circle connect with what you are aiming at, take the shot immediately. When you learn to do this quickly enough, you will always win in this situation against any vehicle you face.
*If an enemy vehicle is rushing at you and going to peek around a corner, let them. You can easily shoot faster than they do.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Incredibly powerful DM53 APFSDS round (650 mm of penetration at 100 m)
* Great all-round turret armor
** The add-on wedge armour makes the turret cheeks impenetrable (average of 850 mm against APFSDS and 1,450 mm against HEAT)
** Small mantlet weak spot
** Side turret covered by add-on armour can bounce early APFSDS shells and newer ones too if you get lucky
* Commander's camera with 2nd generation thermal imager; this is similar to binoculars, but with thermals
* Good armour on the UFP (430 mm against APFSDS) makes it immune to older shells, though all vehicles at its BR except some SPAAs can reliably penetrate it
* Extremely good gun handling for an MBT: 40°/s for both turret rotation and gun elevation speed (with Ace crew) and -9°/+20° of maximum vertical guidance
* Gunner optics are now mounted on top of the turret, removing the annoying weak spot present on the Leopard 2A4
* Cannon barrel and cannon breech can absorb impact rounds which may otherwise penetrate the turret and injure crew members

'''Cons:'''

* Lower glacis (~250 mm of KE protection against APFSDS) can still be penetrated by most shells, similar to most MBTs
* 16 shells in the ready-rack may be insufficient when playing in Arcade Battles; be prepared to fall back and wait for a minute for the rack to replenish
* Huge hull ammo-rack if more than 16 shells are carried makes the tank vulnerable to HE shells and presents an annoying hull weak spot
** You can carry 21 or 27 rounds, they will be stored only in the lower plate. More than that is not recommended for close-quarters. It is both dangerous and unnecessary (no way you can spend 27 rounds in a city engagement)
* Hull penetrations are likely fatal; a penetrating shot on the left side of the hull will most likely knock out the driver, gunner and commander, while a penetrating shell on the right side of the hull will most likely hit the ammo-rack, in both cases destroying the tank
* The wedges can be shot off with several hits, though the turret cheeks alone provide 710 mm against KE
* Despite all the added armour, the turret ring and the mantlet are both easily penetrated, and the enemy will most likely aim at these two spots to disable or destroy the tank

== History ==

Following the rollout of the Leopard 2A5 modification with enhanced protection, German engineers, in cooperation with international partners, immediately began working on improving the MBTs firepower.

This was achieved by, among other minor modifications, lengthening the Rh 120 L44 cannon by 1,320 mm, thus creating the Rh 120 L55. As a result, the Leopard 2A6's firing range was extended in addition to other ballistic properties being improved.

Production of the vehicle began in the early 2000s by converting older Leopard 2A4 and A5 models to the new standard. Initially, around 225 Leopard 2A6s were produced for the German Bundeswehr. Apart from domestic use, the Leopard 2A6 also sees service with Dutch, Canadian, Greek and Portuguese forces, among others. In particular, the Leopard 2A6 was deployed with Canadian forces to Afghanistan in 2007, marking its first operational use.

The Leopard 2A6 is still in service today and, along with other variants, forms the spearhead of the armoured units of the German Bundeswehr.

''- From [[wt:en/news/6927-development-leopard-2a6-deadlier-than-ever-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_leopard_2a6 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" caption="Leopard 2A6 Devblog Images" heights="200">
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 005.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 006.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 007.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 008.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|zesNf8kYsKg|'''The Shooting Range #229''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|BkompiilVQw|'''Should You Grind The {{PAGENAME}}?''' - ''Sako Sniper''|nUJ9BpfFxNA|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6927-development-leopard-2a6-deadlier-than-ever-en|[Devblog] Leopard 2A6: Deadlier than ever]]

{{Germany medium tanks}}

A-4E Early

2023-03-16T01:26:59Z

U97916902: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = American strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = A-4 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=a_4e_early
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a squadron rank {{Specs|rank}} American strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "New Power"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The A-4E behaves like the A-4B, with excellent manoeuvrability at speed, aided by the automatic wing slats. However, the aircraft's poor energy retention during turns is profound, and airspeed will drop down to about 320 km/h (200 mph) after more than a 90 degree turn. Overall, it can turn with [[G.91 (Family)|G.91s]] and [[MiG-15|MiG-15s]] without issue, however extended dogfights should be avoided. If uptiered, flight performance leaves much to be desired, it can be outmanoeuvred even by the [[Yak-38 (Family)|Yak-38]], [[F-104 (Family)|F-104]] or [[MiG-21S (R-13-300)|MiG-21]] in a dogfight.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,066 || 1,057 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 37.9 || 39.0 || 29.5 || 26.7 || rowspan="2" | 900
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,096 || 1,081 || 36.5 || 37.0 || 51.4 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 592 || 562 || 410 || ~8 || ~3
|-
|}
These wings are well-known to be fragile and to easily snap at relatively normal speeds. To prevent this, always pitch positive relative to the wing. Pitching negative, or yawing too violently, are easy ways to tear one or both of your wingtips. Use the plane's high roll rate to your advantage, and make it a habit to preemptively bank into your turns. Also avoid speeding up too fast in a dive, which can also tear off wings at high speeds, instead open up airbrakes or lower throttle to 50% before diving.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 450 || < 700 || < 490 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic Mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney J52-P-6A || 1
| colspan="2" | 4,679 kg || colspan="3" | 296 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 12m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 40m fuel
|-
| 900 kg || colspan="2" | Axial-flow turbojet
| 5,419 kg || 5,913 kg || 6,530 kg || 7,147 kg || 11,113 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 12m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 40m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 3,470 kgf || N/A
| 0.64 || 0.59 || 0.53 || 0.49 || 0.31
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 3,470 kgf (0 km/h) || N/A
| 0.64 || 0.59 || 0.53 || 0.49 || 0.31
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


* 2.54 mm steel surrounding bottom half of the pilot
* 50 mm bulletproof glass in front of the cockpit

The front half of the plane holds the pilot and a self-sealing fuel tank. The wings hold non self-sealing fuel tanks, and the back half of the plane holds the engine.

One single well-placed round from an [[ADEN (30 mm)|ADEN]] cannon can completely cripple the plane by taking out the pilot or the engine. It is completely open to attack from the side and front although it can be armed with flares and chaff. Overall, survivability is quite poor, and players should minimize their chance of being hit by constantly looking around and by staying high or fast.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|Browning-Colt Mk12 Mod 0 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 2 x 20 mm Browning-Colt Mk12 Mod 0 cannons, wing-mounted (100 rpg = 200 total)
** 2 x 20 mm Browning-Colt Mk12 Mod 0 cannons + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)}}
{{main|AGM-62A Walleye I (505 kg)|AGM-12B Bullpup|AGM-12C Bullpup|AIM-9B Sidewinder}}
{{main|Mk 77 mod 4 incendiary|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP|Mk 11 mod 5 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 171 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 36 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 5 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x AGM-12C Bullpup missiles
* 20 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (5,000 lb total)
* 14 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (7,000 lb total)
* 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
* 5 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (5,000 lb total)
* 1 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bomb (2,000 lb total)
* 9 x Mk 77 mod 4 incendiary bombs
* 2 x 505 kg AGM-62A Walleye I bombs (1,010 kg total)
* 3 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannons (750 rpg = 2,250 total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="8%" | 1 !! width="8%" | 2 !! width="8%" | 3 !! width="8%" | 4 !! width="8%" | 5
| rowspan="15" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannons (750 rpg)
| || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs
| 1 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 1
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| 1 || 3 || 6 || 3 || 1
|-
! 505 kg AGM-62A Walleye I bombs
| || 1 || || 1 ||
|-
! 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| || 1 || 3 || 1 ||
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| || || 1 || ||
|-
! Mk 77 mod 4 incendiary bombs
| 1 || 2 || 3 || 2 || 1
|-
! FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
| 19 || 38 || 57 || 38 || 19
|-
! Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
| 4 || 8 || 12 || 8 || 4
|-
! AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! AGM-12C Bullpup missiles
| || 1 || || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
| || 1 || || 1 ||
|-
| colspan="6" | Maximum permissible weight: 2,710 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 900 kg
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

In Air Realistic battles, one can use this plane in a wide array of roles due to the wide array of armament.

One role the A-4E can serve is as an air-to-air fighter. The A-4E can equip either the 2 x [[AIM-9B Sidewinder]]s, the 2 x [[AIM-9B Sidewinder|AIM-9Bs]] and the 20 mm gunpod, or triple gunpods for this role. The A-4E's standard 20 mm cannons can easily shred any plane in the sky with a handful of well-placed rounds, however it only comes with 200 bullets, so short controlled bursts must be used, and only should be fired sparingly. The missiles can easily supplement the cannon, however these early missiles have a narrow tracking cone, and can easily miss targets that fly erratically, so they too must be used sparingly. If one prefers to be a gun fighter, a single gunpod (or three) can be attached to spray down targets, however they drag down the plane's climb and turn performance (especially the triple gunpods, which eliminate this plane's climbing ability in a fight).

General tactics with the A-4E is to keep altitude until one finds a target to pounce on, preferably fighters trying to climb, low flying aircraft, or distracted aircraft. Always attempt to fight aircraft flying alone; attacking an aircraft within a group is risky, as your low energy retention will make it hard to escape if the attack goes unfavourably. It is also best to turn off if your target starts to evade; If you try to chase, you can quickly bleed energy. However, when uptiered, especially versus planes like the British [[Harrier GR.1]], fighting offensively may not work at all, as these planes can easily outclimb and outrun you, and they will bounce you. In cases like these, it is best to stay back and play as a supporting fighter to your team, or simply switch to ground attack roles.

Your best defense is to not engage in fights where you are clearly outnumbered. However, if you are chased, there are little options for evasive manoeuvring. The plane's high roll rate will make it incredibly easy to dodge bullets, and the flares will help the plane dodge missiles. However, the low energy retention will make it extremely hard to escape the fight altogether, especially if perused by multiple aircraft. In such situations, your best bet is to have a friendly plane to pounce the chasing enemy fighters, which can give you a window to escape or fight back or to hide behind any hills or terrain that might cover you lower towards the ground.

If using this plane as a ground attacker, equip either [[FFAR Mighty Mouse|FFAR]] or [[Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP|Zuni]] rocket pods, [[AGM-12B Bullpup|AGM-12]] Bullpups, or the 20mm gunpod, and attack ground targets.

Another option is to use the wide array of bombs, preferably the 14 x 500 lb loadout, and destroy enemy bases (typically you can only destroy one, sometimes two) with them. Do this by flying low and fast, to the base hitting one or two and then turn around away from the enemy fighters. When flying back to the base, if the jet has [[AIM-9B Sidewinder|AIM-9's]] equipped, try to support the team by hitting or scarring off enemy fighters who may be attacking a helpless ally. Then, when you return to base, you could rearm with bombs, or rearm with [[AIM-9B Sidewinder|AIM-9's]] and fly as a late-game fighter to finish off remaining players.

In Ground RB, the preferable secondary armaments are the [[FFAR Mighty Mouse|FFAR]] or [[Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP|Zuni]] rocket pods, or the 5 x [[AGM-12B Bullpup|AGM-12B]] missiles. These missiles, with enough practice, function like a precision 250 lb bomb that is guided to the target, most of the time destroying it. The 2 x AGM-62A Walleye bombs can also be used very effectively with practice, however with only two bombs, it is better to use the five [[AGM-12B Bullpup|AGM-12B]] missiles instead. When using the Walleyes, climb high and dive down onto enemy tanks to get a lock onto them, which takes away most cover they might be using. As well as strike Roll, the A-4E can use it's gun pods or it's AIM-9s to take down other strike Aircraft or Helicopters. The A-4E can be well paired with the [[XM-803]], [[MBT-70]], or the [[XM-1 (GM)|XM-1]] to form a good lineup.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Access to countermeasures
* Excellent roll rate
* Can utilize [[Ballistic Computer#CCRP Usage|CCRP]] to assist in bomb dropping
* Excellent ordnance options
** Has strong air-to-air support capability with access to [[AIM-9B Sidewinder]] missiles, powerful quick-firing 20mm Mk11 Mod 5 gun pods, or a combination of both
** Can carry three gun pods at once for a devastating one-second burst mass
** Has powerful ground-attack capability, sporting a variety of unguided bombs and rockets, as well as guided AGM-12B Bullpup guided missiles and AGM-62A Walleye guided bombs
** Can Obliterate bases in Air RB with 250kg bombs and Napalm Mk77s
* Decent acceleration
* Radar Warning Receiver useful in uptiers

'''Cons:'''

* 2x 20mm cannons have low ammo (only 100 rounds each) and aren't particularly powerful
** Inaccurate when stock; since they are your only weapon when stock, this makes for a painful stock grind
* High speed manoeuvres can cause wings to rip
* Fragile
* Atrocious energy retention
* Mediocre top speed
* Mediocre climb rate
* Carrying any kind of ordnance diminishes the plane's flight performance significantly

== History ==

The A4D-5 Skyhawk was an improved model of the A4D-2N (designated A-4C in 1962). The main improvement came in the form of the more powerful Pratt & Whitney J52-P-6A engine, producing 8,400 pounds of thrust. In addition to the new powerplant, the A4D-5 also received two more wing-mounted stores pylons, for a total of five. The avionics were also improved, including a new TACAN system and a toss-bombing computer. Later in their service life, many A-4E Skyhawks were upgraded with the fuselage avionics pod J52-P-8 engine (with 9,300 pounds of thrust) from the A-4F.

The A4D-5 first flew in July 1961, and was renamed to A-4E in 1962 after the Tri-Service Aircraft Designation System came into effect. The A-4E entered production in December of 1962; a total of 499 A-4E Skyhawks would be delivered to the US Navy and Marine Corps starting in January 1963.

The A-4E began to see combat in Vietnam after arriving in early 1965, but it did not fully replace the earlier Skyhawks such as the A-4C. After opening in June 1965, the Chu Lai Short Airfield for Tactical Support (SATS) housed Marine A-4E Skyhawks. The Skyhawks landed using arrestor wires and took off by rocket-assisted takeoff (RATO). Throughout the Vietnam War, A-4 Skyhawks were used to provide close air support (CAS) for Marine Corps ground forces, primarily using bombs and rockets. A total of 362 A-4s of all types were lost during the Vietnam War, including non combat losses. 271 were from the US Navy, and 91 were from the Marine Corps.

During the war, many A-4Es and A-4Fs were used in the United States for training purposes. They had their armament - including external stores - removed and their slats fixed, and were used as aggressors (where they would act as enemy aircraft for training). In the aggressor role, an A-4 was called 'Mongoose'.

;1965 Philippine Sea Incident

It was December 5, 1965. This was the time of the Cold War and Vietnam War. Sailing 70 miles from the nearest island, 200 miles from Okinawa, was the USS ''Ticonderoga'', carrying Attack Squadron 56 (VA-56) consisting of A-4E attack jets that were carrying nuclear bombs. Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Douglas M. Webster, pilot of Douglas A-4E BuNo 151022 was performing a training exercise in his jet, rolling from hangar 2 to elevator 2. The jet was carrying a one megaton B43 thermonuclear bomb. An unspecified accident occurred, and the jet rolled off the deck. After a search, neither the pilot, the jet, nor the bomb was ever found, they likely sank the 16,000 ft (4,900 m) to the ocean floor. This was just one of the many "broken arrow" incidents during the Cold War.

The incident was acknowledged in 1981, but was misleading and it was fully revealed in 1989 due to a diplomatic inquiry by Japan. Lt. Cmdr. James Culda said on May 8, 1989 that "the environmental impact is expected to be nil", as the bomb was not armed and poses no threat at 4,900 m under the sea.

=== [[wt:en/news/6963-development-a-4e-skyhawk-heinemann-s-hot-rod-grows-up-en|Devblog]] ===
The beginning of the jet era and the escalation of the Cold War forced the US naval aviation command to look for a replacement for the very successful carrier-based piston-engine AD Skyraider, with the possibility of delivering a tactical nuclear weapon in the area of operation of an aircraft carrier group. With the beginning of the military campaign in Korea, the Douglas Aircraft Company began developing a carrier-based attack aircraft with an unconventional approach - instead of pursuing engine power, usually bringing weight and large size to the aircraft, Ed Heinemann's team concentrated on finding ways to lighten the construction, keeping it under 12,000 lbs.

The projected aircraft was a fairly compact, lightweight jet fighter-attacker with a delta-shaped wing and a competently lightweight design. This is how the A-4A "Skyhawk" was born, one of the first jet-based carrier-based aircraft capable of carrying a nuclear bomb. The aircraft was distinguished by its simplicity of design, practical controls with excellent flight characteristics for its time. Soon, in 1956, the A-4B version appeared, capable of carrying a huge variety of mounted weapons on three suspension points, including guided missiles.

Thus, the Skyhawk had become a truly universal carrier-based aircraft, capable of solving the entire spectrum of tasks for US Naval Aviation. A rather noticeable drawback of the attack aircraft was still the limited range of action, also army types always wanted to increase the weapon load. In 1961, Douglas presented an improved version of the aircraft with five pylons for armament and a new engine, which compensated for a heavier combat load, and also increased the range of the attack aircraft. It was the A-4E that became one of the most massive Skyhawk modifications and formed the image of a modern carrier-based attack aircraft. The "E" version was actively involved in the Vietnam War, and later, up till the end of the 80's, was used to simulate enemy aircraft in training dogfights.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=a_4e_early Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" caption="A-4E Early Devblog Images" heights="200">
File:A-4E Early WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:A-4E Early WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:A-4E Early WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:A-4E Early WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
File:A-4E Early WTWallpaper 005.jpg|
File:A-4E Early WTWallpaper 006.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|KdpicoF_WJI|'''The Scary Scooter: A-4E Early Skyhawk Review''' - ''Sako Sniper''|1Zaxu0b_Yvo|'''Wing Snapper KING! A-4E_Early - USA - Review!''' - ''Jengar''}}

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6963-development-a-4e-skyhawk-heinemann-s-hot-rod-grows-up-en|[Devblog] A-4E Skyhawk: Heinemann's Hot-Rod grows up]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/538311-douglas-a-4e/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* [http://www.alternatewars.com/SAC/A-4E_Skyhawk_SAC_-_1_July_1967.pdf Standard Aircraft Characteristics of the A-4E]

=== References ===

;Bibliography

* A-4E Skyhawk: Pacific Coast Air Museum: Navy Attack Plane. (2019, December 17). Retrieved December 12, 2020, from https://pacificcoastairmuseum.org/aircraft/a-4e-skyhawk/
* A-4 Skyhawk Production. (n.d.). Retrieved December 12, 2020, from http://skyhawk.org/content/douglas-4-skyhawk-production-history
* Standard Aircraft Characteristics Navy Model A-4E Aircraft. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.alternatewars.com/SAC/A-4E_Skyhawk_SAC_-_1_July_1967.pdf

{{AirManufacturer Douglas}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}
{{Squadron aircraft}}

F-4E Phantom II

2023-03-15T23:13:46Z

U97916902: TV guided advice

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-4 Phantom II (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-4e
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
|cockpit=F-4E II Cockpit.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.97 "Viking Fury"]].

The mighty F-4E Phantom II is a famous US aircraft from the Vietnam War era and a reliable workhorse of many militaries around the world. Powered by two General Electric J79-GE-17 jets, each producing an incredible 8,010 kgf on maximum afterburner, the F-4E boasts high speed and a solid climb rate. Leading-edge "Agile Eagle" slats increase its turning capability and somewhat mitigate the reputation of the Phantom family as flying bricks. In the weapons department, the F-4E has access to AIM-7E-2 Sparrows for medium-to-long range combat, AIM-9J Sidewinders for close-in work, and an enormous array of ground attack ordnance including AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missiles and AGM-62 Walleye glide bombs. This multi-role vehicle is a supremely capable ground attacker and a competitive fighter, though in air combat pilots must account for its lack of a pulse-Doppler radar.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 12,192 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,097 || 2,074 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.5 || 27.5 || 160.8 || 151.2 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,202 || 2,140 || 25.5 || 26.0 || 221.6 || 190.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
[[File:F-4E Phantom II deploying drogue chute.png|right|thumb|420x420px|A ROKAF F-4E Phantom II from to 153th Combat Squadron deploying its drogue chute for landing]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 1,458 || 625 || 463 || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 810 || < 750 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | General Electric J79-GE-17 || 2
| colspan="2" | 14,205 kg || colspan="2" | 408 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel
|-
| 1,750 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 15,964 kg || 18,027 kg || 20,069 kg || 28,681 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 5,200 kgf || 8,010 kgf
| 1.00 || 0.89 || 0.80 || 0.56
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,200 kgf (0 km/h) || 10,170 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.27 || 1.13 || 1.01 || 0.71
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


The survivability features of the {{PAGENAME}} have grown compared to its [[F-4C Phantom II|predecessor]] with an armour plate and missile countermeasures attached.

By this stage in the high-rank battles, all the fuel tanks are self-sealing. While this will assist with any fuel tank punctures from machine gun calibre weapons, the presence of fast-firing autocannons and missiles mean that these self-sealing tanks are only an accessory to the overall survival of the aircraft.

The addition of an armour plate is a minor benefit as it is only an 8.5 mm steel plate just below the forward fuel tank in the fuselage. This is only thick enough to block a glancing shot to the fuselage. Its most effective use seems to when the {{PAGENAME}} as it is pulling up from an attack run, as it is in that angle where the armour plate can potentially block any shot threatening the fuselage fuel tanks and engine. However, considering the small size it is made up of and the large plane overall, this armour plate should not be relied upon for the overall survival of the aircraft.

The biggest change from previous version is the countermeasure flares, which are greatly useful at deterring incoming infrared-homing missiles like the [[AIM-9J Sidewinder|Sidewinders]] or [[R-60]]s. To utilise the flares, one must turn off their engine afterburners to eliminate that as a significant source of heat, deploy the flares in a suitable manner, then bank away from the flares to that the missile lock onto the remaining heat source rather than the plane's engine.

A survivability feature shared with its predecessor is the Radar Warning Receiver (RWR). The RWR will ping the player in the source of any incoming radar scans, and will also notify if the radar source have achieved a lock-on with the player. Keep an eye on this as it may signify to the player that an enemy semi-active radar homing missile may be launched soon and evasive actions should be taken.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, chin-mounted (640 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 90 x countermeasures

Due to this cannon's high rate of fire, trigger discipline is a must.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)}}
{{main|AGM-62A Walleye I (505 kg)|GBU-8 (2,000 lb)|GBU-15(V)1/B (2,000 lb)|AGM-12C Bullpup|AGM-65B}}
{{main|AIM-7E Sparrow|AIM-7E-2 Sparrow|AIM-9E Sidewinder|AIM-9J Sidewinder}}
{{main|BLU-27/B incendiary|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP|GAU-4 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 3 x 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1,200 rpg = 3,600 total)
* 24 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 24 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 17 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (12,750 lb total)
* 13 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (13,000 lb total)
* 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
* 285 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 60 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
* 2 x AGM-12C Bullpup missiles
* 6 x AGM-65B missiles
* 4 x 505 kg AGM-62A Walleye I bombs (2,020 kg total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb GBU-8 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 2 x 2,000 lb GBU-15(V)1/B bombs (4,000 lb total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" width="100%" style="text-align:center"
|-
! !! width="4%" | 1 !! width="4%" | 2 !! width="4%" | 3 !! width="4%" | 4 !! width="4%" | 5 !! width="4%" | 6 !! width="4%" | 7 !! width="4%" | 8 !! width="4%" | 9 !! width="4%" | 10 !! width="4%" | 11
| rowspan="20" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_F-4C_Phantom_II.png]]</div>
|-
! 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1,200 rpg)
| 1 || || || || || 1 || || || || || 1
|-
! 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs
| 6 || 3 || || || || 6 || || || || 3 || 6
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| 6 || 3 || || || || 6 || || || || 3 || 6
|-
! 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs
| 3 || 3 || || || || 5 || || || || 3 || 3
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| 2 || 3 || || || || 3 || || || || 3 || 2
|-
! 505 kg AGM-62A Walleye I bombs
| 1 || 1* || || || || || || || || 1* || 1
|-
! 2,000 lb GBU-8 bombs
| 1 || 1* || || || || || || || || 1* || 1
|-
! 2,000 lb GBU-15(V)1/B bombs
| || 1* || || || || || || || || 1* ||
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| 1 || || || || || 1 || || || || || 1
|-
! BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
| 1 || || || || || 2 || || || || || 1
|-
! FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
| 57 || 57 || || || || 57 || || || || 57 || 57
|-
! Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
| 12 || 12 || || || || 12 || || || || 12 || 12
|-
! AGM-12C Bullpup missiles
| || 1* || || || || || || || || 1* ||
|-
! AGM-65B missiles
| || 3* || || || || || || || || 3* ||
|-
! AIM-7E Sparrow missiles
| || || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
! AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
| || || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
! AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
| || || 1, 2* || || || || || || 1, 2* || ||
|-
! AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
| || || 2* || || || || || || 2* || ||
|-
| colspan="12" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg
|-
| colspan="13" | * Marked options for hardpoints 2/10 cannot be used in conjunction with air-to-air missiles on hardpoints 3/9 respectively
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The F-4E Phantom II is well-suited for most in-game situations. For attacking ground targets, the plane is armed with an assortment of bombs, rockets, and missiles. And against air targets, players may employ the vehicle's deadly air-to-air missiles and frontal cannon(s). If desired, three externally-mounted gunpods may be equipped, but note that these may not be useful in certain situations. Although they will undoubtedly increase the vehicle's destructive capabilities, they also appreciably hinder flight performance through induced drag. In many situations, one front-facing cannon is all that is required to dispatch an opponent aircraft. As for the missiles, the ones used by this plane are average at its rank, comparable to the [[R-60]] missiles equipped by the [[MiG-21MF (Germany)]] and the [[MiG-21SMT]] (albeit with worse manoeuvrability). The AIM-9J missiles are most effective when fired from between 1 to 3 km away from the target. Any closer and they will struggle to track and likely veer off target for a miss.

The F-4E has one of the highest rates of climb out of any vehicle in the game. This is however where most of its performance advantages end. Due to its weight, the Phantom has rather mediocre acceleration, and not the best top speed. It is not advised to dogfight anything other than Starfighters and other Phantom variants, as the F-4 has a very poor turn rate. Although the aircraft has better energy retention than most of its opponents, it still bleeds considerable amounts of speed while turning, which can't be regained very quickly due to the aircraft's heavy weight. It also performs quite poorly at low speeds, which is also caused by its weight.

=== Air-to-Air ===
In air realistic battles, it is recommended to take a balanced fuel load of 20 or 30 minutes, depending on how aggressive you fly (this will also allow you to liberally use the afterburner without fear of premature fuel exhaustion). The most useful default Air RB armament for the F-4E are the 4 AIM-9Js or 4 AIM-7E-2s, though both missiles can be used under a custom loadout setting. As the F-4E's dogfighting abilities are rather lacklustre, the Sparrows may prove more useful in the long run compared to the AIM-9J Sidewinders. The best strategy is to accelerate to a speed of roughly 900-1,100 km/h on the deck and then zoom climb to altitude (5 km or higher), where the pilot should accelerate to the highest speed possible. Lock on to targets with your radar and use your Sparrows to shoot down enemy aircraft when in range; and remember to keep an eye on your RWR as being at altitude makes you an easy target for the long range missiles prevalent at this tier. Sparrows should ideally be launched above Mach 1 to take maximum advantage of their range and manoeuvrability. After using up all your Sparrows, return to base to rearm, with the Sidewinders (if brought along) used moreso for self-defense rather as a primary weapon. Because of its poor flight characteristics, the Phantom will struggle in one-on-one fights, making it vital to keep your teammates around and to avoid dogfighting whenever possible. The Phantom should target enemies turnfighting its friendlies, as not only will the enemy be distracted and slow, but it provides you a chance to save your teammate, who in turn may down another enemy chasing you later in the match.

To reiterate, dogfighting should be avoided as much as possible. The Phantom was designed around missiles, so they will naturally be your main way of getting kills, with the gun being a backup weapon for opportune targets. Furthermore, most of the enemies you will face at 11.0 or above can and will be able to easily manoeuvre around you, if they haven't already fired a high performance AAM at you. Although if one has unlocked the triple SUU-23/A gunpods, that is an almost surefire way to earn at least one kill in the classic head-on (in addition to its usefulness in attacking ground targets, possibly being the best option in Air Realistic).

==== Notable Air RB enemies ====

* [[MiG-21bis]]: the most advanced Soviet MiG-21, with amazing acceleration that can catch up to the F-4E quite easily and evade missiles with flares. The German [[MiG-21bis-SAU]] has access to all-aspect R-60MK missiles as well. Neither has competitive radar-guided missiles however.
* [[JA37C|JA37C Viggen]]: a Swedish powerhouse that boasts high low-altitude speed, good turning performance, similar weapons to the F-4E, and a Pulse-Doppler radar.
* [[Mirage IIIC]]/[[Mirage IIIE|IIIE]]: armed with two of the best infrared missiles in the game, the R.550 Magic, and a long-range radar-guided missile with similar performance to the AIM-7. Strong short-term turning capabilities make them dangerous in snapshots. The former does not have countermeasures, however.
* [[Phantom FGR.2]]/[[Phantom FG.1|FG.1]]: British Phantoms with more powerful engines, can out accelerate and outrun the F-4E. They also have pulse-Doppler radars and are superior in BVR.
* [[F-4EJ Kai Phantom II|F-4EJ Kai]]: Japanese Phantom with an excellent pulse-Doppler radar and the same armament as the F-4E.
* F-4E Phantom II: This very aircraft, as a result you simply play around its weaknesses as described in the "[[#Pros and cons|Pros and cons]]" section.
* [[F-4J Phantom II]]: Equivalent naval American Phantom variant, sacrifices ATGM/GBU capability for generally improved dogfighting performance/armaments over the F-4E. Longer range SARH missiles and PD radar, but no "agile eagle" wing slats.
* [[F-14A Early]]: American successor to the F-4 with the ultra-long range and fire-and-forget Phoenix missiles, a superior radar, and overall better dogfighting performance.
* [[MiG-23M]]/[[MiG-23MF (Germany)|MF]]/[[MiG-23MLD|MLD]]: swing-wing fighters with potent missiles, good avionics, and superior agility to the F-4E on lower sweep settings. Avoid dogfighting and keep an eye out for sneak attacks with the R-23T/24T missiles. The MiG-23M and MiG-23MF have very limited countermeasures, which the F-4E can exploit with its large missile capacity. The MiG-23MLD has excellent speed and climb performance that can match or exceed the F-4E.
* [[J-7E]]: a light and nimble Chinese fighter with exceptional agility but no radar-guided missiles. Avoid dogfighting whenever possible.

=== Ground Realistic ===
While the AA threat at this BR is significant, this aircraft can still find great utility if used properly and is among the top aircraft for CAS in the American tech tree when the appropriate modifications are unlocked. However, like most aircraft at this BR it has little utility in ground RB when stock/without countermeasures unlocked and even when spaded is still heavily pressured by SAMs, which on some maps can even immediately engage the aircraft as it spawns. In the ground attack role, while its 20 mm cannon can do significant damage against the thinly armoured topsides of most vehicles at this BR, the strafing runs required to do so put you at immense risk of being shot down by radar guided AAA, any SAM, or even some tanks with proximity fused ammunition/ATGMs/autocannons. Due to this, CAS should be completely avoided in a stock F-4E.

As a result, you want to rely on quick strikes that put you in the line of fire for as little time as possible or long range attacks that eliminate the need to enter enemy AA range at all. The latter is most prominently done with its TV guided munitions, the best of which are the AGM-62 Walleyes, GBU-8s and AGM-65 Mavericks. To significantly make use of these guided weapons, you often need to put several kilometers worth of distance between you and the target so you can properly aim, fire, and pull away (and optimally against a stationary target). All these weapons have two lock modes: point lock and track lock (you can tell what kind of lock you have by looking at the selected weapon name). Point lock means that the weapon has locked on to a point of the ground, and upon optimal conditions will hit that point. Track lock means that the weapon has locked on to an enemy vehicle, and under optimal conditions will follow it’s movement and hit it. Track locks are usually much more difficult to achieve, needing a much closer range, but is the more reliable option when attempting to destroy vehicles (oftentimes an unaware enemy will accidentally move outside the point lock of your weapon and dodge it).

* The AGM-62A Walleye is a guided bomb, meaning it has no power and glides to a target via gravity and launch speed of the aircraft. It is a smaller, lighter weapon than the heavier GBU-8.
* The GBU-8 HOBOS is also a guided bomb similar to the Walleye. Compared to the Walleye, it has a vastly heavier 2,000lb warhead, but is also heavier in weight.
* The GBU-15(V)1/B is another guided bomb that the F-4E has. It is very similar to the GBU-8, but cannot be launched at supersonic speeds, and so taking these over GBU-8s or AGM-65s are generally not recommended.
* The AGM-65B Maverick is an air-to-ground missile. This means it has a rocket motor that propels it for a short amount of time, making it more suitable for lower altitude launches where the guided bombs would not have enough altitude to glide to the target. The Maverick is also generally better than the guided bombs at obtaining and holding a track lock on enemy vehicles. In addition, more can be taken (3 can be taken in the place of one bomb). However, it should be noted that the AGM-65 can sometimes be unreliable, such as exploding randomly or losing lock, especially in the case of long range launches (<8km). Compared to the guided bombs, the Maverick has an anti-tank HEAT warhead, which theoretically should destroy any vehicle it hits but sometimes can fail to kill heavily armored MBTs. In addition, being a HEAT warhead and not a bomb, the Maverick doesn’t have the blast radius to score critical hits from near misses.

Obtaining a lock can be difficult as the launch parameters for a reliable track lock with the TV guided weapons put you in the range of most radar guided SAMs due to the limited zoom of its seeker head. This is especially true with the advent of the highly advanced Pantsir-S1, with SAMs that vastly outrange your weapons. Therefore, in order to properly perform CAS, the SAM vehicles must first be destroyed. For the Pantsir, the most reliable strategy is quick pop-up strikes with the guided weapons. Upon spawning, immediately dive for treetop level as your airspawn is in range of the Pantsir’s SAMs. Attempt to use terrain to stay hidden from the SAMs, which are likely located in the enemy’s spawn area, while flanking left, right or behind the enemy’s spawn. Once around 10km away from the spawn, turn in and accelerate directly towards the enemy’s spawn while staying low. Get as close as you can without being detected; at around 4-6km, start rapidly climbing to around 500m, and use the TV sight to attempt to locate any SAMs in the enemy’s spawn. At 4km, your TV guided munitions have a better chance of tracking the enemy, and if you’ve located a SAM vehicle, launch your weapon. Quickly go defensive by turning away from the spawn while releasing chaff (also turn away if you haven’t located any SAMs by 3-4km). By any luck, your TV guided weapon will destroy the SAM. You can circle around and rinse and repeat to attempt to destroy additional SAMs. Once you are sure there are no more SAMs, you can climb to a higher altitude to launch your ordinance against enemy tanks.

AGM-12C Bullpup guided missiles must be guided with your keyboard, thus highly reducing your situational awareness and aircraft movement while you attempt to guide the missile. Though Bullpups were powerful at lower BRs, at top tier and in a SAM prevalent environment, it is not recommended to use them.

Air-to-air ordnance can be taken, but in a limited amount. Sidewinders can generally be omitted for additional ordinance due to the prevalence of countermeasures at this BR. Additionally, they are of little use against many helicopters such as the Ka-50/52 which have IRCM and countermeasure dispensers that automatically activate upon a missile launch. What does work against helicopters is the radar guided AIM-7E/E-2 Sparrow. Though the F-4E’s radar unfortunately cannot lock on to low-flying aircraft, at top tier, oftentimes helicopters will be flying high enough to be locked onto. Due to the to helicopter’s slow speed, the radar will still not lock on to the helicopter until at most <3km, and sometimes will only lock as close as 1.5km. At this close range, chaff launches and evasive maneuvers from the helicopter will not be enough to fool the radar guided missile. While the M61 cannon can be used to shoot down helicopters, they have tracking-assisted cannons which will likely destroy you if you are spotted. Thus Sparrows are the safer weapon choice against helicopters. Sparrows can also be used against strike drones, which are not hot and difficult to get a Sidewinder lock on. It should be noted that this air-to-air ordinance adds to the SP costs of air to ground loadouts, it's generally worth it to entirely omit or take a reduced loadout of said weapons.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Can carry up to eight missiles, allowing a total of four AIM-9Js and AIM-7E-2 (DF) for fighting either manoeuvring aircraft or at close-medium range head-on engagements respectively.
* Equipped with flares and chaff for evading enemy missiles
* Can carry a vast range of deadly ground attack ordnance (including fire-and-forget ATGMs and guided bombs)
* Deadly frontal armament with high burst mass and high damage
* Has a ballistic computer for assisting in the aim of cannons, rockets, and bombs
* Better manoeuvrability than most other Phantoms due to slats
* Best CAS payload out of all US Phantoms

'''Cons:'''

* Susceptible to wing rip, especially when doing negative G manoeuvres or rolls
* Limited ammunition in the frontally-mounted cannon
* Large target for aircraft and AA alike
* Despite having slats, it is still a heavy aircraft which bleeds speed quickly and will struggle in dogfights versus more manoeuvrable opponents
* Two engines make for a strong heat signature, making it harder to dodge missiles
* Flight performance suffers immensely when carrying large amounts of ordnance
* Radar lacks pulse-Doppler or look-down capabilities, meaning it is difficult to lock and engage enemies below the horizon and/or at low altitudes with Sparrows
* In Air Battles, is often uptiered to top-rank where it can become vastly outclassed in speed, manoeuvrability, and firepower

== History ==

[[File:F-4E Phantom.jpg|thumb|400x400px|An F-4E of Holloman Air Force base.]]
The F-4E was initially designed as an incremental upgrade to the standard F-4C airframe used by the US Air Force. The aircraft carried a new radar in a redesigned radome, and more importantly, an internal M61 cannon mounted in the nose. As well, later-production aircraft featured the Agile Eagle upgrade, which gave the Phantom leading edge slats which improved manoeuvrability at the expense of top speed. The addition of an internal cannon was a highly anticipated upgrade, as it fixed a problem that F-4C squadrons faced when operating over Vietnam.

The first F-4Es entered service in the 1960s and were dispatched to serve in Vietnam, where they complemented the existing inventories of F-4C and D variant aircraft. The aircraft type was credited with 21 kills in Vietnam, most of which were achieved using the AIM-7E-2 'Dogfight Sparrow'. Several pilots achieved Ace status while flying the F-4 in Vietnam, including Charles B. DeBellevue, who was the highest-scoring American ace in Vietnam. The F-4 went on to form the backbone of the US fighter force for the bulk of the 1960s and 70s. As well, F-4E was flown by the USAF Thunderbirds Demonstration Team between 1969 and 1974. The large, noisy Phantom performed around the world until 1974, when rising fuel costs forced the Thunderbirds to convert to the smaller T-38 Talon.

The F-4E was exported to a variety of countries. Israel was the largest foreign user of the F-4 Phantom, having purchased 124 F-4 Phantoms from the United States betwen 1971 and 1974; the Israelis were credited with at least 115 kills using the F-4 Phantom during various conflicts. As well, Germany and Japan both procured modified versions of the F-4E, being the F-4F and F-4EJ, respectively. Other notable foreign users of the F-4E include Australia (24 aircraft), Egypt (35 aircraft), Greece (34 aircraft), and Turkey (40 aircraft).

During service, the Phantom gained a number of nicknames, including "Rhino" (referencing its titanium construction and long nose), "Double-Ugly", and even "The world's largest distributor of MiG Parts", referencing the 277 MiGs downed by the Phantom during various conflicts. The USAF retired the aircraft in 1996, and the aircraft was used as a target drone until 2016. The aircraft remains in service with Iran, Japan, South Korea, Greece and Turkey, 62 years after its maiden flight.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-4e Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|TWT-ETcU_No|'''The Shooting Range #198''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:33 discusses the F-4E Phantom II.}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[F-4 Phantom II (Family)]]

;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-21 (Family)]]
* SAAB [[J35D]] ''Draken''
* Dassault [[Mirage IIIC]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/479889-f-4e/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* [https://archive.org/details/t.o.1f4c1flightmanualf4cf4df4e01101970/mode/2up/ Technical Order 1F-4C-1 - Flight Manual for F-4C/F-4D/F-4E Aircraft]

{{AirManufacturer McDonnell}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-100D

2023-03-15T22:25:18Z

U97916902: /* Survivability and armour */

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-100 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-100d
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
|cockpit=cockpit_f-100d.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]] and was one of the first three jets to feature guided air-to-air missiles, the other two being the [[MiG-19PT]] and the [[Javelin F.(A.W.) Mk.9]].

The dogfighting days of World War II were over and while there was air-to-air combat during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, it was nowhere the level of previous wars. Jets were becoming faster, electronics and avionics were making them more manoeuvrable and the fighters were able to carry extremely large amounts of ordnance. The {{PAGENAME}} was no exception to this, as it was designed to be a ground attacker first and a fighter/interceptor as a secondary role. One noticeable difference from earlier aircraft is that early on in development the {{PAGENAME}} was known as the ''45-Sabre'' (officially later it was dubbed ''Super Sabre'') due to its wings being swept back at a 45° angle. The fighter's elevators were also swept back to help increase the aerodynamics of the aircraft. This, combined with a strong engine, upgraded avionics and early computer systems made this the first US fighter which was able to fly faster than the speed of sound in level flight.

[[File:F-100 duckmcmallardson001.png|350px|thumb|left|Literally looking down the barrels of an oncoming {{PAGENAME}}.]]

Weapon loadout options allow the pilot to tailor the aircraft to their playstyle or even mix it up depending on the map they are flying. This fighter excels as a ground attack bomber utilizing up to 6,000 lb of bombs, [[AGM-12B Bullpup]] missiles, [[FFAR Mighty Mouse|Mighty Mouse]] rockets or several combinations of the three. Whether you are into dropping and running or firing and forgetting, there are ordnance choices will fit the pilot's style. For those pilots who want to hunt fighters and bombers, the four nose-mounted 20 mm cannons and choice of [[AIM-9B]]/[[AIM-9E Sidewinder|E]] Sidewinder air-to-air missiles will fit the bill. The Sidewinders can also be used an intimidation factor as pilots with one on their tail must focus on outmanoeuvring the missile, providing you with the opportunity to manoeuvre in and line up the kill-shot with your cannons if the missile does not make contact. The speed of the {{PAGENAME}} can come in handy when attacking bomber aircraft as Boom & Zoom tactics will help you avoid any defensive weapons allowing you to wreak havoc during an attacking dive.

With the advent of other faster supersonic aircraft such as MiG-21s, J35As, and F-5s as well as powerful missile wielding A-5Cs, Su-25s and A-10s, aircraft lacking countermeasures such as the {{PAGENAME}} tend to be seen as easy prey. However, if handled correctly, the {{PAGENAME}} can be a formidable aircraft in both the fighter and strike roles.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


The F-100D's flight performance is adequate. Being supersonic at its BR, the F-100D can outrun many of the subsonic opponents it faces. Despite this, its top speed is slightly below average for a supersonic jet, being able to approach but not quite reach Mach 1 at sea level. However, it isn't the only supersonic jet at this BR; MiG-19s, early MiG-21s and F-104s, and Su-7s are all supersonic jets also found at the same BR which all have a higher sea level top speed than the F-100D.

Although the F-100D is supersonic and equipped with an afterburner, one of its weaknesses is its slow acceleration, especially at lower speeds, compared to other supersonic jets. Many subsonic jets can keep up with your acceleration, while the faster subsonic jets such as Saab 32s, Sea Vixens and Harriers out-accelerate the F-100D.

The F-100D's overall manoeuvrability is decent, having a fairly good turn rate, but its energy retention is poor. These two characteristics combined mean that if the F-100D is forced to dogfight, one-circle dogfights (such as scissors) should be favored as prolonged dogfights will see the its poor energy retention and mediocre acceleration disadvantage it. This poor energy retention, though for the most part a weakness, can occasionally be useful in situations where speed must be bled quickly (such as to get an enemy to overshoot). Of course, as with any high tier jet, dogfighting should generally be avoided as it leaves you slow and vulnerable, and this is especially true for the F-100D due to its slow acceleration.

[[File:F-100 fulzy nyan001.png|350px|thumb|right|Bird's eye view of a {{PAGENAME}} after unloading on ground targets.]]

Flying at speeds close to Mach 1 or past can pose a challenge for pilots utilizing the 3rd-person view as a condensation cloud forms around the aircraft and obscures your view (not an issue for those flying simulator-style from in the cockpit). While this can make targeting enemy aircraft a challenge, it just takes a little more work to line up the shot either with the cannons or air-to-air missiles.

Previously, attack aircraft fly slow to ensure they accurately hit their ground targets with guns, rockets or bombs. However, with poor low-speed manoeuvrability and acceleration, the {{PAGENAME}} becomes difficult to get out of harms way when flying slow, so it requires the pilot to learn how to bomb and fire rockets at targets at higher speeds than what they may be used to ensure anti-aircraft fire nor any trailing fighters gain a targeting solution on you. Speed in and speed out is the key with the {{PAGENAME}}.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 10,668 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,445 || 1,438 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 40.6 || 41.5 || 61.4 || 54.6 || rowspan="2" | 1,400
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,478 || 1,458 || 39.5 || 40.0 || 94.6 || 79.2
|-
|}

==== Details ====
[[File:F-100 rheinberg001.png|500px|thumb|right|{{PAGENAME}} at cruising altitude on the watch for potential enemy fighters.]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 620 || 590 || 435 || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 640 || < 540 || < 610 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney J57P21 || 1
| colspan="2" | 9,658 kg || colspan="3" | 354 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 14m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 46m fuel
|-
| 900 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 10,708 kg || 11,156 kg || 11,905 kg || 13,159 kg || 16,689 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 14m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 46m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 3,786 kgf || 5,868 kgf
| 0.55 || 0.53 || 0.49 || 0.45 || 0.35
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 4,254 kgf (1,200 km/h) || 8,058 kgf (1,200 km/h)
| 0.75 || 0.72 || 0.68 || 0.61 || 0.48
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


Designers of post-war jet fighters wanted to take advantage of the newer jet technology and maximize both speed and ordnance carried, and to do this, something had to give and that was armour. The idea was that, if you are faster than the enemy, it is difficult for them to hit you, and armour will not be necessary. The {{PAGENAME}} follows this doctrine; though it does have some protection for the pilot, it isn't much and leaves the rest of the critical components virtually unprotected with armour. For the pilot, the back of the seat and headrest maintains a continuous piece of steel at 12.7 mm thick and the windscreen is rated at 64 mm bulletproof windscreen. Typically this type of protection is meant more for lighter protection from defensive turret attacks from bombers rather than cannon attacks from other aircraft.

The {{PAGENAME}} is a relatively sturdy aircraft and can take a beating before critical components begin to fail. While the engine and the pilot are important to protect as much as possible, the wings are another critical component which you must protect, as hits to the wings can effectively cripple the aircraft. If being tailed by another aircraft try to speed away because if you try to pull up, turn to the side or pull-down, you risk exposing increased surface area of the skin, giving the enemy pilot more to shoot at and a greater opportunity of taking out a wing. If possible, increase speed and sway back and forth, even some very shallow elevator dips up and down maybe enough to throw off the sighting of the enemy pilot and spray his bullets all around you without exposing very much surface area of the jet.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M39A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 4 x 20 mm M39A1 cannons, chin-mounted (200 rpg = 800 total)

For internal guns, the F-100D has four 20 mm M39A1 revolver autocannons mounted under the nose intake. Those familiar with the preceding [[F-86F-2]] and its extremely powerful 20 mm T-160 cannons will be delighted to hear that the F-100D's M39A1 cannons are nearly identical to the F-86F-2's T-160, and in addition, have 50 more rounds of ammo per gun. These cannons are fast-firing, have high velocity, and deal heavy damage. Its only downside is that, with a fast fire rate and 200 rounds per gun, one must be careful of spraying the guns, as ammo will run out quicker than expected.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

[[File:F-100 wp gaming001.jpg|500px|thumb|right|{{PAGENAME}} peeling away from the flight revealing the suspended ordnance it is carrying.]]
{{main|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|BLU-27/B incendiary}}
{{main|AGM-12B Bullpup|AIM-9B Sidewinder|AIM-9E Sidewinder|FFAR Mighty Mouse}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 10 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (5,000 lb total)
* 8 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 14 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 4 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 4 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
* 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs + 14 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets

One of the areas where the F-100D shines is its armament options, boasting a variety of different armaments for both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.

For unguided rockets, the F-100D can carry up to 76 x 70 mm Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR) Mighty Mouse rockets. They can be used to attack lighter targets in air RB, as well as armoured targets such as pillboxes and tanks, but due to their inaccuracy the latter is generally not advised. In ground RB, these rockets have decent penetration, but due to their inaccuracy and generally low damage, it is best used against less armoured targets such as SPAA and light tanks.

For dumb bombs, the F-100D can carry either 500 lb, 750 lb or 1,000 lb bombs, as well as BLU-27/B napalm bombs. The F-100D can carry enough bombs to take out one base in air RB. For CAS in ground RB, the lack of ballistics computer means you must manually compute where your bombs will land. For many, this leaves out the 500 lb bombs as the amount of explosive in them may not be large enough to account for the margin of error in a manual bomb drop; the 750 lb or 1,000 lb bombs are generally better for this CAS job. Some may prefer to take the 750 lb bombs instead of the 1,000 lb bombs, as the explosive in them is sufficient and the F-100D can carry eight 750 lb bombs in comparison to four 1,000 lb bombs.

A more reliable CAS option for the F-100D is the AGM-12B Bullpup air-to-ground guided missile. Once fired, this missile can be manoeuvred via your keyboard (keybinds must be set); simply keep the flare light on the missile near the intended target until the missile hits them. The 250 lb warhead in the missile gives a high likelyhood of destroying most enemy armoured vehicles in one hit, though its lethality in practice will rely on the player's ability to keep the missile centered on the target. The downside of using these missiles is that, compared to the high volume of unguided bombs or rockets the F-100D can take, it can only take two AGM-12Bs. Due to this, the AGM-12B is most useful in ground RB, where in the presence of radar SPAA and SAMs, precision strikes are generally favored over high volume unguided bombing.

For the air-to-air role, the F-100D can carry up to four AIM-9B/E Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. Though the AIM-9 Sidewinder is a well-known and successful air-to-air weapon, this version, the AIM-9B Sidewinder, is one of its earliest variants and thus is fairly weak. It locks on to targets via their heat signature, but being an early variant, the AIM-9B can only do so from the rear-aspect where the target's hot engine exhaust is. It generally has a 1.8 km range against targets flying straight and at the same speed as the launching aircraft. Its main and significant weakness lies in its inability to turn very hard; oftentimes, the enemy simply turning slightly is enough to dodge the missile kineticly. The upgraded AIM-9E allows the missile to be “lead” a little, that is, it can still keep a lock on an enemy within a small radius of the launching aircraft's nose, but is otherwise similar to the AIM-9B and will still be performing similarly to it. Though the AIM-9B/E is fairly weak, they can be useful in situations. At higher altitudes (>5,000 m), the missile is more effective due to lower air density hampering an aircraft's manoeuvrability and thrust while leaving the missile generally unaffected. The AIM-9B/E is also useful against aircraft in a low energy state (in other words, slow) that don't have the speed to escape the missile.

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:F-100 tio pilin001.png|350px|thumb|right|The {{PAGENAME}} caught in the cross-hairs of a MiG fighter.]]

;Air Realistic Battles

The F-100 is a decent fighter aircraft in air RB.

In a downtier, few aircraft can match the F-100’s speed. Thus, boom-and-zoom tactics utilizing its excellent cannons and useful AIM-9s will work well on the slower, subsonic fighters. Generally, do not commit to a turning dogfight as most of these slower subsonic fighters are likely much better turners than the F-100 is.

In an uptier, the plane is much more limited to a support role due to the presence of higher performance fighters such as MiG-19s and MiG-21s. Though one-on-one these planes can be fought to an extent, you will be at a acceleration disadvantage and therefore it is not recommended. The F-100 should continue to be played in a support role, catching these superior enemies while they are already engaged and vulnerable. The F-100’s speed is good enough that even these superior enemies cannot pursue while engaged with other allies. If dogfighting these superior enemies cannot be avoided, the F-100’s low energy retention and fairly good turn can be used to initially fall on an enemy’s tail, but this will only give you a short firing solution for a few turns before you are left out of energy and vulnerable.

A common enemy you will face in uptiers are Su-25s with all-aspect missiles. Due to the lack of countermeasures, F-100 pilots should always be distancing themselves from Su-25s in the area to avoid all-aspect R-60M launches. If a one-on-one with a Su-25 cannot be avoided, you must bait both of its R-60M missiles before you can begin dogfighting them. One option is to keep your distance and trick them into launching a missile at a rather long range. For example, provided you are faster than the Su-25, a tempting 2km rear-aspect R-60M launch will likely not hit (even more so if you do defensive maneuvers after it’s motor has burned out). Another option is to take some FFAR rockets. When an R-60M is launched in a head-on, launch a bunch of rockets towards the missile while disengaging your afterburner and turning out of the way; the missile will be fooled. You can drop the drag-inducing rocket pods once they are not needed. Once the Su-25 has been depleted of Its R-60Ms, it can easily be fought. It is a slow aircraft and easily energy trapped by the F-100’s superior speed, and once you are on its tail, there is generally little they can do to shake you off. Just be careful to stay out of its powerful gun.

Full uptiers see aircraft such as the MiG-21SMT/MF, J35D and Mirage III with high-performance air-to-air missiles and supersonic, manoeuvrable performance to back it up, which the F-100D simply has no chance of fighting on its own. F-100 pilots must be much more careful with when to engage these aircraft. Only when they are distracted and slow should they be engaged. Make absolutely sure that one of these aircraft at a similar speed as you doesn’t get on your tail. If they do, they will chase you down and launch difficult to dodge missiles at you. Provided you are actually able to dodge these missiles, they all have substantially superior flight performance and manoeuvrability which the F-100 is simply incapable of matching.

The F-100 is an amalgamation of paradoxical design features that results in an aircraft too heavy to sustain manoeuvring engagements despite its strong slats, slow to accelerate to its surprisingly high rip speeds, and too sluggish at speed to take full advantage of its strong armament. Overall to get this bus to perform, it must be at high speeds. Keep your energy up.

;Ground attack

The {{PAGENAME}} is no stranger to ground attack and can be effectively outfitted with just about anything (the LDGP Mk series kitchen sinks were not yet available) necessary to destroy ground targets both large and small. While bombers could deliver a massive amount of ordnance, they typically flew slow and high and were not always as precise as hoped for, therefore the USAF designated some of their fighter aircraft to also excel as low altitude precision bombers.

A fully researched {{PAGENAME}} can carry an assortment of low-drag general-purpose bombs ranging from 500 lb, 750 lb and 1,000 lb. Total maximum bomb weight is 6,000 lb, the same amount carried by a single [[B-17E]] bomber, but the {{PAGENAME}} can heft this amount at almost 1,000 km/h faster and at a lower more accurate altitude. Of course, the bomb size will be determined by which type of target will be in the crosshairs. For smaller targets the 500 and 750 lb bombs will work best. The full 8 x 750 lb is the best load out for base bombing since this load out has the highest total TNT.

Not all targets will require the usage of bombs or on some maps, you may be fortunate enough to have several bombers working on ground targets, or ground targets may be spread out, this is where rockets begin to shine. The AGM-12B Bullpup is essentially a 250 lb bomb attached to a rocket motor and is spin-stabilized. The Bullpup can be quite precise as long as the pilot can maintain visual of the target as he will need to guide the Bullpup in, any break from the target (due to manoeuvring or avoiding incoming enemies) can cause the rocket to go awry and miss the target. If needed the {{PAGENAME}} must throttle back and deploy the speed brake to ensure the Bullpup hits the target before manoeuvring away.

On the other hand, usage of the smaller [[FFAR Mighty Mouse]] unguided rockets can do a good amount of damage against ground and aerial targets, the one drawback – they are unguided. This means that once they are fired, they continue at their trajectory until they either hit something or run out of fuel and crash into the ground. The main counterpoint for the {{PAGENAME}} is the amount of these Mighty Mouse rockets it can carry, a total of 76. Rockets work best when they are fired in groups as this significantly increases chances that one or more rockets will hit their target. When going against aircraft it can induce a fear factor and cause the enemy pilot to take evasive manoeuvres to avoid an incoming salvo of rockets making them a much easier target to line up and reduce to small bits with the cannons.

=== Radars ===

The F-100D is equipped with an AN/APG-30 rangefinding radar, located in the nose of the aircraft.
It will automatically detect other planes within the scanning area and display the range to the closest target. It is linked with a gyro gunsight and can help with aiming at close range. This can be useful in simulator battles. However, the radar rangefinder lock will set off radar warning receivers, so in air RB pilots may prefer to switch it off to maintain the element of surprise.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="4" | AN/APG-30 - Rangefinding radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Tracking Range|The maximum range at which a target can be tracked}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Tracking Range|The range below which targets cannot be tracked by the radar}}
! {{Annotation|Azimuth Tracking Angle|How far to each side the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Elevation Tracking Angle|How far up and down the radar can track a target}}
|-
| 2,750 m || 300 m || ±9° || ±9°
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent cannons that has a high muzzle velocity, rate of fire, an adequate amount of ammo (200 rpg), and pack a good punch with high-explosive shells
* Can carry a wide array of suspended armaments including bombs, rockets and missiles
* 4 x AIM-9Es are adequate for air combat
* Above average speed; outruns the subsonic jets it commonly faces
* Good roll rate at lower speeds
* Access to RWR (Radar Warning Receiver)

'''Cons:'''

* Thoroughly unmanoeuvrable at low speeds
* Loses lots of energy in turns
* Suffers from significant elevator and aileron (pitch and roll) control stiffening at higher speeds
* Slow acceleration at lower speeds, even with afterburner
* On warmer maps, engine may overheat after extended periods of afterburner usage
* While rather fast, cannot go supersonic at sea level; not nearly fast enough to outrun supersonic jets it commonly faces such as the MiG-19/21, A-5C and J35A
* No countermeasures

== History ==

By the mid-50s, jet aircraft had become robust machines which had obtained sufficient combat experience for the next step into a fundamentally new age: the era of supersonic speed. Supersonic fighters were developed by both of the main opposing nations of the Cold War. In parallel with the development of the MIG-19 in the USSR, American aircraft designers were putting the finishing touches on their own design for a supersonic fighter. The F-100 Super Sabre entered serial production somewhat later than its Soviet counterpart, but it needed just as many improvements and upgrades.

The F-100's main problems were its high failure rate and the shortcomings of its control systems. In addition, a fighter-bomber version was also being developed based on the Super Sabre: the F-100D, which featured an increased vertical and horizontal fin area and expanded capabilities with regard to suspended weaponry. In the end, it was the D version that became the most widespread modification of the single-seat Super Sabre thanks to its improved control and excellent combat abilities as either a fighter-bomber or pure fighter. In terms of suspended weaponry, the F-100D was able to carry over twenty extremely varied weapon load-outs, from traditional high-explosive bombs and rockets to air-to-air rockets and nuclear bombs.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5929-development-f-100d-super-sabre-the-new-era-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-100d Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:F_100d_wallpaper_001.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_002.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_003.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_004.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_005.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_006.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_007.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|XFKJSkrgA0w|'''The Shooting Range #133''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:32 discusses the F-100D.|r4iaAbCImj0|'''F-100D Super Sabre [CloudMaker!]''' - Jengar|udBJeO9aMbg|'''How To Grind The F100 In War Thunder''' - ''TheLoganatorz''|fjqlRenNUAs|'''F-100 Super Sabre - Tips and Gameplay''' - ''WhooptieDo''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* North American [[F-86 (Family)|F-86]] Sabre

;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Dassault [[Super_Mystere_B2|Super Mystere]]
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-19PT|MiG-19]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5929-development-f-100d-super-sabre-the-new-era-en|[Devblog] F-100D Super Sabre: The New Era]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/436416-f-100d-super-sabre/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer NAA}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-100D

2023-03-14T22:00:04Z

U97916902: /* Usage in battles */

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-100 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-100d
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
|cockpit=cockpit_f-100d.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]] and was one of the first three jets to feature guided air-to-air missiles, the other two being the [[MiG-19PT]] and the [[Javelin F.(A.W.) Mk.9]].

The dogfighting days of World War II were over and while there was air-to-air combat during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, it was nowhere the level of previous wars. Jets were becoming faster, electronics and avionics were making them more manoeuvrable and the fighters were able to carry extremely large amounts of ordnance. The {{PAGENAME}} was no exception to this, as it was designed to be a ground attacker first and a fighter/interceptor as a secondary role. One noticeable difference from earlier aircraft is that early on in development the {{PAGENAME}} was known as the ''45-Sabre'' (officially later it was dubbed ''Super Sabre'') due to its wings being swept back at a 45° angle. The fighter's elevators were also swept back to help increase the aerodynamics of the aircraft. This, combined with a strong engine, upgraded avionics and early computer systems made this the first US fighter which was able to fly faster than the speed of sound in level flight.

[[File:F-100 duckmcmallardson001.png|350px|thumb|left|Literally looking down the barrels of an oncoming {{PAGENAME}}.]]

Weapon loadout options allow the pilot to tailor the aircraft to their playstyle or even mix it up depending on the map they are flying. This fighter excels as a ground attack bomber utilizing up to 6,000 lbs of bombs, [[AGM-12B Bullpup]] missiles, [[FFAR Mighty Mouse|Mighty Mouse]] rockets or several combinations of the three. Whether you are into dropping and running or firing and forgetting, there are ordnance choices will fit the pilot's style. For those pilots who want to hunt fighters and bombers, the four nose mounted 20 mm cannons and choice of [[AIM-9B]]/[[AIM-9E Sidewinder|E]] Sidewinder air-to-air missiles will fit the bill. The Sidewinders can also be used an intimidation factor as pilots with one on their tail must focus on outmanoeuvring the missile, providing you with the opportunity to manoeuvre in and line up the kill-shot with your cannons if the missile does not make contact. The speed of the {{PAGENAME}} can come in handy when attacking bomber aircraft as Boom & Zoom tactics will help you avoid any defensive weapons allowing you to wreak havoc during an attacking dive.

With the advent of other faster supersonic aircraft such as MiG-21s, J35As, and F-5s as well as powerful missile wielding A-5Cs, Su-25s and A-10s, aircraft lacking countermeasures such as the {{PAGENAME}} tend to be seen as easy prey. However, if handled correctly, the {{PAGENAME}} can be a formidable aircraft in both the fighter and strike roles.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


The F-100D’s flight performance is adequate. Being supersonic at 9.3, the F-100D can outrun many of the subsonic opponents it faces. Despite this, its top speed is slightly below average for a supersonic jet, being able to approach but not quite reach Mach 1 at sea level. However, it isn’t the only supersonic jet at 9.3; MiG-19s, early MiG-21s and F-104s, and Su-7s are all supersonic jets also found at 9.3 which all have a higher sea level top speed than the F-100D.

Although the F-100D is Supersonic and equipped with an afterburner, one of its weaknesses is its slow acceleration, especially at lower speeds, compared to other supersonic jets (notably all the aforementioned 9.3 ones). Many subsonic jets can keep up with your acceleration, while the faster subsonic jets such as Saab 32s, Sea Vixens and Harriers out-accelerate the F-100D.

The F-100D’s overall maneuverability is decent, having a fairly good turn rate, but its energy retention is poor. These two characteristics combined mean that if the F-100D is forced to dogfight, one-circle dogfights (such as scissors) should be favored as prolonged dogfights will see the its poor energy retention and mediocre acceleration disadvantage it. This poor energy retention, though for the most part a weakness, can occasionally be useful in situations where speed must be bled quickly (such as to get an enemy to overshoot). Of course, as with any high tier jet, dogfighting should generally be avoided as it leaves you slow and vulnerable, and this is especially true for the F-100D due to it’s slow acceleration.

[[File:F-100 fulzy nyan001.png|350px|thumb|right|Bird's eye view of a {{PAGENAME}} after unloading on ground targets.]]

Flying at speeds close to Mach 1 or past can pose a challenge for pilots utilizing the 3rd-person view as a condensation cloud forms around the aircraft and obscures your view (not an issue for those flying simulator-style from in the cockpit). While this can make targeting enemy aircraft a challenge, it just takes a little more work to line up the shot either with the cannons or air-to-air missiles.

Previously, attack aircraft fly slow to ensure they accurately hit their ground targets with guns, rockets or bombs. However, with poor low-speed maneuverability and acceleration, the {{PAGENAME}} becomes difficult to get out of harms way when flying slow, so it requires the pilot to learn how to bomb and fire rockets at targets at higher speeds than what they may be used to. ensure anti-aircraft fire nor any trailing fighters gain a targeting solution on you. Speed in and speed out is the key with the {{PAGENAME}}.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 10,668 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,445 || 1,438 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 40.6 || 41.5 || 61.4 || 54.6 || rowspan="2" | 1,400
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,478 || 1,458 || 39.5 || 40.0 || 94.6 || 79.2
|-
|}

==== Details ====
[[File:F-100 rheinberg001.png|500px|thumb|right|{{PAGENAME}} at cruising altitude on the watch for potential enemy fighters.]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 620 || 590 || 435 || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 640 || < 540 || < 610 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney J57P21 || 1
| colspan="2" | 9,658 kg || colspan="3" | 354 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 14m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 46m fuel
|-
| 900 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 10,708 kg || 11,156 kg || 11,905 kg || 13,159 kg || 16,689 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 14m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 46m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 3,786 kgf || 5,868 kgf
| 0.55 || 0.53 || 0.49 || 0.45 || 0.35
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 4,254 kgf (1,200 km/h) || 8,058 kgf (1,200 km/h)
| 0.75 || 0.72 || 0.68 || 0.61 || 0.48
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


Designers of post-war jet fighters wanted to take advantage of the newer jet technology and maximize both speed and ordnance carried, and to do this, something had to give and that was armor. The idea is that, if you are faster than the enemy, it is difficult for them to hit you, and armor will not be necessary. Though the {{PAGENAME}} does have protection for the pilot, it isn't much and leaves the rest of the critical components virtually unprotected with armour. For the pilot, the back of the seat and headrest maintains a continuous piece of steel at 12.7 mm thick and the windscreen is rated at 64 mm bulletproof windscreen. Typically this type of protection is meant more for protection from defensive turret attacks from bombers rather than gun attacks from other aircraft.

The {{PAGENAME}} is a relatively sturdy aircraft and can take a beating before critical components begin to fail. While the engine and the pilot are important to protect as much as possible (without the engine you don't go and without the pilot…you don't go…). The wings are another critical component which you must protect, as hits to the wings can effectively cripple the aircraft. If being tailed by another aircraft try to speed away because if you try to pull up, turn to the side or pull-down, you risk exposing increased surface area of the skin, giving the enemy pilot more to shoot at and a greater opportunity of taking out a wing. If possible, increase speed and sway back and forth, even some very shallow elevator dips up and down maybe enough to throw off the sighting of the enemy pilot and spray his bullets all around you without exposing very much surface area of the jet.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M39A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 4 x 20 mm M39A1 cannons, chin-mounted (200 rpg = 800 total)

For internal guns, the F-100D has four 20mm M39A1 revolver autocannons mounted under the nose intake. Those familiar with the preceding [[F-86F-2]] and its extremely powerful 20mm T-160 cannons will be delighted to hear that the F-100D’s M39A1 cannons are nearly identical to the F-86F-2’s T-160, and in addition, have 50 more rounds of ammo per gun. These cannons are fast-firing, have high velocity, and deal heavy damage. Its only downside is that, with a fast fire rate and 200 rounds per gun, one must be careful of spraying the guns, as ammo will run out quicker than expected.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

[[File:F-100 wp gaming001.jpg|500px|thumb|right|{{PAGENAME}} peeling away from the flight revealing the suspended ordnance it is carrying.]]
{{main|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|BLU-27/B incendiary}}
{{main|AGM-12B Bullpup|AIM-9B Sidewinder|AIM-9E Sidewinder|FFAR Mighty Mouse}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 10 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (5,000 lb total)
* 8 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 14 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 4 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 4 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
* 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs + 14 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets

One of the areas where the F-100D shines is its armament options, boasting a variety of different armaments for both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.

For unguided rockets, the F-100D can carry up to 76x 70mm Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR) Mighty Mouse rockets. They can be used to attack lighter targets in air RB, as well as armored targets such as pillboxes and tanks, but due to their inaccuracy the latter is generally not advised. In ground RB, these rockets have decent penetration, but due to their inaccuracy and generally low damage, it is best used against less armored targets such as SPAA and light tanks.

For dumb bombs, the F-100D can carry either 500lb, 750lb or 1000lb bombs, as well as BLU-27/B napalm bombs. The F-100D can carry enough bombs to take out one base in air RB. For CAS in ground RB, the lack of ballistics computer means you must manually compute where your bombs will land. For many, this leaves out the 500lb bombs as the amount of explosive in them may not be large enough to account for the margin of error in a manual bomb drop; the 750lb or 1000lb bombs are generally better for this CAS job. Some may prefer to take the 750lb bombs instead of the 1000lb bombs, as the explosive in them is sufficient and the F-100D can carry eight 750lb bombs in comparison to four 1000lb bombs.

A more reliable CAS option for the F-100D is the AGM-12B Bullpup air-to-ground guided missile. Once fired, this missile can be maneuvered via your keyboard (keybinds must be set); simply keep the flare light on the missile near the intended target until the missile hits them. The 250 lb warhead in the missile gives a high likelyhood of destroying most enemy armored vehicles in one hit, though its lethality in practice will rely on the player’s ability to keep the missile centered on the target. The downside of using these missiles is that, compared to the high volume of unguided bombs or rockets the F-100D can take, it can only take two AGM-12Bs. Due to this, the AGM-12B is most useful in ground RB, where in the presence of radar SPAA and SAMs, precision strikes are generally favored over high volume unguided bombing.

For the air-to-air role, the F-100D can carry up to four AIM-9B/E Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. Though the AIM-9 Sidewinder is a well-known and successful air-to-air weapon, this version, the AIM-9B Sidewinder, is one of its earliest variants and thus is fairly weak. It locks on to targets via their heat signature, but being an early variant, the AIM-9B can only do so from the rear-aspect where the target’s hot engine exhaust is. It generally has a 1.8km range against targets flying straight and at the same speed as the launching aircraft. Its main and significant weakness lies in its inability to turn very hard; oftentimes, the enemy simply turning slightly is enough to dodge the missile kineticly. The upgraded AIM-9E allows the missile to be “lead” a little, that is, it can still keep a lock on an enemy within a small radius of the launching aircraft’s nose, but is otherwise similar to the AIM-9B and will still be performing similarly to it. Though the AIM-9B/E is fairly weak, they can be useful in situations. At higher altitudes (>5000 m), the missile is more effective due to lower air density hampering an aircraft’s maneuverability and thrust while leaving the missile generally unaffected. The AIM-9B/E is also useful against aircraft in a low energy state (in other words, slow) that don’t have the speed to escape the missile.

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:F-100 tio pilin001.png|350px|thumb|right|{{PAGENAME}} caught in the cross-hairs of a MiG fighter.]]

'''Air Realistic Battles'''

The F-100 is a decent fighter aircraft in air RB.

In a down-tier, little aircraft can match the F-100’s speed. Thus, boom-and-zoom tactics utilizing its excellent cannons and useful AIM-9s will work well on the slower, subsonic fighters.

In an up-tier, the plane is much more limited to a support role due to the presence of higher performance fighters such as MiG-19s, MiG-21s and Su-25s with all-aspect missiles. Full uptiers see 10.3 aircraft such as the MiG-21SMT/MF, J35D and Mirage IIIs— with high-performance air-to-air missiles and supersonic, maneuverable performance to back it up— which the F-100D simply has no chance of fighting on its own.

The F-100 is absolutely crippled in an up-tier situation. Unlike the F4 Phantom II or the MiG-21, the F-100 is equipped with leading-edge slats. This gives it a much higher angle of attack at low speeds, allowing the F-100 to out-turn both the F4 and the MiG-21 while pulling so many G-forces and dropping speed so severely that it becomes an easy target for even AIM-9E missiles. However, at lower battle ratings, the F-100D is best at [[Boom & Zoom]] tactics. When fighting at a lower battle rating, the F-100 has some bad flying characteristics at low speeds which includes flying like a rock with wings. At high speeds, the F-100 locks up severely in spite of its all-flying tail and boosted controls, losing most of its control authority (particularly in its rolling axis). It has a massive angle of attack, so once you get on someone's tail, there's pretty much no escape, though floundering around at subsonic-optimized speeds leaves you vulnerable to interception. The best way to use the F-100D in the face of constant uptiers is to start climbing away from the battlefield, returning as support once more capable fighters have engaged the enemy. 5,000 m is usually a good altitude to climb to. In the off chance that you encounter subsonic aircraft, Boom & Zoom tactics should be used to capitalize on your relatively superior climb rate. Climb high, make a pass, then climb away. Be extremely careful to not bleed energy and don't turn when subsonic planes are around, they will be able to outmanoeuvre the F-100D.

Against the F-100's second biggest foe (with the first being AIM-9Js and R-60s), the MiG-19, turning isn't a bad idea if you keep your energy up. You bleed a lot of speed in a turn, so extreme pulls aren't recommended, especially considering the MiG-19's superior manoeuvring energy retention. The MiG-19 will rip easily at high speeds, something the F-100 doesn't have a problem with, though reaching those speeds effectively dooms the Super Sabre to degrees of manoeuvring lock-up similar to that experienced by its foe. However, the MiG-19 accelerates much faster than the F-100D at all speeds and altitudes so it can slip away easily. In the best-case scenario, bait the MiG-19 for a teammate, as the MiG-19 can't do much against two F-100s.

The F-100 is an amalgamation of paradoxical design features that results in an aircraft too heavy to sustain manoeuvring engagements despite its strong slats, slow to accelerate to its surprisingly high rip speeds, and too sluggish at speed to take full advantage of its strong armament. Overall to get this bus to perform, it must be at high speeds. Keep your energy up.

;'''Ground attack'''

The {{PAGENAME}} is no stranger to ground attack and can be effectively outfitted with just about anything (the LDGP Mk series kitchen sinks were not yet available) necessary to destroy ground targets both large and small. While bombers could deliver a massive amount of ordnance, they typically flew slow and high and were not always as precise as hoped for, therefore the USAF designated some of their fighter aircraft to also excel as low altitude precision bombers.

A fully researched {{PAGENAME}} can carry an assortment of low-drag general-purpose bombs ranging from 500 lb, 750 lb and 1,000 lb. Total maximum bomb weight is 6,000 lb, the same amount carried by a single [[B-17E]] bomber, but the {{PAGENAME}} can heft this amount at almost 1,000 km/h faster and at a lower more accurate altitude. Of course, the bomb size will be determined by which type of target will be in the crosshairs. For smaller targets the 500 and 750 lb bombs will work best. The full 8 x 750 lb is the best load out for base bombing since this load out has the highest total TNT.

Not all targets will require the usage of bombs or on some maps, you may be fortunate enough to have several bombers working on ground targets, or ground targets may be spread out, this is where rockets begin to shine. The AGM-12B Bullpup is essentially a 250 lb bomb attached to a rocket motor and is spin-stabilized. The Bullpup can be quite precise as long as the pilot can maintain visual of the target as he will need to guide the Bullpup in, any break from the target (due to manoeuvring or avoiding incoming enemies) can cause the rocket to go awry and miss the target. If needed the {{PAGENAME}} must throttle back and deploy the speed brake to ensure the Bullpup hits the target before manoeuvring away.

On the other hand, usage of the smaller [[FFAR Mighty Mouse]] unguided rockets can do a good amount of damage against ground and aerial targets, the one drawback – they are unguided. This means that once they are fired, they continue at their trajectory until they either hit something or run out of fuel and crash into the ground. The main counterpoint for the {{PAGENAME}} is the amount of these Mighty Mouse rockets it can carry, a total of 76. Rockets work best when they are fired in groups as this significantly increases chances that one or more rockets will hit their target. When going against aircraft it can induce a fear factor and cause the enemy pilot to take evasive manoeuvres to avoid an incoming salvo of rockets making them a much easier target to line up and reduce to small bits with the cannons.

=== Radars ===

The F-100D is equipped with an AN/APG-30 rangefinding radar, located in the nose of the aircraft.
It will automatically detect other planes within the scanning area and display the range to the closest target. It is linked with a gyro gunsight and can help with aiming at close range. This can be useful in simulator battles. However, the radar rangefinder lock will set off radar warning receivers, so in air RB pilots may prefer to switch it off to maintain the element of surprise.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="4" | AN/APG-30 - Rangefinding radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Tracking Range|The maximum range at which a target can be tracked}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Tracking Range|The range below which targets cannot be tracked by the radar}}
! {{Annotation|Azimuth Tracking Angle|How far to each side the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Elevation Tracking Angle|How far up and down the radar can track a target}}
|-
| 2,750 m || 300 m || ±9° || ±9°
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent cannons that has a high muzzle velocity, rate of fire, an adequate amount of ammo (200 rpg), and pack a good punch with high-explosive shells
* Can carry a wide array of suspended armaments including bombs, rockets and missiles
* 4 x AIM-9Es are adequate for air combat
* Outruns the subsonic jets it commonly faces
* Good roll rate at lower speeds

'''Cons:'''

* Thoroughly unmanoeuvrable at low speeds
* Loses lots of energy in turns
* Suffers from significant elevator and aileron (pitch and roll) control stiffening at higher speeds
* Rather slow acceleration at lower speeds, even with afterburner
* On warmer maps, engine may overheat after extended periods of afterburner usage
* Cannot go supersonic at sea level; not nearly fast enough to outrun supersonic jets it commonly faces such as the MiG-19/21, A-5C and J35A
* No countermeasures

== History ==

By the mid-50s, jet aircraft had become robust machines which had obtained sufficient combat experience for the next step into a fundamentally new age: the era of supersonic speed. Supersonic fighters were developed by both of the main opposing nations of the Cold War. In parallel with the development of the MIG-19 in the USSR, American aircraft designers were putting the finishing touches on their own design for a supersonic fighter. The F-100 Super Sabre entered serial production somewhat later than its Soviet counterpart, but it needed just as many improvements and upgrades.

The F-100's main problems were its high failure rate and the shortcomings of its control systems. In addition, a fighter-bomber version was also being developed based on the Super Sabre: the F-100D, which featured an increased vertical and horizontal fin area and expanded capabilities with regard to suspended weaponry. In the end, it was the D version that became the most widespread modification of the single-seat Super Sabre thanks to its improved control and excellent combat abilities as either a fighter-bomber or pure fighter. In terms of suspended weaponry, the F-100D was able to carry over twenty extremely varied weapon load-outs, from traditional high-explosive bombs and rockets to air-to-air rockets and nuclear bombs.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5929-development-f-100d-super-sabre-the-new-era-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-100d Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:F_100d_wallpaper_001.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_002.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_003.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_004.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_005.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_006.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_007.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|XFKJSkrgA0w|'''The Shooting Range #133''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:32 discusses the F-100D.|r4iaAbCImj0|'''F-100D Super Sabre [CloudMaker!]''' - Jengar|udBJeO9aMbg|'''How To Grind The F100 In War Thunder''' - ''TheLoganatorz''|fjqlRenNUAs|'''F-100 Super Sabre - Tips and Gameplay''' - ''WhooptieDo''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* North American [[F-86 (Family)|F-86]] Sabre

;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Dassault [[Super_Mystere_B2|Super Mystere]]
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-19PT|MiG-19]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5929-development-f-100d-super-sabre-the-new-era-en|[Devblog] F-100D Super Sabre: The New Era]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/436416-f-100d-super-sabre/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer NAA}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-100D

2023-03-14T21:56:38Z

U97916902: /* Usage in battles */

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-100 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-100d
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
|cockpit=cockpit_f-100d.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]] and was one of the first three jets to feature guided air-to-air missiles, the other two being the [[MiG-19PT]] and the [[Javelin F.(A.W.) Mk.9]].

The dogfighting days of World War II were over and while there was air-to-air combat during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, it was nowhere the level of previous wars. Jets were becoming faster, electronics and avionics were making them more manoeuvrable and the fighters were able to carry extremely large amounts of ordnance. The {{PAGENAME}} was no exception to this, as it was designed to be a ground attacker first and a fighter/interceptor as a secondary role. One noticeable difference from earlier aircraft is that early on in development the {{PAGENAME}} was known as the ''45-Sabre'' (officially later it was dubbed ''Super Sabre'') due to its wings being swept back at a 45° angle. The fighter's elevators were also swept back to help increase the aerodynamics of the aircraft. This, combined with a strong engine, upgraded avionics and early computer systems made this the first US fighter which was able to fly faster than the speed of sound in level flight.

[[File:F-100 duckmcmallardson001.png|350px|thumb|left|Literally looking down the barrels of an oncoming {{PAGENAME}}.]]

Weapon loadout options allow the pilot to tailor the aircraft to their playstyle or even mix it up depending on the map they are flying. This fighter excels as a ground attack bomber utilizing up to 6,000 lbs of bombs, [[AGM-12B Bullpup]] missiles, [[FFAR Mighty Mouse|Mighty Mouse]] rockets or several combinations of the three. Whether you are into dropping and running or firing and forgetting, there are ordnance choices will fit the pilot's style. For those pilots who want to hunt fighters and bombers, the four nose mounted 20 mm cannons and choice of [[AIM-9B]]/[[AIM-9E Sidewinder|E]] Sidewinder air-to-air missiles will fit the bill. The Sidewinders can also be used an intimidation factor as pilots with one on their tail must focus on outmanoeuvring the missile, providing you with the opportunity to manoeuvre in and line up the kill-shot with your cannons if the missile does not make contact. The speed of the {{PAGENAME}} can come in handy when attacking bomber aircraft as Boom & Zoom tactics will help you avoid any defensive weapons allowing you to wreak havoc during an attacking dive.

With the advent of other faster supersonic aircraft such as MiG-21s, J35As, and F-5s as well as powerful missile wielding A-5Cs, Su-25s and A-10s, aircraft lacking countermeasures such as the {{PAGENAME}} tend to be seen as easy prey. However, if handled correctly, the {{PAGENAME}} can be a formidable aircraft in both the fighter and strike roles.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


The F-100D’s flight performance is adequate. Being supersonic at 9.3, the F-100D can outrun many of the subsonic opponents it faces. Despite this, its top speed is slightly below average for a supersonic jet, being able to approach but not quite reach Mach 1 at sea level. However, it isn’t the only supersonic jet at 9.3; MiG-19s, early MiG-21s and F-104s, and Su-7s are all supersonic jets also found at 9.3 which all have a higher sea level top speed than the F-100D.

Although the F-100D is Supersonic and equipped with an afterburner, one of its weaknesses is its slow acceleration, especially at lower speeds, compared to other supersonic jets (notably all the aforementioned 9.3 ones). Many subsonic jets can keep up with your acceleration, while the faster subsonic jets such as Saab 32s, Sea Vixens and Harriers out-accelerate the F-100D.

The F-100D’s overall maneuverability is decent, having a fairly good turn rate, but its energy retention is poor. These two characteristics combined mean that if the F-100D is forced to dogfight, one-circle dogfights (such as scissors) should be favored as prolonged dogfights will see the its poor energy retention and mediocre acceleration disadvantage it. This poor energy retention, though for the most part a weakness, can occasionally be useful in situations where speed must be bled quickly (such as to get an enemy to overshoot). Of course, as with any high tier jet, dogfighting should generally be avoided as it leaves you slow and vulnerable, and this is especially true for the F-100D due to it’s slow acceleration.

[[File:F-100 fulzy nyan001.png|350px|thumb|right|Bird's eye view of a {{PAGENAME}} after unloading on ground targets.]]

Flying at speeds close to Mach 1 or past can pose a challenge for pilots utilizing the 3rd-person view as a condensation cloud forms around the aircraft and obscures your view (not an issue for those flying simulator-style from in the cockpit). While this can make targeting enemy aircraft a challenge, it just takes a little more work to line up the shot either with the cannons or air-to-air missiles.

Previously, attack aircraft fly slow to ensure they accurately hit their ground targets with guns, rockets or bombs. However, with poor low-speed maneuverability and acceleration, the {{PAGENAME}} becomes difficult to get out of harms way when flying slow, so it requires the pilot to learn how to bomb and fire rockets at targets at higher speeds than what they may be used to. ensure anti-aircraft fire nor any trailing fighters gain a targeting solution on you. Speed in and speed out is the key with the {{PAGENAME}}.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 10,668 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,445 || 1,438 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 40.6 || 41.5 || 61.4 || 54.6 || rowspan="2" | 1,400
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,478 || 1,458 || 39.5 || 40.0 || 94.6 || 79.2
|-
|}

==== Details ====
[[File:F-100 rheinberg001.png|500px|thumb|right|{{PAGENAME}} at cruising altitude on the watch for potential enemy fighters.]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 620 || 590 || 435 || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 640 || < 540 || < 610 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney J57P21 || 1
| colspan="2" | 9,658 kg || colspan="3" | 354 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 14m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 46m fuel
|-
| 900 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 10,708 kg || 11,156 kg || 11,905 kg || 13,159 kg || 16,689 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 14m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 46m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 3,786 kgf || 5,868 kgf
| 0.55 || 0.53 || 0.49 || 0.45 || 0.35
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 4,254 kgf (1,200 km/h) || 8,058 kgf (1,200 km/h)
| 0.75 || 0.72 || 0.68 || 0.61 || 0.48
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


Designers of post-war jet fighters wanted to take advantage of the newer jet technology and maximize both speed and ordnance carried, and to do this, something had to give and that was armor. The idea is that, if you are faster than the enemy, it is difficult for them to hit you, and armor will not be necessary. Though the {{PAGENAME}} does have protection for the pilot, it isn't much and leaves the rest of the critical components virtually unprotected with armour. For the pilot, the back of the seat and headrest maintains a continuous piece of steel at 12.7 mm thick and the windscreen is rated at 64 mm bulletproof windscreen. Typically this type of protection is meant more for protection from defensive turret attacks from bombers rather than gun attacks from other aircraft.

The {{PAGENAME}} is a relatively sturdy aircraft and can take a beating before critical components begin to fail. While the engine and the pilot are important to protect as much as possible (without the engine you don't go and without the pilot…you don't go…). The wings are another critical component which you must protect, as hits to the wings can effectively cripple the aircraft. If being tailed by another aircraft try to speed away because if you try to pull up, turn to the side or pull-down, you risk exposing increased surface area of the skin, giving the enemy pilot more to shoot at and a greater opportunity of taking out a wing. If possible, increase speed and sway back and forth, even some very shallow elevator dips up and down maybe enough to throw off the sighting of the enemy pilot and spray his bullets all around you without exposing very much surface area of the jet.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M39A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 4 x 20 mm M39A1 cannons, chin-mounted (200 rpg = 800 total)

For internal guns, the F-100D has four 20mm M39A1 revolver autocannons mounted under the nose intake. Those familiar with the preceding [[F-86F-2]] and its extremely powerful 20mm T-160 cannons will be delighted to hear that the F-100D’s M39A1 cannons are nearly identical to the F-86F-2’s T-160, and in addition, have 50 more rounds of ammo per gun. These cannons are fast-firing, have high velocity, and deal heavy damage. Its only downside is that, with a fast fire rate and 200 rounds per gun, one must be careful of spraying the guns, as ammo will run out quicker than expected.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

[[File:F-100 wp gaming001.jpg|500px|thumb|right|{{PAGENAME}} peeling away from the flight revealing the suspended ordnance it is carrying.]]
{{main|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|BLU-27/B incendiary}}
{{main|AGM-12B Bullpup|AIM-9B Sidewinder|AIM-9E Sidewinder|FFAR Mighty Mouse}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 10 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (5,000 lb total)
* 8 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 14 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 4 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 4 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
* 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs + 14 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets

One of the areas where the F-100D shines is its armament options, boasting a variety of different armaments for both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.

For unguided rockets, the F-100D can carry up to 76x 70mm Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR) Mighty Mouse rockets. They can be used to attack lighter targets in air RB, as well as armored targets such as pillboxes and tanks, but due to their inaccuracy the latter is generally not advised. In ground RB, these rockets have decent penetration, but due to their inaccuracy and generally low damage, it is best used against less armored targets such as SPAA and light tanks.

For dumb bombs, the F-100D can carry either 500lb, 750lb or 1000lb bombs, as well as BLU-27/B napalm bombs. The F-100D can carry enough bombs to take out one base in air RB. For CAS in ground RB, the lack of ballistics computer means you must manually compute where your bombs will land. For many, this leaves out the 500lb bombs as the amount of explosive in them may not be large enough to account for the margin of error in a manual bomb drop; the 750lb or 1000lb bombs are generally better for this CAS job. Some may prefer to take the 750lb bombs instead of the 1000lb bombs, as the explosive in them is sufficient and the F-100D can carry eight 750lb bombs in comparison to four 1000lb bombs.

A more reliable CAS option for the F-100D is the AGM-12B Bullpup air-to-ground guided missile. Once fired, this missile can be maneuvered via your keyboard (keybinds must be set); simply keep the flare light on the missile near the intended target until the missile hits them. The 250 lb warhead in the missile gives a high likelyhood of destroying most enemy armored vehicles in one hit, though its lethality in practice will rely on the player’s ability to keep the missile centered on the target. The downside of using these missiles is that, compared to the high volume of unguided bombs or rockets the F-100D can take, it can only take two AGM-12Bs. Due to this, the AGM-12B is most useful in ground RB, where in the presence of radar SPAA and SAMs, precision strikes are generally favored over high volume unguided bombing.

For the air-to-air role, the F-100D can carry up to four AIM-9B/E Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. Though the AIM-9 Sidewinder is a well-known and successful air-to-air weapon, this version, the AIM-9B Sidewinder, is one of its earliest variants and thus is fairly weak. It locks on to targets via their heat signature, but being an early variant, the AIM-9B can only do so from the rear-aspect where the target’s hot engine exhaust is. It generally has a 1.8km range against targets flying straight and at the same speed as the launching aircraft. Its main and significant weakness lies in its inability to turn very hard; oftentimes, the enemy simply turning slightly is enough to dodge the missile kineticly. The upgraded AIM-9E allows the missile to be “lead” a little, that is, it can still keep a lock on an enemy within a small radius of the launching aircraft’s nose, but is otherwise similar to the AIM-9B and will still be performing similarly to it. Though the AIM-9B/E is fairly weak, they can be useful in situations. At higher altitudes (>5000 m), the missile is more effective due to lower air density hampering an aircraft’s maneuverability and thrust while leaving the missile generally unaffected. The AIM-9B/E is also useful against aircraft in a low energy state (in other words, slow) that don’t have the speed to escape the missile.

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:F-100 tio pilin001.png|350px|thumb|right|{{PAGENAME}} caught in the cross-hairs of a MiG fighter.]]

'''Air Realistic Battles'''

The F-100 is a decent fighter aircraft in air RB. In a down-tier, it can use its speed to boom-and-zoom slower, subsonic fighters with its excellent cannons and AIM-9s. In an up-tier, the plane is much more limited to a support role due to the presence of higher performance fighters such as MiG-19s, MiG-21s and Su-25s with all-aspect missiles. Full uptiers see 10.3 aircraft such as the MiG-21SMT/MF, J35D and Mirage IIIs— with high-performance air-to-air missiles and supersonic, maneuverable performance to back it up— which the F-100D simply has no chance of fighting on its own.

The F-100 is absolutely crippled in an up-tier situation. Unlike the F4 Phantom II or the MiG-21, the F-100 is equipped with leading-edge slats. This gives it a much higher angle of attack at low speeds, allowing the F-100 to out-turn both the F4 and the MiG-21 while pulling so many G-forces and dropping speed so severely that it becomes an easy target for even AIM-9E missiles. However, at lower battle ratings, the F-100D is best at [[Boom & Zoom]] tactics. When fighting at a lower battle rating, the F-100 has some bad flying characteristics at low speeds which includes flying like a rock with wings. At high speeds, the F-100 locks up severely in spite of its all-flying tail and boosted controls, losing most of its control authority (particularly in its rolling axis). It has a massive angle of attack, so once you get on someone's tail, there's pretty much no escape, though floundering around at subsonic-optimized speeds leaves you vulnerable to interception. The best way to use the F-100D in the face of constant uptiers is to start climbing away from the battlefield, returning as support once more capable fighters have engaged the enemy. 5,000 m is usually a good altitude to climb to. In the off chance that you encounter subsonic aircraft, Boom & Zoom tactics should be used to capitalize on your relatively superior climb rate. Climb high, make a pass, then climb away. Be extremely careful to not bleed energy and don't turn when subsonic planes are around, they will be able to outmanoeuvre the F-100D.

Against the F-100's second biggest foe (with the first being AIM-9Js and R-60s), the MiG-19, turning isn't a bad idea if you keep your energy up. You bleed a lot of speed in a turn, so extreme pulls aren't recommended, especially considering the MiG-19's superior manoeuvring energy retention. The MiG-19 will rip easily at high speeds, something the F-100 doesn't have a problem with, though reaching those speeds effectively dooms the Super Sabre to degrees of manoeuvring lock-up similar to that experienced by its foe. However, the MiG-19 accelerates much faster than the F-100D at all speeds and altitudes so it can slip away easily. In the best-case scenario, bait the MiG-19 for a teammate, as the MiG-19 can't do much against two F-100s.

The F-100 is an amalgamation of paradoxical design features that results in an aircraft too heavy to sustain manoeuvring engagements despite its strong slats, slow to accelerate to its surprisingly high rip speeds, and too sluggish at speed to take full advantage of its strong armament. Overall to get this bus to perform, it must be at high speeds. Keep your energy up.

;'''Ground attack'''

The {{PAGENAME}} is no stranger to ground attack and can be effectively outfitted with just about anything (the LDGP Mk series kitchen sinks were not yet available) necessary to destroy ground targets both large and small. While bombers could deliver a massive amount of ordnance, they typically flew slow and high and were not always as precise as hoped for, therefore the USAF designated some of their fighter aircraft to also excel as low altitude precision bombers.

A fully researched {{PAGENAME}} can carry an assortment of low-drag general-purpose bombs ranging from 500 lb, 750 lb and 1,000 lb. Total maximum bomb weight is 6,000 lb, the same amount carried by a single [[B-17E]] bomber, but the {{PAGENAME}} can heft this amount at almost 1,000 km/h faster and at a lower more accurate altitude. Of course, the bomb size will be determined by which type of target will be in the crosshairs. For smaller targets the 500 and 750 lb bombs will work best. The full 8 x 750 lb is the best load out for base bombing since this load out has the highest total TNT.

Not all targets will require the usage of bombs or on some maps, you may be fortunate enough to have several bombers working on ground targets, or ground targets may be spread out, this is where rockets begin to shine. The AGM-12B Bullpup is essentially a 250 lb bomb attached to a rocket motor and is spin-stabilized. The Bullpup can be quite precise as long as the pilot can maintain visual of the target as he will need to guide the Bullpup in, any break from the target (due to manoeuvring or avoiding incoming enemies) can cause the rocket to go awry and miss the target. If needed the {{PAGENAME}} must throttle back and deploy the speed brake to ensure the Bullpup hits the target before manoeuvring away.

On the other hand, usage of the smaller [[FFAR Mighty Mouse]] unguided rockets can do a good amount of damage against ground and aerial targets, the one drawback – they are unguided. This means that once they are fired, they continue at their trajectory until they either hit something or run out of fuel and crash into the ground. The main counterpoint for the {{PAGENAME}} is the amount of these Mighty Mouse rockets it can carry, a total of 76. Rockets work best when they are fired in groups as this significantly increases chances that one or more rockets will hit their target. When going against aircraft it can induce a fear factor and cause the enemy pilot to take evasive manoeuvres to avoid an incoming salvo of rockets making them a much easier target to line up and reduce to small bits with the cannons.

=== Radars ===

The F-100D is equipped with an AN/APG-30 rangefinding radar, located in the nose of the aircraft.
It will automatically detect other planes within the scanning area and display the range to the closest target. It is linked with a gyro gunsight and can help with aiming at close range. This can be useful in simulator battles. However, the radar rangefinder lock will set off radar warning receivers, so in air RB pilots may prefer to switch it off to maintain the element of surprise.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="4" | AN/APG-30 - Rangefinding radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Tracking Range|The maximum range at which a target can be tracked}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Tracking Range|The range below which targets cannot be tracked by the radar}}
! {{Annotation|Azimuth Tracking Angle|How far to each side the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Elevation Tracking Angle|How far up and down the radar can track a target}}
|-
| 2,750 m || 300 m || ±9° || ±9°
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent cannons that has a high muzzle velocity, rate of fire, an adequate amount of ammo (200 rpg), and pack a good punch with high-explosive shells
* Can carry a wide array of suspended armaments including bombs, rockets and missiles
* 4 x AIM-9Es are adequate for air combat
* Outruns the subsonic jets it commonly faces
* Good roll rate at lower speeds

'''Cons:'''

* Thoroughly unmanoeuvrable at low speeds
* Loses lots of energy in turns
* Suffers from significant elevator and aileron (pitch and roll) control stiffening at higher speeds
* Rather slow acceleration at lower speeds, even with afterburner
* On warmer maps, engine may overheat after extended periods of afterburner usage
* Cannot go supersonic at sea level; not nearly fast enough to outrun supersonic jets it commonly faces such as the MiG-19/21, A-5C and J35A
* No countermeasures

== History ==

By the mid-50s, jet aircraft had become robust machines which had obtained sufficient combat experience for the next step into a fundamentally new age: the era of supersonic speed. Supersonic fighters were developed by both of the main opposing nations of the Cold War. In parallel with the development of the MIG-19 in the USSR, American aircraft designers were putting the finishing touches on their own design for a supersonic fighter. The F-100 Super Sabre entered serial production somewhat later than its Soviet counterpart, but it needed just as many improvements and upgrades.

The F-100's main problems were its high failure rate and the shortcomings of its control systems. In addition, a fighter-bomber version was also being developed based on the Super Sabre: the F-100D, which featured an increased vertical and horizontal fin area and expanded capabilities with regard to suspended weaponry. In the end, it was the D version that became the most widespread modification of the single-seat Super Sabre thanks to its improved control and excellent combat abilities as either a fighter-bomber or pure fighter. In terms of suspended weaponry, the F-100D was able to carry over twenty extremely varied weapon load-outs, from traditional high-explosive bombs and rockets to air-to-air rockets and nuclear bombs.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5929-development-f-100d-super-sabre-the-new-era-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-100d Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:F_100d_wallpaper_001.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_002.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_003.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_004.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_005.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_006.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_007.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|XFKJSkrgA0w|'''The Shooting Range #133''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:32 discusses the F-100D.|r4iaAbCImj0|'''F-100D Super Sabre [CloudMaker!]''' - Jengar|udBJeO9aMbg|'''How To Grind The F100 In War Thunder''' - ''TheLoganatorz''|fjqlRenNUAs|'''F-100 Super Sabre - Tips and Gameplay''' - ''WhooptieDo''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* North American [[F-86 (Family)|F-86]] Sabre

;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Dassault [[Super_Mystere_B2|Super Mystere]]
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-19PT|MiG-19]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5929-development-f-100d-super-sabre-the-new-era-en|[Devblog] F-100D Super Sabre: The New Era]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/436416-f-100d-super-sabre/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer NAA}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

LAV-AD

2023-03-14T10:16:17Z

U97916902: /* Usage in battles */

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_lav_ad
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}_Hydra-70.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American SPAA {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Cupola || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}

The LAV-AD's mobility is rather superb. As a wheeled vehicle, it has good speed on roads. Despite being similar in appearance and having a weaker engine than the [[M1128]], the LAV-AD accelerates much faster due to its lighter weight, resulting in a higher power-to-weight ratio, and it also has a slightly faster reverse speed. The engine is also relatively quiet, allowing for stealthy movements and ambushes.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=391|rbMinHp=243}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|4}}

{{main|GAU-12U (25 mm)}}

The main armament of the LAV-AD is the 25 mm GAU-12U rotary autocannon. It functions similarly to the 20 mm [[M168 (20 mm)|M168]] Vulcan found on the [[M163]] earlier on in the tech tree, but with a reduced ammo capacity of only 1,000 rounds total (500 ready, 500 reserve instead of 1,100 ready, 1,100 reserve) and fire rate (1,800 rpm instead of 3,000 rpm) due to the limited room in the vehicle and larger calibre ammunition. The gun is also fully stabilized, with handling akin to that of the [[HSTV-L]]; slower than the [[M163]] and [[M247]] Sergeant York but still fast enough to react to most aerial targets at close range, particularly helicopters and slow, low-flying jets. Like most other AAs, it comes with a Default, AP, and HE belt. The Default belt has a 1:1 AP to HE ratio and is the only belt the vehicle has access to when stock. The HE belt has a 3:1 HE to AP ratio while the AP belt has a 3:1 AP to HE ratio. The former is more effective against aircraft while the latter is more effective against armoured vehicles. The AP round is the same across all belts, and can penetrate 91 mm of armour at point blank range. Combined with the relatively high fire rate, it can easily destroy barrels, tracks, and machine guns with ease as well as being able to shred light vehicles.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[GAU-12U (25 mm)|25 mm GAU-12U]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 1,155 (385) || rowspan="2" | 1,800 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+60° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 50.2 || 69.5 || 84.4 || 93.3 || 99.2 || rowspan="2" | 26.00 || rowspan="2" | 23.00 || rowspan="2" | 21.20 || rowspan="2" | 20.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 33.9 || 39.9 || 48.5 || 53.6 || 57.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|HVAP|High-velocity armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI*|High-explosive incendiary (self-destroying)}}
* '''PGU-25/U:''' {{Annotation|HEI*|High-explosive incendiary (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI*|High-explosive incendiary (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI*|High-explosive incendiary (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP|High-velocity armour-piercing}}
* '''PGU-20/U:''' {{Annotation|HVAP|High-velocity armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP|High-velocity armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP|High-velocity armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI*|High-explosive incendiary (self-destroying)}}

{{:GAU-12U (25 mm)/Ammunition|HEI*, HVAP}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''3''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|Hydra 70}}

The LAV-AD also has access to Hydra 70 M247 rockets with a researchable modification. This modification gives the vehicle an additional weapon set-up, replacing the Stinger pod above the main gun with a Hydra 70 rocket pod with 19 rockets, similar to those found on [[AH-1 (Family)|AH-1 Cobras]] and [[AH-64 (Family)|AH-64 Apaches]]. The Hydras are fired as a secondary weapon.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Hydra 70]] rocket
|-
! Capacity (Belt) !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
|-
| 19 (19) || N/A || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Hydra 70/Ammunition|M247}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''1''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|FIM-92 Stinger}}

The LAV-AD also comes with [[FIM-92 Stinger]] missiles. The missiles are IR guided, meaning they require a lock-on before firing. The vehicle has FIM-92Es by default and can unlock FIM-92Ks as a later modification. These are the same Stinger missiles used by the [[Ozelot]] in the German tech tree and function the same way. The missiles are launched as special weapons.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[FIM-92 Stinger]] missile || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 16 (4) (12 with Hydra 70s) || rowspan="2" | -8°/+65° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
|-
! ''Realistic''
| __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:FIM-92 Stinger/Ammunition|FIM-92E, FIM-92K}}

The FIM-92E detonates on impact while the FIM-92K has a proximity fuse.

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''16''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

In battles, the player can either use the LAV-AD as an AA or in a limited anti-tank role. By using the LAV's fast speed, the player can easily reach deep into enemy territory where enemies are less vigilant compared to when they're near the frontline. The player can use this advantage by either hiding and waiting for planes to be distracted on friendly tanks and shooting them down or used to attack unsuspecting SPAAs and IFVs/light tanks from mid range and then closing up close to killing MBTs. The rocket pod makes quick work of enemy armour if you can get on their flanks. Additionally, the LAV’s fast speed makes for a decent distraction against enemies while your teammates (hopefully) destroy said enemies.

'''Against Aircraft'''

The LAV's stinger SAMs are a mixed bag. The stingers have a decent maximum range of around 6km, and once launched, powerful IRCCM (InfraRed counter-counter measures) makes it practically impossible for flares or IRCM to distract the missile. However, it has a mere 10g overload, meaning even basic defensive maneuvers may defeat the missile. Upon launching, a conspicuous smoke trail makes the missile as well as your own position easy to notice. In addition, a small warhead makes for unreliable damage, and it it isn’t uncommon for two or more stingers hits to not be enough to bring down an enemy aircraft; this is especially true for more survivable aircraft such as the Su-25 or Ka-50/52.

The stinger’s maximum range of around 6km is usually sufficient to lock onto the hot engines of jet aircraft. It is useful against aircraft 2-4km high in the sky, where their maneuverability will be reduced, making it easier for the stinger to hit. The stinger is particularly useful against helicopters near the battlefield (1-3km). Helicopters are slow and have a difficult time kinetically evading even the 10g stinger, and the stinger’s IRCCM sees that IRCM and flares are useless against it. In an uptier, however, helicopters are actually the stinger’s worst nightmare. Helicopters do not have particularly hot engines, and with long-range air-to-ground missiles, the stinger cannot even get a lock on helicopters at long ranges. In these cases, the LAV simply cannot do anything but hide from the helicopter.

The LAV’s 25mm cannon is sufficient against close aircraft and helicopters. However, it has poor long range accuracy, and thus should only be used within a absolute maximum of 3km.

'''Against Tanks'''

The LAV is mobile, outpacing most light tanks at its BR, and can use this to its advantage by reaching the enemy territory and flanking SPAAs and light tanks. Against MBTs, the LAV’s 25mm cannon is insufficient to reliably penetrate all MBTs frontally. In addition, the 25mm cannon has poor post-penetration damage against MBTs. Therefore, side shots are highly recommended to reliably penetrate them.

If for whatever reason you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of facing an MBT head-on, aim for the gun mantlet. This will potentially damage their gun breech and/or cannon barrel and blind their gun sights with explosions. If you are lucky, these factors will have damaged their breech enough before they have a chance to fire, allowing you to then destroy the tracks and maneuver for a shot at the less protected side armor. However, considering the low post-penetration damage of the 25mm gun, there is a very high chance you will simply be one-shot before you can do enough damage to the cannon, and therefore it is highly ill-advised to intentionally face an MBT head-on unless absolutely necessary.

Though side shots are recommended against MBTs, depending on the angle, the 25mm gun may not be enough to penetrate and/or deal sufficient damage. This is especially true against commonly-faced Soviet MBTs, which often have more armored sides that the 25mm gun struggles to penetrate. In such cases, bringing the 70 mm Hydra rocket pod is a good choice. With 290mm of HEAT penetration, the LAV-AD can knock out many MBTs from the side with a few rockets. However, the rockets have low velocity and do not work with the laser rangefinder, making precise shots difficult, especially at range. And, despite the increased penetration over the 25mm gun, is still insufficient to frontally penetrate MBTs. Therefore, the rockets should be fired at the sides of MBTs and at close ranges. Make sure to make your rocket shots count, as the pod only holds 19 rockets.

'''Threats'''

In the LAV-AD, anything above a 12.7 mm calibre poses a big threat to the player. Therefore, the LAV’s best defense is offense. You should aim to destroy enemy vehicles before they even have a chance to train any of their weapons (including heavy machine guns) on you. If taking hits cannot be avoided, your best bet is to first destroy autocannon-equipped vehicles that can shred the lightly armored LAV (luckily, most autocannon-equipped vehicles are lightly armored themselves and can be shredded by the LAV’s 25mm cannon or 70mm Hydra 70 rockets). As for the main cannon of a MBT’s, it’s all down to luck; hope that the MBT either misses or the armor-piercing shell overpenetrates and deals no damage.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Has access to Hydra 70 rockets for additional anti-tank firepower
* The 25 mm GAU-12U cannon shreds air vehicles
* The 25mm GAU-12U has no tracers making it harder for enemies to notice your location when firing
* Highly mobile thanks to its light weight and is also amphibious
* Can carry up to 16 Stinger SAMs if you choose to not have Hydras
* Stinger SAMs have IRCCM that make them practically immune to flares once launched
* Has access to 2nd generation thermal sights for the gunner
* Has optical tracking which does not set off RWR
* Comes with smoke grenades stock
* Access to laser rangefinder for the 25mm gun
* Not equipping Hydras enables the Stingers to be fired in relatively quick succession with no reload

'''Cons:'''

* Stinger SAMs only have a maximum overload of 10G and has difficulty overcoming even basic defensive maneuvers
* Long reload for the 25 mm gun
* Bringing the Hydra rocket pod reduces the number of available Stingers and gives them a lengthy reload time after 4 have been launched
* Penetrable by heavy machine gun fire and prone to overpressure damage
* Shorter missile range and lacks a search radar when compared to its contemporaries like the [[Roland 1]], [[FlaRakPz 1]], and [[XM975]] at the same BR
* No proximity-fused ammunition
* Hydra rockets are hard to aim due to their low velocity and do not work properly with the laser rangefinder
* Low sight FOV and relatively high zoom levels makes it hard to use against multiple targets up close
* 25 mm gun is inaccurate at longer ranges

== History ==

=== [[wt:en/news/7598-development-lav-ad-revolving-firepower-en|Devblog]] ===

Development of the LAV-AD began in 1987 after a contract was signed with both the FMC Corporation and General Electric to design a SPAA variant for the LAV-25 for the USMC. Both companies began developing a system based on the USMC requirements that it had to be armed with a 25 mm cannon and possess provisions for mounting Stinger missiles and Hydra-70 rockets. While the FMC company opted to outfit their design with the same M242 cannon used on the base model of the LAV-25, General Electric decided to go for the GAU-12 'Equalizer' Gatling style rotary cannon.

Having reviewed both prototypes, the USMC decided to procure General Electric's design, placing an initial order for 125 vehicles to be produced. By 1996, the LAV-AD had formally been adopted into service. Despite the initial plans to produce over 100 vehicles, only 17 were actually manufactured due to funding issues. In 1998, the final unit was delivered to the USMC and further development of the vehicle was discontinued due to high maintenance costs. Among other operations, the LAV-AD was used in combat action in Iraq.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_lav_ad Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|QvGHPYrGrXU|'''The Shooting Range #301''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:27 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7598-development-lav-ad-revolving-firepower-en|[Devblog] LAV-AD: Revolving Firepower]]

{{USA anti-aircraft vehicles}}
[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]

LAV-AD

2023-03-14T09:42:55Z

U97916902: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_lav_ad
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}_Hydra-70.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American SPAA {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Cupola || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}

The LAV-AD's mobility is rather superb. As a wheeled vehicle, it has good speed on roads. Despite being similar in appearance and having a weaker engine than the [[M1128]], the LAV-AD accelerates much faster due to its lighter weight, resulting in a higher power-to-weight ratio, and it also has a slightly faster reverse speed. The engine is also relatively quiet, allowing for stealthy movements and ambushes.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=391|rbMinHp=243}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|4}}

{{main|GAU-12U (25 mm)}}

The main armament of the LAV-AD is the 25 mm GAU-12U rotary autocannon. It functions similarly to the 20 mm [[M168 (20 mm)|M168]] Vulcan found on the [[M163]] earlier on in the tech tree, but with a reduced ammo capacity of only 1,000 rounds total (500 ready, 500 reserve instead of 1,100 ready, 1,100 reserve) and fire rate (1,800 rpm instead of 3,000 rpm) due to the limited room in the vehicle and larger calibre ammunition. The gun is also fully stabilized, with handling akin to that of the [[HSTV-L]]; slower than the [[M163]] and [[M247]] Sergeant York but still fast enough to react to most aerial targets at close range, particularly helicopters and slow, low-flying jets. Like most other AAs, it comes with a Default, AP, and HE belt. The Default belt has a 1:1 AP to HE ratio and is the only belt the vehicle has access to when stock. The HE belt has a 3:1 HE to AP ratio while the AP belt has a 3:1 AP to HE ratio. The former is more effective against aircraft while the latter is more effective against armoured vehicles. The AP round is the same across all belts, and can penetrate 91 mm of armour at point blank range. Combined with the relatively high fire rate, it can easily destroy barrels, tracks, and machine guns with ease as well as being able to shred light vehicles.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[GAU-12U (25 mm)|25 mm GAU-12U]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 1,155 (385) || rowspan="2" | 1,800 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+60° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 50.2 || 69.5 || 84.4 || 93.3 || 99.2 || rowspan="2" | 26.00 || rowspan="2" | 23.00 || rowspan="2" | 21.20 || rowspan="2" | 20.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 33.9 || 39.9 || 48.5 || 53.6 || 57.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|HVAP|High-velocity armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI*|High-explosive incendiary (self-destroying)}}
* '''PGU-25/U:''' {{Annotation|HEI*|High-explosive incendiary (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI*|High-explosive incendiary (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI*|High-explosive incendiary (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP|High-velocity armour-piercing}}
* '''PGU-20/U:''' {{Annotation|HVAP|High-velocity armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP|High-velocity armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP|High-velocity armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI*|High-explosive incendiary (self-destroying)}}

{{:GAU-12U (25 mm)/Ammunition|HEI*, HVAP}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''3''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|Hydra 70}}

The LAV-AD also has access to Hydra 70 M247 rockets with a researchable modification. This modification gives the vehicle an additional weapon set-up, replacing the Stinger pod above the main gun with a Hydra 70 rocket pod with 19 rockets, similar to those found on [[AH-1 (Family)|AH-1 Cobras]] and [[AH-64 (Family)|AH-64 Apaches]]. The Hydras are fired as a secondary weapon.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Hydra 70]] rocket
|-
! Capacity (Belt) !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
|-
| 19 (19) || N/A || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Hydra 70/Ammunition|M247}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''1''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|FIM-92 Stinger}}

The LAV-AD also comes with [[FIM-92 Stinger]] missiles. The missiles are IR guided, meaning they require a lock-on before firing. The vehicle has FIM-92Es by default and can unlock FIM-92Ks as a later modification. These are the same Stinger missiles used by the [[Ozelot]] in the German tech tree and function the same way. The missiles are launched as special weapons.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[FIM-92 Stinger]] missile || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 16 (4) (12 with Hydra 70s) || rowspan="2" | -8°/+65° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
|-
! ''Realistic''
| __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:FIM-92 Stinger/Ammunition|FIM-92E, FIM-92K}}

The FIM-92E detonates on impact while the FIM-92K has a proximity fuse.

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''16''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

In battles, the player can either use the LAV-AD as an AA or in an anti-tank role. By using the LAV's fast speed, the player can easily reach deep into enemy territory where enemies are less vigilant compared to when they're near the frontline. The player can use this advantage by either hiding and waiting for planes to be distracted on friendly tanks and shooting them down or used to attack unsuspecting SPAAs and IFVs/light tanks from mid range and then closing up close to killing MBTs, having the rocket pod unlocked makes quick work of enemy armour if you can get on their flanks additionally the LAV can be used a very good bait against the enemy to lure their concentration while you teammates may shoot the said tank.

'''Against Aircraft'''

The LAV's stingers are decent but they are easy to notice and evade with their smoke trail, leading to the use of 2-3 Stingers to get a hit. While the gun has a fast rate of fire, it has a terrible drop over distance, meaning it is a bit harder to hit but you have a lead indicator upon locking on the aircraft. The best option is to lure the plane into thinking it is safe and engage it with the 25 mm gun under 3 km range to minimize the chance of survival and launch a Stinger at the plane if you did not fully kill it with the 25 mm.

'''Against Tanks'''

The LAV is mobile, outpacing most light tanks at its BR, and can use this to its advantage by reaching the enemy territory and flanking SPAAs and light tanks. Against MBTs, the LAV’s 25mm cannon is insufficient to reliably penetrate all MBTs frontally. In addition, the 25mm cannon has poor post-penetration damage against MBTs. Therefore, side shots are highly recommended to reliably penetrate them.

If for whatever reason you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of facing an MBT head-on, aim for the gun mantlet. This will potentially damage their gun breech and/or cannon barrel, as well as possibly blinding their gun sights with explosions. If you are lucky, you will have damaged their breech enough before they have a chance to fire, allowing you to then destroy the tracks and maneuver for a shot at the less protected side armor.

However, against Soviet armour, the 25mm gun struggles to penetrate the side armour. In such cases, bringing the 70 mm Hydra pod is a good choice. The LAV-AD can knock out most MBTs with 2 HEAT grenades. Combined with its good mobility, the 70 mm Hydra make the LAV a beast if given a solid flank.

'''Threats'''

In the LAV-AD, anything above a 12.7 mm calibre poses a big threat to the player. In such cases, it is recommended to knock out the enemy vehicle with autocannons first as they can shred the LAV, Large calibre tank shells can overpenetrate the tank without detonating and therefore do minimal damage.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Has access to Hydra 70 rockets for additional anti-tank firepower
* The 25 mm GAU-12U cannon shreds air vehicles
* The 25mm GAU-12U has no tracers making it harder for enemies to notice your location when firing
* Highly mobile thanks to its light weight and is also amphibious
* Can carry up to 16 Stinger SAMs if you choose to not have Hydras
* Stinger SAMs have IRCCM that make them practically immune to flares once launched
* Has access to 2nd generation thermal sights for the gunner
* Has optical tracking which does not set off RWR
* Comes with smoke grenades stock
* Access to laser rangefinder for the 25mm gun
* Not equipping Hydras enables the Stingers to be fired in relatively quick succession with no reload

'''Cons:'''

* Stinger SAMs only have a maximum overload of 10G and has difficulty overcoming even basic defensive maneuvers
* Long reload for the 25 mm gun
* Bringing the Hydra rocket pod reduces the number of available Stingers and gives them a lengthy reload time after 4 have been launched
* Penetrable by heavy machine gun fire and prone to overpressure damage
* Shorter missile range and lacks a search radar when compared to its contemporaries like the [[Roland 1]], [[FlaRakPz 1]], and [[XM975]] at the same BR
* No proximity-fused ammunition
* Hydra rockets are hard to aim due to their low velocity and do not work properly with the laser rangefinder
* Low sight FOV and relatively high zoom levels makes it hard to use against multiple targets up close
* 25 mm gun is inaccurate at longer ranges

== History ==

=== [[wt:en/news/7598-development-lav-ad-revolving-firepower-en|Devblog]] ===

Development of the LAV-AD began in 1987 after a contract was signed with both the FMC Corporation and General Electric to design a SPAA variant for the LAV-25 for the USMC. Both companies began developing a system based on the USMC requirements that it had to be armed with a 25 mm cannon and possess provisions for mounting Stinger missiles and Hydra-70 rockets. While the FMC company opted to outfit their design with the same M242 cannon used on the base model of the LAV-25, General Electric decided to go for the GAU-12 'Equalizer' Gatling style rotary cannon.

Having reviewed both prototypes, the USMC decided to procure General Electric's design, placing an initial order for 125 vehicles to be produced. By 1996, the LAV-AD had formally been adopted into service. Despite the initial plans to produce over 100 vehicles, only 17 were actually manufactured due to funding issues. In 1998, the final unit was delivered to the USMC and further development of the vehicle was discontinued due to high maintenance costs. Among other operations, the LAV-AD was used in combat action in Iraq.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_lav_ad Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|QvGHPYrGrXU|'''The Shooting Range #301''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:27 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7598-development-lav-ad-revolving-firepower-en|[Devblog] LAV-AD: Revolving Firepower]]

{{USA anti-aircraft vehicles}}
[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]

A-7E

2023-02-12T03:40:55Z

U97916902: /* Usage in battles */

{{About
|about= American strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage= the other version
|link= A-7D
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=a_7e
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Ground Breaking"]]. The A-7E Corsair II is among the most capable ground attack aircraft in the game, sporting a variety of air-to-ground payloads including large calibre rotary cannon pods, unguided bombs and rockets, and medium range guided bombs. Additionally, CCIP and CCRP can be used for accurate usage of unguided weaponry, while an optional FLIR pod grants night vision and thermal sights to easily spot targets. This supreme air-to-ground capability comes with a hefty price; the A-7E is strictly limited to that ground attack role, as it has very slow speed and poor manoeuvrability which leaves it basically helpless in air-to-air combat.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,114 || 1,108 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 35.4 || 37.0 || 42.1 || 41.7 || rowspan="2" | 1,000
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,133 || 1,123 || 34.6 || 35.0 || 68.9 || 55.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,254  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 484 || 457 || 406 || ~10 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 700 || < 690 || < 500 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="6" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Allison TF-41-A-2 || 1
| colspan="3" | 9,106 kg || colspan="3" | 392 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 15m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 53m fuel
|-
| 1,592 kg || colspan="2" | Low-bypass turbofan
| 10,472 kg || 10,820 kg || 11,678 kg || 12,963 kg || 13,658 kg || 19,051 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 15m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 53m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 4,741 kgf || N/A
| 0.45 || 0.44 || 0.41 || 0.37 || 0.35 || 0.25
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 6,378 kgf (200 km/h) || N/A
| 0.61 || 0.59 || 0.55 || 0.49 || 0.47 || 0.33
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, chin-mounted (1,000 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 120 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)}}
{{main|AGM-62A Walleye I ER (510 kg)|AIM-9D Sidewinder|AIM-9G Sidewinder}}
{{main|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP|BLU-27/B incendiary|GAU-13/A (30 mm)|GAU-4 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 228 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 64 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 24 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 24 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 14 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (10,500 lb total)
* 6 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
* 12 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 6 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 6 x 510 kg AGM-62A Walleye I ER bombs (3,060 kg total)
* 2 x 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1,200 rpg = 2,400 total)
* 2 x 30 mm GAU-13/A cannons (353 rpg = 706 total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="5%" | 1 !! width="5%" | 2 !! width="5%" | 3 !! width="5%" | 4 !! width="5%" | 5 !! width="5%" | 6 !! width="5%" | 7 !! width="5%" | 8
| rowspan="15" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_A-7D.png]]</div>
|-
! 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1,200 rpg)
| || || 1 || || || 1 || ||
|-
! 30 mm GAU-13/A cannons (353 rpg)
| || || 1 || || || 1 || ||
|-
! 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs
| 6 || 6 || || || || || 6 || 6
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| 6 || 6 || || || || || 6 || 6
|-
! 510 kg AGM-62A Walleye I ER bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs
| 1 || 4 || 2 || || || 2 || 4 || 1
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| 3 || 3 || || || || || 3 || 3
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
| 38 || 38 || 38 || || || 38 || 38 || 38
|-
! Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
| 12 || 12 || 8 || || || 8 || 12 || 12
|-
! AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
| || || || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
! AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
| || || || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
! LANA Flir
| || || 1 || || || || ||
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


'''Ground RB'''

Ground RB is where the A-7E truly shines. Its poor flight performance and manoeuvrability is less of an issue due to a lessened fighter presence. In Ground RB, the A-7E's most potent weapon is the AGM-62A Walleye I ER guided bombs. These bombs are fire-and-forget and can still reliably hit a target point from more than five kilometers away. However, it has trouble tracking moving targets, so don’t expect to reliably hit moving targets.

Additionally, an AN/AAR-45 Lana FLIR pod can optionally be carried in place of one Walleye guided bomb. This pod grants night vision and thermal imaging capabilities, allowing for significantly easier location of enemy vehicles. It is highly recommended to sacrifice a Walleye for the FLIR pod, as the Walleye's targeting sight uses very dark colors which at long distances make enemy tanks hard to distinguish from other common objects such as rocks. Even so, when using the FLIR pod, it can be easy to mistake dead tanks for alive tanks as they both give off generally similar thermal images. The best way to recognize an alive tank is the lack of particle effect (dead tanks are burning).

When you first spawn in with the Walleyes, you must first gain some altitude. As the A-7E is very slow, it is essential that if you you enter directly above the battlefield, it is at higher altitudes (at the very, very least 5 kilometers) to ensure safety from enemy SAMs. Be sure to take note of who your opponent is; if you are facing China, their Tor-M1s have a long range, so to stay safe try to climb to at least 6.5 kilometers.

Once you are at this altitude, enter a shallow dive to point your sights down and locate targets using either the Walleye's own targeting sight or the FLIR pod. Ideally, you will be high enough that SAMs cannot reach, so you can focus mainly on locating targets. A good place to look is the enemy spawn, where SAM vehicles generally tend to reside. As they are poorly armored and usually stationary, the Walleyes inability to reliably track moving targets is less of an issue. Once you find an enemy, simply lock on to them with the bomb and drop the bomb. After this, you don't need to worry about the dropped bomb as it is fire-and-forget (no outside input is needed once it's dropped).

With many strike aircraft, this is where you would pitch back up and regain your lost altitude quickly to get out of SAMs range. However, the A-7E is slow and accelerates poorly, so doing this repeatedly will make you quickly lose altitude, putting you into SAM range. Therefore, a good way to use the Walleyes is to drop most or all of them in one run, exploiting it’s fire-and-forget capability. Once at high altitude, pitch down and deploy your airbrake to give you more dive time to search for targets. Use your FLIR pod to quickly locate an enemy, and when one is found, drop a Walleye on them, and quickly rinse and repeat five more times. Once your bombs are expended, continue the dive and level out at very low altitude to avoid any SAMs. After this, you can reclimb to drop any remaining bombs, use your gun and AIM-9s for air defense, or to go back to base and rearm.

'''Air RB'''

In Air RB, the A-7E is unfortunately extremely outclassed. Its potent ground attack capabilities offer minimal advantages in Air RB, and you are left only with its poor flight performance and bad manoeuvrability. Your best bet will be to attack ground targets in Air RB using your cannon. Don't try bombing bases as you are simply too slow; either other planes will get to the bases first, or the enemy will get to you first.

Air Combat in the A-7E is hazard fraught. Against other planes at a comparable BR, your advantages are slim-to-none, and easy to counter if your opponent is aware of you and mindful.

One advantage of the plane is that it does not have an afterburner, nor does it go fast enough to create a shock cone. This may enable you to start engagements with the element of surprise. In conjunction with the AIM-9G sidewinder missiles, this may be enough to secure 2 kills per battle against unaware opponents out of spotting range, as the AIM-9G modification of the sidewinder missile has a much larger engagement range compared to other IR missiles at its BR.

Additionally, you have exceptional gun armament: the M61A1 Vulcan has a lightning fast fire rate, exceptional muzzle velocity, and a deep pool of ammunition. At this BR, any hit you score on an enemy plane will catastrophically damage it, and the Vulcan cannon lets you score a multitude of hits. Due to the high muzzle velocity, it may be possible to win head-on engagements against enemy aircraft which have slower bullets. A non-exhaustive list of cannons this is effective against is as follows:

* The 30 mm ADEN/DEFA, including the gun in Swedish service as the Akan m/55
* The GSh-23L and any other guns that fire 23x115 mm rounds, for example the Type 23-2K

However, be aware that enemy aircraft will, in most cases, be faster than you, and will more easily evade your fire.

Furthermore, your low speed can, in some occasions, enable you to cut into an enemy's turn, meaning you will make a turn with a smaller radius, in a shorter time, because you are not going as fast. This will give you a temporary, but powerful positional advantage, enabling you to put the Vulcan to best use.

Unfortunately, this is where the list of advantages ends. The plane cannot generate or retain enough energy to stay competitive in a dogfight, and after a singular turn, or at most two, you will be out of energy and unable to follow your opponents' manoeuvres. This means that it is highly inadvisable to engage in a sustained rate fight with an enemy plane, as it will secure your death.

To add insult to injury, the plane cannot evade engagements either, as it is too slow. This leaves the A-7E in the uncomfortable position of being quick enough to where most opponents have good control of their aircraft when lining up a shot, but not quick enough to avoid being shot.

To summarize, if you must use the A-7E as a fighter, be sneaky with the missiles in the early game and secure sneaky kills on the most dangerous targets. Then, bait head-ons with opponents using slower guns, and finally, during the last phase of the battle, if you have survived this far, try to use your lower speed to gain position and finish the dogfight before it really starts.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Wide variety of powerful air-to-ground payloads, including up to six AGM-62 Walleye fire-and-forget TV guided bombs
* Has thermal sights in the form of an optional FLIR pod which greatly helps in locating ground targets in mixed battles
* Comes with an internal 20 mm M61A1 Vulcan cannon, with the option to add either more 20 mm M61A1 Vulcans or the devastating 30 mm GAU-13/A cannons as gunpods
* Large amount of countermeasures
* Cockpit has a heads-up display and tactical map, both of which are useful in simulator battles

'''Cons:'''

* Below average manoeuvrability and loses lots of speed in turns
* Has poor top speed and acceleration for its BR, which makes it very difficult to bomb bases without being intercepted
* Equipping suspended ordnance further worsens its sluggish flight performance
* When using the thermal sight, it may be hard to distinguish alive enemy tanks from destroyed tanks and fires
* Walleye guided bombs generally have trouble locking on to moving targets, especially from medium to long ranges (>5km)
* Long landing distance (airbrake cannot be extended with landing gear out, and no drogue chute)

== History ==

{{main|A-7_Corsair_II_(Family)#History|l1=History of the A-7 Corsair II}}
The last iteration of the Corsair II series adopted into the US armed services was the A-7E. This aircraft operationally ran from 1968 until it was retired from service in 1991. Other countries, Thailand, Portugal, and Greece continued to utilize the A-7E, with Greece being the last country to fly this aircraft, finally retiring it from service in 2014.

The A-7E is effectively a modified version of the A-7D upgraded for Naval operations. The main modifications to the aircraft allowed for its use in carrier operations, such as adding an arrestor hook, heavy-duty landing gear, and foldable wings allowing for more aircraft storage on or below the deck of aircraft carriers. This aircraft also received the newer AN/APN-190 Doppler ground speed and drift radar and the AN/APQ-128 terrain-following radar, which allowed for ground-hugging or terrain-hugging flight, making it more difficult for enemy radar units to detect the slower flying aircraft. As for the weapon loadout, this aircraft continued using the 20 mm M61-A1 rotary cannon and had two fuselage hard points for AIM-9D Sidewinders and up to six underwing hardpoints, which allowed for mounting of various rockets, missiles, or bombs.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=a_7e Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|OuL1L0FhblE|'''The Shooting Range #277''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:29 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [https://www.vought.org/products/html/a-7d.html <nowiki>[Vought Heritage]</nowiki> LTV A-7D/E product overview]

{{AirManufacturer Vought}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-100D

2023-02-12T01:31:43Z

U97916902: Description for previous edit: removed outdated information, moved new flight performance from “usage in battles” to “flight performance”

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-100 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-100d
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
|cockpit=cockpit_f-100d.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]] and was one of the first three jets to feature guided air-to-air missiles, the other two being the [[MiG-19PT]] and the [[Javelin F.(A.W.) Mk.9]].

The dogfighting days of World War II were over and while there was air-to-air combat during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, it was nowhere the level of previous wars. Jets were becoming faster, electronics and avionics were making them more manoeuvrable and the fighters were able to carry extremely large amounts of ordnance. The {{PAGENAME}} was no exception to this, as it was designed to be a ground attacker first and a fighter/interceptor as a secondary role. One noticeable difference from earlier aircraft is that early on in development the {{PAGENAME}} was known as the ''45-Sabre'' (officially later it was dubbed ''Super Sabre'') due to its wings being swept back at a 45° angle. The fighter's elevators were also swept back to help increase the aerodynamics of the aircraft. This, combined with a strong engine, upgraded avionics and early computer systems made this the first US fighter which was able to fly faster than the speed of sound in level flight.

[[File:F-100 duckmcmallardson001.png|350px|thumb|left|Literally looking down the barrels of an oncoming {{PAGENAME}}.]]

Weapon loadout options allow the pilot to tailor the aircraft to their playstyle or even mix it up depending on the map they are flying. This fighter excels as a ground attack bomber utilizing up to 6,000 lbs of bombs, [[AGM-12B Bullpup]] missiles, [[FFAR Mighty Mouse|Mighty Mouse]] rockets or several combinations of the three. Whether you are into dropping and running or firing and forgetting, there are ordnance choices will fit the pilot's style. For those pilots who want to hunt fighters and bombers, the four nose mounted 20 mm cannons and choice of [[AIM-9B]]/[[AIM-9E Sidewinder|E]] Sidewinder air-to-air missiles will fit the bill. The Sidewinders can also be used an intimidation factor as pilots with one on their tail must focus on outmanoeuvring the missile, providing you with the opportunity to manoeuvre in and line up the kill-shot with your cannons if the missile does not make contact. The speed of the {{PAGENAME}} can come in handy when attacking bomber aircraft as Boom & Zoom tactics will help you avoid any defensive weapons allowing you to wreak havoc during an attacking dive.

With the advent of other faster supersonic aircraft such as MiG-21s, J35As, and F-5s as well as powerful missile wielding A-5Cs, Su-25s and A-10s, aircraft lacking countermeasures such as the {{PAGENAME}} tend to be seen as easy prey. However, if handled correctly, the {{PAGENAME}} can be a formidable aircraft in both the fighter and strike roles.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


The F-100D’s flight performance is adequate. Being supersonic at 9.3, the F-100D can outrun many of the subsonic opponents it faces. Despite this, its top speed is slightly below average for a supersonic jet, being able to approach but not quite reach Mach 1 at sea level. However, it isn’t the only supersonic jet at 9.3; MiG-19s, early MiG-21s and F-104s, and Su-7s are all supersonic jets also found at 9.3 which all have a higher sea level top speed than the F-100D.

Although the F-100D is Supersonic and equipped with an afterburner, one of its weaknesses is its slow acceleration, especially at lower speeds, compared to other supersonic jets (notably all the aforementioned 9.3 ones). Many subsonic jets can keep up with your acceleration, while the faster subsonic jets such as Saab 32s, Sea Vixens and Harriers out-accelerate the F-100D.

The F-100D’s overall maneuverability is decent, having a fairly good turn rate, but its energy retention is poor. These two characteristics combined mean that if the F-100D is forced to dogfight, one-circle dogfights (such as scissors) should be favored as prolonged dogfights will see the its poor energy retention and mediocre acceleration disadvantage it. This poor energy retention, though for the most part a weakness, can occasionally be useful in situations where speed must be bled quickly (such as to get an enemy to overshoot). Of course, as with any high tier jet, dogfighting should generally be avoided as it leaves you slow and vulnerable, and this is especially true for the F-100D due to it’s slow acceleration.

[[File:F-100 fulzy nyan001.png|350px|thumb|right|Bird's eye view of a {{PAGENAME}} after unloading on ground targets.]]

Flying at speeds close to Mach 1 or past can pose a challenge for pilots utilizing the 3rd-person view as a condensation cloud forms around the aircraft and obscures your view (not an issue for those flying simulator-style from in the cockpit). While this can make targeting enemy aircraft a challenge, it just takes a little more work to line up the shot either with the cannons or air-to-air missiles.

Previously, attack aircraft fly slow to ensure they accurately hit their ground targets with guns, rockets or bombs. However, with poor low-speed maneuverability and acceleration, the {{PAGENAME}} becomes difficult to get out of harms way when flying slow, so it requires the pilot to learn how to bomb and fire rockets at targets at higher speeds than what they may be used to. ensure anti-aircraft fire nor any trailing fighters gain a targeting solution on you. Speed in and speed out is the key with the {{PAGENAME}}.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 10,668 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,445 || 1,438 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 40.6 || 41.5 || 61.4 || 54.6 || rowspan="2" | 1,400
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,478 || 1,458 || 39.5 || 40.0 || 94.6 || 79.2
|-
|}

==== Details ====
[[File:F-100 rheinberg001.png|500px|thumb|right|{{PAGENAME}} at cruising altitude on the watch for potential enemy fighters.]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 620 || 590 || 435 || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 640 || < 540 || < 610 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney J57P21 || 1
| colspan="2" | 9,658 kg || colspan="3" | 354 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 14m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 46m fuel
|-
| 900 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 10,708 kg || 11,156 kg || 11,905 kg || 13,159 kg || 16,689 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 14m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 46m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 3,786 kgf || 5,868 kgf
| 0.55 || 0.53 || 0.49 || 0.45 || 0.35
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 4,254 kgf (1,200 km/h) || 8,058 kgf (1,200 km/h)
| 0.75 || 0.72 || 0.68 || 0.61 || 0.48
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


Designers of post-war jet fighters wanted to take advantage of the newer jet technology and maximize both speed and ordnance carried, and to do this, something had to give and that was armor. The idea is that, if you are faster than the enemy, it is difficult for them to hit you, and armor will not be necessary. Though the {{PAGENAME}} does have protection for the pilot, it isn't much and leaves the rest of the critical components virtually unprotected with armour. For the pilot, the back of the seat and headrest maintains a continuous piece of steel at 12.7 mm thick and the windscreen is rated at 64 mm bulletproof windscreen. Typically this type of protection is meant more for protection from defensive turret attacks from bombers rather than gun attacks from other aircraft.

The {{PAGENAME}} is a relatively sturdy aircraft and can take a beating before critical components begin to fail. While the engine and the pilot are important to protect as much as possible (without the engine you don't go and without the pilot…you don't go…). The wings are another critical component which you must protect, as hits to the wings can effectively cripple the aircraft. If being tailed by another aircraft try to speed away because if you try to pull up, turn to the side or pull-down, you risk exposing increased surface area of the skin, giving the enemy pilot more to shoot at and a greater opportunity of taking out a wing. If possible, increase speed and sway back and forth, even some very shallow elevator dips up and down maybe enough to throw off the sighting of the enemy pilot and spray his bullets all around you without exposing very much surface area of the jet.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M39A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 4 x 20 mm M39A1 cannons, chin-mounted (200 rpg = 800 total)

For internal guns, the F-100D has four 20mm M39A1 revolver autocannons mounted under the nose intake. Those familiar with the preceding [[F-86F-2]] and its extremely powerful 20mm T-160 cannons will be delighted to hear that the F-100D’s M39A1 cannons are nearly identical to the F-86F-2’s T-160, and in addition, have 50 more rounds of ammo per gun. These cannons are fast-firing, have high velocity, and deal heavy damage. Its only downside is that, with a fast fire rate and 200 rounds per gun, one must be careful of spraying the guns, as ammo will run out quicker than expected.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

[[File:F-100 wp gaming001.jpg|500px|thumb|right|{{PAGENAME}} peeling away from the flight revealing the suspended ordnance it is carrying.]]
{{main|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|BLU-27/B incendiary}}
{{main|AGM-12B Bullpup|AIM-9B Sidewinder|AIM-9E Sidewinder|FFAR Mighty Mouse}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 10 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (5,000 lb total)
* 8 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 14 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 4 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 4 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
* 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs + 14 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets

One of the areas where the F-100D shines is its armament options, boasting a variety of different armaments for both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.

For unguided rockets, the F-100D can carry up to 76x 70mm Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR) Mighty Mouse rockets. They can be used to attack lighter targets in air RB, as well as armored targets such as pillboxes and tanks, but due to their inaccuracy the latter is generally not advised. In ground RB, these rockets have decent penetration, but due to their inaccuracy and generally low damage, it is best used against less armored targets such as SPAA and light tanks.

For dumb bombs, the F-100D can carry either 500lb, 750lb or 1000lb bombs, as well as BLU-27/B napalm bombs. The F-100D can carry enough bombs to take out one base in air RB. For CAS in ground RB, the lack of ballistics computer means you must manually compute where your bombs will land. For many, this leaves out the 500lb bombs as the amount of explosive in them may not be large enough to account for the margin of error in a manual bomb drop; the 750lb or 1000lb bombs are generally better for this CAS job. Some may prefer to take the 750lb bombs instead of the 1000lb bombs, as the explosive in them is sufficient and the F-100D can carry eight 750lb bombs in comparison to four 1000lb bombs.

A more reliable CAS option for the F-100D is the AGM-12B Bullpup air-to-ground guided missile. Once fired, this missile can be maneuvered via your keyboard (keybinds must be set); simply keep the flare light on the missile near the intended target until the missile hits them. The 250 lb warhead in the missile gives a high likelyhood of destroying most enemy armored vehicles in one hit, though its lethality in practice will rely on the player’s ability to keep the missile centered on the target. The downside of using these missiles is that, compared to the high volume of unguided bombs or rockets the F-100D can take, it can only take two AGM-12Bs. Due to this, the AGM-12B is most useful in ground RB, where in the presence of radar SPAA and SAMs, precision strikes are generally favored over high volume unguided bombing.

For the air-to-air role, the F-100D can carry up to four AIM-9B/E Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. Though the AIM-9 Sidewinder is a well-known and successful air-to-air weapon, this version, the AIM-9B Sidewinder, is one of its earliest variants and thus is fairly weak. It locks on to targets via their heat signature, but being an early variant, the AIM-9B can only do so from the rear-aspect where the target’s hot engine exhaust is. It generally has a 1.8km range against targets flying straight and at the same speed as the launching aircraft. Its main and significant weakness lies in its inability to turn very hard; oftentimes, the enemy simply turning slightly is enough to dodge the missile kineticly. The upgraded AIM-9E allows the missile to be “lead” a little, that is, it can still keep a lock on an enemy within a small radius of the launching aircraft’s nose, but is otherwise similar to the AIM-9B and will still be performing similarly to it. Though the AIM-9B/E is fairly weak, they can be useful in situations. At higher altitudes (>5000 m), the missile is more effective due to lower air density hampering an aircraft’s maneuverability and thrust while leaving the missile generally unaffected. The AIM-9B/E is also useful against aircraft in a low energy state (in other words, slow) that don’t have the speed to escape the missile.

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:F-100 tio pilin001.png|350px|thumb|right|{{PAGENAME}} caught in the cross-hairs of a MiG fighter.]]

'''Air Realistic Battles'''

The F-100 is absolutely crippled in an up-tier situation. Unlike the F4 Phantom II or the MiG-21, the F-100 is equipped with leading-edge slats. This gives it a much higher angle of attack at low speeds, allowing the F-100 to out-turn both the F4 and the MiG-21 while pulling so many G-forces and dropping speed so severely that it becomes an easy target for even AIM-9E missiles. However, at lower battle ratings, the F-100D is best at [[Boom & Zoom]] tactics. When fighting at a lower battle rating, the F-100 has some bad flying characteristics at low speeds which includes flying like a rock with wings. At high speeds, the F-100 locks up severely in spite of its all-flying tail and boosted controls, losing most of its control authority (particularly in its rolling axis). It has a massive angle of attack, so once you get on someone's tail, there's pretty much no escape, though floundering around at subsonic-optimized speeds leaves you vulnerable to interception. The best way to use the F-100D in the face of constant uptiers is to start climbing away from the battlefield, returning as support once more capable fighters have engaged the enemy. 5,000 m is usually a good altitude to climb to. In the off chance that you encounter subsonic aircraft, Boom & Zoom tactics should be used to capitalize on your relatively superior climb rate. Climb high, make a pass, then climb away. Be extremely careful to not bleed energy and don't turn when subsonic planes are around, they will be able to outmanoeuvre the F-100D.

Against the F-100's second biggest foe (with the first being AIM-9Js and R-60s), the MiG-19, turning isn't a bad idea if you keep your energy up. You bleed a lot of speed in a turn, so extreme pulls aren't recommended, especially considering the MiG-19's superior manoeuvring energy retention. The MiG-19 will rip easily at high speeds, something the F-100 doesn't have a problem with, though reaching those speeds effectively dooms the Super Sabre to degrees of manoeuvring lock-up similar to that experienced by its foe. However, the MiG-19 accelerates much faster than the F-100D at all speeds and altitudes so it can slip away easily. In the best-case scenario, bait the MiG-19 for a teammate, as the MiG-19 can't do much against two F-100s.

The F-100 is an amalgamation of paradoxical design features that results in an aircraft too heavy to sustain manoeuvring engagements despite its strong slats, slow to accelerate to its surprisingly high rip speeds, and too sluggish at speed to take full advantage of its strong armament. Overall to get this bus to perform, it must be at high speeds. Keep your energy up.

;'''Ground attack'''

The {{PAGENAME}} is no stranger to ground attack and can be effectively outfitted with just about anything (the LDGP Mk series kitchen sinks were not yet available) necessary to destroy ground targets both large and small. While bombers could deliver a massive amount of ordnance, they typically flew slow and high and were not always as precise as hoped for, therefore the USAF designated some of their fighter aircraft to also excel as low altitude precision bombers.

A fully researched {{PAGENAME}} can carry an assortment of low-drag general-purpose bombs ranging from 500 lb, 750 lb and 1,000 lb. Total maximum bomb weight is 6,000 lb, the same amount carried by a single [[B-17E]] bomber, but the {{PAGENAME}} can heft this amount at almost 1,000 km/h faster and at a lower more accurate altitude. Of course, the bomb size will be determined by which type of target will be in the crosshairs. For smaller targets the 500 and 750 lb bombs will work best. The full 8 x 750 lb is the best load out for base bombing since this load out has the highest total TNT.

Not all targets will require the usage of bombs or on some maps, you may be fortunate enough to have several bombers working on ground targets, or ground targets may be spread out, this is where rockets begin to shine. The AGM-12B Bullpup is essentially a 250 lb bomb attached to a rocket motor and is spin-stabilized. The Bullpup can be quite precise as long as the pilot can maintain visual of the target as he will need to guide the Bullpup in, any break from the target (due to manoeuvring or avoiding incoming enemies) can cause the rocket to go awry and miss the target. If needed the {{PAGENAME}} must throttle back and deploy the speed brake to ensure the Bullpup hits the target before manoeuvring away.

On the other hand, usage of the smaller [[FFAR Mighty Mouse]] unguided rockets can do a good amount of damage against ground and aerial targets, the one drawback – they are unguided. This means that once they are fired, they continue at their trajectory until they either hit something or run out of fuel and crash into the ground. The main counterpoint for the {{PAGENAME}} is the amount of these Mighty Mouse rockets it can carry, a total of 76. Rockets work best when they are fired in groups as this significantly increases chances that one or more rockets will hit their target. When going against aircraft it can induce a fear factor and cause the enemy pilot to take evasive manoeuvres to avoid an incoming salvo of rockets making them a much easier target to line up and reduce to small bits with the cannons.

=== Radars ===

The F-100D is equipped with an AN/APG-30 rangefinding radar, located in the nose of the aircraft.
It will automatically detect other planes within the scanning area and display the range to the closest target. It is linked with a gyro gunsight and can help with aiming at close range. This can be useful in simulator battles. However, the radar rangefinder lock will set off radar warning receivers, so in air RB pilots may prefer to switch it off to maintain the element of surprise.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="4" | AN/APG-30 - Rangefinding radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Tracking Range|The maximum range at which a target can be tracked}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Tracking Range|The range below which targets cannot be tracked by the radar}}
! {{Annotation|Azimuth Tracking Angle|How far to each side the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Elevation Tracking Angle|How far up and down the radar can track a target}}
|-
| 2,750 m || 300 m || ±9° || ±9°
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent cannons that has a high muzzle velocity, rate of fire, an adequate amount of ammo (200 rpg), and pack a good punch with high-explosive shells
* Can carry a wide array of suspended armaments including bombs, rockets and missiles
* 4 x AIM-9Es are adequate for air combat
* Outruns the subsonic jets it commonly faces
* Good roll rate at lower speeds

'''Cons:'''

* Thoroughly unmanoeuvrable at low speeds
* Loses lots of energy in turns
* Suffers from significant elevator and aileron (pitch and roll) control stiffening at higher speeds
* Rather slow acceleration at lower speeds, even with afterburner
* On warmer maps, engine may overheat after extended periods of afterburner usage
* Cannot go supersonic at sea level; not nearly fast enough to outrun supersonic jets it commonly faces such as the MiG-19/21, A-5C and J35A
* No countermeasures

== History ==

By the mid-50s, jet aircraft had become robust machines which had obtained sufficient combat experience for the next step into a fundamentally new age: the era of supersonic speed. Supersonic fighters were developed by both of the main opposing nations of the Cold War. In parallel with the development of the MIG-19 in the USSR, American aircraft designers were putting the finishing touches on their own design for a supersonic fighter. The F-100 Super Sabre entered serial production somewhat later than its Soviet counterpart, but it needed just as many improvements and upgrades.

The F-100's main problems were its high failure rate and the shortcomings of its control systems. In addition, a fighter-bomber version was also being developed based on the Super Sabre: the F-100D, which featured an increased vertical and horizontal fin area and expanded capabilities with regard to suspended weaponry. In the end, it was the D version that became the most widespread modification of the single-seat Super Sabre thanks to its improved control and excellent combat abilities as either a fighter-bomber or pure fighter. In terms of suspended weaponry, the F-100D was able to carry over twenty extremely varied weapon load-outs, from traditional high-explosive bombs and rockets to air-to-air rockets and nuclear bombs.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5929-development-f-100d-super-sabre-the-new-era-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-100d Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:F_100d_wallpaper_001.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_002.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_003.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_004.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_005.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_006.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_007.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|XFKJSkrgA0w|'''The Shooting Range #133''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:32 discusses the F-100D.|r4iaAbCImj0|'''F-100D Super Sabre [CloudMaker!]''' - Jengar|udBJeO9aMbg|'''How To Grind The F100 In War Thunder''' - ''TheLoganatorz''|fjqlRenNUAs|'''F-100 Super Sabre - Tips and Gameplay''' - ''WhooptieDo''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* North American [[F-86 (Family)|F-86]] Sabre

;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Dassault [[Super_Mystere_B2|Super Mystere]]
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-19PT|MiG-19]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5929-development-f-100d-super-sabre-the-new-era-en|[Devblog] F-100D Super Sabre: The New Era]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/436416-f-100d-super-sabre/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer NAA}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-100D

2023-02-12T01:29:37Z

U97916902: /* Description */

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-100 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-100d
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
|cockpit=cockpit_f-100d.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]] and was one of the first three jets to feature guided air-to-air missiles, the other two being the [[MiG-19PT]] and the [[Javelin F.(A.W.) Mk.9]].

The dogfighting days of World War II were over and while there was air-to-air combat during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, it was nowhere the level of previous wars. Jets were becoming faster, electronics and avionics were making them more manoeuvrable and the fighters were able to carry extremely large amounts of ordnance. The {{PAGENAME}} was no exception to this, as it was designed to be a ground attacker first and a fighter/interceptor as a secondary role. One noticeable difference from earlier aircraft is that early on in development the {{PAGENAME}} was known as the ''45-Sabre'' (officially later it was dubbed ''Super Sabre'') due to its wings being swept back at a 45° angle. The fighter's elevators were also swept back to help increase the aerodynamics of the aircraft. This, combined with a strong engine, upgraded avionics and early computer systems made this the first US fighter which was able to fly faster than the speed of sound in level flight.

[[File:F-100 duckmcmallardson001.png|350px|thumb|left|Literally looking down the barrels of an oncoming {{PAGENAME}}.]]

Weapon loadout options allow the pilot to tailor the aircraft to their playstyle or even mix it up depending on the map they are flying. This fighter excels as a ground attack bomber utilizing up to 6,000 lbs of bombs, [[AGM-12B Bullpup]] missiles, [[FFAR Mighty Mouse|Mighty Mouse]] rockets or several combinations of the three. Whether you are into dropping and running or firing and forgetting, there are ordnance choices will fit the pilot's style. For those pilots who want to hunt fighters and bombers, the four nose mounted 20 mm cannons and choice of [[AIM-9B]]/[[AIM-9E Sidewinder|E]] Sidewinder air-to-air missiles will fit the bill. The Sidewinders can also be used an intimidation factor as pilots with one on their tail must focus on outmanoeuvring the missile, providing you with the opportunity to manoeuvre in and line up the kill-shot with your cannons if the missile does not make contact. The speed of the {{PAGENAME}} can come in handy when attacking bomber aircraft as Boom & Zoom tactics will help you avoid any defensive weapons allowing you to wreak havoc during an attacking dive.

With the advent of other faster supersonic aircraft such as MiG-21s, J35As, and F-5s as well as powerful missile wielding A-5Cs, Su-25s and A-10s, aircraft lacking countermeasures such as the {{PAGENAME}} tend to be seen as easy prey. However, if handled correctly, the {{PAGENAME}} can be a formidable aircraft in both the fighter and strike roles.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


The F-100D’s flight performance is adequate. Being supersonic at 9.3, the F-100D can outrun many of the subsonic opponents it faces. Despite this, its top speed is slightly below average for a supersonic jet, being able to approach but not quite reach Mach 1 at sea level. However, it isn’t the only supersonic jet at 9.3; MiG-19s, early MiG-21s and F-104s, and Su-7s are all supersonic jets also found at 9.3 which all have a higher sea level top speed than the F-100D.

Although the F-100D is Supersonic and equipped with an afterburner, one of its weaknesses is its slow acceleration, especially at lower speeds, compared to other supersonic jets (notably all the aforementioned 9.3 ones). Many subsonic jets can keep up with your acceleration, while the faster subsonic jets such as Saab 32s, Sea Vixens and Harriers out-accelerate the F-100D.

The F-100D’s overall maneuverability is decent, having a fairly good turn rate, but its energy retention is poor. These two characteristics combined mean that if the F-100D is forced to dogfight, one-circle dogfights (such as scissors) should be favored as prolonged dogfights will see the its poor energy retention and mediocre acceleration disadvantage it. This poor energy retention, though for the most part a weakness, can occasionally be useful in situations where speed must be bled quickly (such as to get an enemy to overshoot). Of course, as with any high tier jet, dogfighting should generally be avoided as it leaves you slow and vulnerable, and this is especially true for the F-100D due to it’s slow acceleration.

[[File:F-100 fulzy nyan001.png|350px|thumb|right|Bird's eye view of a {{PAGENAME}} after unloading on ground targets.]]

Flying at speeds close to Mach 1 or past can pose a challenge for pilots utilizing the 3rd-person view as a condensation cloud forms around the aircraft and obscures your view (not an issue for those flying simulator-style from in the cockpit). While this can make targeting enemy aircraft a challenge, it just takes a little more work to line up the shot either with the cannons or air-to-air missiles.

Previously, attack aircraft fly slow to ensure they accurately hit their ground targets with guns, rockets or bombs. However, with poor low-speed maneuverability and acceleration, the {{PAGENAME}} becomes difficult to get out of harms way when flying slow, so it requires the pilot to learn how to bomb and fire rockets at targets at higher speeds than what they may be used to. ensure anti-aircraft fire nor any trailing fighters gain a targeting solution on you. Speed in and speed out is the key with the {{PAGENAME}}.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 10,668 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,445 || 1,438 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 40.6 || 41.5 || 61.4 || 54.6 || rowspan="2" | 1,400
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,478 || 1,458 || 39.5 || 40.0 || 94.6 || 79.2
|-
|}

==== Details ====
[[File:F-100 rheinberg001.png|500px|thumb|right|{{PAGENAME}} at cruising altitude on the watch for potential enemy fighters.]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 620 || 590 || 435 || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 640 || < 540 || < 610 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney J57P21 || 1
| colspan="2" | 9,658 kg || colspan="3" | 354 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 14m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 46m fuel
|-
| 900 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 10,708 kg || 11,156 kg || 11,905 kg || 13,159 kg || 16,689 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 14m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 46m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 3,786 kgf || 5,868 kgf
| 0.55 || 0.53 || 0.49 || 0.45 || 0.35
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 4,254 kgf (1,200 km/h) || 8,058 kgf (1,200 km/h)
| 0.75 || 0.72 || 0.68 || 0.61 || 0.48
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


Designers of post-war jet fighters wanted to take advantage of the newer jet technology and maximize both speed and ordnance carried, and to do this, something had to give and that was armor. The idea is that, if you are faster than the enemy, it is difficult for them to hit you, and armor will not be necessary. Though the {{PAGENAME}} does have protection for the pilot, it isn't much and leaves the rest of the critical components virtually unprotected with armour. For the pilot, the back of the seat and headrest maintains a continuous piece of steel at 12.7 mm thick and the windscreen is rated at 64 mm bulletproof windscreen. Typically this type of protection is meant more for protection from defensive turret attacks from bombers rather than gun attacks from other aircraft.

The {{PAGENAME}} is a relatively sturdy aircraft and can take a beating before critical components begin to fail. While the engine and the pilot are important to protect as much as possible (without the engine you don't go and without the pilot…you don't go…). The wings are another critical component which you must protect, as hits to the wings can effectively cripple the aircraft. If being tailed by another aircraft try to speed away because if you try to pull up, turn to the side or pull-down, you risk exposing increased surface area of the skin, giving the enemy pilot more to shoot at and a greater opportunity of taking out a wing. If possible, increase speed and sway back and forth, even some very shallow elevator dips up and down maybe enough to throw off the sighting of the enemy pilot and spray his bullets all around you without exposing very much surface area of the jet.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M39A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 4 x 20 mm M39A1 cannons, chin-mounted (200 rpg = 800 total)

For internal guns, the F-100D has four 20mm M39A1 revolver autocannons mounted under the nose intake. Those familiar with the preceding [[F-86F-2]] and its extremely powerful 20mm T-160 cannons will be delighted to hear that the F-100D’s M39A1 cannons are nearly identical to the F-86F-2’s T-160, and in addition, have 50 more rounds of ammo per gun. These cannons are fast-firing, have high velocity, and deal heavy damage. It’s only downside is that, with a fast fire rate and 200 rounds per gun, one must be careful of spraying the guns, as ammo will run out quicker than expected.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

[[File:F-100 wp gaming001.jpg|500px|thumb|right|{{PAGENAME}} peeling away from the flight revealing the suspended ordnance it is carrying.]]
{{main|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|BLU-27/B incendiary}}
{{main|AGM-12B Bullpup|AIM-9B Sidewinder|AIM-9E Sidewinder|FFAR Mighty Mouse}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 10 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (5,000 lb total)
* 8 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 14 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 4 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 4 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
* 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs + 14 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets

One of the areas where the F-100D shines is its armament options, boasting a variety of different armaments for both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.

For unguided rockets, the F-100D can carry up to 76x 70mm Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR) Mighty Mouse rockets. They can be used to attack lighter targets in air RB, as well as armored targets such as pillboxes and tanks, but due to their inaccuracy the latter is generally not advised. In ground RB, these rockets have decent penetration, but due to their inaccuracy and generally low damage, it is best used against less armored targets such as SPAA and light tanks.

For dumb bombs, the F-100D can carry either 500lb, 750lb or 1000lb bombs, as well as BLU-27/B napalm bombs. The F-100D can carry enough bombs to take out one base in air RB. For CAS in ground RB, the lack of ballistics computer means you must manually compute where your bombs will land. For many, this leaves out the 500lb bombs as the amount of explosive in them may not be large enough to account for the margin of error in a manual bomb drop; the 750lb or 1000lb bombs are generally better for this CAS job. Some may prefer to take the 750lb bombs instead of the 1000lb bombs, as the explosive in them is sufficient and the F-100D can carry eight 750lb bombs in comparison to four 1000lb bombs.

A more reliable CAS option for the F-100D is the AGM-12B Bullpup air-to-ground guided missile. Once fired, this missile can be maneuvered via your keyboard (keybinds must be set); simply keep the flare light on the missile near the intended target until the missile hits them. The 250 lb warhead in the missile gives a high likelyhood of destroying most enemy armored vehicles in one hit, though its lethality in practice will rely on the player’s ability to keep the missile centered on the target. The downside of using these missiles is that, compared to the high volume of unguided bombs or rockets the F-100D can take, it can only take two AGM-12Bs. Due to this, the AGM-12B is most useful in ground RB, where in the presence of radar SPAA and SAMs, precision strikes are generally favored over high volume unguided bombing.

For the air-to-air role, the F-100D can carry up to four AIM-9B/E Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. Though the AIM-9 Sidewinder is a well-known and successful air-to-air weapon, this version, the AIM-9B Sidewinder, is one of its earliest variants and thus is fairly weak. It locks on to targets via their heat signature, but being an early variant, the AIM-9B can only do so from the rear-aspect where the target’s hot engine exhaust is. It generally has a 1.8km range against targets flying straight and at the same speed as the launching aircraft. Its main and significant weakness lies in its inability to turn very hard; oftentimes, the enemy simply turning slightly is enough to dodge the missile kineticly. The upgraded AIM-9E allows the missile to be “lead” a little, that is, it can still keep a lock on an enemy within a small radius of the launching aircraft’s nose, but is otherwise similar to the AIM-9B and will still be performing similarly to it. Though the AIM-9B/E is fairly weak, they can be useful in situations. At higher altitudes (>5000 m), the missile is more effective due to lower air density hampering an aircraft’s maneuverability and thrust while leaving the missile generally unaffected. The AIM-9B/E is also useful against aircraft in a low energy state (in other words, slow) that don’t have the speed to escape the missile.

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:F-100 tio pilin001.png|350px|thumb|right|{{PAGENAME}} caught in the cross-hairs of a MiG fighter.]]

'''Air Realistic Battles'''

The F-100 is absolutely crippled in an up-tier situation. Unlike the F4 Phantom II or the MiG-21, the F-100 is equipped with leading-edge slats. This gives it a much higher angle of attack at low speeds, allowing the F-100 to out-turn both the F4 and the MiG-21 while pulling so many G-forces and dropping speed so severely that it becomes an easy target for even AIM-9E missiles. However, at lower battle ratings, the F-100D is best at [[Boom & Zoom]] tactics. When fighting at a lower battle rating, the F-100 has some bad flying characteristics at low speeds which includes flying like a rock with wings. At high speeds, the F-100 locks up severely in spite of its all-flying tail and boosted controls, losing most of its control authority (particularly in its rolling axis). It has a massive angle of attack, so once you get on someone's tail, there's pretty much no escape, though floundering around at subsonic-optimized speeds leaves you vulnerable to interception. The best way to use the F-100D in the face of constant uptiers is to start climbing away from the battlefield, returning as support once more capable fighters have engaged the enemy. 5,000 m is usually a good altitude to climb to. In the off chance that you encounter subsonic aircraft, Boom & Zoom tactics should be used to capitalize on your relatively superior climb rate. Climb high, make a pass, then climb away. Be extremely careful to not bleed energy and don't turn when subsonic planes are around, they will be able to outmanoeuvre the F-100D.

Against the F-100's second biggest foe (with the first being AIM-9Js and R-60s), the MiG-19, turning isn't a bad idea if you keep your energy up. You bleed a lot of speed in a turn, so extreme pulls aren't recommended, especially considering the MiG-19's superior manoeuvring energy retention. The MiG-19 will rip easily at high speeds, something the F-100 doesn't have a problem with, though reaching those speeds effectively dooms the Super Sabre to degrees of manoeuvring lock-up similar to that experienced by its foe. However, the MiG-19 accelerates much faster than the F-100D at all speeds and altitudes so it can slip away easily. In the best-case scenario, bait the MiG-19 for a teammate, as the MiG-19 can't do much against two F-100s.

The F-100 is an amalgamation of paradoxical design features that results in an aircraft too heavy to sustain manoeuvring engagements despite its strong slats, slow to accelerate to its surprisingly high rip speeds, and too sluggish at speed to take full advantage of its strong armament. Overall to get this bus to perform, it must be at high speeds. Keep your energy up.

;'''Ground attack'''

The {{PAGENAME}} is no stranger to ground attack and can be effectively outfitted with just about anything (the LDGP Mk series kitchen sinks were not yet available) necessary to destroy ground targets both large and small. While bombers could deliver a massive amount of ordnance, they typically flew slow and high and were not always as precise as hoped for, therefore the USAF designated some of their fighter aircraft to also excel as low altitude precision bombers.

A fully researched {{PAGENAME}} can carry an assortment of low-drag general-purpose bombs ranging from 500 lb, 750 lb and 1,000 lb. Total maximum bomb weight is 6,000 lb, the same amount carried by a single [[B-17E]] bomber, but the {{PAGENAME}} can heft this amount at almost 1,000 km/h faster and at a lower more accurate altitude. Of course, the bomb size will be determined by which type of target will be in the crosshairs. For smaller targets the 500 and 750 lb bombs will work best. The full 8 x 750 lb is the best load out for base bombing since this load out has the highest total TNT.

Not all targets will require the usage of bombs or on some maps, you may be fortunate enough to have several bombers working on ground targets, or ground targets may be spread out, this is where rockets begin to shine. The AGM-12B Bullpup is essentially a 250 lb bomb attached to a rocket motor and is spin-stabilized. The Bullpup can be quite precise as long as the pilot can maintain visual of the target as he will need to guide the Bullpup in, any break from the target (due to manoeuvring or avoiding incoming enemies) can cause the rocket to go awry and miss the target. If needed the {{PAGENAME}} must throttle back and deploy the speed brake to ensure the Bullpup hits the target before manoeuvring away.

On the other hand, usage of the smaller [[FFAR Mighty Mouse]] unguided rockets can do a good amount of damage against ground and aerial targets, the one drawback – they are unguided. This means that once they are fired, they continue at their trajectory until they either hit something or run out of fuel and crash into the ground. The main counterpoint for the {{PAGENAME}} is the amount of these Mighty Mouse rockets it can carry, a total of 76. Rockets work best when they are fired in groups as this significantly increases chances that one or more rockets will hit their target. When going against aircraft it can induce a fear factor and cause the enemy pilot to take evasive manoeuvres to avoid an incoming salvo of rockets making them a much easier target to line up and reduce to small bits with the cannons.

=== Radars ===

The F-100D is equipped with an AN/APG-30 rangefinding radar, located in the nose of the aircraft.
It will automatically detect other planes within the scanning area and display the range to the closest target. It is linked with a gyro gunsight and can help with aiming at close range. This can be useful in simulator battles. However, the radar rangefinder lock will set off radar warning receivers, so in air RB pilots may prefer to switch it off to maintain the element of surprise.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="4" | AN/APG-30 - Rangefinding radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Tracking Range|The maximum range at which a target can be tracked}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Tracking Range|The range below which targets cannot be tracked by the radar}}
! {{Annotation|Azimuth Tracking Angle|How far to each side the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Elevation Tracking Angle|How far up and down the radar can track a target}}
|-
| 2,750 m || 300 m || ±9° || ±9°
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent cannons that has a high muzzle velocity, rate of fire, an adequate amount of ammo (200 rpg), and pack a good punch with high-explosive shells
* Can carry a wide array of suspended armaments including bombs, rockets and missiles
* 4 x AIM-9Es are adequate for air combat
* Outruns the subsonic jets it commonly faces
* Good roll rate at lower speeds

'''Cons:'''

* Thoroughly unmanoeuvrable at low speeds
* Loses lots of energy in turns
* Suffers from significant elevator and aileron (pitch and roll) control stiffening at higher speeds
* Rather slow acceleration at lower speeds, even with afterburner
* On warmer maps, engine may overheat after extended periods of afterburner usage
* Cannot go supersonic at sea level; not nearly fast enough to outrun supersonic jets it commonly faces such as the MiG-19/21, A-5C and J35A
* No countermeasures

== History ==

By the mid-50s, jet aircraft had become robust machines which had obtained sufficient combat experience for the next step into a fundamentally new age: the era of supersonic speed. Supersonic fighters were developed by both of the main opposing nations of the Cold War. In parallel with the development of the MIG-19 in the USSR, American aircraft designers were putting the finishing touches on their own design for a supersonic fighter. The F-100 Super Sabre entered serial production somewhat later than its Soviet counterpart, but it needed just as many improvements and upgrades.

The F-100's main problems were its high failure rate and the shortcomings of its control systems. In addition, a fighter-bomber version was also being developed based on the Super Sabre: the F-100D, which featured an increased vertical and horizontal fin area and expanded capabilities with regard to suspended weaponry. In the end, it was the D version that became the most widespread modification of the single-seat Super Sabre thanks to its improved control and excellent combat abilities as either a fighter-bomber or pure fighter. In terms of suspended weaponry, the F-100D was able to carry over twenty extremely varied weapon load-outs, from traditional high-explosive bombs and rockets to air-to-air rockets and nuclear bombs.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5929-development-f-100d-super-sabre-the-new-era-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-100d Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:F_100d_wallpaper_001.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_002.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_003.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_004.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_005.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_006.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_007.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|XFKJSkrgA0w|'''The Shooting Range #133''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:32 discusses the F-100D.|r4iaAbCImj0|'''F-100D Super Sabre [CloudMaker!]''' - Jengar|udBJeO9aMbg|'''How To Grind The F100 In War Thunder''' - ''TheLoganatorz''|fjqlRenNUAs|'''F-100 Super Sabre - Tips and Gameplay''' - ''WhooptieDo''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* North American [[F-86 (Family)|F-86]] Sabre

;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Dassault [[Super_Mystere_B2|Super Mystere]]
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-19PT|MiG-19]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5929-development-f-100d-super-sabre-the-new-era-en|[Devblog] F-100D Super Sabre: The New Era]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/436416-f-100d-super-sabre/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer NAA}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-14A Early

2023-02-10T19:07:31Z

U97916902: /* Survivability and armour */

{{Specs-Card
|code=f_14a_early
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Danger Zone"]]. One of the most iconic US naval fighter jets of the Cold War era, the F-14A was developed as the US Navy's fleet-defense fighter jet to protect their carrier groups over a vast swath of ocean. First deployed in 1974, the F-14A wields the advanced AN/AWG-9 radar and up to eight missiles, including the iconic [[AIM-54A Phoenix|Phoenix missile,]] to locate and target bandits at long range.

In the game, these characteristics allow the F-14A to engage enemy air targets at far greater distances than most enemy aircraft can, allowing the F-14A to take the initiative and achieve air superiority by firing first. At long range, Phoenix missiles force enemy fighters to actively monitor the sky even when they cannot yet see or detect the F-14A. While Phoenix missiles may prove too sluggish to target enemy fighters at high-speed merges, its [[AIM-7F Sparrow|Sparrows]] can engage manoeuvring targets at short and medium ranges before engaging at closer ranges with [[AIM-9H Sidewinder|Sidewinders]] and M61 cannon fire.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The F-14A might be seen underpowered compared to other aircraft, primarily the F-4J Phantom II and other Phantom variants such as the Phantom FG.1. While it is true that the engines are not as powerful, the F-14A is far superior in terms of top speed and energy management. However, insufficient power can be noticed when zoom climbing or when turning at low speed, and regaining the speed back can take a while. The engines also consume tremendous amounts of fuel: while the F-14A can stay in the air for at least one hour with full fuel tanks, at full afterburner (WEP) the jet can fly for only 7 minutes at sea level.

The F-14A is more of a two-circle dogfighter since it keeps speed very well in hard turns, but might not have as much nose authority as other planes to win one-circle fights (such as scissors and anything similar when you turn into the opponent's nose). Although it can still beat planes like the MiG-23MLD in the instantaneous turn-rate performance, delta-wing fighters like the J35 or MiG-21 could have the advantage during the first seconds of the fight. Like other planes with variable wing geometry, the F-14A reaches its most efficient turn rate performance when wings are swept fully forward (set to 0%) and that can be achieved only by using the manual wing sweep controls. Since it is semi-automatic, the wing will automatically change its position after reaching around ~800 km/h IAS.

The most optimal turning speed is around 900 km/h IAS at sea level (it reaches the highest sustained turn rate there), but the best is actually between 700 and 830 km/h IAS since any faster, and it becomes impossible to maintain the turn without the crew blacking out. At such speeds, the F-14A in a clean configuration with 30 minutes of fuel can reach up to 23 deg/s of sustained turn rate, which is better than any MiG-23, Su-17, or even other more manoeuvrable fighters like the MiG-19. Both the sustained and instantaneous turn rate can be improved by using combat flaps, which can function at speeds up to 850 km/h IAS.

Thanks to the variable wing sweep, the F-14A is able to move its center of mass and thus increase or decrease its roll rate. High sweep allows higher speeds at reduced roll rate and vice versa. Low sweep increases roll rate and energy retention at subsonic speeds.

To get the most of its turn rate performance in Simulator Battles, you should always try to use the manual SAS (Stability Augmentation System) mode. The damping mode severely limits its nose authority, and it is harder to win fights against planes like the MiG-21 or other delta-wing fighters. In general, combat flaps should always be used when you are about to merge with the enemy plane, as they not only increase the sustained turn rate but also improves nose authority. In turn, it becomes easier to get lead on the enemy plane and to control the plane when using manual SAS mode. The player should still be very careful with pulling the stick around 500 km/h IAS. Below that speed, it's very easy to abruptly lose speed, reach the critical AoA, and stall out the plane. Pulling the stick all the way to yourself should be done only when you are going for snap shots. The other downside manual SAS mode is the plane is much more sensitive to controls, especially in pitch. For this reason, it is recommended to use the damping SAS mode during cruising and BVR combat.

While using the manual SAS mode, it is can be easy to stall out the plane when flying below 400 km/h IAS. In this case, after entering the flat spin, the quickest method to recover the plane is to increase the wing sweep angle and then counter the plane rotation with the rudder.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 12,192 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,202 || 2,191 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.4 || 25.1 || 178.4 || 170.5 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,245 || 2,221 || 23.6 || 24.0 || 231.6 || 203.8
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 1,359 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || rowspan="2" | 1,200 || rowspan="2" | 873 || rowspan="2" | 416 || ~10 || ~5
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,555 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 1,200 || < 850 || < 1,800 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="7" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="4" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-412A || 2
| colspan="3" | 18,545 kg || colspan="4" | 493 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 18m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 62m fuel
|-
| 1,802 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 20,750 kg || 20,905 kg || 22,085 kg || 23,855 kg || 25,895 kg || 30,935 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 18m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 62m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 4,860 kgf || 8,019 kgf
| 0.77 || 0.77 || 0.73 || 0.67 || 0.62 || 0.52
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,808 kgf (1,555 km/h) || 12,692 kgf (1,555 km/h)
| 1.22 || 1.21 || 1.15 || 1.06 || 0.98 || 0.82
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The F-14A holds 60 countermeasures, which is a decent number of chaff and flares that can let the Tomcat survive multiple missiles. Due to its massive engines, the IR signature of the aircraft is not an easy thing to conceal when fighting heat-seeking missiles. As with other jets around its battle rating, flares alone are generally not enough to defeat IR-guided missiles. To defeat an IR-guided missile (heat-seeker), turn off afterburner and reduce throttle to at least 80-85% while dumping flares and turning away from the missile. This is to ensure that an IR-guided missile will track the flares and not the engines. Due to the massive size compared to other aircraft, the chances of a successful hit from enemies, both missile and cannon, are higher compared to smaller aircraft such as the Harrier or F-5. This should be taken into consideration as proximity fuses will trigger with more ease as the wingspan of the Tomcat is considerably larger than most jets seen in game.

Fuel tanks are housed flatly in both the fuselage and wings. The F-14A will easily catch fire from enemy rounds from above and below the plane. Thankfully, the fuel tanks are well-separated compared to other fighters like the F-4 family, so damage to one part of the plane may not necessarily compromise the whole plane. However, fires will rapidly destroy traction of control surfaces, so they must be immediately extinguished. As long as some control surfaces are usable, the F-14A can survive critical damage (such as losing a wing) and return to base. Its multiple fuel tanks help isolate fuel fires especially on the wings, and the plane can fly on one engine.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, cheek-mounted (676 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP}}
{{main|AIM-7E-2 Sparrow|AIM-7F Sparrow|AIM-54A Phoenix}}
{{main|AIM-9D Sidewinder|AIM-9G Sidewinder|AIM-9H Sidewinder}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles
* 5 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
* 14 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (3,500 lb total)
* 14 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (7,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 16 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets

The F-14A is the first aircraft in game to have access to Active Radar Homing missiles with internal navigation. While it is mostly used for air defense and anti-air duties, it holds decent ground pounding abilities that are nothing new to American pilots. The F-14A has access to a wide variety of weapon selections due to having 'Custom Loadouts' feature. Depending on the needs of the pilot, one can carry different loadouts for different needs.

The F-14A comes with three options for missiles: shorter-ranged AIM-9H Sidewinders, medium-ranged AIM-7F Sparrows, and long-range AIM-54A Phoenixes.

The '''AIM-9H Sidewinder''' is very similar to the previous AIM-9G — having good range but below average manoeuvrability. Its seeker can also be slaved to a radar lock or TWS soft lock. With only 18G maximum overload, the AIM-9H should not be used in high-aspect or hard-turning shots at close ranges. Instead, the AIM-9H's good range should be used to catch enemies off guard. A good way to utilize this range is to position yourself over the battlefield and dive down on enemies. Your dive speed combined with gravity will increase the speed and range of your missiles, your angle to the enemy will give the missiles an easier time locking on to their exhaust, and your unexpected direction will see that many enemies will not notice the missile until they have been destroyed by it.

The '''AIM-7F Sparrow''' is a medium-range, SARH (Semi-Active Radar Homing) missile. Pilots of the F-14A are probably familiar with the AIM-7F from the previous F-4J. The AIM-7F is one of the best radar-guided missiles in the game. It has good 25G manoeuvrability, and a very long motor burn time gives it long range and sustained manoeuvrability (whereas other missiles will stop producing thrust and lose speed in manoeuvres, the long burn time of the AIM-7F sustains its speed and manoeuvrability for a long time). This should be the F-14A's go-to missile; it can be launched from all aspects and is difficult to dodge without the correct defensive manoeuvres. The AIM-7F can be launched from longer ranges to utilize its long burn time and the F-14A's good radar. Pay attention to your Radar Warning Receiver; if the enemy you are radar locking is also radar locking you, it is likely that they are about to or already have launched a radar-guided missile at you. In this case, do not fly straight; you are going to be hit first. Launch your missile, then crank to one side. To crank means to turn to one side as far as possible without losing radar lock. This makes the enemy's missile travel further at higher angles and thus decreases the chance it will hit you during defensive manoeuvres. If you have Sparrows to spare and an enemy is approaching head-on, you can launch Sparrows in succession (2-3 seconds between launches) to increase your probability of a kill. An enemy can avoid one missile with manoeuvres, but will have bled speed and will have a more difficult time avoiding further missiles.

The '''AIM-54A Phoenix''' is a long-range, ARH (Active Radar Homing) missile, and is only found on the F-14 (both in-game and in real life). The AIM-54A is a unique missile with unique capabilities. It has an extremely long burn time and thus an extremely long range, as well as a rather large proximity fuse and a large amount of explosive (doesn't have to be as close as other missiles to enemies to explode and cause critical damage). However, its more interesting features come in the form of its behaviour. First, it's an active radar homing missile, meaning it has a small internal radar which at closer ranges it can use to automatically search for, track and guide itself to targets without any input from the parent (the F-14's) radar. Second, it can be guided via the parent (F-14's) radar, but if it loses lock, the missile will fly straight for a while and use the aforementioned internal radar to search for enemies to home in towards. Third, the AIM-54 does not need a true radar lock to be launched; when the F-14's radar is in TWS (Track While Scan) mode, you can simply hover the radar cursor over a radar contact to launch the AIM-54. This also means you can launch more than one Phoenix at a time by hovering over a target, launching, and then hovering over another target to launch another Phoenix.

It is important to know that despite these seemingly impressive features, the AIM-54 is not an all-powerful missile and has its downsides; there are many scenarios where it is advisable not to use them. First, some F-14A players may feel tempted to take six AIM-54s, take off, and then launch at six enemy targets very far away. This is not advised, as there is a very high chance none will hit; at such a long-range, and with player behaviour at the start of a match, it is very likely that the missiles will be inadvertently notched, or the missiles will get distracted by enemy and/or friendly AI bots. In addition, the AIM-54A only has 16G overload — less than an AIM-9H — and with its very long burn time, it is easily seen and dodged by enemies. It is more worth it to save your missiles for a better firing window. Second, the missile should not be used at closer ranges (< 5 km). In addition to having low manoeuvrability, the AIM-54 has a very, very slow acceleration, and it highly likely won't be able to follow the defensive manoeuvres of such a close enemy. For this case, Sparrows are a much better option. Third, the AIM-54 should not be launched in the direction of friendly aircraft. The AIM-54 and its internal radar will go for the first target it sees, regardless if it is friend or foe. And fourth and finally, the AIM-54 is the heaviest air-to-air missile in the game, and they impact aircraft performance significantly. To make use of the AIM-54's advantages, it is advisable to use them at higher altitudes (> 5 km) and at long ranges. The AIM-54 will have time to accelerate to its maximum speed, and due to the low air density at high altitudes as well as the AIM-54’s high speed, enemy aircraft will have a hard time evading the missile (even if it is just 16G). The AIM-54 can home in on enemies on its own, so if necessary you can completely turn away from the enemy after launching to avoid enemy missiles. However, the AIM-54 has datalink and thus is it recommended to keep painting the target(s) through TWS radar mode for more reliable missile tracking.

Each of these missiles has its strengths and weaknesses. A mix between long-range weapons and short-range weapons must be used at the pilot's discretion. A maximum of six of a mix of Sparrows or Phoenixes can be taken, two Sidewinders can always be carried on separate hard points, and pilots can choose to substitute up to two Sparrows or Phoenixes for Sidewinders. At the very least one or two sparrows should be taken as they are useful in lots of different engagements at most altitudes. For high altitude engagements, a small number of Phoenixes (1-3) can be taken. Phoenixes are especially useful for enduring confrontation (operation) air battles, where air combat is prevalent at higher altitudes where the Phoenix will truly shine. While the AIM-9H Sidewinders will seem like nothing new and perhaps a bit outdated, it’s long range capability should not be underestimated, and users may prefer to switch out some radar guided missiles for Sidewinders.

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="12" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs
| || || 8* || 6 || ||
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| || || 8* || 6 || ||
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| || || 2* || 2 || ||
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| || || 2*† || 2 || ||
|-
! Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
| || 8 || || || 8 ||
|-
! AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1, 2* || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
| || 1 || 2* || 2† || 1 ||
|-
| colspan="9" | * Use of dual Sparrow missiles on hardpoint 4 prevents use of the marked options on hardpoint 3 † The AIM-54A Phoenix missiles on hardpoint 4 cannot be carried in conjunction with 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs on hardpoint 3
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Boasting a high top speed, excellent turning characteristics, a large number of excellent missiles, and a powerful radar, the F-14A (Early) Tomcat is a potent air superiority fighter and should be used as such.

'''Flying the F-14A'''

Despite being a very large aircraft, the F-14A Tomcat's manoeuvrability and energy retention are excellent. With the wings swept out, it's among the best rate fighters in the game, and has excellent instantaneous turn rate. This allows the F-14A to out-dogfight most aircraft in-game. For planes with poor energy retention such as F-4s, MiG-21s, J35s, and JA37s, you can use the F-14's excellent turn rate to enter a prolonged two-circle fight, where the F-14's superior energy retention will drain the energy of these delta-winged fighters. The optimal rate speed of the F-14A is around 750 km/h, though 600 km/h will still allow you to out-rate fighters with poor energy retention. For planes with better energy retention such as F-8s and MiG-23s, you can use F-14A's excellent instantaneous turn rate to force a one-circle fight. It should be noted that when dogfighting in the F-14A, it is critical to always sweep your wings forward to 0% wing sweep. At this wing sweep, you will obtain the optimal energy retention and turn characteristics of the F-14A. Therefore, it is highly recommended to set key binds for manually changing the sweep angle and switching between auto to manual wing sweep. Keep in mind that, although the F-14A has excellent dogfighting characteristics, it is still a very large aircraft with extremely hot engines. Due to this, it is advised to avoid turn-fighting in the Tomcat unless absolutely necessary because, as with all other top-tier jets, doing so will bleed your speed and make you an easy target for enemy aircraft.

The early F-14A with its TF30 engines were historically underpowered, and this shows in-game: while the F-14A has a great top speed with the wings swept back, the acceleration and climb rate is below average. Faster planes such as MiG-23s, Mirage 2000s, F-16s, and MiG-29s will easily out-accelerate you. Even F-4s will accelerate faster at lower speeds. Therefore, it is advisable to keep your speed up in the F-14. Due to this, vertical dogfights are generally not advisable, especially with faster accelerating and climbing opponents such as MiG-23s, MiG-29s and F-16s. In addition, this acceleration is another reason to be careful when engaging in dogfights, as you will have difficulty out-accelerating your opponents should you need to exit.

'''Wing Sweep'''

The F-14A has a variable sweep wing, which means the wings can change angle during flight to obtain the desirable flight characteristics. As discussed before, when the wings are swept forward (0%), the F-14A obtains high energy retention and excellent instantaneous and sustained turn rate. However, the wings being swept forwards limits the Tomcat's top speed, and therefore should only be used at lower speeds, when dogfighting, or takeoff/landing (especially with carriers). On the other hand, the wings being swept back allows the F-14A to reach its top speed, but at lower speeds, loss of lift greatly reduces manoeuvrability. Generally, pilots can keep the wing sweep mode set to automatic (AUTO); this will automatically sweep the wings without player input based on how fast or slow the Tomcat is going. However, when dogfighting, you will want to switch the sweep mode to manual, and use selected key binds to manually sweep the wing forward to obtain optimal manoeuvrability.

'''Fuel Consumption and Engine Heat'''

It should be noted that the F-14A burns up fuel very fast when on afterburner. This should be taken into consideration as one can burn up all the fuel without realizing until it is too late. Due to this, it is advisable to take at the very least 30 minutes of fuel. You can use the mouse scroll wheel to save a lot more fuel by using the first-stage afterburner, which gives a significant power boost from 100% throttle but a little less power than full afterburner. On minimum fuel (18 minutes) the full afterburner can only last about 2 minutes and 30 seconds, but the afterburner (first-stage) can last you 8 minutes.

Something to be aware of when playing the F-14A is the insane heat of its engines. At high throttle and afterburner, its engines emit an unparalleled amount of heat at around 2,100 °F (1,150 °C). For reference, that is around 66% hotter than the F-4J's engines, which is around 1,239 °F (671 °C) at 100% throttle and 1,256 °F (680 °C) during full afterburner. During gameplay, this means that in the F-14A simply just turning off the afterburner and deploying flares may not be enough to avoid an incoming IR missile. You will also have to throttle down the engine significantly (at least 80-85%) to make sure that an incoming IR missile goes for the flare. This is especially true for more flare-resistant IR missiles such as the [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] and [[Matra R550 Magic 2|Magic 2]], which may need substantial throttling down to flare off. Keep in mind that throttling down means that you will lose a decent amount of speed in the process, so be prepared.

'''Radar and Radar Modes'''

The AN/AWG-9 radar set carried by the F-14A is an extremely potent radar, especially for long-range missile combat. It has great range (a maximum of 185 km tracking and 370 km detecting). For most normal air RB maps, a 37km or 93km display range should suffice, while 93 km should be enough for most enduring confrontation air RB maps. A radar lock is necessary to guide Sparrows, while either radar lock or soft lock (selecting targets in TWS) will suffice for a Phoenix launch. The radar has four different modes which have different purposes, capabilities and usages:

* '''SRC PD HDN''' (Surveillance Radar Computer, Pulse-Doppler, Head-On): Users of the F-14 are likely at least somewhat aware of what a pulse-Doppler radar is from usage of the previous F-4J. This is a pulse-Doppler mode, meaning it measures an aircraft's Doppler shift (difference in velocity compared to surroundings) in order to "see" targets. Due to the nature of the detection method, this pulse-Doppler mode is most ideal for targets close to the ground, as well as in head-on situations (as the name suggests). However, this pulse-Doppler mode has a weakness: it can be [[Airborne_radars#Notching_a_Pulse-Doppler_radar|notched]]; pulse-Doppler measures the target aircraft's velocity change compared to surroundings, so if a target flies perpendicular to the radar (not moving closer or further compared to the surroundings), the radar will not observe a change in velocity and therefore cannot see the aircraft. F-14A pilots must be aware of how the notch works; if an enemy radar is locking you at low altitude, they are likely using a pulse-Doppler mode, and thus notching becomes a defensive option to break radar lock. Provided the target is not at very low altitudes, an enemy notching your pulse-Doppler radar can be countered by switching the radar mode to SRC. Another weakness to be aware of is that pulse-Doppler modes generally have trouble detecting and locking targets travelling away from the radar. In conclusion, the pulse-Doppler mode is good for tracking targets at very low altitudes, but is vulnerable to notching and has difficulty finding targets moving away.
* '''SRC''' (Surveillance Radar Computer): This is the standard radar mode. It is not a pulse-Doppler mode and does not have its weaknesses; it cannot be notched like pulse-Doppler can, and has an easier time tracking targets moving away. Therefore, if an enemy is attempting to notch your pulse-Doppler mode, you can switch the radar lock from a pulse-Doppler one to standard SRC. However, due to the radar return from ground clutter, it has great trouble locking targets at very low altitude, though it can still lock higher targets. It's worth noting that the SRC mode on the AN/AWG-9 is more resistant to ground clutter than previous radars; while you still cannot detect or lock a target very close to the ground, it can sometimes detect targets as little as 1 km from the ground. In conclusion, SRC is generally more reliable at finding and tracking targets than pulse-Doppler mode, but cannot see targets at very low altitudes like pulse-Doppler can.
* '''TWS HDN''' (Track While Scan, Head-On): This mode allows targets to be detected and "tracked" simultaneously. By hovering your radar cursor over detected targets, you can "soft lock" them; their position is marked in third-person view, and their general speed, heading, and height are displayed. With a soft lock, the radar return is not strong enough to trigger the RWR, so enemies will not know you are soft locking them. AIM-54A Phoenixes can be launched via a soft lock, and after launching a Phoenix, you can hover over another enemy to launch another Phoenix. Using onboard electronics, the Phoenixes will guide themselves to the target after this. In addition, AIM-9G/H Sidewinders can be slaved to the soft lock. However, for a Sparrow launch, you will need to "hard lock" the target. This can be done simply by locking the target the cursor is hovering over (as with other radar modes). In addition, track while scan uses pulse-Doppler, so it can detect targets close to the ground as well. Unfortunately, this also means it has the same weaknesses as pulse-Doppler mode (vulnerable to notching or targets flying away). The capabilities of the track while scan mode are potent and allows pilots great situational awareness, and therefore should generally be your go-to radar mode, only switching to SRC to overcome pulse-Doppler's weaknesses.
* '''SRC PDV HDN''' (Surveillance Radar Computer, Pulse-Doppler Velocity, Head-On): This radar mode is very similar to pulse-Doppler, but instead displays the velocity of the aircraft on the radar screen rather than the range. This is the only radar mode on the AN/AWG-9 which does not utilize IFF (Identification Friend or Foe), so in simulator mode, be careful.
* The AN/AWG-9 has two acquisition modes, ACM PD HDN and ACQ, and two track modes, TRK PD HDN and TRK.
** SRC PD HDN, TWS HDN and SRC PDV HDN radar modes all use '''ACM PD HDN''' (Air Combat Maneuvering, Pulse-Doppler, Head-On) as the acquisition mode, and '''TRK PD HDN''' (Track, Pulse-Doppler, Head-On) as the lock mode. These are pulse-Doppler search and lock methods, and as such have the same strengths and weaknesses. SRC uses '''ACQ''' and '''TRK''' as acquisition and lock modes, respectively, which are the non pulse-Doppler counterparts to ACM PD HDN and TRK PD HDN.
** When in these acquisition modes, you can press your keybind for “Change Radar/IRST Search Mode” to change the scope of the acquisition search area. Clicking it once changes it from a square to a vertically long rectangle, clicking it twice moves this rectangle to an upper position (to lock enemies above you), and clicking it a third time changes it back to a square.
** A nice and very useful feature of the F-14's radar is that, if you have a target radar locked, you can switch between pulse-Doppler and normal SRC tracking without breaking lock (most other radars will require the lock to be broken before switching radar mode to reattempt a lock). This allows you to quickly and easily switch to TRK (SRC) if the target is notching, or switch to TRK PD HDN (Pulse-Doppler) if the target is going close to the ground.

'''Realistic Battles'''

In realistic battles, the F-14A is a powerful air superiority fighter. With a maximum of six medium-range AIM-7F or very long range AIM-54A missiles and a powerful radar, it is arguably the best BVR (Beyond Visual Range) fighter in the game, and it is advisable to exploit this advantage. In air realistic battles, players can side climb to high altitudes (>5 km) and search for targets to engage with the long-range Sparrows or Phoenixes. At high altitude, Phoenixes can fairly reliably hit 50km head-on launches from high altitude, while Sparrows can hit at (generally) maximum ranges of 30km. Once higher altitude is swept of enemy fighters, pilots can dive down on lower altitude enemies and use the energy advantage to obtain missile kills from an unexpected angle. If necessary, the Tomcat's excellent manoeuvrability can be used to dogfight any remaining enemy aircraft.

In ground realistic battles, the F-14A can use its long-range missiles to clear the sky of enemy strike aircraft. With its excellent Sparrow and Phoenix missiles, the F-14A will be especially potent at destroying enemy strike aircraft at high altitudes who are using guided munitions to attack your team outside of SAM range. While the F-14A gets access to some air-to-ground bombs and rockets, these are all unguided and thus are very risky to use in the presence of SAMs. Therefore, unless a ground strike is absolutely necessary, a Tomcat is much better off in the air-to-air role guarding the skies.

'''Enemies Worth Noting'''

* '''F-16A:''' These planes have excellent acceleration and decent top speed. In addition, they have AIM-9Ls, which can sometimes be difficult to flare with the F-14’s two very hot engines, as well as AIM-7Ms (except the “normal” US F-16A and Israeli Netz”), which can give competition to the F-14’s AIM-7Fs. In a dogfight, the F-16 can and will compete with the F-14 with it’s excellent maneuverability, but a weakness is it’s G-limiter which effectively bricks the F-16 at high speeds. This can be exploited in a merge with an F-16, where air braking, down-throttling pulling hard into the F-16 will let you park yourself on his tail. The F-16’s excellent acceleration in contrast with the F-14’s poor acceleration makes it ill-advised to engage in a vertical dogfight with the F-16.
* '''MiG-29''': The MiG-29 has excellent acceleration and top speed. Though it’s R-60Ms are a far cry from the F-16’s AIM-9Ls, it does possess the extremely dangerous R-27ER long range SARH missile. These missiles are faster accelerating and more maneuverable than the F-14’s AIM-7Fs while having the same listed maximum range of 100km. However, the MiG-29 can only carry two of them. They can be outranged by your AIM-54s, but at closer ranges, even a single missile can mean death for you, so you will have to use missile jousting strategies to beat the R-27ER with your AIM-7Fs. In a dogfight, it’s mostly the same story as with the F-16: the MiG-29 has excellent maneuverability, and while the F-14 can certainly keep up, vertical dogfights should be avoided due to the stark difference in acceleration between the MiG-29 and F-14A.
* '''Mirage 2000C:''' Mirage 2000s have excellent acceleration and top speed, as well as powerful missiles. Like AIM-9Ls, the Magic 2 can be difficult to flare, and the Super 530D is comparable to the AIM-7F. In a dogfight, the Mirage 2000 has excellent instantaneous turn rate, but due to it’s delta wing design bleeds speed quickly; in this case the F-14A’s excellent rate speed should be used to drain the Mirage 2000 of energy and outrate it.
* '''F-4J, F-4EJ Kai:''' These Phantoms can very easily be beaten in a dogfight by the F-14A, but beware of powerful AIM-7Fs, and in the case of the EJ Kai, all-aspect AIM-9Ls.
* '''MiG-23ML/MLA/MLD:''' These MiG-23s boast good R-24s which can compete with the AIM-7F, as well as dangerous R-24Ts which can lock on to the F-14’s hot heat signature and stealthily destroy it. Good situational awareness is key to defeating these missiles. In a dogfight, MiG-23s have a very good rate speed which can keep up with the F-14. However, their instantaneous turn rate is poor, so a one circle or scissors can be used with the F-14A to easily gain an advantage over MiG-23s.
* '''F-5E:''' F-5s have a surprisingly excellent turn rate that can rival even the F-14A. However, it has slow acceleration, it’s guns are mediocre and it has very limited missiles. Therefore, they can be engaged with Sparrows and Phoenixes without retaliation, and in a dogfight, the vertical can be used on the F-5 to stall them out and gain the advantage.

'''Simulator Battles - Enduring Confrontation'''

Before you take the F-14A to battle you need to figure out what weapons you want to use. All the available IR missiles have almost identical turn performance, the range is almost the same too. The D version cannot be slaved to the locked target, the G can be and the H works exactly like the G, but has a higher tracking rate. Taking at least two of them is highly recommended since they almost do not affect the flight performance.

There are also two options for radar-guided missiles. The AIM-7F works very well at close and medium ranges (3-20 km) and can hit a target which is pulling lots of G. They are harder to dodge in Simulator Battles, though you need to keep your lock all the time. The AIM-54A is an active radar-guided missile, it does not require the radar lock when it is launched 16 km from the target (or when it gets that close, then you can break your lock), but it can pull only up to 16G which is quite easy to dodge, both these missiles can also be avoided by just simply notching when the F-14 uses the pulse-Doppler radar mode.

A few loadout recommendations:

* 4x AIM-9H + 4x AIM-7F - Works very well in almost any scenario, and does not affect the flight performance that much.
* 4x AIM-9H + 4x AIM-54A or 2x AIM-9H + 6x AIM-54A - Makes the plane turn a lot worse, in most cases will not work against fighters which know how to deal with radar-guided missiles, this loadout is useful mainly against planes that attack the bombing bases or airfields only, so for example Su-7s loaded with bombs etc. (farmers). It is not recommended to use it in normal EC battles.
* 4x AIM-9H + 2x AIM-54A + 2x AIM-7F

To make full use of the F-14A's manoeuvrability it is best to buy the expert crew and the ace crew if it is possible, since the plane pulls around 8G at 750 km/h IAS in a sustained turn and that increases even further when the player decided to pull it even more, though you need to keep in mind that the G limit is ~11G.

'''Outside the combat''' - As a start, keep in mind that the F-14A really likes to burn fuel a lot when the afterburner is used, at low altitudes it can fly up to 7 minutes with full fuel tanks, so it is recommended to fly either with 45 minutes of fuel (on 64x64 km maps like Ruhr, Port Moresby) or full fuel tanks (128x128 km maps like Vietnam, Denmark). WEP should not be used while cruising and only during combat or while chasing someone, flying with the throttle set to 85-90% should be fine too. There are a few tactics that can be used in the F-14 in SB, but it mostly depends on what map you play. On more open maps like Denmark you can at 1,000-3,000 m alt while looking for targets, though some MiGs can still sneak up to you if you are not paying enough attention to your surroundings, doing so you are mostly vulnerable to attack from below and behind, especially when the enemy has access to all-aspect missiles. The other tactic is just simply hugging the ground, in most cases it is the safest one and should be used on maps with hills and mountains where you can break the enemy's line of sight by flying between them. It is more difficult and requires lots of focus. The player needs to keep looking around all the time to find the target, the radar is less useful in this scenario, though the TWS mode can be helpful on maps like Vietnam to check the enemy plane direction and ambush them while you are flying in areas where it is hard to spot the planes due to the ground colour and many objects like trees. To make cruising easier the damping SAS mode can be used, which limits the angle of attack (AoA) so much that the G limit cannot be reached at any speed, the automatic wing sweep control also can be activated. About the radar modes, the PDV should not really be used since it is the only one which does not have any kind of IFF and it is as good at detecting targets as the normal PD mode. Since the PD radar cannot track targets that are flying perpendicular to your plane switching between modes is very important, even the normal Pulse (SRC) mode can detect targets against the ground up to 15-20 km and even further when it is above the horizon. To be safe from enemy missiles it is best to stay around 20-30 km away from enemy planes.

'''During the combat''' - During the BVR combat when both sides have similar missiles it is important to get to a higher speed before launching it and launch the missile before the enemy does, for now the only plane that can actually start this kind of fight is the Viggen (Sweden is very often on the Russian side), though you can just ignore it and keep notching while getting below the enemy plane (missiles have much lower range at low altitude) and wait until it gets close, the start a dogfight. The AIM-54A can be useful in such scenarios, even when the F-14 will be forced to break away the missile will still be tracking the target, then the enemy will be forced to dodge it and when that happens you can launch another missile to force the enemy into an even more defensive position. When the distance between planes is around 10 km, the radar mode should be switched to either BST or VSL since they offer an instant radar lock after pointing at the targets, locking on manually can sometimes take a few seconds and a few failed attempts. Those two modes can also be used when the player in the F-14A is trying to be sneaky, then when the enemy is not aware of being tracked by TWS mode on maps like Vietnam the F-14 can switch to them when the enemy gets close from the front and then right after that launch the AIM-7F. Overall learning quick switching between radar modes depending on the situation is very important.

Within visual range (up to ~10 km) against opponents in a head-on, it is important to keep launching 1 flare every few seconds, it will reduce the chance of being tracked by the R-23T, R-24T or R-60M, also as soon as the missile launch happens a few more of them should be launched. For this kind of scenario it is best to be equipped with AIM-7F missiles, by using them you can deny the enemy any head-on attempts, by launching it they will be forced to notch it, while the IR missiles in most cases can be dodged by using flares right before the launch, not using WEP before the dogfight starts and it can be done by just flying in a straight line (when the distance between the missile and the F-14 is big enough).
The enemy will not be able to safely reengage until it gets very close (when the AIM-7F becomes less effective, so within 2 km from the target), but at that point the AIM-9H can be used in some cases against afterburning targets trying to notch the PD radar. All of this can lead to the enemy having to dodge the missile and becoming an easy target, you can easily get on their six and shoot them down by using the gun.

When the dogfight happens it is needed to switch the SAS mode to manual, the damping limits the manoeuvrability too much and can put the F-14 in a worse position, especially against the delta wing planes, though using it makes the plane harder to control. The other thing to remember is switching the wing sweep controls to manual, then reducing it to 0% for the best manoeuvrability.
The last thing is using the combat flaps, but overusing them and doing it in the wrong situation can lead to being shot down faster. Before the merge between both planes happens the speed should be around 800 km/h IAS and 900 km/h (450-500 kn IAS), it will make starting a two-circle fight (where the F-14 excels) easier. The combat flaps in the F-14 improve both the sustained and instantaneous turn rate, the only downside is that they work effectively only up to 900 km/h IAS and make reaching speed above that harder. The one-circle fight can be done only with planes like the MiG-23, Su-17/22 or the Japanese Phantoms; against other planes, especially the delta wing planes, it is not very safe, although the F-14 can sometimes pull a very tight turn (takeoff flaps have a speed limit up to 800 km/h and can help with that). Generally, the safest way to win the fight is to keep your speed around 800 km/h IAS in a two-circle fight, there is not a single plane that can win it. There are a few planes which can give a hard time in close-range fights, the MiG-23MLD, J35s, MiG-21bis, J-7E, Chinese F-5E, the player should be very careful while engaging any of these.

'''Basic mistakes''' - Ignoring the IFF and teamkilling are the biggest mistakes happening in SB, it is always important to check if the target is a friendly plane or not (one line - unknown/enemy, two lines - friendly). Also, launching the AIM-54 into a direction with a few friendly planes can end really badly, just like launching any kind of missile into furballs. Ignoring the IFF readouts will lead to being kicked from the session and the team performing worse because they will also need to worry about dodging friendly missiles.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very effective dogfighter at any speed with its variable wing sweep which gives it great energy retention
* Variable swept wings can help plane accelerate fast when swept back and turn better when the wing is less swept
* High top speed (can cap out at 1500 km/h IAS at sea level)
* Lethal M61 Vulcan cannon which has an extremely fast fire rate, great velocity, and great damage
* Can carry up to 8 missiles maximum, with options of AIM-7s, AIM-9s, and [[AIM-54A Phoenix|AIM-54]]<nowiki/>s for versatile use
* The AIM-54 has insane range (100 km max), its rocket booster lasts for a very long time, and it's an Active Radar Homing missile (at closer ranges can automatically guide itself towards enemies using its own radar)
* Multi-mode radar makes it effective in any situation (the TWS mode allows launching AIM-54s at multiple aircraft at once and provides amazing situational awareness)
* The new [[AIM-9H Sidewinder|AIM-9H]] has much better flare resistance than previous AIM-9s (such as the [[AIM-9G Sidewinder|G]] or [[AIM-9J Sidewinder|J]] variants)

'''Cons:'''

* Big plane and thus an easy target to hit
* The afterburner's fuel consumption is otherworldly fast; constant usage of it requires carrying a lot of fuel that can hamper the plane's performance and manoeuvrability
* Massive wing and fuselage fuel tanks make it especially prone to catching fire
* Cannot pull sustained Gs when above 1,000 km/h IAS (11-13 G) in RB or the wings will rip
* At high throttle and afterburner, the engine emits an unparalleled amount of heat, requiring throttling down (and therefore significantly bleeding speed) to reliably flare missiles off
* 60 countermeasures may be a bit lacking considering the extremely high engine temperature
* The AIM-54A only has 16G overload and thus is rather easy to dodge
* The AIM-54A's rocket motor lasts for a very long time, giving plenty of time for enemies to spot and evade it
* Requires lots of work and control binds related to the radar and variable wing sweep angle to make the most of the aircraft
* The Damping SAS mode limits the AoA so much that it cannot be used in one-circle fights (scissors etc.) thus forcing the player to use the much harder to use the Manual SAS mode (SB with full-real controls)

== History ==

=== Early Development ===
In 1967, the U.S. Navy wanted a long-range fleet defence fighter to boost their naval plane capabilities with the "VFX" program. The USN first started with a redesigned F-111 Aardvark named the F-111B (basically an F-111 designed around the TF30 engine and AIM-54 Phoenix missiles), they soon found out that the F-111 was too big for practical reasons so the F-111B plan never came to fruition. Fast forward to 1969, the USN gave the contract to Grumman to build the new fleet defence fighter named the F-14 Tomcat, its first variants were built around the TF30 engines found on the F-111B and to use the AN/AWG-9 radar set and the airframe was specifically built to carry the AIM-54 Phoenix missile.

===[[wt:en/news/7705-development-f-14a-tomcat-into-the-danger-zone-en|Devblog]]===
In 1968, five aircraft building companies entered the Pentagon's competition for a new carrier-based interceptor fighter. The commission's preference was given to Grumman's design, a twin-engine jet fighter with a variable-swept wing. Work on the F-14A fighter began in February 1969, and in December of the next year, the new aircraft took her maiden flight. The main weapon of the F-14A was the AIM-54 Phoenix long-range missiles controlled by the newest to date weapon control system. Instead of building prototypes, Grumman immediately switched to the production of an experimental series, and already on December 31, 1972, the first batch of jet fighters were put into service with the VF-124 Fleet Replacement Squadron . Pilot training took place on the deck of the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier, and during the withdrawal of US troops from Vietnam, combat sorties were also made from the deck. In total 557 F-14A fighters were delivered to the US Navy until 1987, and another 80 aircraft were built for Iran. Tomcats were used in all military conflicts where US aircraft took part until the very decommissioning. Iranian F-14s took an active part in the Iran-Iraq war, scoring dozens of air kills.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f_14a_early Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 1.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 2.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 3.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 4.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 5.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 6.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 7.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Wdnef_6_6oM|'''The Shooting Range #307''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Other jet planes with variable sweep wings

* [[MiG-23 (Family)]]
* [[Su-17/22 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7705-development-f-14a-tomcat-into-the-danger-zone-en|[Devblog] F-14A Tomcat: Into the Danger Zone!]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/557191-f-14a-early/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Grumman}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-4C Phantom II

2023-02-10T18:48:22Z

U97916902: /* Air-to-air */

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-4 Phantom II (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-4c
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]].

Development of fighter aircraft attempts to balance size, speed, armament and manoeuvrability to come up with the perfect fighter. Due to the difficulties and challenges of bundling all of these in one aircraft, many different varieties have been developed through the years which highlighted one or more aspects but rarely all in one. And sometimes the mould had to be broken and the motto "bigger IS better" came into play. Due to these such heavyweight fighters like the [[P-61C-1|P-61]], [[Me 410 (Family)|Me 410]], [[Beaufighter (Family)|Beaufighter]], [[J5N1]] and [[SM.91]] were developed to fly faster, remain manoeuvrable and carry heavier weapons and ordnance, sometimes much heavier than their lighter counterparts. The {{PAGENAME}} is no exception, originally developed as a souped-up F3H Demon, this fighter was modified into a larger, heavier, faster fighter-interceptor/bomber that the U.S. Navy didn't realize it needed and when it did, it went all in.<ref name="Hachette" />

The imposing {{PAGENAME}} can seem a bit intimidating at first due to its size, but the pilot will quickly find that with the dual J79-GE-15 engines that this fighter is no slouch. Going from takeoff, acceleration in a climb and to level flight the {{PAGENAME}} will move and is quite agile for an aircraft of its size. Pilots new to the {{PAGENAME}} will initially be set up with an M61 20 mm cannon. Due to this aircraft not being configured with an internal cannon, one was required to be mounted on a centre-line pylon. Options become available to mount two additional 20 mm cannon gun pods, one under each wing which all together will spew out a slew of 20 mm rounds acting like a shotgun effect even at >500 m. [[AIM-9B]] and [[AIM-9E Sidewinder|AIM-9E]] Sidewinder missiles round out the Phantom's anti-air capabilities and are okay missiles to use against enemy aircraft which will cause the enemy pilot to take evasive manoeuvres to avoid the missile. In the event that happens, be ready with the cannons for backup as the enemy pilot should be an easy target after bleeding all of their speed and energy avoiding the missile.

[[File:F 4 phantom markymark 002.jpg|350px|thumb|left|Bird's eye view of a {{PAGENAME}} from the VF-111 Sundowners squadron]]

Another arena where the {{PAGENAME}} shines is in the ground-pounding or ground attack function of the aircraft. With eleven hardpoints, this fighter/bomber can be configured in many different ways to carry a combination of guns, bombs and rockets. When it comes to bombs, the {{PAGENAME}} has the option to use either 250 lb, 500 lb, 750 lb or 1,000 lb bombs and can hold upwards of 9,000 lbs total. The Phantom also has three different rocket types to choose from, depending on the targets you are going after. These range from anti-tank AGM-12B and AGM-12C Bullpup guided rockets, Zuni Mk32 anti-tank rockets and the small but powerful FFAR Mighty Mouse in a volume of 228, which can be devastating when used en masse.

The amazing F-4 Phantom II was state-of-the-art in its day and even 60 years later, several countries are still utilising this iconic fighter/bomber as a force multiplier with their air forces today. This fighter coupled with a pilots skill and determination can help alter the outcome in the jet-battle matches.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


The {{PAGENAME}} is an incredibly stable aircraft, however from the way its wingtips and tailplanes look, one might think otherwise. Due to extensive wind tunnel testing, McDonnell engineers determined that by canting the tailplanes downward at a 23° anhedral (inclination) the stability and stall recovery characteristics of the aircraft dramatically improved and in the same fashion they didn't interfere with the engine's jet exhaust. The wings, on the other hand, were developed to be extremely strong to support large suspended armaments; however, they needed to be given a 5° upward inclination to prevent having to redesign the entire wing. So, the engineers elected to just raise the wingtips at a 12° dihedral which averaged the wing at the necessary 5°. The iconic shape of the {{PAGENAME}} was set.<ref name="Hachette" />

With the airframe, wings and tailplanes set in place, the fighter became a stable and solid aircraft. Stability is especially critical with a jet which closes in on the Mach 2 mark. Early speed trials identified flaws in the aircraft which at times proved fatal, but corrections and modifications for later aircraft increased their stability and airworthiness which saved many pilots with damaged aircraft. The {{PAGENAME}} is powered by two General Electric J79-GE-15 engines which are necessary to keep the fighter/bomber in the sky, especially with heavy ordnance loads, however, these engines don't bog down too much under heavy loads as it will still accelerate in a climb, during level flight and during a dive. A testament to the jet and its engines, during one altitude test, the F-4 flew Mach 2 all the way to 90,000 feet where the engines were shut off and the plane coasted up to 98,000 ft, slowing to almost 45 mph and upon dropping back to Earth, fired up its engines at around 70,000 ft and successfully landed.

The Phantom II has the speed and acceleration and also has sufficient manoeuvrability. As a low altitude bomber, the F-4C needed to be manoeuvrable or else it would have been an easier target for either the MiG fighters or the anti-aircraft ground fire. Even with heavy ordnance loads, the Phantom II could still shimmy into position, release its ordnance and then rocket away to a higher altitude. Pilots found out early on that some MiG fighters like the -17 were extremely manoeuvrable and had to be prepared to nullify the target to prevent the MiG from getting behind them.
For the F-4C pilot, it is important when bombing targets to keep a look around and watch for enemy fighters attempting to swoop in, attack the ground target and rocket up to safety. When flying at altitude, be careful not to get into a turning fight as the Phantom is a very heavy aircraft and does not turn very well, instead fly fast and work with Boom & Zoom techniques and always watch your six as a MiG may try to sneak up from behind. Furthermore, beware pulling negative G's as this can result in a broken wing quite easily (especially if equipped with ordnance on the wing hardpoints).

In game, however, the aircraft will not reach both its maximum altitude of 16,000 m or top speed of over 2,000 km/h (even when unarmed and with the minimum fuel loadout). After about 8,000-9,000 m the aircraft starts to slowly lose nearly all lift and eventually plateaus at 12,132 m. In order to reach higher altitudes one must go supersonic, enter a steep climb, and then level off at the desired altitude (although currently this serves little to no gameplay purpose). As for its actual average speed, the F-4C is more likely to just barely break Mach 1 after about 30-40 seconds of level flight at any altitude with all upgrades (so keep this in mind when attempting to boom and zoom or outrun an opponent).

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 12,192 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,228 || 2,202 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.5 || 27.5 || 142.4 || 132.5 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,362 || 2,288 || 25.5 || 26.0 || 203.9 || 172.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 584 || 463 || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 810 || < 750 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | General Electric J79-GE-15 || 2
| colspan="2" | 13,405 kg || colspan="3" | 392 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 32m fuel
|-
| 1,720 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 15,164 kg || 17,014 kg || 18,819 kg || 19,270 kg || 27,745 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 32m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 4,910 kgf || 7,561 kgf
| 1.00 || 0.89 || 0.80 || 0.78 || 0.54
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 4,955 kgf (1,458 km/h) || 8,856 kgf (1,200 km/h)
| 1.17 || 1.04 || 0.94 || 0.92 || 0.64
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

[[File:F 4 phantom sgtroach.png|350px|thumb|right|Fox-2, Fox-2 - ROKAF F-4C Phantom II launching an [[AIM-9B]] Sidewinder missile]]
Due to the sheer weight of the {{PAGENAME}} it is surprising to note that there is no armour plating nor any bulletproof canopies. Littered with eight fuel tanks, one in each wing and the other six in the fuselage right above the engines, there isn't much protection for the self-sealing tanks. The Phantom pilot will need to be cognizant of where enemy aircraft are behind them to ensure they prevent their aircraft from taking damage as speed and manoeuvrability are the keys to survival and if lost, there is not much hope for the fighter.

For those aircraft attacking the {{PAGENAME}}, when using machine guns and cannons an attempt can be made to try to blow off a wing or snipe the pilot, however, the best bet will be to aim for centre fuselage where there is the greatest chance of hitting several fuel tanks or even the engines. Firing missiles will cause the pilot to take evasive manoeuvres which may cause the aircraft to pitch up or down which will expose the greatest surface area allowing guns or cannons to finish the fight as for without any armour, only the thin metal skin separates the incoming bullets from critical {{PAGENAME}} components.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Cross}}
|-
|}
=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

[[File:F 4 phantom news001.jpg|350px|thumb|right|Three-quarter view of an {{PAGENAME}} displaying the variance of suspended armament]]
{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)}}
{{main|AGM-12B Bullpup|AGM-12C Bullpup|AIM-7D Sparrow|AIM-9B Sidewinder|AIM-9E Sidewinder}}
{{main|BLU-27/B incendiary|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP|GAU-4 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 1 x 20 mm GAU-4 cannon (1,200 rpg)
* 1 x 20 mm GAU-4 cannon + 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 3 x 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1,200 rpg = 3,600 total)
* 24 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 24 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 17 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (12,750 lb total)
* 13 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (13,000 lb total)
* 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
* 1 x 20 mm GAU-4 cannon + 4 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 1 x 20 mm GAU-4 cannon + 2 x AGM-12C Bullpup missiles
* 285 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 60 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 4 x AIM-7D Sparrow missiles
* 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="4%" | 1 !! width="4%" | 2 !! width="4%" | 3 !! width="4%" | 4 !! width="4%" | 5 !! width="4%" | 6 !! width="4%" | 7 !! width="4%" | 8 !! width="4%" | 9 !! width="4%" | 10 !! width="4%" | 11
| rowspan="16" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1,200 rpg)
| 1 || || || || || 1 || || || || || 1
|-
! 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs
| 6 || 3 || || || || 6 || || || || 3 || 6
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| 6 || 3 || || || || 6 || || || || 3 || 6
|-
! 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs
| 3 || 3 || || || || 5 || || || || 3 || 3
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| 2 || 3 || || || || 3 || || || || 3 || 2
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| 1 || || || || || 1 || || || || || 1
|-
! BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
| 1 || || || || || 2 || || || || || 1
|-
! FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
| 57 || 57 || || || || 57 || || || || 57 || 57
|-
! Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
| 12 || 12 || || || || 12 || || || || 12 || 12
|-
! AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
| 1 || 1* || || || || || || || || 1* || 1
|-
! AGM-12C Bullpup missiles
| || 1 || || || || || || || || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-7D Sparrow missiles
| || || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
! AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
| || || 1, 2* || || || || || || 1, 2* || ||
|-
! AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
| || || 2* || || || || || || 2* || ||
|-
| colspan="12" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg
|-
| colspan="13" | * The AGM-12C Bullpup missile on hardpoints 2/10 cannot be carried in conjunction with air-to-air missiles on hardpoints 3/9 respectively.
|}

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:F 4 phantom markymark 001.jpg|350px|thumb|left|VF-96 Showtime-100 F-4C unloading bombs in Vietnam]]
The {{PAGENAME}} is, frankly, not a dogfighter. That is because its ungainly manoeuvrability, large size, and lack of countermeasures leave it heavily disadvantaged and an easy target should one catch it in weapons range. The F-4C's best friend is its good speed and powerful armaments. As a result, F-4C pilots are forced to act as vultures, staying fast and using missiles or gunpods to pick off hapless targets of opportunity.

If playing this aircraft in Air Battles from stock the first modification you should focus on unlocking are the AIM-9Es and AIM-7Ds. If one does not want to spend the [[Golden Eagles|golden eagles]] to unlock them immediately, then ground attack in Air Realistic Battles is often the fastest avenue for advancement, as on most maps one can easily rack up an immense amount of [[Research Points|RP]] and [[Silver Lions|SL]] from the large number of targets (as a short burst from the 20 mm cannon is more than capable of destroying high value targets such as light pillboxes or tanks).

In Ground Realistic Battles this aircraft has next to no utility while stock due to both the powerful AA at this BR and the inability to penetrate most tanks with the stock 20 mm cannon. At most you may only be able to harass aircraft or thinly armoured vehicles before you are shot down, therefore it is recommended that you first unlock some basic ground ordnance before adding this to your Ground RB lineup (see [[#Ground pounding|"Ground pounding"]] for further information).

==== Air-to-air ====
Due to its size and weight, it is heavily recommended not to turn-fight in the F-4C. As stated earlier, speed and its weapons systems will be the F-4C's best friend. The two best weapons for air combat on the F-4C are its AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles and M61 Vulcan cannons (in a configuration of one or three). The Vulcan cannons can spray the area in front of the Phantom II with an insane amount of 20 mm rounds, with the three gun pods creating a shotgun scatter effect by the time it gets to where the enemy fighter is (often critically damaging or outright destroying the enemy aircraft). The AIM-9Bs meanwhile are relatively poor performing rear-aspect missiles that are easily evaded by even the most modest manoeuvres. If it is mandatory to use them: take rear-aspect only shots, while the target is not in a turn, and while they aren't deploying countermeasures (as the missiles can be easily decoyed). The AIM-9Es on the other hand are a moderate improvement all around, but top out as average at this BR due to their small seeker cone and rear-aspect only lock angle. Regardless, the AIM-9Es can make for a reliable backup anti-air missile and both Sidewinders will be your primary air combat missile that can at the very least force an enemy into a disadvantageous position.
[[File:F-4C A-5 kill.jpg|350px|thumb|A F-4C eliminating a enemy A-5 with a AIM-7D Sparrow missile]]
While the F-4C's speciality is its AIM-7D Sparrow SARH (Semi-Active Radar Homing) missiles, in game they are quite ineffective (as they were in real life), especially at this BR or above where many enemies will have an RWR to alert them the moment you lock them and/or chaff countermeasures which easily defeats the missile.

Furthermore, three major factors significantly reduce the effectiveness of this missile, and one may find it simply constantly missing. First, perhaps the AIM-7D's biggest downside is that it has a 1 km warmup range before it starts tracking. What this means it that, once fired, it will always travel in a straight line for one kilometre (around 2-3 seconds) before it starts manoeuvring itself towards the target. While at longer ranges (7 km+) this generally isn't a problem, it is most problematic when the missile is launched at close ranges (with usual speed and at around 4 km or less); in these cases, the missile won't start manoeuvring until it's very close to the enemy (less than 1.5 km), which usually isn't enough time for the missile to turn into the now very close enemy. Additionally, this initial straight line travel means that there is a chance the enemy can move out of the missile's field of view before it can track, in which case the missile will simply self-destruct. Second, the F-4C's own unreliable radar. Despite it having a maximum listed range of over 150 km, in-game, you typically will only see the radar start picking up targets at less than 20 km. Commonly, the radar fails to see a target directly in front of it until it gets closer (less than 9 km). This is a significant downside, as oftentimes the radar will pick up a target too late to reliably launch an AIM-7D (due to its 1 km initial straight line travel). Additionally, the radar can easily lose lock on a target (often due to enemy manoeuvres reducing their radar signature or diving below you, hiding among ground clutter), which instantly ruins your missile attack. The latter is especially common when engaging aircraft with RWR and/or countermeasures, as the moment they are radar locked they can instantly begin dumping chaff and manoeuvring to avoid the missile. Overall, the radar generally struggles to do its job, even under ideal conditions. As a result, the majority of your air kills with missiles will be from the Sidewinders as they are far more reliable and give no warning to the enemy.

However, seeing as the Sparrow has its own dedicated pylons that don't interfere with your ability to equip other weapons, there is often little reason to not equip them, even if they are marginally effective. A common strategy for their use is to zoom climb to high altitude (at least 5 km) at the start of the match and/or sideclimb as the radar and missiles work better at high altitude. By side climbing, you can avoid the major furball, keeping the plane out of danger. Once the plane climbs up to a decent altitude (4-6 km), use the radar to lock onto someone, and start launching the AIM-7Ds. The thinner air at altitude significantly increases your missiles' range, while aircraft will have trouble manoeuvring and regaining speed, increasing the chance your missile will hit the enemy. Furthermore, early match tends to be the only time where enemy targets will be at these high altitudes as later on, the fight goes to low altitudes where the radar will struggle with ground clutter and will be unable to lock low flying enemies. Retaining high speed is important as the faster the F-4C goes, the farther missiles go due to the higher launch speed. To actually use the AIM-7, you must first radar lock a target, and then launch the AIM-7. You must then keep the radar target locked for the entire duration of the missile's flight, or else it will stop tracking, as a result you want to avoid launching from your maximum range to limit the time the enemy has to avoid the missile. The AIM-7D has great range and under ideal conditions, can hit non-manoeuvring targets from upwards of a 10 km launch. It has a 15G manoeuvring capability, meaning it can follow targets in a turn decently well. And since they are radar guided, assuming you can get and maintain lock, they can engage targets from any angle. But remember that your lack of countermeasures makes high altitudes dangerous for you as well, as the thinner air limits your ability to dodge missiles. An alternative strategy, often used while/after attacking ground targets, is to fly in at treetop level to where you expect the enemies to be dogfighting and quickly popup and engage them from below/behind. Staying low will help hide you from enemy radar and allow you to engage your ground targets with ease, while doing so (largely dependent on the map) you're likely to spot enemies flying over you to engage the rest of your team at altitude, here your Sparrows can be quite useful as you can pop-up, quickly lock the target above you, and fire. This has the advantage of giving the enemy little time or room to evade as the missile will be coming from below them rather than above, meaning there's no chance for the lock to be lost in ground clutter. The obvious downsides is this will greatly reduce the range of your Sparrow seeing as such a tactic: often entails a far slower launch speed, forces the missile to expend much of its energy climbing rather than gaining speed, forces it to traverse much thicker air (even further limiting its terminal performance), and can leave you in a very vulnerable position while guiding the missing as another enemy could swoop in and engage you while you're stuck unable to manoeuvre.

After your AIM-7s are gone or no targets at altitude can be found, move down to lower altitudes to fight. Below 2 km, your primary weapons will be your cannons and AIM-9s. As the Phantom lacks in manoeuvrability, it is not recommended to get into a dogfight, but rather to utilize the its great top speed to make high speed passes, as the Phantom retains controllability even at very high speeds while the Vulcan's incredibly high muzzle velocity allows for ease of aiming. Try to make sure no one can/will bother following you though these passes so you aren't forced to turn into a dogfight.

The powerful M61 Vulcan is another tool you'll often use to engage air targets, especially if playing from stock (consider it your backup weapon if your missiles fail you/are unavailable). The cannon itself is quite powerful and you are given a decent pool of ammo. Its greatest and most common use will be in the classic head on, where you'll often come out on top due to its decent punch, high rate of fire, and massive spread. But again, remember to not dogfight as your poor manoeuvrability hinders your ability to line up a shot, especially if heavily loaded.

Unguided rockets are another option for this aircraft, but they are not recommended for air-to-air combat. While extremely large amounts of FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets can be carried, they are highly inaccurate for air-to-air combat, and even with a timed fuse, you generally won't be routinely hitting anything as aircraft are very fast at this BR (don't expect an [[F-89D]]-like experience). The Zuni rockets, on the other hand, have a large blast radius, and when the timed fuse is used correctly, they can be used somewhat reliably. However, the main downside of these rockets are that they are both carried in rocket pods which are large and heavy and significantly impact manoeuvrability and performance. This impact on performance is why it isn't recommended to use them in air combat; stick to using them for ground strikes.

In a downtier, the F-4C can act independently as it can easily outspeed most enemies. Additionally, most enemies in a downtier lack a radar warning receiver (RWR), allowing you to radar lock them and launch AIM-7Ds without alerting them in any way until they spot the missile. The F-4C's high top speed and high speed controllability allows the plane to boom-and-zoom and quickly getting out of a furball without much issue. Again, it is not recommended to get into a dogfight, as nearly all subsonics encountered in a downtier will out-manoeuvre you

In a full uptier, it is recommended to fly near teammates, as the F-4C's inferior top speed, manoeuvrability, and weapon systems make it very difficult to dogfight any high-tier fighter. As a result, the best chance at obtaining any significant amount of score will be to focus on ground targets and avoiding enemies as much as possible. Your lack of countermeasures generally means that if a high tier fighter gets on your tail, you are guaranteed to die. Therefore, you should avoid air combat at all costs, staying with the team should you be forced to do so. If you do get into air combat, keep your speed up as it will be your best (and only) defense against missiles, and make high speed passes with your M61 cannon. AIM-7Ds still can be used in fashions as described before, but know that your BVR capability is outclassed by much of the opposition, and all likely have countermeasures, making BVR combat of any type generally a waste with your outdated AIM-7Ds. In summary, try your best not to catch the attention of anyone and stay with your team should you do so, as you'll be largely ineffective against air targets and generally be considered free score due to your lack of of countermeasures and exceptionally poor dogfighting performance.

In Air Arcade battles, this aircraft's flaws are a lot more forgiving and it can see far more utility, especially with its gunpods. As with nearly all aircraft in Air Arcade, the minimum fuel option should be your default choice, as you will rarely if ever run out of fuel due to low survival time and overall match time in arcade battles. Even if you do run out, your airfield is a short distance away once you notice your fuel is low. The recommended armaments remain the same as in Air RB, but with much more leeway to tack on ground ordnance to quickly destroy large groups of armour (especially at the start of the "Domination" gamemode). Even the lack of countermeasures can be worked around via clever use of terrain on most maps (with the great exceptions being all the flat "Domination" maps). As for your opponents, you may encounter anything from top rank aircraft all the way down to lowly rank I biplanes. Be aware of the aircraft you're fighting, even if its a low rank propeller aircraft as all carry the risk of sniping your pilot (especially the Americans with their .50 cals and Germans with their cannons); all propeller aircraft also have a superior turn rate on the F-4C, so instead simply boom-and-zoom as you would with anyone else. Tactics for fighting aircraft around your BR remain the same as in Air RB, albeit they're much easier to execute and you have unlimited missiles. Because of the latter, you'd think side climbing could be a legitimate tactic, but due to the poor radar of the F-4C, the rarity of high-altitude fighting in Arcade, and/or the heavy terrain clutter on most maps you'll rarely find many targets to shoot at.

==== Ground pounding ====
[[File:F 4 phantom iscari.png|350px|thumb|right|Fully loaded {{PAGENAME}} en route to bombing site]]
The {{PAGENAME}} was not called a "Mud Mover" for nothing as with its legendary suspended ordnance options it can quickly reshape the landscape with bombs and rockets.<ref name="Hachette" /> Although in War Thunder there are better CAS options at or around this BR in the American tech tree (the [[F-105D]] being superior in all forms as it can carry countermeasures in addition to its ground ordnance). Nonetheless, the Phantom II's ballistic computer and bomb options ranging from 250, 500, 750 and 1,000 lbs let it effectively attack ground targets ranging from large bases to armour. The triple gunpods in particular can made the F-4C very efficient in destroying ground units in air battles, as they can destroy all but the heaviest of targets and have a large ammo count (allowing one to rack up significant score before having to rearm). Zuni and FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets can be used for great effect on vehicles and anti-aircraft sites, especially those which are clustered close together, however against heavy pillboxes and heavy tanks they might not do much. The final option is to outfit the AGM-12B or AGM-12C Bullpup rockets. These are this aircraft's best anti-tank ordnance in Ground Realistic battles and should be your first modification to unlock before usage in said battles. But know that while these missiles can be guided, this can only be done manually and, at this BR, puts the F-4C at significant risk due to the chances of radar guided AAA or a SAM shooting the F-4C down. During the guiding phase of the Bullpup, a Phantom II is vulnerable as the pilot cannot be looking around for incoming enemy fire and must keep a visual on the target if they intend to guide it. A common tactic with the bullpups is to simply utilize them as if they were high-yield unguided rockets (forgoing any guidance input to turn the bullpups into rocket powered bombs); since they fly in a straight line, the F-4C pilot can easily line the nose up to the targets, fire the bullpups, and then immediately pull away. This is even more lethal with the AGM-12Cs as they have a 1000 lb warhead compared to the 250 lb warhead on the AGM-12B. Dogfighting in Ground Realistic battles is somewhat rare and nearly always limited to low altitude visual range (where the radar of the F-4C has trouble locking any target), as a result the Sparrows can usually be omitted for a performance improvement. The Sidewinders on the other hand can be useful should enemy air be encountered and don't incur as much of a performance penalty, but do add extra SP cost to loadouts with them.

==== Bait attack ====
The {{PAGENAME}} is a phenomenal aircraft to use in a group manoeuvre known as a baiting attack. This fighter can play both roles as either the bait or an attacking aircraft. For this to work, the Phantom II can be used as the bait aircraft, which flies in a way to attract the attention of an enemy fighter (or two), after closing in, the Phantom II should use its speed and acceleration to go into a climb, almost like setting up for a rope-a-dope manoeuvre. While the enemy aircraft are attempting to chase the F-4 in the climb the group buddies can swoop in and take out the distracted enemy aircraft. Due to the fast speed and acceleration of the F-4, it can also be used as the support aircraft in the manoeuvre as with its cannons and missiles; it can lunge in to take out the baited enemy fighters.

==== Most dangerous enemies ====
MiG fighters, Mirages, and [[VTOL]] aircraft tend to be the most dangerous enemies, especially the MiG-21 and Harrier variants, which are quite agile and can easily outmanoeuvre the F-4. The max speed of the MiG-21 and the Mirages are comparable with the F-4, whereas aircraft such as the earlier MiG-17 will get left in the dust as they are almost half as fast. The early MiG-21 variants like the [[MiG-21F-13]] and [[J-7II]] can carry the R-3S/PL-2, missiles similar to the AIM-9B but inferior to the AIM-9E. They can also be equipped with rockets, and the 30 mm cannons can rip through the {{PAGENAME}} with careful aiming. The best bet against a MiG-21 is to attempt to first cripple the aircraft either during a head-on approach or through a missile, rocket or gun attack, once it is operating at less than 100%, it will be easier to manoeuvre around it and set up for the finishing blow. When facing a Harrier, Hunter, Mirage, or other Phantom variant the same strategy applies as they can be difficult to outmanoeuvre when in pristine shape. Although with the Phantoms and Mirages, it is best to avoid a head on approach due to the potential danger of a wall of fire from triple SUU-23/A gunpods (from the Phantoms) or taking a radar guided missile to the face (from both the Phantoms and the Mirages). Be wary of aircraft like the [[Mirage IIIC]], [[Mirage IIIE]], [[MiG-21SMT]], [[MiG-21MF (Germany)|MiG-21MF]], [[Yak-38 (Family)|Yak-38]], [[Hunter F.6]], and [[Harrier GR.1]] as they can carry up to four (two in the case of the Yak-38s and Mirages) high-performance missiles such as the [[R-60]] for the MiG-21s and Yak-38s, the [[SRAAM]]s for the Hunter and Harrier, and the [[Matra R550 Magic 1]] missile for the Mirages respectively. These are air-to-air missiles with high agility and high-aspect capability that are extremely difficult to dodge without countermeasures (something the F-4C lacks). Furthermore, foreign variants of the Phantom can match the F-4C in performance and often come equipped with later, higher-performing variants of the Sidewinder and Sparrow missiles. If you are bombing bases be aware of enemies like the Su-25 and A-10A which carry all-aspect IR missiles and will try to intercept you from head-on. In such situations it is advisable to take a pod of Mighty Mouse rockets to use them as makeshift flares.

In Ground realistic battles, the most dangerous ground enemies are all SAM vehicles, but especially the radar SAM vehicles such as the [[FlaRakPz 1|FlaRakPz 1 Roland 2]] and [[2S6|2S6 Tunguska]] as they outrange the F-4C's Bullpups and on some maps can even immediately fire at the plane seconds after spawning. Due to the lack of countermeasures the F-4C's only defense against any missile is maneuvering and/or the terrain; so if using this aircraft while such threats are active, dive to the ground to get below their radar horizon and spend as little time as possible over the battlefield (as loitering increases the chance someone will spot and engage you). Radar guided AAA is also prevalent at this rank, but can be much more easily worked around due to their limited range (especially when using Bullpups).

The most common missiles to face are the SRAAM, AIM-9J, -9G, -9E, -9B, -7E, the R-3S, R-60 and Magics. In order to dodge an SRAAM, do not turn, as the SRAAM, unlike most other missiles, uses thrust vectoring instead of control surfaces. This gives the SRAAM extreme agility, but at the cost of range, meaning pilots that can outrun the missile are far more likely to survive as the SRAAM self-destructs once it runs out of fuel. At the other end of the spectrum, AIM-9Gs have incredibly long ranges, so even if one is launched at the F-4C from 4 km the plane must manoeuvre in order to lose it. An F-4C pilot can either attempt to outturn it, as they have worse agility than an AIM-9J, Magic or R-60, or attempt to outspeed it. By waiting for it to run out of fuel (this only works at long ranges), the plane can do big barrel rolls and large turns (not too sharp as to lose speed), and since missiles are incredibly light and will not be able to propel itself once it runs out of fuel, it will lose speed and the F-4C will outrun it. For an AIM-9E, -9E, or R-3S, the F-4C can simply turn a bit to the side and it will quickly lose track. Against an R-60, AIM-9J or Magic however, it is a bit more complex: the most effective way to outmanoeuvre one without countermeasures is to roll 90 degrees so the F-4C's wings are perpendicular to the ground, turn, wait a bit, then begin rolling towards the ground while pulling. This will usually outmanoeuvre most missiles launched at the F-4C. However, an F-4C pilot should not turn to the sky as the plane will quickly drop speed and make it easier for a missile to hit.

=== Pros and cons ===

[[File:F 4 phantom commander drew.jpg|350px|thumb|right|Artistic rendition of a {{PAGENAME}} in a power climb]]

'''Pros:'''

* Impressive variety and maximum payload of ordnance, including: 20 mm cannon gunpods, bombs, rockets, and air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles
** Can equip the AIM-7D Sparrow and AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles at the same time (with a maximum of four each) in addition to five pylons for ground attack ordnance
* Has BVR (Beyond Visual Range) engagement capability with the radar-guided AIM-7D Sparrow
* Has a ballistic computer, which allows for accurate usage of unguided air-to-ground weapons and cannon(s)
* Fantastic climb rate
* Good top speed
* Great acceleration
* Good roll rate for a large aircraft
* M61 Vulcan has excellent fire rate, ballistics and damage, as well as a generous ammo pool

'''Cons:'''

* As it has no internal gun, some sort of weapon must be equipped on the pylons, meaning flight performance will always be lower than listed due to drag and/or G-limits
* Large target profile compared to other fighters it flies against
* Poor turning ability unless using minimum fuel
* Manoeuvrability suffers greatly with fully loaded pylons
* Using wing-mounted hardpoints will break wings at low altitudes while flying Mach 1.10+
* Has a low negative G limit, meaning wings can snap easily
* The gunpods are pointed slightly downwards (pilot must adjust aim to compensate)
* No countermeasures
** As a result has low battlefield endurance in ground RB battles, as SAM vehicles are quite prevalent at its BR
* Radar has difficulty finding and locking aircraft, even in ideal conditions
** The majority of enemies have an RWR at this BR, eliminating any surprise from semi-active radar guided missiles (such as the AIM-7D)
* AIM-7D Sparrow missiles are unreliable and easily dodged
** Unlike the Soviet R-3R or Matra R.530E, the AIM-7D has a 1 km warm up time where it flies completely straight, only after which it can begin tracking (but if the target is no longer within the missile's sights it will automatically self destruct, requiring the F-4C to lead the missile). This also makes it very unreliable in a short range engagement as the missile often cannot react in time
* AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles are notoriously poor performing, while the AIM-9Es are below average at this BR
* Has limited utility in a full uptier, as it is heavily outclassed by nearly all other aircraft above 10.0

 
{{Notice|Fun Fact: The {{PAGENAME}}'s air-intake splitters each have 12,500 small holes drilled into them to reduce incoming turbulence and allow the maximum amount of ram air available into the air-intakes for the engines.}}

== History ==

McDonnell Aircraft Corporation began operations in 1939, though it didn't produce any fighter aircraft for the second great war, it did make a name for itself manufacturing aircraft parts for other aircraft. Though the company worked on a prototype twin-engine, single-seat interceptor aircraft, the XP-67 "Bat" (also known as "Moonbat"), the destruction of the prototype due to an engine fire caused the project to be cancelled. However, starting in 1943, McDonnell began developing jet aircraft and successfully produced the FH-1 Phantom during the post-war era.<ref name="Hachette" /> The success of the Phantom prompted other McDonnell aircraft to have similar features such as the dual engines placed forward under the fuselage and exiting just behind the wings, unlike many single-engine jet fighters which ran the rear length of the aircraft and exited out the rear. Follow on aircraft which shared the engine style of the Phantom was the F2H Banshee, F3H Demon and the F-101 Voodoo.<ref name="Hachette" />

Though McDonnell had initial success with the Phantom and Banshee, they started having problems with the Demon, though it was not because of the aircraft itself, however, it was because of the engines it was outfitted with. The aircraft was sound in its construction and aerodynamics. Later after the Westinghouse XJ40 turbojet was replaced with the Allison J71, the Demon saw greater success.<ref name="Hachette" /> The F-101 Voodoo was an excellent performing aircraft which fulfilled its multi-role capability as an interceptor, fighter/bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, however, when going up against Vought Aircraft Company for a contract with the Navy, McDonnell lost out with the F-8 Crusader being the winner<ref name="Joiner" />.

McDonnell's response to this failure was to task their design team to build a fighter aircraft that the Navy could not refuse, but they did not yet know they needed. Part of the time spent gathering information included interviews with pilots and their wives and one major find was that while the pilots loved to fly fast single-engine fighters, they felt safer in an aircraft which had two engines. With this and other information in hand, McDonnell knew that they needed a single-seat, long-range attack aircraft which manifested itself in a full-size mock-up as the F3H-H, looking noticeably like a combination of a shortened Demon with the swept wings of a Banshee, plus straight tailplanes and an aerodynamic fuselage. This fighter was outfitted with four internal 20 mm cannons plus numerous external payload pylons mounted under the wings and fuselage. The F3H-H was considered more than just an aircraft and was evolving into what would be known as a weapon system. The original engines specified for this aircraft were the Wright J65-W-2, but McDonnell was eyeballing the new General Electric J79 engines for this project.<ref name="Hachette" />

The F3H-H was soon changed to the AH-1 (later the F4H-1) when it went into prototype status, but the aircraft was still having difficulty trying to find a place in the Navy as existing aircraft were already fulfilling the same roles. To make a fit, it was understood to the McDonnell engineers that major changes and modifications were needed to be made, the biggest of which was adding a second crew member.<ref name="Hachette" /> Also, the Navy was willing to sit down and detail out all of the requirements they would need the aircraft to have before they would consider buying it.<ref name="Joiner" /> Three other major requirements were that the aircraft was to be outfitted with the GE J79 engines, the aircraft was to be capable of Mach 2 and the internal 20 mm cannons were removed from the design. Upon the Navy committing to two prototypes, McDonnell knew they needed to undergo a major redesign of the flight surfaces. Through extensive wind tunnel testing the rear tailplanes ended up needing to be bent downward at a 23° anhedral while remaining clear of the jet exhaust. The wings needed to go through a similar change of a 5° dihedral, however, to save time and engineering, it was settled on just adjusting the outer most section of the wings at 12° dihedral which averaged to 5° across the entire wing.<ref name="Hachette" />

Though the first two test flights of the F4H-1 ran into issues (after the first one, the right engine needed to be replaced due to foreign object damage to the compressor blades), flights three and four went smoothly including exceeding Mach 1. The F4H-1 was then shipped to Edwards Air Force Base where it was tested against the Crusader III where after being tested to its full capabilities showed that is undeniably beat the Vought aircraft across the board. Following this McDonnell followed up with breaking a height record where an F4H-1 successfully reached 98,500 ft in altitude and successfully returned. After this, the name of the jet was agreed to be the "Phantom II" which was a nod to the Navy's first jet fighter, the FH-1 Phantom.<ref name="Hachette" />

The United States Marine Corps had shown interest in the F-4 program since its inception as they were tired of the worn-out hand-me-downs that Navy tended to give them.<ref name="Roblin" /> Impressed with the payload and range of the aircraft, the Corps went all in with this fighter to augment and enhance their current aircraft inventory. The United States Air Force, on the other hand, balked at the F-4, believing it to be a second-rate fighter having to be constrained to be built for carrier operations. However, the Air Force could not turn down a request to pit the Phantom II against their finest fighter, the Convair F-106 Delta Dart. During the endurance trials between the two aircraft, again it was shown that the F-4 excelled in just about every area tested (speed, payload, altitude, range and maintenance hours needed) over the F-106 and because of this, the Air Force requested two prototypes for further evaluation.<ref name="Hachette" /> At this point the Navy was receiving the F-4B fighters and ultimately after further testing, the Air Force put in an urgent request for a transfer of 29 Navy F-4Bs while the Air Forces F-4C models were being built.<ref name="Hachette" />

Air Force versions of the F-4C differed from the Navy's F-4B in that the C version had additional ground-attack capabilities along with a full set of controls for the rear seat.<ref name="Joiner" /> The rear-seater was typically a junior pilot nicknamed "Wizzo" or Weapons Systems Operator. Other changes included a reworking of the landing gear which led to lower pressure, but wider tires and an anti-skid assembly attached to the landing gear.<ref name="Hachette" /> The refuelling probe was replaced with a receptacle in the spine of the fighter (for boom refuelling operations) and the cockpit was reconfigured to improve visibility for the guy in back. Updated SST-181X Combat Skyspot radar bombing system allowed the F-4s to accomplish bombing missions under complete cloud cover. Though, not essential to the Air Force, their F-4s did retain the Navy's folding wings, catapult hooks and arrestor hook.<ref name="Hachette" />

Initial deliveries of the F-4C delivered them in the standard non-combat grey and white paintwork; however, upon arriving in Vietnam at Udon RTAFB in Thailand, the aircraft was painted to the more appropriate green and brown tactical camouflage.<ref name="Hachette" />

===[[wt:en/news/6352-development-f-4c-phantom-ii-the-record-breaker-en|Devblog]]===
In the early 1950s, McDonnell Aircraft began work on a revised design of their F3H Demon naval fighter, in an effort to expand upon its capabilities and improve performance in general. By September 1953, the design was submitted for Navy consideration. Showing interest in the project, the U.S. Navy ordered the construction of a mock-up and expressed interest in potentially procuring the type.

By 1955, however, the U.S. Navy changed the requirements for the aircraft substantially. Instead of a multipurpose aircraft, the new design was now supposed to act as a two-seat, long-range, all-weather fleet interceptor. Having revised the design, orders were issued for the construction of two XF4H-1 prototypes as well as an additional five pre-production F4H-1s. Following comparative testing against other machines in service with the Navy at the time, the F4H proved itself as highly capable aircraft and was thus ordered into full-scale production as the F-4. The name 'Phantom II' was given to the aircraft at McDonnell's 20th anniversary celebration in July 1959.

Some time after the Navy procured the F-4, other branches of the U.S. military also became interested in the aircraft. A result, the USAF also introduced a special "army" version of the F-4 into service during the mid 1960s under the designation F-4C.

The F-4 Phantom II would become one of the most produced and widely used American combat aircraft of the second half of the 20th century. With over 5,100 machines being built, the F-4 Phantom II saw service with several operators around the globe and remained in service until the 1990s, while some still serve to this day. Phantom II is widely known as a symbol of the US campaign in Vietnam, in particular.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-4c Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
File:F 4 phantom news002.jpg
File:F 4 phantom news003.jpg
File:F 4 phantom news004.jpg
File:F 4 phantom news005.jpg
File:F 4 phantom news006.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|aFj2LOWdj5o|'''The Shooting Range #166''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:32 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|d5k2T9FP0bQ|'''Avoid them in frontal attack!''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:01 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

;Notable pilots

[[File:Robin_Olds_portrait.jpg|thumb|none|300px|link=User:U64962917#Olds,_Robin.|During the Vietnam war [[User:U64962917#Olds, Robin|Robin Olds]] flew the F-4C and F-4D fighters and failed to claim aircraft kills after #4 to prevent attaining ace status to remain flying in the war as long as possible]]

== See also ==


;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-21 (Family)]]
* SAAB [[J35D]] Draken
* Dassault [[Mirage IIIC]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6352-development-f-4c-phantom-ii-the-record-breaker-en|[Development] F-4C Phantom II: The Record Breaker]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/462647-f-4c-phantom-ii/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* [https://archive.org/details/t.o.1f4c1flightmanualf4cf4df4e01101970/mode/2up/ Technical Order 1F-4C-1 - Flight Manual for F-4C/F-4D/F-4E Aircraft]

=== References ===

;Citations
<references>
<ref name="Hachette">Hachette Partworks LTD. (2019)</ref>
<ref name="Joiner">Joiner, S. (2015, March)</ref>
<ref name="Roblin">Roblin, S. (2019, April 17)</ref>
</references>

;Bibliography

* Hachette Partworks LTD. (2019). McDonnell F-4 Phantom II - The Greatest Warplane in the West. (5th ed.). London: Hachette Partworks LTD. ISSN:[https://portal.issn.org/resource/ISSN/2517-259X# 2517-259X]
* Joiner, Stephen. [https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/what-couldnt-f-4-phantom-do-180953944/ "What Couldn't the F-4 Phantom Do?"], ''Air & Space Magazine'', On-line, March 2015. Retrieved on 27 September 2019.
* Roblin, Sebastien. [https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/why-you-need-respect-mcdonnell-douglas-f-4-phantom-ii-fighter-52862 "Why You Need to Respect the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II Fighter"] ''Nationalinterest.org website'', On-line 17 April 2019. Retrieved on 27 September 2019.

{{AirManufacturer McDonnell}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-100D

2023-02-10T07:34:55Z

U97916902: Began reworking the outdated “Usage in battles” section, added more detailed Armament descriptions, as well as other small tweaks (will add more in the future)

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-100 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-100d
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
|cockpit=cockpit_f-100d.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]] and was one of the first three jets to feature guided air-to-air missiles, the other two being the [[MiG-19PT]] and the [[Javelin F.(A.W.) Mk.9]].

The dogfighting days of WW II were over and while there was air-to-air combat during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, it was nowhere the level of previous wars. Jets were becoming faster, electronics and avionics were making them more manoeuvrable and the fighters were able to carry extremely large amounts of ordnance. The {{PAGENAME}} was no exception to this as it was designed to be a ground attacker first and a fighter/interceptor as a secondary role. Visible changes to the shape of the fighter compared to earlier [[F-80A-5|F-80s]], [[F-84 (Family)|F-84s]] and [[F9F-2|F9Fs]] as the {{PAGENAME}} sported a more sleek and aerodynamic shape to it.

One noticeable difference is the deviation from the straight-wing aircraft, early on in development the {{PAGENAME}} was known as the ''45-Sabre'' (officially later it was dubbed ''Super Sabre'') due to its wings being swept back at a 45° angle. The fighter's elevators were also swept back to help increase the aerodynamics of the aircraft. Engine exhaust nozzle control, upgraded avionics and early computer systems worked together to make this the first US fighter which was able to fly faster than the speed of sound in level flight. Compared to earlier jet fighters, the {{PAGENAME}} may feel more like a race car as it has a great climb rate, accelerates well in a straight line and during a dive while maintaining a decent roll rate. Slats in the wings help with the already horrible turn time, especially when the fighter is loaded down with ordnance, as such, turning should be left to a minimum.

[[File:F-100 duckmcmallardson001.png|350px|thumb|left|Literally looking down the barrels of an oncoming {{PAGENAME}}.]]

Weapon loadout options allow the pilot to tailor the aircraft to their playstyle or even mix it up depending on the map they are flying. This fighter excels as a ground attack bomber utilizing up to 6,000 lbs of bombs, [[AGM-12B Bullpup]] missiles, [[FFAR Mighty Mouse|Mighty Mouse]] rockets or several combinations of the three. Whether you are into dropping and running or firing and forgetting, there are ordnance choices will fit the pilot's style. For those pilots who want to hunt fighters and bombers, The four nose mount 20 mm cannons and choice of [[AIM-9B]] Sidewinder air-to-air missiles will fit the bill. Centre-mounted cannons mean that convergence is not a factor and allows the pilot to set up for head-on attacks and being more successful against other fighters which may have to factor in convergence. The Sidewinders are also an intimidation factor as pilots with one on their tail must immediately focus on outmanoeuvring the missile, providing you with the opportunity to manoeuvre in and line up the kill-shot with your cannons if the missile does not make contact. The speed of the {{PAGENAME}} can come in handy when attacking bomber aircraft as Boom & Zoom tactics will help you avoid any defensive weapons allowing you to wreak havoc during an attacking dive.

If handled correctly, the {{PAGENAME}} can be a wrecking ball of destruction both in ground attacks and as an aircraft interceptor. Ordnance options are available for all playstyles and can be a tide-turner in a decisive match.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


The F-100 during its initial development was outfitted with the then de-rated Pratt & Whitney XJ57-P-7 engine and was still able to achieve faster than the speed of sound. By the time the {{PAGENAME}} rolled off of the production line they were outfitted with the more powerful Pratt & Whitney J57P-21. It is this engine which turns the fighter into a hot rod. The {{PAGENAME}} is much like a ground-based dragster in that it has acceleration, it has a high top speed and is a horrible turner.

The {{PAGENAME}} is aerodynamically fit with its sleek body and swept-back wings which coupled with its J57P-21 is a fantastic climber which continues to accelerate even without WEP engaged. This fighter will continue to accelerate in a flat run to the point of going over Mach 1 and even more quickly hits top speeds when in a dive. Climbing, diving and rolling are excellent capabilities of this fighter, however, this comes with having speed on your side as when flying slower, it has a more challenging time to manoeuvre without being a relatively easy target for others. The {{PAGENAME}} is not the greatest of turners even with leading-edge wing slats to help, manoeuvres like the Immelmann and Split-S are the most optimal when changing directions without attempting energy-bleeding manoeuvres like turning (unless that is what you are intending to do to cause an overshoot of someone following you).

[[File:F-100 fulzy nyan001.png|350px|thumb|right|Bird's eye view of a {{PAGENAME}} after unloading on ground targets.]]

Flying at speeds close to Mach 1 or past can pose a challenge for pilots utilizing the 3rd-person view as a condensation cloud forms around the aircraft and obscures your view (not an issue for those flying simulator-style from in the cockpit). While this can make targeting enemy aircraft a challenge, it just takes a little more work to line up the shot either with the cannons or air-to-air missiles.

Typically aircraft which pound ground targets fly slow to ensure they hit their targets with guns, rockets or bombs, however, the {{PAGENAME}} becomes difficult to get out of harms way when flying slow, so it requires the pilot to learn how to bomb and fire rockets at targets at higher speeds than what they may be used to with earlier aircraft. Terms like drop & run or fire & forget come into play as the {{PAGENAME}} descends towards a ground target at a good clip, dropping its bombs or firing its rockets and then boogieing out of the area to ensure the ground anti-aircraft fire nor any trailing fighters gain a targeting solution on you. Some pilots like to watch and make sure their ordnance hits the target, however, this can cost you your jet when someone takes advantage of your inattentiveness and gets the drop on you. Speed in and speed out is the key with the {{PAGENAME}}.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 10,668 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,445 || 1,438 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 40.6 || 41.5 || 61.4 || 54.6 || rowspan="2" | 1,400
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,478 || 1,458 || 39.5 || 40.0 || 94.6 || 79.2
|-
|}

==== Details ====
[[File:F-100 rheinberg001.png|500px|thumb|right|{{PAGENAME}} at cruising altitude on the watch for potential enemy fighters.]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 620 || 590 || 435 || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 640 || < 540 || < 610 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney J57P21 || 1
| colspan="2" | 9,658 kg || colspan="3" | 354 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 14m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 46m fuel
|-
| 900 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 10,708 kg || 11,156 kg || 11,905 kg || 13,159 kg || 16,689 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 14m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 46m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 3,786 kgf || 5,868 kgf
| 0.55 || 0.53 || 0.49 || 0.45 || 0.35
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 4,254 kgf (1,200 km/h) || 8,058 kgf (1,200 km/h)
| 0.75 || 0.72 || 0.68 || 0.61 || 0.48
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


For post-war fighter jets wanted to take advantage of the newer jet technology and maximize both speed and ordnance carried. To keep up speed and maximize ordnance, something had to give and that came with pilot survivability. The idea is to be faster than the enemy which would make it really difficult for them to get a targeting solution on you. Though the {{PAGENAME}} does have protection for the pilot, it isn't much and leaves the rest of the critical components virtually unprotected with armour. For the pilot, the back of the seat and headrest maintains a continuous piece of steel at 12.7 mm thick and the windscreen is rated at 64 mm bulletproof windscreen. Typically this type of protection is meant more for protection from defensive turret attacks from bombers rather than gun attacks from other aircraft.

The {{PAGENAME}} is a relatively sturdy aircraft and can take a beating before critical components begin to fail. While the engine and the pilot are important to protect as much as possible (without the engine you don't go and without the pilot…you don't go…) the wings are another critical component which you must protect as hits to the wings can make flying very difficult or send you to the respawn point. If being tailed by another aircraft try to speed away because if you try to pull up, turn to the side or pull-down, you risk exposing increased surface area of the skin, giving the enemy pilot more to shoot at and a greater opportunity of taking out a wing. If possible, increase speed and sway back and forth, even some very shallow elevator dips up and down maybe enough to throw off the sighting of the enemy pilot and spray his bullets all around you without exposing very much surface area of the jet, however, if there is a missile launch, take evasive action to avoid the missile and worry about the guns later.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M39A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 4 x 20 mm M39A1 cannons, chin-mounted (200 rpg = 800 total)

Early fighter aircraft utilized the wings of aircraft to mount machine guns and cannons, which was very effective especially aircraft like the P-47 which could outfit four guns in each wing for a total of eight. The downside is that for these guns to be effective, they had to have a convergence set to a specific distance, bullet hits before that distance and after became less effective, the pilots needed to make sure to hit the sweet spot. For the {{PAGENAME}}, convergence is non-existent as all four of its M39A1 20 mm cannons are mounted on the underside of the fuselage, effectively able to decimate targets at extremely close range or snipe targets which maybe even 700 - 800 m, if not farther away, effectively almost any range (below 1,000 m) is a sweet-spot for this fighter.

For internal guns, the F-100D has four 20mm M39A1 revolver autocannons mounted under the nose intake. Those familiar with the preceding [[F-86F-2]] and its extremely powerful 20mm T-160 cannons will be delighted to hear that the F-100D’s M39A1 cannons are nearly identical to the F-86F-2’s T-160, and in addition, have 50 more rounds of ammo per gun. These cannons are fast-firing, have high velocity, and deal heavy damage. It’s only downside is that, with a fast fire rate and 200 rounds per gun, one must be careful of spraying the guns, as the ammo will run out quicker than expected.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

[[File:F-100 wp gaming001.jpg|500px|thumb|right|{{PAGENAME}} peeling away from the flight revealing the suspended ordnance it is carrying.]]
{{main|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|BLU-27/B incendiary}}
{{main|AGM-12B Bullpup|AIM-9B Sidewinder|AIM-9E Sidewinder|FFAR Mighty Mouse}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 10 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (5,000 lb total)
* 8 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 14 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 4 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 4 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
* 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs + 14 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets

One of the areas where the F-100D shines is its armament options, boasting a variety of different armaments for both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.

For unguided rockets, the F-100D can carry up to 76x 70mm Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR) Mighty Mouse rockets. They can be used to attack lighter targets in air RB, as well as armored targets such as pillboxes and tanks, but due to their inaccuracy the latter is generally not advised. In ground RB, these rockets have decent penetration, but due to their inaccuracy and generally low damage, it is best used against less armored targets such as SPAA and light tanks.

For dumb bombs, the F-100D can carry either 500lb, 750lb or 1000lb bombs, as well as BLU-27/B napalm bombs. The F-100D can carry enough bombs to take out one base in air RB. For CAS in ground RB, the lack of ballistics computer means you must manually compute where your bombs will land. For many, this leaves out the 500lb bombs as the amount of explosive in them may not be large enough to account for the margin of error in a manual bomb drop; the 750lb or 1000lb bombs are generally better for this CAS job. Some may prefer to take the 750lb bombs instead of the 1000lb bombs, as the explosive in them is sufficient and the F-100D can carry eight 750lb bombs in comparison to four 1000lb bombs.

A more reliable CAS option for the F-100D is the AGM-12B Bullpup air-to-ground guided missile. Once fired, this missile can be maneuvered via your keyboard (keybinds must be set); simply keep the flare light on the missile near the intended target until the missile hits them. The 250 lb warhead in the missile gives a high likelyhood of destroying most enemy armored vehicles in one hit, though its lethality in practice will rely on the player’s ability to keep the missile centered on the target. The downside of using these missiles is that, compared to the high volume of unguided bombs or rockets the F-100D can take, it can only take two AGM-12Bs. Due to this, the AGM-12B is most useful in ground RB, where in the presence of radar SPAA and SAMs, precision strikes are generally favored over high volume unguided bombing.

For the air-to-air role, the F-100D can carry up to four AIM-9B/E Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. Though the AIM-9 Sidewinder is a well-known and successful air-to-air weapon, this version, the AIM-9B Sidewinder, is one of its earliest variants and thus is fairly weak. It locks on to targets via their heat signature, but being an early variant, the AIM-9B can only do so from the rear-aspect where the target’s hot engine exhaust is. It generally has a 1.8km range against targets flying straight and at the same speed as the launching aircraft. Its main and significant weakness lies in its inability to turn very hard; oftentimes, the enemy simply turning slightly is enough to dodge the missile kineticly. The upgraded AIM-9E allows the missile to be “lead” a little, that is, it can still keep a lock on an enemy within a small radius of the launching aircraft’s nose, but is otherwise similar to the AIM-9B and will still be performing similarly to it. Though the AIM-9B/E is fairly weak, they can be useful in situations. At higher altitudes (>5000 m), the missile is more effective due to lower air density hampering an aircraft’s maneuverability and thrust while leaving the missile generally unaffected. The AIM-9B/E is also useful against aircraft in a low energy state (in other words, slow) that don’t have the speed to escape the missile.

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:F-100 tio pilin001.png|350px|thumb|right|{{PAGENAME}} caught in the cross-hairs of a MiG fighter.]]

The F-100D Super Sabre is the first supersonic jet available in the American tech tree, and the first purpose-built supersonic fighter aircraft in real life.

'''Flight Performance'''

The F-100D’s flight performance is adequate. Being supersonic at 9.3, the F-100D can outrun many of the subsonic opponents it faces. Despite this, its top speed is slightly below average for a supersonic jet, being able to approach but not quite reach Mach 1 at sea level. However, it isn’t the only supersonic jet at 9.3; MiG-19s, early MiG-21s and F-104s, and Su-7s are all supersonic jets also found at 9.3 which all have a higher sea level top speed than the F-100D.

Although the F-100D is Supersonic and equipped with an afterburner, one of its weaknesses is its slow acceleration, especially at lower speeds, compared to other supersonic jets (notably all the aforementioned 9.3 ones). Many subsonic jets can keep up with your acceleration, while the faster subsonic jets such as Saab 32s, Sea Vixens and Harriers out-accelerate the F-100D.

The F-100D’s overall maneuverability is decent, having a fairly good turn rate, but its energy retention is poor. These two characteristics combined mean that if the F-100D is forced to dogfight, one-circle dogfights (such as scissors) should be favored as prolonged dogfights will see the its poor energy retention and mediocre acceleration disadvantage it. Of course, as with any high tier jet, dogfighting should generally be avoided as it leaves you slow and vulnerable, and this is especially true for the F-100D due to it’s slow acceleration.

'''Air Realistic Battles'''

The F-100 is absolutely crippled in an up-tier situation. Unlike the F4 Phantom II or the MiG-21, the F-100 is equipped with leading-edge slats. This gives it a much higher angle of attack at low speeds, allowing the F-100 to out-turn both the F4 and the MiG-21 while pulling so many G-forces and dropping speed so severely that it becomes an easy target for even AIM-9E missiles. However, at lower battle ratings, the F-100D is best at [[Boom & Zoom]] tactics. When fighting at a lower battle rating, the F-100 has some bad flying characteristics at low speeds which includes flying like a rock with wings. At high speeds, the F-100 locks up severely in spite of its all-flying tail and boosted controls, losing most of its control authority (particularly in its rolling axis). It has a massive angle of attack, so once you get on someone's tail, there's pretty much no escape, though floundering around at subsonic-optimized speeds leaves you vulnerable to interception. The best way to use the F-100D in the face of constant uptiers is to start climbing away from the battlefield, returning as support once more capable fighters have engaged the enemy. 5,000 m is usually a good altitude to climb to. In the off chance that you encounter subsonic aircraft, Boom & Zoom tactics should be used to capitalize on your relatively superior climb rate. Climb high, make a pass, then climb away. Be extremely careful to not bleed energy and don't turn when subsonic planes are around, they will be able to outmanoeuvre the F-100D.

Against the F-100's second biggest foe (with the first being AIM-9Js and R-60s), the MiG-19, turning isn't a bad idea if you keep your energy up. You bleed a lot of speed in a turn, so extreme pulls aren't recommended, especially considering the MiG-19's superior manoeuvring energy retention. The MiG-19 will rip easily at high speeds, something the F-100 doesn't have a problem with, though reaching those speeds effectively dooms the Super Sabre to degrees of manoeuvring lock-up similar to that experienced by its foe. However, the MiG-19 accelerates much faster than the F-100D at all speeds and altitudes so it can slip away easily. In the best-case scenario, bait the MiG-19 for a teammate, as the MiG-19 can't do much against two F-100s.

The F-100 is an amalgamation of paradoxical design features that results in an aircraft too heavy to sustain manoeuvring engagements despite its strong slats, slow to accelerate to its surprisingly high rip speeds, and too sluggish at speed to take full advantage of its strong armament. Overall to get this bus to perform, it must be at high speeds. Keep your energy up.

;'''Ground attack'''

The {{PAGENAME}} is no stranger to ground attack and can be effectively outfitted with just about anything (the LDGP Mk series kitchen sinks were not yet available) necessary to destroy ground targets both large and small. While bombers could deliver a massive amount of ordnance, they typically flew slow and high and were not always as precise as hoped for, therefore the USAF designated some of their fighter aircraft to also excel as low altitude precision bombers.

A fully researched {{PAGENAME}} can carry an assortment of low-drag general-purpose bombs ranging from 500 lb, 750 lb and 1,000 lb. Total maximum bomb weight is 6,000 lb, the same amount carried by a single [[B-17E]] bomber, but the {{PAGENAME}} can heft this amount at almost 1,000 km/h faster and at a lower more accurate altitude. Of course, the bomb size will be determined by which type of target will be in the crosshairs. For smaller targets the 500 and 750 lb bombs will work best. The full 8 x 750 lb is the best load out for base bombing since this load out has the highest total TNT.

Not all targets will require the usage of bombs or on some maps, you may be fortunate enough to have several bombers working on ground targets, or ground targets may be spread out, this is where rockets begin to shine. The AGM-12B Bullpup is essentially a 250 lb bomb attached to a rocket motor and is spin-stabilized. The Bullpup can be quite precise as long as the pilot can maintain visual of the target as he will need to guide the Bullpup in, any break from the target (due to manoeuvring or avoiding incoming enemies) can cause the rocket to go awry and miss the target. If needed the {{PAGENAME}} must throttle back and deploy the speed brake to ensure the Bullpup hits the target before manoeuvring away.

On the other hand, usage of the smaller [[FFAR Mighty Mouse]] unguided rockets can do a good amount of damage against ground and aerial targets, the one drawback – they are unguided. This means that once they are fired, they continue at their trajectory until they either hit something or run out of fuel and crash into the ground. The main counterpoint for the {{PAGENAME}} is the amount of these Mighty Mouse rockets it can carry, a total of 76. Rockets work best when they are fired in groups as this significantly increases chances that one or more rockets will hit their target. When going against aircraft it can induce a fear factor and cause the enemy pilot to take evasive manoeuvres to avoid an incoming salvo of rockets making them a much easier target to line up and reduce to small bits with the cannons.

=== Radars ===

The F-100D is equipped with an AN/APG-30 rangefinding radar, located in the nose of the aircraft.
It will automatically detect other planes within the scanning area and display the range to the closest target. It is linked with a gyro gunsight and can help with aiming at close range. This can be useful in simulator battles. However, the radar rangefinder lock will set off radar warning receivers, so in air RB pilots may prefer to switch it off to maintain the element of surprise.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="4" | AN/APG-30 - Rangefinding radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Tracking Range|The maximum range at which a target can be tracked}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Tracking Range|The range below which targets cannot be tracked by the radar}}
! {{Annotation|Azimuth Tracking Angle|How far to each side the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Elevation Tracking Angle|How far up and down the radar can track a target}}
|-
| 2,750 m || 300 m || ±9° || ±9°
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent cannons that has a high muzzle velocity, rate of fire, an adequate amount of ammo (200 rpg), and pack a good punch with high-explosive shells
* Can carry a wide array of suspended armaments including bombs, rockets and missiles
* 4 x AIM-9Es are adequate for air combat
* Outruns the subsonic jets it commonly faces
* Good roll rate at lower speeds

'''Cons:'''

* Thoroughly unmanoeuvrable at low speeds
* Loses lots of energy in turns
* Suffers from significant elevator and aileron (pitch and roll) control stiffening at higher speeds
* Rather slow acceleration, even with afterburner
* On warmer maps, engine may overheat after extended periods of afterburner usage
* Cannot go supersonic at sea level; not nearly fast enough to outrun supersonic jets it commonly faces such as the MiG-19/21, A-5C and J35A
* No countermeasures

== History ==

By the mid-50s, jet aircraft had become robust machines which had obtained sufficient combat experience for the next step into a fundamentally new age: the era of supersonic speed. Supersonic fighters were developed by both of the main opposing nations of the Cold War. In parallel with the development of the MIG-19 in the USSR, American aircraft designers were putting the finishing touches on their own design for a supersonic fighter. The F-100 Super Sabre entered serial production somewhat later than its Soviet counterpart, but it needed just as many improvements and upgrades.

The F-100's main problems were its high failure rate and the shortcomings of its control systems. In addition, a fighter-bomber version was also being developed based on the Super Sabre: the F-100D, which featured an increased vertical and horizontal fin area and expanded capabilities with regard to suspended weaponry. In the end, it was the D version that became the most widespread modification of the single-seat Super Sabre thanks to its improved control and excellent combat abilities as either a fighter-bomber or pure fighter. In terms of suspended weaponry, the F-100D was able to carry over twenty extremely varied weapon load-outs, from traditional high-explosive bombs and rockets to air-to-air rockets and nuclear bombs.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5929-development-f-100d-super-sabre-the-new-era-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-100d Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:F_100d_wallpaper_001.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_002.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_003.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_004.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_005.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_006.jpg
File:F_100d_wallpaper_007.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|XFKJSkrgA0w|'''The Shooting Range #133''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:32 discusses the F-100D.|r4iaAbCImj0|'''F-100D Super Sabre [CloudMaker!]''' - Jengar|udBJeO9aMbg|'''How To Grind The F100 In War Thunder''' - ''TheLoganatorz''|fjqlRenNUAs|'''F-100 Super Sabre - Tips and Gameplay''' - ''WhooptieDo''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* North American [[F-86 (Family)|F-86]] Sabre

;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Dassault [[Super_Mystere_B2|Super Mystere]]
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-19PT|MiG-19]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5929-development-f-100d-super-sabre-the-new-era-en|[Devblog] F-100D Super Sabre: The New Era]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/436416-f-100d-super-sabre/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer NAA}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-16A ADF

2023-02-01T23:57:50Z

U97916902: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-16 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f_16a_block_15_adf
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 10,973 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,093 || 2,063 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 20.3 || 20.6 || 252.7 || 240.2 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,198 || 2,146 || 19.3 || 19.8 || 340.8 || 295.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,555  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 470 || 463 || ~10 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 || 1
| colspan="2" | 7,970 kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with internal fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 29m fuel
|-
| 1,470 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 8,942 kg || 10,193 kg || 11,210 kg || 12,914 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 29m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 6,490 kgf || 8,985 kgf
| 1.01 || 0.88 || 0.80 || 0.70
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 7,434 kgf (1,555 km/h) || 15,225 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.71 || 1.49 || 1.36 || 1.18
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, wing root-mounted (512 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|AIM-7M Sparrow|AIM-9L Sidewinder}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 1 x 300 gal drop tank
* 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AIM-7M Sparrow missiles

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="6%" | 1 !! width="6%" | 2 !! width="6%" | 3 !! width="6%" | 4 !! width="6%" | 5 !! width="6%" | 6 !! width="6%" | 7
| rowspan="4" width="25%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! AIM-7M Sparrow missiles
| || || 1 || || 1 || ||
|-
! AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! 300 gal drop tanks
| || || || 1 || || ||
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The F-16A ADF can be a powerful fighter with multiple playstyles, rushing straight into battle or hanging high and utilizing the [[AIM-7M Sparrow]]s. Players that plan to stay low and accelerate straight into action will be satisfied with the F-16's low-altitude performance and radar. Players that want to keep high and sling AIM-7Ms at targets will be more than pleased with the F-16's strong climb rate, range of the AIM-7M, and radar. A mixed countermeasure loadout (1 flare, 1 chaff) is recommended because it allows 30 countermeasure drops against radar or IR missiles. In order to be prepared for matches that may extend longer than usual, select the 20-minute fuel option in conjunction with the 300-gallon drop tank. The F-16 consumes a lot of fuel on afterburner, so it's essential to use it wisely unless the max fuel amount is selected.

The AIM-7Ms must be used wisely since only 2 Sparrows can be carried simultaneously. For long-range, high-altitude fights, seek out targets closing in fast. Do not fire at targets already about to notch or beginning to notch. AIM-7Ms are excellent for these types of engagements due to their range and manoeuvrability. As for low-altitude engagements, look for targets closing in fast and at around 500 metres altitude or above. Do not fire at targets that are flying very close to the ground because the radar will track underneath the intended target, and the missile will miss. As for [[AIM-9L Sidewinder]]s, players can be more generous with them since the ADF can carry up to 6 AIM-9Ls. If a player finds themselves above the fight, it will be effortless to fire off missiles at distracted enemies and score kills quickly. AIM-9Ls are very strong from the rear aspect and require hard defending from the opponent to evade successfully.

The F-16 is very strong in a dogfight due to its excellent TWR and energy retention. Before entering a dogfight, however, it's critical to be at the correct speed. The F-16 has a very wide turning circle at high speeds, so make sure to stay around 800-850 km/h (497-528 mph) when entering a dogfight.

'''Countering the [[MiG-29]]'''

The MiG-29 is a very versatile and capable fighter and will be one of the most common enemies you will face. However, like many planes, it's possible to counter it. It's one of the fastest jets on the deck (~1,550 km/h, 963 mph) and has access to a helmet-mounted sight, which allows the player to lock the missile in the direction of the pilot's view rather than just along the nose of the aircraft. This allows for off-bore missile launches which can be a threat. It's important to be on the lookout all the time for any missile launches, whether it be an [[R-60M]] or an [[R-27T]].

In a dogfight, the F-16 will easily outperform a MiG-29 due to its superior low-speed handling. It should be noted that the F-16 can be a bit "floppy" at low speeds , and if not corrected, can lead to being shot down.

The MiG-29 at high altitude can be dangerous if the opponent utilizes [[R-27ER]]s. The R-27ER has superb range, acceleration, and manoeuvrability. To counter this, stay on the lookout for MiG-29s and R-27ERs and be prepared to go into a notch position and drop chaff. The R-27ER burns for 9 seconds which allows it to be spotted for a long time before the motor burns out. The F-16 will not be able to fight BVR against a MiG-29 unless it gets the jump/fires the missile far in advance. The R-27ER is a much quicker missile than the AIM-7M, and the R-27ER will reach its intended target much faster than the AIM-7M, even if launched at the same time.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent acceleration and climb rate, the former of which helps the F-16 recover from the lower speeds that it can dogfight at
* Excellent energy retention
* Excellent manoeuvrability at low to medium speeds
* Decent top speed
* 20 mm Vulcan cannon has high velocity and rate of fire
* Six powerful missiles: up to six all aspect AIM-9Ls and up to two potent SARH AIM-7Ms
* Drop tank available to extend range
* Bubble canopy with excellent unobstructed 360° visibility gives great situational awareness in simulator mode

'''Cons:'''

* Lacks any air-to-ground suspended ordnance whatsoever
* Internal M61 cannon has a small ammo pool
* Very poor manoeuvrability at higher speeds (above around 850km/h) due to angle of attack (AOA) limiter
** Staying at these higher speeds is ideal for general air combat, but greatly limits manoeuvring and dogfighting ability
** At these speeds, poor nose pointing ability makes it troublesome to lock Sidewinders, get an ACM radar lock, or aim the gun
** Only by going below these speeds (thus getting slow) does ''any'' semblance of dogfighting ability whatsoever begin to be gained
** Acceleration can be "too good": Poor high speed manoeuvrability combined with excellent acceleration and energy retention means heavy down-throttling and air braking is practically required to drop below these speeds to dogfight
* Very hot engine temperature
* Extremely high fuel consumption on afterburner

== History ==

In the mid-1980s, after the deactivation of the USAF Air Defense Command, the ANG (Air National Guard) was tasked with defending North American airspace from Soviet bombers. To complete this task, 270 F-16A/Bs were to be converted into ADFs (Air Defense Fighters) at Ogden Air Logistics Center in Utah. General Dynamics carried out the first conversions and then sent kits to Ogden to complete the conversion. The ADF conversion included upgrading the AN/APG-66 radar to improve target acquisition of small targets, IFF for distinguishing friendlies and foes (AN/APX-109), and a 150,000-candlepower night spotlight for identification.

The first F-16 ADF was delivered to the Oregon Air National Guard in March 1989. Conversions started from 1989 to 1992, with around 270 airframes converted to ADF F-16s. However, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, there was no longer a purpose for the F-16 ADF. The Air National Guard F-16s were to be slowly phased out and were either converted back to the original F-16A/B configuration or placed in storage. The North Dakota ANG had the last few F-16 ADFs in service until they were retired in 2007. Since the F-16 ADFs in storage had low flight hours, they were sold to other countries like Jordan (Peace Falcon program) and Thailand (Peace Naresuan IV program.)

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f_16a_block_15_adf Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="150">
File:IFF F-16 ADF.png|4-blade "bird slicer" antenna on the nose of the F-16A ADF (AN/APX-109)
</gallery>

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[F-16 (Family)]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer General Dynamics}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-14A Early

2023-01-28T11:02:51Z

U97916902: /* Suspended armament */

{{Specs-Card
|code=f_14a_early
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Danger Zone"]]. One of the most iconic US naval fighter jets of the Cold War era, the F-14A was developed as the US Navy's fleet-defense fighter jet to protect their carrier groups over a vast swath of ocean. First deployed in the 1970s, the F-14A wields the advanced AN/AWG-9 radar and up to eight missiles, including the iconic [[AIM-54A Phoenix|Phoenix missile,]] to locate and target bandits at long range.

In the game, these characteristics allow the F-14A to engage enemy air targets at far greater distances than most enemy aircraft can, allowing the F-14A to take the initiative and achieve air superiority by firing first. At long range, Phoenix missiles force enemy fighters to actively monitor the sky even when they cannot yet see or detect the F-14A. While Phoenix missiles may prove too sluggish to target enemy fighters at high-speed merges, its [[AIM-7F Sparrow|Sparrows]] can engage manoeuvring targets at short and medium ranges before engaging at closer ranges with [[AIM-9H Sidewinder|Sidewinders]] and M61 cannon fire.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The F-14A might be seen underpowered compared to other aircraft, primarily the F-4J Phantom II and other Phantom variants such as the Phantom FG.1. While it is true that the engines are not as powerful, the F-14A is far superior in terms of top speed and energy management. However, insufficient power can be noticed when zoom climbing or when turning at low speed, and regaining the speed back can take a while. The engines also consume tremendous amounts of fuel: while the F-14A can stay in the air for at least one hour with full fuel tanks, at full afterburner (WEP) the jet can fly for only 7 minutes at sea level.

The F-14A is more of a two-circle dogfighter since it keeps speed very well in hard turns, but might not have as much nose authority as other planes to win one-circle fights (such as scissors and anything similar when you turn into the opponent's nose). Although it can still beat planes like the MiG-23MLD in the instantaneous turn-rate performance, delta-wing fighters like the J35 or MiG-21 could have the advantage during the first seconds of the fight. Like other planes with variable wing geometry, the F-14A reaches its most efficient turn rate performance when wings are swept fully forward (set to 0%) and that can be achieved only by using the manual wing sweep controls. Since it is semi-automatic, the wing will automatically change its position after reaching around ~800 km/h IAS.

The most optimal turning speed is around 900 km/h IAS at sea level (it reaches the highest sustained turn rate there), but the best is actually between 700 and 830 km/h IAS since any faster, and it becomes impossible to maintain the turn without the crew blacking out. At such speeds, the F-14A in a clean configuration with 30 minutes of fuel can reach up to 23 deg/s of sustained turn rate, which is better than any MiG-23, Su-17, or even other more manoeuvrable fighters like the MiG-19. Both the sustained and instantaneous turn rate can be improved by using combat flaps, which can function at speeds up to 850 km/h IAS.

Thanks to the variable wing sweep, the F-14A is able to move its center of mass and thus increase or decrease its roll rate. High sweep allows higher speeds at reduced roll rate and vice versa. Low sweep increases roll rate and energy retention at subsonic speeds.

To get the most of its turn rate performance in Simulator Battles, you should always try to use the manual SAS (Stability Augmentation System) mode. The damping mode severely limits its nose authority, and it is harder to win fights against planes like the MiG-21 or other delta-wing fighters. In general, combat flaps should always be used when you are about to merge with the enemy plane, as they not only increase the sustained turn rate but also improves nose authority. In turn, it becomes easier to get lead on the enemy plane and to control the plane when using manual SAS mode. The player should still be very careful with pulling the stick around 500 km/h IAS. Below that speed, it's very easy to abruptly lose speed, reach the critical AoA, and stall out the plane. Pulling the stick all the way to yourself should be done only when you are going for snap shots. The other downside manual SAS mode is the plane is much more sensitive to controls, especially in pitch. For this reason, it is recommended to use the damping SAS mode during cruising and BVR combat.

While using the manual SAS mode, it is can be easy to stall out the plane when flying below 400 km/h IAS. In this case, after entering the flat spin, the quickest method to recover the plane is to increase the wing sweep angle and then counter the plane rotation with the rudder.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 12,192 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,202 || 2,191 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.4 || 25.1 || 178.4 || 170.5 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,245 || 2,221 || 23.6 || 24.0 || 231.6 || 203.8
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 1,359 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || rowspan="2" | 1,200 || rowspan="2" | 873 || rowspan="2" | 416 || ~10 || ~5
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,555 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 1,200 || < 850 || < 1,800 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="7" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="4" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-412A || 2
| colspan="3" | 18,545 kg || colspan="4" | 493 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 18m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 62m fuel
|-
| 1,802 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 20,750 kg || 20,905 kg || 22,085 kg || 23,855 kg || 25,895 kg || 30,935 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 18m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 62m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 4,860 kgf || 8,019 kgf
| 0.77 || 0.77 || 0.73 || 0.67 || 0.62 || 0.52
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,808 kgf (1,555 km/h) || 12,692 kgf (1,555 km/h)
| 1.22 || 1.21 || 1.15 || 1.06 || 0.98 || 0.82
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The F-14A holds 60 countermeasures, which is a decent number of chaff and flares that can let the Tomcat survive multiple missiles. Due to its massive engines, the IR signature of the aircraft is not an easy thing to conceal when fighting heat-seeking missiles. As with other jets around its battle rating, flares alone are not enough. To defeat an IR-guided missile (heat-seeker), turn off afterburner and reduce throttle to at least 80-85% while dumping flares and turning away from the missile. This is to ensure that an IR-guided missile will track the flares and not the engines. Due to the massive size compared to other aircraft, the chances of a successful hit from enemies, both missile and cannon, are higher compared to other aircraft, such as the AV-8 or F-5. This should be taken into consideration as proximity fuses will trigger with more ease as the wingspan of the Tomcat is considerably larger than most jets seen in game.

Fuel tanks are housed flatly in both the fuselage and wings. The F-14A will easily catch fire from enemy rounds from above and below the plane. Thankfully, the fuel tanks are well-separated compared to other fighters like the F-4 family, so damage to one part of the plane may not necessarily compromise the whole plane. However, fires will rapidly destroy traction of control surfaces, so they must be immediately extinguished. As long as some control surfaces are usable, the F-14A can survive critical damage (such as losing a wing) and return to base. Its multiple fuel tanks help isolate fuel fires especially on the wings, and the plane can fly on one engine.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, cheek-mounted (676 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP}}
{{main|AIM-7E-2 Sparrow|AIM-7F Sparrow|AIM-54A Phoenix}}
{{main|AIM-9D Sidewinder|AIM-9G Sidewinder|AIM-9H Sidewinder}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles
* 5 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
* 14 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (3,500 lb total)
* 14 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (7,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 16 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets

The F-14A is the first aircraft in game to have access to Active Radar Homing missiles with internal navigation. While it is mostly used for air defense and anti-air duties, it holds decent ground pounding abilities that are nothing new to American pilots. The F-14A has access to a wide variety of weapon selections due to having 'Custom Loadouts' feature. Depending on the needs of the pilot, one can carry different loadouts for different needs.

The F-14A comes with three options for missiles: shorter-ranged AIM-9H Sidewinders, medium-ranged AIM-7F Sparrows, and long-range AIM-54A Phoenixes.

The '''AIM-9H Sidewinder''' is very similar to the previous AIM-9G — having good range but below average manoeuvrability. Its seeker can also be slaved to a radar lock or TWS soft lock. With only 18G maximum overload, the AIM-9H should not be used in high-aspect or hard-turning shots at close ranges. Instead, the AIM-9H's good range should be used to catch enemies off guard. A good way to utilize this range is to position yourself over the battlefield and dive down on enemies. Your dive speed combined with gravity will increase the speed and range of your missiles, and your unexpected direction will see that many enemies will not notice the missile until they have been destroyed by it.

The '''AIM-7F Sparrow''' is a medium-range, SARH (Semi-Active Radar Homing) missile. Pilots of the F-14A are probably familiar with the AIM-7F from the previous F-4J. The AIM-7F is one of the best radar-guided missiles in the game. It has good 25G manoeuvrability, and a very long motor burn time gives it long range and sustained manoeuvrability (whereas other missiles will stop producing thrust and lose speed in manoeuvres, the long burn time of the AIM-7F sustains its speed and manoeuvrability for a long time). This should be the F-14A's go-to missile; it can be launched from all aspects and is difficult to dodge without the correct defensive manoeuvres. The AIM-7F can be launched from longer ranges to utilize its long burn time and the F-14A's good radar. Pay attention to your Radar Warning Receiver; if the enemy you are radar locking is also radar locking you, it is likely that they are about to or already have launched a radar-guided missile at you. In this case, do not fly straight; you are going to be hit first. Launch your missile, then crank to one side. To crank means to turn to one side as far as possible without losing radar lock. This makes the enemy's missile travel further at higher angles and thus decreases the chance it will hit you during defensive manoeuvres. If you have Sparrows to spare and an enemy is approaching head-on, you can launch Sparrows in succession (2-3 seconds between launches) to increase your probability of a kill. An enemy can avoid one missile with manoeuvres, but will have bled speed and will have a more difficult time avoiding further missiles.

The '''AIM-54A Phoenix''' is a long-range, ARH (Active Radar Homing) missile, and is only found on the F-14 (both in-game and in real life). The AIM-54A is a unique missile with unique capabilities. It has an extremely long burn time and thus an extremely long range, as well as a rather large proximity fuse and a large amount of explosive (doesn't have to be as close as other missiles to enemies to explode and cause critical damage). However, its more interesting features come in the form of its behaviour. First, it's an active radar homing missile, meaning it has a small internal radar which at closer ranges it can use to automatically search for, track and guide itself to targets without any input from the parent (the F-14's) radar. Second, it can be guided via the parent (F-14's) radar, but if it loses lock, the missile will fly straight for a while and use the aforementioned internal radar to search for enemies to home in towards. Third, the AIM-54 does not need a true radar lock to be launched; when the F-14's radar is in TWS (Track While Scan) mode, you can simply hover the radar cursor over a radar contact to launch the AIM-54. This also means you can launch more than one Phoenix at a time by hovering over a target, launching, and then hovering over another target to launch another Phoenix.

It is important to know that despite these seemingly impressive features, the AIM-54 is not an all-powerful missile and has its downsides; there are many scenarios where it is advisable not to use them. First, some F-14A players may feel tempted to take six AIM-54s, take off, and then launch at six enemy targets very far away. There is a very high chance none will hit; at such a long-range, and with player behaviour at the start of a match, it is very likely that the missiles will be inadvertently notched, or the missiles will get distracted by enemy and/or friendly AI bots. In addition, the AIM-54A only has 16G overload — less than an AIM-9H — and with its very long burn time, it is easily seen and dodged by enemies. It is more worth it to save your missiles for a better firing window. Second, the missile should not be used at closer ranges (< 5 km). In addition to having low manoeuvrability, the AIM-54 has a very, very slow acceleration, and it highly likely won't be able to follow the defensive manoeuvres of such a close enemy. For this case, Sparrows are a much better option. Third, the AIM-54 should not be launched in the direction of friendly aircraft. The AIM-54 and its internal radar will go for the first target it sees, regardless if it is friend or foe. And fourth and finally, the AIM-54 is the heaviest air-to-air missile in the game, and they impact aircraft performance significantly. To make use of the AIM-54's advantages, it is advisable to use them at higher altitudes (> 5 km) and at long ranges. The AIM-54 will have time to accelerate to its maximum speed, and due to the low air density at high altitudes as well as the AIM-54’s high speed, enemy aircraft will have a hard time evading the missile (even if it is just 16G). The AIM-54 can home in on enemies on its own, so if necessary you can completely turn away from the enemy after launching to avoid enemy missiles. However, the AIM-54 has datalink and thus is it recommended to keep painting the target(s) through TWS radar mode for more reliable missile tracking.

Each of these missiles has its strengths and weaknesses. A mix between long-range weapons and short-range weapons must be used at the pilot's discretion. A maximum of six of a mix of Sparrows or Phoenixes can be taken, two Sidewinders can always be carried on separate hard points, and pilots can choose to substitute up to two Sparrows or Phoenixes for Sidewinders. At the very least one or two sparrows should be taken as they are useful in lots of different engagements at most altitudes. For high altitude engagements, a small number of Phoenixes (1-3) can be taken. Phoenixes are especially useful for enduring confrontation (operation) air battles, where air combat is prevalent at higher altitudes where the Phoenix will truly shine. While the AIM-9H Sidewinders will seem like nothing new and perhaps a bit outdated, it’s long range capability should not be underestimated, and users may prefer to switch out some radar guided missiles for Sidewinders.

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="12" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs
| || || 8* || 6 || ||
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| || || 8* || 6 || ||
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| || || 2* || 2 || ||
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| || || 2*† || 2 || ||
|-
! Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
| || 8 || || || 8 ||
|-
! AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1, 2* || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
| || 1 || 2* || 2† || 1 ||
|-
| colspan="9" | * Use of dual Sparrow missiles on hardpoint 4 prevents use of the marked options on hardpoint 3 † The AIM-54A Phoenix missiles on hardpoint 4 cannot be carried in conjunction with 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs on hardpoint 3
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Boasting a high top speed, excellent turning characteristics, a large number of excellent missiles, and a powerful radar, the F-14A (Early) Tomcat is a potent air superiority fighter and should be used as such.

'''Flying the F-14A'''

Despite being a very large aircraft, the F-14A Tomcat's manoeuvrability and energy retention are excellent. With the wings swept out, it's among the best rate fighters in the game, and has excellent instantaneous turn rate. This allows the F-14A to out-dogfight most aircraft in-game. For planes with poor energy retention such as F-4s, MiG-21s, J35s, and JA37s, you can use the F-14's excellent turn rate to enter a prolonged two-circle fight, where the F-14's superior energy retention will drain the energy of these delta-winged fighters. The optimal rate speed of the F-14A is around 750 km/h, though 600 km/h will still allow you to out-rate fighters with poor energy retention. For planes with better energy retention such as F-8s and MiG-23s, you can use F-14A's excellent instantaneous turn rate to force a one-circle fight. It should be noted that when dogfighting in the F-14A, it is critical to always sweep your wings forward to 0% wing sweep. At this wing sweep, you will obtain the optimal energy retention and turn characteristics of the F-14A. Therefore, it is highly recommended to set key binds for manually changing the sweep angle and switching between auto to manual wing sweep. Keep in mind that, although the F-14A has excellent dogfighting characteristics, it is still a very large aircraft with extremely hot engines. Due to this, it is advised to avoid turn-fighting in the Tomcat unless absolutely necessary because, as with all other top-tier jets, doing so will bleed your speed and make you an easy target for enemy aircraft.

The F-14A with its TF30 engines were historically underpowered, and this shows in-game: while the F-14A has a great top speed with the wings swept back, the acceleration and climb rate is below average. Faster planes such as MiG-23s, Mirage 2000s, F-16s, and MiG-29s will easily out-accelerate you. Even F-4s will accelerate faster at lower speeds. Therefore, it is advisable to keep your speed up in the F-14. Due to this, vertical dogfights are generally not advisable, especially with faster accelerating and climbing opponents such as MiG-23s, MiG-29s and F-16s. In addition, the acceleration is another reason to be careful when engaging in dogfights, as you will have difficulty out-accelerating your opponents should you need to exit.

'''Wing Sweep'''

The F-14A has a variable sweep wing, which means the wings can change angle during flight to obtain the desirable flight characteristics. As discussed before, when the wings are swept forward (0%), the F-14A obtains high energy retention and excellent instantaneous and sustained turn rate. However, the wings being swept forwards limits the Tomcat's top speed, and therefore should only be used at lower speeds, when dogfighting, or takeoff/landing (especially with carriers). On the other hand, the wings being swept back allows the F-14A to reach its top speed, but at lower speeds, loss of lift greatly reduces manoeuvrability. Generally, pilots can keep the wing sweep mode set to automatic (AUTO); this will automatically sweep the wings without player input based on how fast or slow the Tomcat is going. However, when dogfighting, you will want to switch the sweep mode to manual, and use selected key binds to manually sweep the wing forward to obtain optimal manoeuvrability.

'''Fuel Consumption and Engine Heat'''

It should be noted that the F-14A burns up fuel very fast when on afterburner. This should be taken into consideration as one can burn up all the fuel without realizing until it is too late. Due to this, it is advisable to take at the very least 30 minutes of fuel. You can use the mouse scroll wheel to save a lot more fuel by using the first-stage afterburner, which gives a significant power boost from 100% throttle but a little less power than full afterburner. On minimum fuel (18 minutes) the full afterburner can only last about 2 minutes and 30 seconds, but the afterburner (first-stage) can last you 8 minutes.

Something to be aware of when playing the F-14A is the insane heat of its engines. At high throttle and afterburner, its engines emit an unparalleled amount of heat at around 2,100 °F (1,150 °C). For reference, that is around 66% hotter than the F-4J's engines, which is around 1,239 °F (671 °C) at 100% throttle and 1,256 °F (680 °C) during full afterburner. During gameplay, this means that in the F-14A simply just turning off the afterburner and deploying flares may not be enough to avoid an incoming IR missile. You will also have to throttle down the engine significantly (at least 80-85%) to make sure that an incoming IR missile goes for the flare. This is especially true for more flare-resistant IR missiles such as the [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] and [[Matra R550 Magic 2|Magic 2]], which may need substantial throttling down to flare off. Keep in mind that throttling down means that you will lose a decent amount of speed in the process, so be prepared.

'''Radar and Radar Modes'''

The AN/AWG-9 radar set carried by the F-14A is an extremely potent radar, especially for long-range missile combat. It has great range (a maximum of 185 km tracking and 370 km detecting). For most normal air RB maps, a 37km display range should suffice, while 93 km should be enough for most enduring confrontation air RB maps. A radar lock is necessary to guide Sparrows, while either radar lock or soft lock (selecting targets in TWS) will suffice for a Phoenix launch. The radar has four different modes which have different purposes, capabilities and usages:

* '''SRC PD HDN''' (Surveillance Radar Computer, Pulse-Doppler, Head-On): Users of the F-14 are likely at least somewhat aware of what a pulse-Doppler radar is from usage of the previous F-4J. This is a pulse-Doppler mode, meaning it measures an aircraft's Doppler shift (difference in velocity compared to surroundings) in order to "see" targets. Due to the nature of the detection method, this pulse-Doppler mode is most ideal for targets close to the ground, as well as in head-on situations (as the name suggests). However, this pulse-Doppler mode has a weakness: it can be [[Airborne_radars#Notching_a_Pulse-Doppler_radar|notched]]; pulse-Doppler measures the target aircraft's velocity change compared to surroundings, so if a target flies perpendicular to the radar (not moving closer or further compared to the surroundings), the radar will not observe a change in velocity and therefore cannot see the aircraft. F-14A pilots must be aware of how the notch works; if an enemy radar is locking you at low altitude, they are likely using a pulse-Doppler mode, and thus notching becomes a defensive option to break radar lock. Provided the target is not at very low altitudes, an enemy notching your pulse-Doppler radar can be countered by switching the radar mode to SRC. Another weakness to be aware of is that pulse-Doppler modes generally have trouble detecting and locking targets travelling away from the radar. In conclusion, the pulse-Doppler mode is good for tracking targets at very low altitudes, but is vulnerable to notching and has difficulty finding targets moving away.
* '''SRC''' (Surveillance Radar Computer): This is the standard radar mode. It is not a pulse-Doppler mode and therefore does not have its weaknesses; it cannot be notched like pulse-Doppler can, and has an easier time tracking targets moving away. Therefore, if an enemy is attempting to notch your pulse-Doppler mode, you can switch the radar lock from a pulse-Doppler one to standard SRC. However, due to the radar return from ground clutter, it has great trouble locking targets at very low altitude, though it can still lock higher targets. It's worth noting that the SRC mode on the AN/AWG-9 is more resistant to ground clutter than previous radars; while you still cannot detect or lock a target very close to the ground, it can sometimes detect targets as little as 1 km from the ground. In conclusion, SRC is generally more reliable at finding and tracking targets than pulse-Doppler mode, but cannot see targets at very low altitudes like pulse-Doppler can.
* '''TWS HDN''' (Track While Scan, Head-On): This mode allows targets to be detected and "tracked" simultaneously. By hovering your radar cursor over detected targets, you can "soft lock" them; their position is marked in third-person view, and their general speed, heading, and height are displayed. With a soft lock, the radar return is not strong enough to trigger the RWR, so enemies will not know you are soft locking them. AIM-54A Phoenixes can be launched via a soft lock, and after launching a Phoenix, you can hover over another enemy to launch another Phoenix. Using onboard electronics, the Phoenixes will guide themselves to the target after this. In addition, AIM-9G/H Sidewinders can be slaved to the soft lock. However, for a Sparrow launch, you will need to "hard lock" the target. This can be done simply by locking the target the cursor is hovering over (as with other radar modes). In addition, track while scan uses pulse-Doppler, so it can detect targets close to the ground as well. Unfortunately, this also means it has the same weaknesses as pulse-Doppler mode (vulnerable to notching or targets flying away). The capabilities of the track while scan mode are potent and allows pilots great situational awareness, and therefore should generally be your go-to radar mode, only switching to SRC to overcome pulse-Doppler's weaknesses.
* '''SRC PDV HDN''' (Surveillance Radar Computer, Pulse-Doppler Velocity, Head-On): This radar mode is very similar to pulse-Doppler, but instead displays the velocity of the aircraft on the radar screen rather than the range. This is the only radar mode on the AN/AWG-9 which does not utilize IFF (Identification Friend or Foe), so in simulator mode, be careful.
* The AN/AWG-9 has two acquisition modes, ACM PD HDN and ACQ, and two track modes, TRK PD HDN and TRK.
** SRC PD HDN, TWS HDN and SRC PDV HDN radar modes all use '''ACM PD HDN''' (Air Combat Maneuvering, Pulse-Doppler, Head-On) as the acquisition mode, and '''TRK PD HDN''' (Track, Pulse-Doppler, Head-On) as the lock mode. These are pulse-Doppler search and lock methods, and as such have the same strengths and weaknesses.
** SRC uses '''ACQ''' and '''TRK''' as acquisition and lock modes, respectively, which are the non pulse-Doppler counterparts to ACM PD HDN and TRK PD HDN.
** When in these acquisition modes, you can press your keybind for “Change Radar/IRST Search Mode” to change the scope of the acquisition search area. Clicking it once changes it from a square to a vertically long rectangle, clicking it twice moves this rectangle to an upper position (to lock enemies above you), and clicking it a third time changes it back to a square.
** A nice feature of the F-14's radar is that, if you have a target radar locked, you can switch between pulse-Doppler and normal SRC tracking without breaking lock (most other radars will require the lock to be broken before switching radar mode to reattempt a lock). This allows you to quickly and easily switch to TRK (SRC) if the target is notching, or switch to TRK PD HDN (Pulse-Doppler) if the target is going close to the ground.

'''Realistic Battles'''

In realistic battles, the F-14A is a powerful air superiority fighter. With a maximum of six long-range AIM-7F or AIM-54A missiles and a powerful radar, it is arguably the best BVR (Beyond Visual Range) fighter in the game. Due to this, it is advisable to exploit this advantage. In air realistic battles, players can side climb to high altitudes (>5 km) and search for targets to engage with the long-range Sparrows or Phoenixes. Once higher altitude is swept of enemy fighters, pilots can dive down on lower altitude enemies and use the energy advantage to obtain missile kills from an unexpected angle. If necessary, the Tomcat's excellent manoeuvrability can be used to dogfight enemy aircraft.

In ground realistic battles, the F-14A can use its long-range missiles to clear the sky of enemy strike aircraft. With its excellent Sparrow and Phoenix missiles, the F-14A will be especially potent at destroying enemy strike aircraft at high altitudes who are using guided munitions to attack your team outside of SAM range. While the F-14A gets access to some variety of air-to-ground bombs and rockets, these are all unguided and thus are very risky to use in the presence of SAMs. Therefore, unless a ground strike is absolutely necessary, a Tomcat is much better off in the air-to-air role guarding the skies.

'''Enemies Worth Noting'''

* '''F-16A:''' These planes have excellent acceleration and decent top speed. In addition, they have AIM-9Ls, which can sometimes be difficult to flare with the F-14’s two very hot engines, as well as AIM-7Ms (except the “normal” US F-16A and Israeli Netz”), which can give competition to the F-14’s AIM-7Fs. In a dogfight, the F-16 can and will compete with the F-14 with it’s excellent maneuverability, but a weakness is it’s G-limiter which effectively bricks the F-16 at high speeds. This can be exploited in a merge with an F-16, where pulling hard into the F-16 will let you park yourself on his tail. The F-16’s excellent acceleration in contrast with the F-14’s poor acceleration makes it ill-advised to engage in a vertical dogfight with the F-16.
* '''MiG-29''': The MiG-29 has excellent acceleration and top speed. Though it’s R-60Ms are a far cry from the F-16’s AIM-9Ls, it does possess the extremely dangerous R-27ER long range SARH missile. These missiles are faster accelerating and more maneuverable than the F-14’s AIM-7Fs while having the same listed maximum range of 100km. However, the MiG-29 can only carry two of them. They can be outranged by your AIM-54s, but at closer ranges, even a single missile can mean death for you so you will have to use missile jousting strategies to beat the R-27ER with your AIM-7Fs. In a dogfight, it’s mostly the same story as with the F-16: the MiG-29 has excellent maneuverability, and while the F-14 can certainly keep up, vertical dogfights should be avoided due to the stark difference in acceleration between the MiG-29 and F-14A.
* '''Mirage 2000C:''' Mirage 2000s have excellent acceleration and top speed, as well as powerful missiles. Like AIM-9Ls, the Magic 2 can be difficult to flare, and the Super 530D is comparable to the AIM-7F. In a dogfight, the Mirage 2000 has excellent instantaneous turn rate, but due to it’s delta wing design bleeds speed quickly; in this case the F-14A’s excellent rate speed should be used to drain the Mirage 2000 of energy and outrate it.
* '''F-4J, F-4EJ Kai:''' These Phantoms can very easily be beaten in a dogfight by the F-14A, but beware of powerful AIM-7Fs, and in the case of the EJ Kai, AIM-9Ls.
* '''MiG-23ML/MLA/MLD:''' These MiG-23s boast good R-24s which can compete with the AIM-7F, as well as dangerous R-24Ts which can lock on to the F-14’s hot heat signature and stealthily destroy it. Good situational awareness is key to defeating these missiles. In a dogfight, MiG-23s have a very good rate speed which can keep up with the F-14. However, their instantaneous turn rate is poor, so a one circle or scissors can be used with the F-14A to easily gain an advantage over MiG-23s.
* '''F-5E:''' F-5s have a surprisingly excellent turn rate that can rival even the F-14A. However, it has slow acceleration, it’s guns are mediocre and it has very limited missiles. Therefore, the vertical can be used on the F-5 to stall them out and gain the advantage.

'''Simulator Battles - Enduring Confrontation'''

Before you take the F-14A to battle you need to figure out what weapons you want to use. All the available IR missiles have almost identical turn performance, the range is almost the same too. The D version cannot be slaved to the locked target, the G can be and the H works exactly like the G, but has a higher tracking rate. Taking at least two of them is highly recommended since they almost do not affect the flight performance.

There are also two options for radar-guided missiles. The AIM-7F works very well at close and medium ranges (3-20 km) and can hit a target which is pulling lots of G. They are harder to dodge in Simulator Battles, though you need to keep your lock all the time. The AIM-54A is an active radar-guided missile, it does not require the radar lock when it is launched 16 km from the target (or when it gets that close, then you can break your lock), but it can pull only up to 16G which is quite easy to dodge, both these missiles can also be avoided by just simply notching when the F-14 uses the pulse-Doppler radar mode.

A few loadout recommendations:

* 4x AIM-9H + 4x AIM-7F - Works very well in almost any scenario, and does not affect the flight performance that much.
* 4x AIM-9H + 4x AIM-54A or 2x AIM-9H + 6x AIM-54A - Makes the plane turn a lot worse, in most cases will not work against fighters which know how to deal with radar-guided missiles, this loadout is useful mainly against planes that attack the bombing bases or airfields only, so for example Su-7s loaded with bombs etc. (farmers). It is not recommended to use it in normal EC battles.
* 4x AIM-9H + 2x AIM-54A + 2x AIM-7F

To make full use of the F-14A's manoeuvrability it is best to buy the expert crew and the ace crew if it is possible, since the plane pulls around 8G at 750 km/h IAS in a sustained turn and that increases even further when the player decided to pull it even more, though you need to keep in mind that the G limit is ~11G.

'''Outside the combat''' - As a start, keep in mind that the F-14A really likes to burn fuel a lot when the afterburner is used, at low altitudes it can fly up to 7 minutes with full fuel tanks, so it is recommended to fly either with 45 minutes of fuel (on 64x64 km maps like Ruhr, Port Moresby) or full fuel tanks (128x128 km maps like Vietnam, Denmark). WEP should not be used while cruising and only during combat or while chasing someone, flying with the throttle set to 85-90% should be fine too. There are a few tactics that can be used in the F-14 in SB, but it mostly depends on what map you play. On more open maps like Denmark you can at 1,000-3,000 m alt while looking for targets, though some MiGs can still sneak up to you if you are not paying enough attention to your surroundings, doing so you are mostly vulnerable to attack from below and behind, especially when the enemy has access to all-aspect missiles. The other tactic is just simply hugging the ground, in most cases it is the safest one and should be used on maps with hills and mountains where you can break the enemy's line of sight by flying between them. It is more difficult and requires lots of focus. The player needs to keep looking around all the time to find the target, the radar is less useful in this scenario, though the TWS mode can be helpful on maps like Vietnam to check the enemy plane direction and ambush them while you are flying in areas where it is hard to spot the planes due to the ground colour and many objects like trees. To make cruising easier the damping SAS mode can be used, which limits the angle of attack (AoA) so much that the G limit cannot be reached at any speed, the automatic wing sweep control also can be activated. About the radar modes, the PDV should not really be used since it is the only one which does not have any kind of IFF and it is as good at detecting targets as the normal PD mode. Since the PD radar cannot track targets that are flying perpendicular to your plane switching between modes is very important, even the normal Pulse (SRC) mode can detect targets against the ground up to 15-20 km and even further when it is above the horizon. To be safe from enemy missiles it is best to stay around 20-30 km away from enemy planes.

'''During the combat''' - During the BVR combat when both sides have similar missiles it is important to get to a higher speed before launching it and launch the missile before the enemy does, for now the only plane that can actually start this kind of fight is the Viggen (Sweden is very often on the Russian side), though you can just ignore it and keep notching while getting below the enemy plane (missiles have much lower range at low altitude) and wait until it gets close, the start a dogfight. The AIM-54A can be useful in such scenarios, even when the F-14 will be forced to break away the missile will still be tracking the target, then the enemy will be forced to dodge it and when that happens you can launch another missile to force the enemy into an even more defensive position. When the distance between planes is around 10 km, the radar mode should be switched to either BST or VSL since they offer an instant radar lock after pointing at the targets, locking on manually can sometimes take a few seconds and a few failed attempts. Those two modes can also be used when the player in the F-14A is trying to be sneaky, then when the enemy is not aware of being tracked by TWS mode on maps like Vietnam the F-14 can switch to them when the enemy gets close from the front and then right after that launch the AIM-7F. Overall learning quick switching between radar modes depending on the situation is very important.

Within visual range (up to ~10 km) against opponents in a head-on, it is important to keep launching 1 flare every few seconds, it will reduce the chance of being tracked by the R-23T, R-24T or R-60M, also as soon as the missile launch happens a few more of them should be launched. For this kind of scenario it is best to be equipped with AIM-7F missiles, by using them you can deny the enemy any head-on attempts, by launching it they will be forced to notch it, while the IR missiles in most cases can be dodged by using flares right before the launch, not using WEP before the dogfight starts and it can be done by just flying in a straight line (when the distance between the missile and the F-14 is big enough).
The enemy will not be able to safely reengage until it gets very close (when the AIM-7F becomes less effective, so within 2 km from the target), but at that point the AIM-9H can be used in some cases against afterburning targets trying to notch the PD radar. All of this can lead to the enemy having to dodge the missile and becoming an easy target, you can easily get on their six and shoot them down by using the gun.

When the dogfight happens it is needed to switch the SAS mode to manual, the damping limits the manoeuvrability too much and can put the F-14 in a worse position, especially against the delta wing planes, though using it makes the plane harder to control. The other thing to remember is switching the wing sweep controls to manual, then reducing it to 0% for the best manoeuvrability.
The last thing is using the combat flaps, but overusing them and doing it in the wrong situation can lead to being shot down faster. Before the merge between both planes happens the speed should be around 800 km/h IAS and 900 km/h (450-500 kn IAS), it will make starting a two-circle fight (where the F-14 excels) easier. The combat flaps in the F-14 improve both the sustained and instantaneous turn rate, the only downside is that they work effectively only up to 900 km/h IAS and make reaching speed above that harder. The one-circle fight can be done only with planes like the MiG-23, Su-17/22 or the Japanese Phantoms; against other planes, especially the delta wing planes, it is not very safe, although the F-14 can sometimes pull a very tight turn (takeoff flaps have a speed limit up to 800 km/h and can help with that). Generally, the safest way to win the fight is to keep your speed around 800 km/h IAS in a two-circle fight, there is not a single plane that can win it. There are a few planes which can give a hard time in close-range fights, the MiG-23MLD, J35s, MiG-21bis, J-7E, Chinese F-5E, the player should be very careful while engaging any of these.

'''Basic mistakes''' - Ignoring the IFF and teamkilling are the biggest mistakes happening in SB, it is always important to check if the target is a friendly plane or not (one line - unknown/enemy, two lines - friendly). Also, launching the AIM-54 into a direction with a few friendly planes can end really badly, just like launching any kind of missile into furballs. Ignoring the IFF readouts will lead to being kicked from the session and the team performing worse because they will also need to worry about dodging friendly missiles.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very effective dogfighter at any speed with its variable wing sweep which gives it great energy retention
* Variable swept wings can help plane accelerate fast when swept back and turn better when the wing is less swept
* High top speed (can cap out at 1500 km/h IAS at sea level)
* Lethal M61 Vulcan cannon which has an extremely fast fire rate, great velocity, and great damage
* Can carry up to 8 missiles maximum, with options of AIM-7s, AIM-9s, and [[AIM-54A Phoenix|AIM-54]]<nowiki/>s for versatile use
* The AIM-54 has insane range (100 km max), its rocket booster lasts for a very long time, and it's an Active Radar Homing missile (at closer ranges can automatically guide itself towards enemies using its own radar)
* Multi-mode radar makes it effective in any situation (the TWS mode allows launching AIM-54s at multiple aircraft at once and provides amazing situational awareness)
* The new [[AIM-9H Sidewinder|AIM-9H]] has much better flare resistance than previous AIM-9s (such as the [[AIM-9G Sidewinder|G]] or [[AIM-9J Sidewinder|J]] variants)

'''Cons:'''

* Big plane and thus an easy target to hit
* The afterburner's fuel consumption is otherworldly fast; constant usage of it requires carrying a lot of fuel that can hamper the plane's performance and manoeuvrability
* Massive wing and fuselage fuel tanks make it especially prone to catching fire
* Cannot pull sustained Gs when above 1,000 km/h IAS (11-13 G) in RB or the wings will rip
* At high throttle and afterburner, the engine emits an unparalleled amount of heat, requiring throttling down (and therefore significantly bleeding speed) to reliably flare missiles off
* 60 countermeasures may be a bit lacking considering the extremely high engine temperature
* The AIM-54A only has 16G overload and thus is rather easy to dodge
* The AIM-54A's rocket motor lasts for a very long time, giving plenty of time for enemies to spot and evade it
* Requires lots of work and control binds related to the radar and variable wing sweep angle to make the most of the aircraft
* The Damping SAS mode limits the AoA so much that it cannot be used in one-circle fights (scissors etc.) thus forcing the player to use the much harder to use the Manual SAS mode (SB with full-real controls)

== History ==

=== Early Development ===
In 1967, the U.S. Navy wanted a long-range fleet defence fighter to boost their naval plane capabilities with the "VFX" program. The USN first started with a redesigned F-111 Aardvark named the F-111B (basically an F-111 designed around the TF30 engine and AIM-54 Phoenix missiles), they soon found out that the F-111 was too big for practical reasons so the F-111B plan never came to fruition. Fast forward to 1969, the USN gave the contract to Grumman to build the new fleet defence fighter named the F-14 Tomcat, its first variants were built around the TF30 engines found on the F-111B and to use the AN/AWG-9 radar set and the airframe was specifically built to carry the AIM-54 Phoenix missile.

===[[wt:en/news/7705-development-f-14a-tomcat-into-the-danger-zone-en|Devblog]]===
In 1968, five aircraft building companies entered the Pentagon's competition for a new carrier-based interceptor fighter. The commission's preference was given to Grumman's design, a twin-engine jet fighter with a variable-swept wing. Work on the F-14A fighter began in February 1969, and in December of the next year, the new aircraft took her maiden flight. The main weapon of the F-14A was the AIM-54 Phoenix long-range missiles controlled by the newest to date weapon control system. Instead of building prototypes, Grumman immediately switched to the production of an experimental series, and already on December 31, 1972, the first batch of jet fighters were put into service with the VF-124 Fleet Replacement Squadron . Pilot training took place on the deck of the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier, and during the withdrawal of US troops from Vietnam, combat sorties were also made from the deck. In total 557 F-14A fighters were delivered to the US Navy until 1987, and another 80 aircraft were built for Iran. Tomcats were used in all military conflicts where US aircraft took part until the very decommissioning. Iranian F-14s took an active part in the Iran-Iraq war, scoring dozens of air kills.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f_14a_early Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 1.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 2.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 3.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 4.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 5.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 6.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 7.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Wdnef_6_6oM|'''The Shooting Range #307''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Other jet planes with variable sweep wings

* [[MiG-23 (Family)]]
* [[Su-17/22 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7705-development-f-14a-tomcat-into-the-danger-zone-en|[Devblog] F-14A Tomcat: Into the Danger Zone!]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/557191-f-14a-early/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Grumman}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

AIM-54A Phoenix

2023-01-15T00:13:48Z

U97916902: /* Pros and cons */

== Description ==

The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is an American active radar homing missile. It was introduced in [[Update "Danger Zone"]]. The {{PAGENAME}} is the first active-radar homing missile introduced in War Thunder.

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|f_14a_early}}

== General info ==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | Missile characteristics
|-
| '''Mass''' || 447 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || ARH+IOG+DL
|-
| '''Signal''' || CW
|-
| '''Lock range''' || 16 km
|-
| '''Launch range''' || 150 km
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 4.3 M
|-
| '''Maximum overload''' || 16 G
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 100 secs
|-
| '''Explosive mass''' || 60.54 kg TNTeq
|-
|}
The Phoenix is a missile specialized for long-range engagements and therefore has a very long range. However, it has a slow acceleration and a 16G manoeuvring limit, impeding its manoeuvrability.

=== Effective damage ===

The AIM-54 is equipped with a 60 kg TNT warhead, capably of destroying targets with wide proximity fuse.

=== Comparison with analogues ===


The Phoenix has a very long range, much longer than the [[AIM-7F Sparrow]]. Due to the slow acceleration and 16G manoeuvring limit, the [[AIM-7F Sparrow]] and R-24s thoroughly outclass the Phoenix when the target is under 20 km range.

Compared to the AIM-7E-2 and Skyflash, the Phoenix has a much, much longer range, but the Sparrow retains the manoeuvrability advantage.

When compared to other radar-guided missiles in the game, the Phoenix stands alone as a dedicated long-range weapon, and excels at the job that no other missile can do. While only able to pull 16G, the missile remains a menace for targets even 60 km away from the launching aircraft.

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:F-14A Launching AIM54APhoenix.jpg|x200px|right|thumb|The [[F-14A Early|F-14A]] launching a {{PAGENAME}}. Note the visible trailing smoke.]]
While taking more than 2 of these missiles isn't recommended in regular RB maps, an F-14 pilot can climb to about 5,000 m after take-off and launch at any target it sees, preferably high-altitude targets. Backing up to their team right after. In EC maps, this missile can be launched in groups to different targets at very long ranges by F-14 pilots.

One recommendation when launching a {{PAGENAME}} is for the carrier aircraft to reach Mach 1 first. Launching at this speed allows the missile to immediately fly at Mach 1 and not have to accelerate as it would be launched from slower speeds.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Has an active radar homing (ARH) seeker, which gives it fire-and-forget capability
* Can reach ranges that no other weapon system in the game can reach; if high enough in altitude can hit targets beyond 50 km
* Extremely fast at high altitudes after ramp-up acceleration
* Can be launched in TWS, which gives the target no radar lock notification until the missile goes pitbull
* Large proximity fuse and warhead means it can still deal significant damage if it is somewhat close to the enemy (e.g. upon a near miss)

'''Cons:'''

* Can only pull 16 Gs, making it easily dodgeable
* Accelerates slowly, taking a lot of time to reach top speed
* Heavy and large; equipping it impacts flight performance
*Fire and forget capability means you cannot stop it if it accidentally locks on to a friendly aircraft
* May lose track right after the launch if TWS lock is lost

== History ==

[[File:AIM-54A_first_test_A-3A_NAN11-66.jpg|right|thumb|x200px|A Douglas A-3A Skywarrior equipped with a AWG-9 radar test-fires a Phoenix missile in 1966.]]

===Development===
Development of an American long-range air-to-air missile trace back to 1958, when Hughes was awarded a contract by the United States Air Force for the ''GAR-9'' missile (designated in 1962 as the ''AIM-47''). The GAR-9 which was to have a range of 160 km (100 mi) and a 45 kg (100 lb) warhead. Due to the long distances required, the missile was given an active radar seeker in order to attack their target. The US Navy, seeking a fleet-defense weapon since the late 1950s, took interest in the GAR-9 design as a potential candidate and contracted Hughes in 1962 to develop a new long-range air-to-air missile, designated ''AAM-N-11'', for their fleet interceptor. AAM-N-11 would be later designated in June 1963 as the '''AIM-54A ''Phoenix'''''.<ref name="AirVector">Goebel 2021</ref>

Compared to the preceding AIM-47, Hughes' AIM-54 featured an AN/DSQ-26 semi-active radar homing seeker for cruising while receiving updates on the target position. The missile switches over to active radar homing for the terminal attack around 18 km (~11 mi) from the interception point. The AIM-54 featured a Rocketdyne Mk47 or Aerojet Mk60 rocket motor that helped propelled the missile more than Mach 4. The missile maintain the range specification of 160 km and was to be able to attack both aircraft and cruise missiles. The warhead is a 60 kg (132 lb) MK 82 blast-fragmentation warhead that was trigger by a fuse system consisting of radar proximity, IR proximity, and an impact fuse.<ref name="DS_Phoenix">Parsch 2004</ref>
[[File:YAIM-54A Phoenix missile with F-14A Tomcat in 1973.jpg|left|thumb|x200px|A YAIM-54A being evaluated with a F-14 in 1973.]]

Flight tests of the prototype (''XAIM-54A'') started in 1965, with the first interception tests taking place on 08 September 1966 at the Navy Pacific Missile Range, fired from a Douglas A-3A Skywarrior.<ref name="USN">Naval Air Systems Command 2017</ref> The aircraft platform for the AIM-54 Phoenix was originally the F-111B, an aircraft intended to have commonality with the US Air Force's F-111 ''Aardvark'', but the F-111B was cancelled in 1968. The US Navy set to work building a new fleet-defense fighter to their specifications on 03 February 1969, which produced the [[F-14A Early|F-14A ''Tomcat'']]. The F-14A can carry six AIM-54 missiles linked with its AN/AWG-9 radar, allowing the aircraft to fire all six AIM-54 missiles simultaneously at separate targets.<ref name="AirVector" />
[[File:F-14 VF-111 launching Phoenix 1991.jpg|right|thumb|x200px|A F-14A from VF-111 launching a AIM-54C Phoenix missile.]]

Hughes received a production contract for the AIM-54 missile in December 1970 as more tests with the missiles continue to show its capabilities. During November 1973, the missile passes its technical evaluation and is slated to be ready for deployment with the F-14A. The F-14A's capability with the AIM-54 was shown during an exercise on 21 November 1973, where a F-14A fired six AIM-54 missiles within 38 seconds towards six different targets up to 50 miles (~80.5 km) away, with four missiles hitting their targets. The missile was officially adopted into the US Navy service the same year and ready to be operationally deployed with the F-14A in November 1974. At the time, the missile costed $477,131 USD, which is roughly $3 million USD in 2022 adjusted for inflation.<ref name="USN" />

Other variants of the AIM-54A developed, primarily for training purposes, were the ''ATM-54A'' with an inert warhead for firing exercises, the ''CATM-54A'' as a non-launching missile for target acquisition practice, the ''DATM-54A'' for ground-handling training, and the ''AEM-54A'' that contained telemetry electronics for test and evaluation purposes.<ref name="DS_Phoenix" />

The AIM-54A would continue production until 18 November 1980 with a total of 2,505 units as it was replaced by the improved ''AIM-54C Phoenix'' missile.<ref name="USN" />

===Iranian service===
The AIM-54A Phoenix would never be used in combat in F-14As piloted by American crew. Instead, most of the AIM-54A aerial victories were scored by the nation Iran.

Iran, under the Shah, made a signed contract in January 1974 for 30 F-14A ''Tomcats'' and includes 424 AIM-54As, with another 50 F-14As and 290 AIM-54A missiles in June the same year. However, only 274 Phoenixes and 10 training missiles would be delivered prior to the Iranian Revolution.<ref name="TC_F14IranIntro">Cooper and Bishop 2004, 13-14, 27</ref>
[[File:Iran_F-14_Tomcats_missle_assortment.jpg|left|thumb|x200px|Two Iranian F-14As flying, with the right F-14 holding four AIM-54A in its center pylons and the left F-14 holding one AIM-54A on the left outboard pylon.]]

The new Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) would use the procured F-14A and AIM-54A Phoenix missiles in the Iran-Iraq War that launched in 1980. The first air victory credited to the AIM-54A Phoenix occurred on 13 September 1980 when a patrolling Iranian F-14A of 81st Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) from Tactical Fighter Base 8 (TFB 8) shot down a [[MiG-23M|MIG-23MS]].<ref name="TC_F14IranWar">Cooper and Bishop 2004, 38</ref> On 07 January 1981, two Iranian F-14A from TFB 8 spotted four [[MiG-23BN_(Germany)|MiG-23BN]] flying in a tight formation and launched a AIM-54A from a distance of 50 km. The missile detonated on the lead MiG, but the explosion, debris, and tight formation the MiGs were flying in led to two other MiG-23s crashing. This is currently the only known case of a single anti-aircraft missile downing three aircraft.<ref name="TC_F14Iran3">Cooper and Bishop 2004, 68</ref>

The IRIAF continued to use the AIM-54A Phoenixes throughout the Iran-Iraq War, even as the stocks of Phoenix missiles began to ran dry due to usage and inability to maintain AIM-54s due to the exigency of war and the lack of spare parts such as thermal batteries. The Iranians received spare parts and service-life extension kits known as Phase 1M54ALE for the AIM-54 Phoenixes as part of the Iran-Contra affair, but the stocks of AIM-54 fell below 50 working missiles by November 1987.<ref name="TC_F14Mainteannce">Cooper and Bishop 2004, 125, 156</ref> By the time a ceasefire is held on 07 July 1988 to begin ending the Iran-Iraq War, the IRIAF was credited with 62 victories with the use of AIM-54 Phoenixes.<ref name="CSBA">Stillion 2015, 22</ref>

With the US retirement of the AIM-54 on 30 September 2004, the IRIAF remains the only user of the AIM-54 Phoenix missiles.<ref name="DS_Phoenix" /> In an attempt to supplement their dwindling quantity of AIM-54, Iran developed a domestic production version of the missile, the ''Fakour-90'', which was unveiled in 2013. The Fakour-90 is suspected to be derived from reverse-engineering the US MIM-23 Hawk surface-to-air missile.<ref name="Fakour">Cenciotti 2013</ref>

== Media ==

''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the article about the variant of the weapon;''
* ''references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


===References===

;Citations:
<references />

;Bibliography:

* Cencioti, David. 2013. "Iranian F-14 Tomcat’s “new” indigenous air-to-air missile is actually an (improved?) AIM-54 Phoenix replica." Last modified September 26, 2013. [https://theaviationist.com/2013/09/26/farouk-missile/ Website] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20220724200115/https://theaviationist.com/2013/09/26/farouk-missile/ Archive]).
* Cooper, Tom and Farzad Bishop. 2004. ''Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units In Combat.'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing. Kindle.
* Goebel, Greg. 2021. "[1.0] Falcon & Sidewinder." Air Vectors. Last modified July 01, 2021. [http://www.airvectors.net/avusaam_1.html Website] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20220107173258/http://www.airvectors.net/avusaam_1.html Archive]).
* Naval Air Systems Command. 2017. "AIM-54 Phoenix Missile." United States Navy. Last modified March 10, 2017. [https://www.navy.mil/DesktopModules/ArticleCS/Print.aspx?PortalId=1&ModuleId=724&Article=2168381 Website] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20220722043513/https://www.navy.mil/DesktopModules/ArticleCS/Print.aspx?PortalId=1&ModuleId=724&Article=2168381 Archive]).
* Parsch, Andreas. 2004. "AIM-54." Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles. Last modified October 08, 2004. [https://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-54.html Website] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20220722043903/https://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-54.html Archive])
* Stillion, John. 2015. ''Trends in Air-to-Air Combat: Implications for Future Air Superiority.'' Washington, DC: Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. CSBA Online.

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

A-6E TRAM

2023-01-07T02:54:40Z

U97916902: /* Offensive armament */ added armament presets and added more to pros and cons

{{Specs-Card
|code=a_6e_tram
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|StoreImage_{{PAGENAME}}_002.png}}
|store=11805
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 12,300 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,063 || 1,055 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 48.0 || 49.0 || 58.3 || 44.0 || rowspan="2" | 1,100
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,322  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 555 || 510 || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="6" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney J52-P-8As || 2
| colspan="3" | 12,647 kg || colspan="3" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 17m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 57m fuel
|-
| 654 kg || colspan="2" | Axial-flow turbojet
| 14,816 kg || 15,164 kg || 16,422 kg || 18,309 kg || 19,876 kg || 26,602 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 17m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 57m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 3,796 kgf || N/A
| 0.51 || 0.50 || 0.46 || 0.41 || 0.38 || 0.29
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 3,796 kgf (0 km/h) || N/A
| 0.51 || 0.50 || 0.46 || 0.41 || 0.38 || 0.29
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** Without offensive armament
** 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

The '''''A-6E TRAM''''' can be outfitted with the following ordinance presets:

* 6x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs, 2x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles, 2x 957 kg GBU-10 Paveway II guided bombs
* 4x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 4x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 28x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
* 13x 1,009 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
* 5x 957 kg GBU-10 Paveway II guided bombs
* 5x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
* 28x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs
* 9x 277 kg GBU-12 Paveway II guided bombs
* 5x 1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II guided bombs
* 10x Mk 77 mod 4 incendiary bombs
* 40x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 190x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 4x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannons
* Countermeasures x960

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very large air-to-ground payloads, with many choices for suspended weaponry
* Currently has the largest payload of guided bombs in the game with a maximum load out of 9x GBU-12 Paveway IIs
* Access to excellent AIM-9L all-aspect air-to-air missiles
* Decent flight characteristics when lightly loaded makes it viable in dogfights
* Built-in TRAM turret provides FLIR and laser-targeting capabilities

'''Cons:'''

* No internal gun; taking gun pods or air-to-air missiles for self-defense reduces payload amount
* Loses speed very quickly in turns
* Gunpods have poor accuracy and are wing-mounted (convergence issue)
* TRAM turret cannot look fully backwards
* Relatively low top speed, acceleration and climb rate, especially when carrying heavy payloads

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==

''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7984-development-aircraft-rank-viii-announce-and-pre-order-of-the-a-6e-tram-intruder-en|[Devblog] Aircraft Rank VIII announce and pre-order of the A-6E TRAM Intruder]]

{{AirManufacturer Grumman}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}
{{USA premium aircraft}}

F-14A Early

2023-01-06T02:46:02Z

U97916902: /* Suspended armament */

{{Specs-Card
|code=f_14a_early
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Danger Zone"]]. One of the most iconic US naval fighter jets of the Cold War era, the F-14A was developed as the US Navy's fleet-defense fighter jet to protect their carrier groups over a vast swath of ocean. First deployed in the 1970s, the F-14A wields the advanced AN/AWG-9 radar and up to eight missiles, including the iconic [[AIM-54A Phoenix|Phoenix missile,]] to locate and target bandits at long range.

In the game, these characteristics allow the F-14A to engage enemy air targets at far greater distances than most enemy aircraft can, allowing the F-14A to take the initiative and achieve air superiority by firing first. At long range, Phoenix missiles force enemy fighters to actively monitor the sky even when they cannot yet see or detect the F-14A. While Phoenix missiles may prove too sluggish to target enemy fighters at high-speed merges, its [[AIM-7F Sparrow|Sparrows]] can engage manoeuvring targets at short and medium ranges before engaging at closer ranges with [[AIM-9H Sidewinder|Sidewinders]] and M61 cannon fire.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The F-14A might be seen underpowered compared to other aircraft, primarily the F-4J Phantom II and other Phantom variants such as the Phantom FG.1. While it is true that the engines are not as powerful, the F-14A is far superior in terms of top speed and energy management. However, insufficient power can be noticed when zoom climbing or when turning at low speed, and regaining the speed back can take a while. The engines also consume tremendous amounts of fuel: while the F-14A can stay in the air for at least one hour with full fuel tanks, at full afterburner (WEP) the jet can fly for only 7 minutes at sea level.

The F-14A is more of a two-circle dogfighter since it keeps speed very well in hard turns, but might not have as much nose authority as other planes to win one-circle fights (such as scissors and anything similar when you turn into the opponent's nose). Although it can still beat planes like the MiG-23MLD in the instantaneous turn-rate performance, delta-wing fighters like the J35 or MiG-21 could have the advantage during the first seconds of the fight. Like other planes with variable wing geometry, the F-14A reaches its most efficient turn rate performance when wings are swept fully forward (set to 0%) and that can be achieved only by using the manual wing sweep controls. Since it is semi-automatic, the wing will automatically change its position after reaching around ~800 km/h IAS.

The most optimal turning speed is around 900 km/h IAS at sea level (it reaches the highest sustained turn rate there), but the best is actually between 700 and 830 km/h IAS since any faster, and it becomes impossible to maintain the turn without the crew blacking out. At such speeds, the F-14A in a clean configuration with 30 minutes of fuel can reach up to 23 deg/s of sustained turn rate, which is better than any MiG-23, Su-17, or even other more manoeuvrable fighters like the MiG-19. Both the sustained and instantaneous turn rate can be improved by using combat flaps, which can function at speeds up to 850 km/h IAS.

Thanks to the variable wing sweep, the F-14A is able to move its center of mass and thus increase or decrease its roll rate. High sweep allows higher speeds at reduced roll rate and vice versa. Low sweep increases roll rate and energy retention at subsonic speeds.

To get the most of its turn rate performance in Simulator Battles, you should always try to use the manual SAS (Stability Augmentation System) mode. The damping mode severely limits its nose authority, and it is harder to win fights against planes like the MiG-21 or other delta-wing fighters. In general, combat flaps should always be used when you are about to merge with the enemy plane, as they not only increase the sustained turn rate but also improves nose authority. In turn, it becomes easier to get lead on the enemy plane and to control the plane when using manual SAS mode. The player should still be very careful with pulling the stick around 500 km/h IAS. Below that speed, it's very easy to abruptly lose speed, reach the critical AoA, and stall out the plane. Pulling the stick all the way to yourself should be done only when you are going for snap shots. The other downside manual SAS mode is the plane is much more sensitive to controls, especially in pitch. For this reason, it is recommended to use the damping SAS mode during cruising and BVR combat.

While using the manual SAS mode, it is can be easy to stall out the plane when flying below 400 km/h IAS. In this case, after entering the flat spin, the quickest method to recover the plane is to increase the wing sweep angle and then counter the plane rotation with the rudder.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 12,192 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,202 || 2,191 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.4 || 25.1 || 178.4 || 170.5 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,245 || 2,221 || 23.6 || 24.0 || 231.6 || 203.8
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 1,359 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || rowspan="2" | 1,200 || rowspan="2" | 873 || rowspan="2" | 416 || ~10 || ~5
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,555 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 1,200 || < 850 || < 1,800 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="7" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="4" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-412A || 2
| colspan="3" | 18,545 kg || colspan="4" | 493 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 18m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 62m fuel
|-
| 1,802 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 20,750 kg || 20,905 kg || 22,085 kg || 23,855 kg || 25,895 kg || 30,935 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 18m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 62m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 4,860 kgf || 8,019 kgf
| 0.77 || 0.77 || 0.73 || 0.67 || 0.62 || 0.52
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,808 kgf (1,555 km/h) || 12,692 kgf (1,555 km/h)
| 1.22 || 1.21 || 1.15 || 1.06 || 0.98 || 0.82
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The F-14A holds 60 countermeasures, which is a decent number of chaff and flares that can let the Tomcat survive multiple missiles. Due to its massive engines, the IR signature of the aircraft is not an easy thing to conceal when fighting heat-seeking missiles. As with other jets around its battle rating, flares alone are not enough. To defeat an IR-guided missile (heat-seeker), turn off afterburner and reduce throttle to at least 80-85% while dumping flares and turning away from the missile. This is to ensure that an IR-guided missile will track the flares and not the engines. Due to the massive size compared to other aircraft, the chances of a successful hit from enemies, both missile and cannon, are higher compared to other aircraft, such as the AV-8 or F-5. This should be taken into consideration as proximity fuses will trigger with more ease as the wingspan of the Tomcat is considerably larger than most jets seen in game.

Fuel tanks are housed flatly in both the fuselage and wings. The F-14A will easily catch fire from enemy rounds from above and below the plane. Thankfully, the fuel tanks are well-separated compared to other fighters like the F-4 family, so damage to one part of the plane may not necessarily compromise the whole plane. However, fires will rapidly destroy traction of control surfaces, so they must be immediately extinguished. As long as some control surfaces are usable, the F-14A can survive critical damage (such as losing a wing) and return to base. Its multiple fuel tanks help isolate fuel fires especially on the wings, and the plane can fly on one engine.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, cheek-mounted (676 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP}}
{{main|AIM-7E-2 Sparrow|AIM-7F Sparrow|AIM-54A Phoenix}}
{{main|AIM-9D Sidewinder|AIM-9G Sidewinder|AIM-9H Sidewinder}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles
* 5 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
* 14 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (3,500 lb total)
* 14 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (7,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 16 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets

The F-14A is the first aircraft in game to have access to Active Radar Homing missiles with internal navigation. While it is mostly used for air defense and anti-air duties, it holds decent ground pounding abilities that are nothing new to American pilots. The F-14A has access to a wide variety of weapon selections due to having 'Custom Loadouts' feature. Depending on the needs of the pilot, one can carry different loadouts for different needs. Some may prefer the use of the AIM-7F over the AIM-54 due to the fast acceleration and good performance in short-medium ranges. A recommended loadout to carry is the following: x4 AIM-54A, x2 AIM-7F, x2 AIM-9 (on preference). It holds the power to fight at all ranges, being able to launch AIM-54A at unaware targets and then engage other with Sparrows, later to dogfight at close ranges with Sidewinders.

The F-14A comes with three options for missiles: shorter-ranged AIM-9H Sidewinders, medium-ranged AIM-7F Sparrows, and long-range AIM-54A Phoenixes.

The '''AIM-9H Sidewinder''' is very similar to the previous AIM-9G — having good range but below average manoeuvrability. Its seeker can also be slaved to a radar lock or TWS soft lock. With only 18G maximum overload, the AIM-9H should not be used in high-aspect or hard-turning shots at close ranges. Instead, the AIM-9H's good range should be used to catch enemies off guard. A good way to utilize this range is to position yourself over the battlefield and dive down on enemies. Your dive speed combined with gravity will increase the speed and range of your missiles, and your unexpected direction will see that many enemies will not notice the missile until they have been destroyed by it.

The '''AIM-7F Sparrow''' is a medium-range, SARH (Semi-Active Radar Homing) missile. Pilots of the F-14A are probably familiar with the AIM-7F from the previous F-4J. The AIM-7F is one of the best radar-guided missiles in the game. It has good 25G manoeuvrability, and a very long motor burn time gives it long range and sustained manoeuvrability (whereas other missiles will stop producing thrust and lose speed in manoeuvres, the long burn time of the AIM-7F sustains its speed and manoeuvrability for a long time). This should be the F-14A's go-to missile; it can be launched from all aspects and is difficult to dodge without the correct defensive manoeuvres. The AIM-7F can be launched from longer ranges to utilize its long burn time and the F-14A's good radar. Pay attention to your Radar Warning Receiver; if the enemy you are radar locking is also radar locking you, it is likely that they are about to or already have launched a radar-guided missile at you. In this case, do not fly straight; you are going to be hit first. Launch your missile, then crank to one side. To crank means to turn to one side as far as possible without losing radar lock. This makes the enemy's missile travel further at higher angles and thus decreases the chance it will hit you during defensive manoeuvres. If you have Sparrows to spare and an enemy is approaching head-on, you can launch Sparrows in succession (2-3 seconds between launches) to increase your probability of a kill. An enemy can avoid one missile with manoeuvres, but will have bled speed and will have a more difficult time avoiding further missiles.

The '''AIM-54A Phoenix''' is a long-range, ARH (Active Radar Homing) missile, and is only found on the F-14 (both in-game and in real life). The AIM-54A is a unique missile with unique capabilities. It has an extremely long burn time and thus an extremely long range, as well as a rather large proximity fuse and a large amount of explosive (doesn't have to be as close as other missiles to enemies to explode and cause critical damage). However, its more interesting features come in the form of its behaviour. First, it's an active radar homing missile, meaning it has a small internal radar which at closer ranges it can use to automatically search for, track and guide itself to targets without any input from the parent (the F-14's) radar. Second, it can be guided via the parent (F-14's) radar, but if it loses lock, the missile will fly straight for a while and use the aforementioned internal radar to search for enemies to home in towards. Third, the AIM-54 does not need a true radar lock to be launched; when the F-14's radar is in TWS (Track While Scan) mode, you can simply hover the radar cursor over a radar contact to launch the AIM-54. This also means you can launch more than one Phoenix at a time by hovering over a target, launching, and then hovering over another target to launch another Phoenix.

It is important to know that despite these seemingly impressive features, the AIM-54 is not an all-powerful missile and has its downsides; there are many scenarios where it is advisable not to use them. First, some F-14A players may feel tempted to take six AIM-54s, take off, and then launch at six enemy targets very far away. There is a very high chance none will hit; at such a long-range, and with player behaviour at the start of a match, it is very likely that the missiles will be inadvertently notched, or the missiles will get distracted by enemy and/or friendly AI bots. In addition, the AIM-54A only has 16G overload — less than an AIM-9H — and with its very long burn time, it is easily seen and dodged by enemies. It is more worth it to save your missiles for a better firing window. Second, the missile should not be used at closer ranges (< 5 km). In addition to having low manoeuvrability, the AIM-54 has a very, very slow acceleration, and it highly likely won't be able to follow the defensive manoeuvres of such a close enemy. For this case, Sparrows are a much better option. Third, the AIM-54 should not be launched in the direction of friendly aircraft. The AIM-54 and its internal radar will go for the first target it sees, regardless if it is friend or foe. And fourth and finally, the AIM-54 is the heaviest air-to-air missile in the game, and they impact aircraft performance significantly. To make use of the AIM-54's advantages, it is advisable to use them at higher altitudes (> 5 km) and at long ranges. The AIM-54 will have time to accelerate to its target, and due to the low air density at high altitudes enemy aircraft will have a harder time evading the missile (even if it is just 16G). Because the AIM-54 can home in on enemies on its own, you can completely turn away from the enemy after launching to avoid enemy missiles.

Each of these missiles has its strengths and weaknesses. A mix between long-range weapons and short-range weapons must be used at the pilot's discretion. A maximum of six of a mix of Sparrows or Phoenixes can be taken, two Sidewinders can be carried on the side, and pilots can choose to substitute up to two Sparrows or Phoenixes for Sidewinders. At the very least one or two sparrows should be taken as they are useful in lots of different engagements at most altitudes. For high altitude engagements, a small number of Phoenixes (1-3) can be taken. Phoenixes are especially useful for enduring confrontation (operation) air battles, where air combat is prevalent at higher altitudes where the Phoenix will truly shine.

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="12" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs
| || || 8* || 6 || ||
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| || || 8* || 6 || ||
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| || || 2* || 2 || ||
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| || || 2*† || 2 || ||
|-
! Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
| || 8 || || || 8 ||
|-
! AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1, 2* || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
| || 1 || 2* || 2† || 1 ||
|-
| colspan="9" | * Use of dual Sparrow missiles on hardpoint 4 prevents use of the marked options on hardpoint 3 † The AIM-54A Phoenix missiles on hardpoint 4 cannot be carried in conjunction with 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs on hardpoint 3
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Boasting a high top speed, excellent turning characteristics, a large number of excellent missiles, and a powerful radar, the F-14A (Early) Tomcat is a potent air superiority fighter and should be used as such.

'''Flying the F-14A'''

Despite being a very large aircraft, the F-14A Tomcat's manoeuvrability and energy retention are excellent. With the wings swept out, it's among the best rate fighters in the game, and has excellent instantaneous turn rate. This allows the F-14A to out-dogfight most aircraft in-game. For planes with poor energy retention such as F-4s, MiG-21s, J35s, and JA37s, you can use the F-14's excellent turn rate to enter a prolonged two-circle fight, where the F-14's superior energy retention will drain the energy of these delta-winged fighters. The optimal rate speed of the F-14A is around 750 km/h, though 600 km/h will still allow you to out-rate fighters with poor energy retention. For planes with better energy retention such as F-8s and MiG-23s, you can use F-14A's excellent instantaneous turn rate to force a one-circle fight. It should be noted that when dogfighting in the F-14A, it is critical to always sweep your wings forward to 0% wing sweep. At this wing sweep, you will obtain the optimal energy retention and turn characteristics of the F-14A. Therefore, it is highly recommended to set key binds for manually changing the sweep angle and switching between auto to manual wing sweep. Keep in mind that, although the F-14A has excellent dogfighting characteristics, it is still a very large aircraft with extremely hot engines. Due to this, it is advised to avoid turn-fighting in the Tomcat unless absolutely necessary because, as with all other top-tier jets, doing so will bleed your speed and make you an easy target for enemy aircraft.

The F-14A with its TF30 engines were historically underpowered, and this shows in-game: while the F-14A has a great top speed with the wings swept back, the acceleration and climb rate is below average. Faster planes such as MiG-23s, Mirage 2000s, F-16s, and MiG-29s will easily out-accelerate you. Even F-4s will accelerate faster at lower speeds. Due to this, it is advisable to keep your speed up in the F-14. Due to this vertical dogfights are generally not advisable, especially with faster accelerating and climbing opponents such as MiG-23s, MiG-29s and F-16s. In addition, the acceleration is another reason to be careful when engaging in dogfights, as you will have difficulty out-accelerating your opponents should you need to exit.

'''Wing Sweep'''

The F-14A has a variable sweep wing, which means the wings can change angle during flight to obtain the desirable flight characteristics. As discussed before, when the wings are swept forward (0%), the F-14A obtains high energy retention and excellent instantaneous and sustained turn rate. However, the wings being swept forwards limits the Tomcat's top speed, and therefore should only be used at lower speeds, when dogfighting, or takeoff/landing (especially with carriers). On the other hand, the wings being swept back allows the F-14A to reach its top speed, but at lower speeds, loss of lift greatly reduces manoeuvrability. Generally, pilots can keep the wing sweep mode set to automatic (AUTO); this will automatically sweep the wings without player input based on how fast or slow the Tomcat is going. However, when dogfighting, you will want to switch the sweep mode to manual, and use selected key binds to manually sweep the wing forward to obtain optimal manoeuvrability.

'''Fuel Consumption and Engine Heat'''

It should be noted that the F-14A burns up fuel very fast when on afterburner. This should be taken into consideration as one can burn up all the fuel without realizing until it is too late. Due to this, it is advisable to take at the very least 30 minutes of fuel. You can use the mouse scroll wheel to save a lot more fuel by using the first-stage afterburner, which gives a significant power boost from 100% throttle but a little less power than full afterburner. On minimum fuel (18 minutes) the full afterburner can only last about 2 minutes and 30 seconds, but the afterburner (first-stage) can last you 8 minutes.

Something to be aware of when playing the F-14A is the insane heat of its engines. At high throttle and afterburner, its engines emit an unparalleled amount of heat at around 2,100 °F (1,150 °C). For reference, that is around 66% hotter than the F-4J's engines, which is around 1,239 °F (671 °C) at 100% throttle and 1,256 °F (680 °C) during full afterburner. During gameplay, this means that in the F-14A simply just turning off the afterburner and deploying flares may not be enough to avoid an incoming IR missile. You will also have to throttle down the engine significantly (at least 80-85%) to make sure that an incoming IR missile goes for the flare. This is especially true for more flare-resistant IR missiles such as the [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] and [[Matra R550 Magic 2|Magic 2]], which may need substantial throttling down to flare off. Keep in mind that throttling down means that you will lose a decent amount of speed in the process, so be prepared.

'''Radar and Radar Modes'''

The AN/AWG-9 radar set carried by the F-14A is an extremely potent radar, especially for long-range missile combat. It has great range (a maximum of 185 km tracking and 370 km detecting). For most normal air RB maps, a 37km display range should suffice, while 93 km should be enough for most enduring confrontation air RB maps. A radar lock is necessary to guide Sparrows, while either radar lock or soft lock (selecting targets in TWS) will suffice for a Phoenix launch. The radar has four different modes which have different purposes, capabilities and usages:

* '''SRC PD HDN''' (Surveillance Radar Computer, Pulse-Doppler, Head-On): Users of the F-14 are likely at least somewhat aware of what a pulse-Doppler radar is from usage of the previous F-4J. This is a pulse-Doppler mode, meaning it measures an aircraft's Doppler shift (difference in velocity compared to surroundings) in order to "see" targets. Due to the nature of the detection method, this pulse-Doppler mode is most ideal for targets close to the ground, as well as in head-on situations (as the name suggests). However, this pulse-Doppler mode has a weakness: it can be [[Airborne_radars#Notching_a_Pulse-Doppler_radar|notched]]; pulse-Doppler measures the target aircraft's velocity change compared to surroundings, so if a target flies perpendicular to the radar (not moving closer or further compared to the surroundings), the radar will not observe a change in velocity and therefore cannot see the aircraft. F-14A pilots must be aware of how the notch works; if an enemy radar is locking you at low altitude, they are likely using a pulse-Doppler mode, and thus notching becomes a defensive option to break radar lock. Provided the target is not at very low altitudes, an enemy notching your pulse-Doppler radar can be countered by switching the radar mode to SRC. Another weakness to be aware of is that pulse-Doppler modes generally have trouble detecting and locking targets travelling away from the radar. In conclusion, the pulse-Doppler mode is good for tracking targets at very low altitudes, but is vulnerable to notching and has difficulty finding targets moving away.
* '''SRC''' (Surveillance Radar Computer): This is the standard radar mode. It is not a pulse-Doppler mode and therefore does not have its weaknesses; it cannot be notched like pulse-Doppler can, and has an easier time tracking targets moving away. Therefore, if an enemy is attempting to notch your pulse-Doppler mode, you can switch the radar lock from a pulse-Doppler one to standard SRC. However, due to the radar return from ground clutter, it has great trouble locking targets at very low altitude, though it can still lock higher targets. It's worth noting that the SRC mode on the AN/AWG-9 is more resistant to ground clutter than previous radars; while you still cannot detect or lock a target very close to the ground, it can sometimes detect targets as little as 1 km from the ground. In conclusion, SRC is generally more reliable at finding and tracking targets than pulse-Doppler mode, but cannot see targets at very low altitudes like pulse-Doppler can.
* '''TWS HDN''' (Track While Scan, Head-On): This mode allows targets to be detected and "tracked" simultaneously. By hovering your radar cursor over detected targets, you can "soft lock" them; their position is marked in third-person view, and their general speed, heading, and height are displayed. With a soft lock, the radar return is not strong enough to trigger the RWR, so enemies will not know you are soft locking them. AIM-54A Phoenixes can be launched via a soft lock, and after launching a Phoenix, you can hover over another enemy to launch another Phoenix. Using onboard electronics, the Phoenixes will guide themselves to the target after this. In addition, AIM-9G/H Sidewinders can be slaved to the soft lock. However, for a Sparrow launch, you will need to "hard lock" the target. This can be done simply by locking the target the cursor is hovering over (as with other radar modes). In addition, track while scan uses pulse-Doppler, so it can detect targets close to the ground as well. Unfortunately, this also means it has the same weaknesses as pulse-Doppler mode (vulnerable to notching or targets flying away). The capabilities of the track while scan mode are potent and allows pilots great situational awareness, and therefore should generally be your go-to radar mode, only switching to SRC to overcome pulse-Doppler's weaknesses.
* '''SRC PDV HDN''' (Surveillance Radar Computer, Pulse-Doppler Velocity, Head-On): This radar mode is very similar to pulse-Doppler, but instead displays the velocity of the aircraft on the radar screen rather than the range. This is the only radar mode on the AN/AWG-9 which does not utilize IFF (Identification Friend or Foe), so in simulator mode, be careful.
* The AN/AWG-9 has two acquisition modes, ACM PD HDN and ACQ, and two track modes, TRK PD HDN and TRK.
** SRC PD HDN, TWS HDN and SRC PDV HDN radar modes all use '''ACM PD HDN''' (Air Combat Maneuvering, Pulse-Doppler, Head-On) as the acquisition mode, and '''TRK PD HDN''' (Track, Pulse-Doppler, Head-On) as the lock mode. These are pulse-Doppler search and lock methods, and as such have the same strengths and weaknesses.
** SRC uses '''ACQ''' and '''TRK''' as acquisition and lock modes, respectively, which are the non pulse-Doppler counterparts to ACM PD HDN and TRK PD HDN.
** When in these acquisition modes, you can press your keybind for “Change Radar/IRST Search Mode” to change the scope of the acquisition search area. Clicking it once changes it from a square to a vertically long rectangle, clicking it twice moves this rectangle to an upper position (to lock enemies above you), and clicking it a third time changes it back to a square.
** A nice feature of the F-14's radar is that, if you have a target radar locked, you can switch between pulse-Doppler and normal SRC tracking without breaking lock (most other radars will require the lock to be broken before switching radar mode to reattempt a lock). This allows you to quickly and easily switch to TRK (SRC) if the target is notching, or switch to TRK PD HDN (Pulse-Doppler) if the target is going close to the ground.

'''Realistic Battles'''

In realistic battles, the F-14A is a powerful air superiority fighter. With a maximum of six long-range AIM-7F or AIM-54A missiles and a powerful radar, it is arguably the best BVR (Beyond Visual Range) fighter in the game. Due to this, it is advisable to exploit this advantage. In air realistic battles, players can side climb to high altitudes (>5 km) and search for targets to engage with the long-range Sparrows or Phoenixes. Once higher altitude is swept of enemy fighters, pilots can dive down on lower altitude enemies and use the energy advantage to obtain missile kills from an unexpected angle. If necessary, the Tomcat's excellent manoeuvrability can be used to dogfight enemy aircraft.

In ground realistic battles, the F-14A can use its long-range missiles to clear the sky of enemy strike aircraft. With its excellent Sparrow and Phoenix missiles, the F-14A will be especially potent at destroying enemy strike aircraft at high altitudes who are using guided munitions to attack your team outside of SAM range. While the F-14A gets access to some variety of air-to-ground bombs and rockets, these are all unguided and thus are very risky to use in the presence of SAMs. Therefore, unless a ground strike is absolutely necessary, a Tomcat is much better off in the air-to-air role guarding the skies.

'''Enemies Worth Noting'''

* '''F-16A:''' These planes have excellent acceleration and decent top speed. In addition, they have AIM-9Ls, which can sometimes be difficult to flare with the F-14’s two very hot engines, as well as AIM-7Ms (except the “normal” US F-16A and Israeli Netz”), which can give competition to the F-14’s AIM-7Fs. In a dogfight, the F-16 can and will compete with the F-14 with it’s excellent maneuverability, but a weakness is it’s G-limiter which effectively bricks the F-16 at high speeds. This can be exploited in a merge with an F-16, where pulling hard into the F-16 will let you park yourself on his tail. The F-16’s excellent acceleration in contrast with the F-14’s poor acceleration makes it ill-advised to engage in a vertical dogfight with the F-16.
* '''MiG-29''': The MiG-29 has excellent acceleration and top speed. Though it’s R-60Ms are a far cry from the F-16’s AIM-9Ls, it does possess the extremely dangerous R-27ER long range SARH missile. These missiles are faster accelerating and more maneuverable than the F-14’s AIM-7Fs while having the same listed maximum range of 100km. However, the MiG-29 can only carry two of them. They can be outranged by your AIM-54s, but at closer ranges, even a single missile can mean death for you so you will have to use missile jousting strategies to beat the R-27ER with your AIM-7Fs. In a dogfight, it’s mostly the same story as with the F-16: the MiG-29 has excellent maneuverability, and while the F-14 can certainly keep up, vertical dogfights should be avoided due to the stark difference in acceleration between the MiG-29 and F-14A.
* '''Mirage 2000C:''' Mirage 2000s have excellent acceleration and top speed, as well as powerful missiles. Like AIM-9Ls, the Magic 2 can be difficult to flare, and the Super 530D is comparable to the AIM-7F. In a dogfight, the Mirage 2000 has excellent instantaneous turn rate, but due to it’s delta wing design bleeds speed quickly; in this case the F-14A’s excellent rate speed should be used to drain the Mirage 2000 of energy and outrate it.
* '''F-4J, F-4EJ Kai:''' These Phantoms can very easily be beaten in a dogfight by the F-14A, but beware of powerful AIM-7Fs, and in the case of the EJ Kai, AIM-9Ls.
* '''MiG-23ML/MLA/MLD:''' These MiG-23s boast good R-24s which can compete with the AIM-7F, as well as dangerous R-24Ts which can lock on to the F-14’s hot heat signature and stealthily destroy it. Good situational awareness is key to defeating these missiles. In a dogfight, MiG-23s have a very good rate speed which can keep up with the F-14. However, their instantaneous turn rate is poor, so a one circle or scissors can be used with the F-14A to easily gain an advantage over MiG-23s.
* '''F-5E:''' F-5s have a surprisingly excellent turn rate that can rival even the F-14A. However, it has slow acceleration, it’s guns are mediocre and it has very limited missiles. Therefore, the vertical can be used on the F-5 to stall them out and gain the advantage.

'''Simulator Battles - Enduring Confrontation'''

Before you take the F-14A to battle you need to figure out what weapons you want to use. All the available IR missiles have almost identical turn performance, the range is almost the same too. The D version cannot be slaved to the locked target, the G can be and the H works exactly like the G, but has a higher tracking rate. Taking at least two of them is highly recommended since they almost do not affect the flight performance.

There are also two options for radar-guided missiles. The AIM-7F works very well at close and medium ranges (3-20 km) and can hit a target which is pulling lots of G. They are harder to dodge in Simulator Battles, though you need to keep your lock all the time. The AIM-54A is an active radar-guided missile, it does not require the radar lock when it is launched 16 km from the target (or when it gets that close, then you can break your lock), but it can pull only up to 16G which is quite easy to dodge, both these missiles can also be avoided by just simply notching when the F-14 uses the pulse-Doppler radar mode.

A few loadout recommendations:

* 4x AIM-9H + 4x AIM-7F - Works very well in almost any scenario, and does not affect the flight performance that much.
* 4x AIM-9H + 4x AIM-54A or 2x AIM-9H + 6x AIM-54A - Makes the plane turn a lot worse, in most cases will not work against fighters which know how to deal with radar-guided missiles, this loadout is useful mainly against planes that attack the bombing bases or airfields only, so for example Su-7s loaded with bombs etc. (farmers). It is not recommended to use it in normal EC battles.
* 4x AIM-9H + 2x AIM-54A + 2x AIM-7F

To make full use of the F-14A's manoeuvrability it is best to buy the expert crew and the ace crew if it is possible, since the plane pulls around 8G at 750 km/h IAS in a sustained turn and that increases even further when the player decided to pull it even more, though you need to keep in mind that the G limit is ~11G.

'''Outside the combat''' - As a start, keep in mind that the F-14A really likes to burn fuel a lot when the afterburner is used, at low altitudes it can fly up to 7 minutes with full fuel tanks, so it is recommended to fly either with 45 minutes of fuel (on 64x64 km maps like Ruhr, Port Moresby) or full fuel tanks (128x128 km maps like Vietnam, Denmark). WEP should not be used while cruising and only during combat or while chasing someone, flying with the throttle set to 85-90% should be fine too. There are a few tactics that can be used in the F-14 in SB, but it mostly depends on what map you play. On more open maps like Denmark you can at 1,000-3,000 m alt while looking for targets, though some MiGs can still sneak up to you if you are not paying enough attention to your surroundings, doing so you are mostly vulnerable to attack from below and behind, especially when the enemy has access to all-aspect missiles. The other tactic is just simply hugging the ground, in most cases it is the safest one and should be used on maps with hills and mountains where you can break the enemy's line of sight by flying between them. It is more difficult and requires lots of focus. The player needs to keep looking around all the time to find the target, the radar is less useful in this scenario, though the TWS mode can be helpful on maps like Vietnam to check the enemy plane direction and ambush them while you are flying in areas where it is hard to spot the planes due to the ground colour and many objects like trees. To make cruising easier the damping SAS mode can be used, which limits the angle of attack (AoA) so much that the G limit cannot be reached at any speed, the automatic wing sweep control also can be activated. About the radar modes, the PDV should not really be used since it is the only one which does not have any kind of IFF and it is as good at detecting targets as the normal PD mode. Since the PD radar cannot track targets that are flying perpendicular to your plane switching between modes is very important, even the normal Pulse (SRC) mode can detect targets against the ground up to 15-20 km and even further when it is above the horizon. To be safe from enemy missiles it is best to stay around 20-30 km away from enemy planes.

'''During the combat''' - During the BVR combat when both sides have similar missiles it is important to get to a higher speed before launching it and launch the missile before the enemy does, for now the only plane that can actually start this kind of fight is the Viggen (Sweden is very often on the Russian side), though you can just ignore it and keep notching while getting below the enemy plane (missiles have much lower range at low altitude) and wait until it gets close, the start a dogfight. The AIM-54A can be useful in such scenarios, even when the F-14 will be forced to break away the missile will still be tracking the target, then the enemy will be forced to dodge it and when that happens you can launch another missile to force the enemy into an even more defensive position. When the distance between planes is around 10 km, the radar mode should be switched to either BST or VSL since they offer an instant radar lock after pointing at the targets, locking on manually can sometimes take a few seconds and a few failed attempts. Those two modes can also be used when the player in the F-14A is trying to be sneaky, then when the enemy is not aware of being tracked by TWS mode on maps like Vietnam the F-14 can switch to them when the enemy gets close from the front and then right after that launch the AIM-7F. Overall learning quick switching between radar modes depending on the situation is very important.

Within visual range (up to ~10 km) against opponents in a head-on, it is important to keep launching 1 flare every few seconds, it will reduce the chance of being tracked by the R-23T, R-24T or R-60M, also as soon as the missile launch happens a few more of them should be launched. For this kind of scenario it is best to be equipped with AIM-7F missiles, by using them you can deny the enemy any head-on attempts, by launching it they will be forced to notch it, while the IR missiles in most cases can be dodged by using flares right before the launch, not using WEP before the dogfight starts and it can be done by just flying in a straight line (when the distance between the missile and the F-14 is big enough).
The enemy will not be able to safely reengage until it gets very close (when the AIM-7F becomes less effective, so within 2 km from the target), but at that point the AIM-9H can be used in some cases against afterburning targets trying to notch the PD radar. All of this can lead to the enemy having to dodge the missile and becoming an easy target, you can easily get on their six and shoot them down by using the gun.

When the dogfight happens it is needed to switch the SAS mode to manual, the damping limits the manoeuvrability too much and can put the F-14 in a worse position, especially against the delta wing planes, though using it makes the plane harder to control. The other thing to remember is switching the wing sweep controls to manual, then reducing it to 0% for the best manoeuvrability.
The last thing is using the combat flaps, but overusing them and doing it in the wrong situation can lead to being shot down faster. Before the merge between both planes happens the speed should be around 800 km/h IAS and 900 km/h (450-500 kn IAS), it will make starting a two-circle fight (where the F-14 excels) easier. The combat flaps in the F-14 improve both the sustained and instantaneous turn rate, the only downside is that they work effectively only up to 900 km/h IAS and make reaching speed above that harder. The one-circle fight can be done only with planes like the MiG-23, Su-17/22 or the Japanese Phantoms; against other planes, especially the delta wing planes, it is not very safe, although the F-14 can sometimes pull a very tight turn (takeoff flaps have a speed limit up to 800 km/h and can help with that). Generally, the safest way to win the fight is to keep your speed around 800 km/h IAS in a two-circle fight, there is not a single plane that can win it. There are a few planes which can give a hard time in close-range fights, the MiG-23MLD, J35s, MiG-21bis, J-7E, Chinese F-5E, the player should be very careful while engaging any of these.

'''Basic mistakes''' - Ignoring the IFF and teamkilling are the biggest mistakes happening in SB, it is always important to check if the target is a friendly plane or not (one line - unknown/enemy, two lines - friendly). Also, launching the AIM-54 into a direction with a few friendly planes can end really badly, just like launching any kind of missile into furballs. Ignoring the IFF readouts will lead to being kicked from the session and the team performing worse because they will also need to worry about dodging friendly missiles.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very effective dogfighter at any speed with its variable wing sweep which gives it great energy retention
* Variable swept wings can help plane accelerate fast when swept back and turn better when the wing is less swept
* High top speed (can cap out at 1500 km/h IAS at sea level)
* Lethal M61 Vulcan cannon which has an extremely fast fire rate, great velocity, and great damage
* Can carry up to 8 missiles maximum, with options of AIM-7s, AIM-9s, and [[AIM-54A Phoenix|AIM-54]]<nowiki/>s for versatile use
* The AIM-54 has insane range (100 km max), its rocket booster lasts for a very long time, and it's an Active Radar Homing missile (at closer ranges can automatically guide itself towards enemies using its own radar)
* Multi-mode radar makes it effective in any situation (the TWS mode allows launching AIM-54s at multiple aircraft at once and provides amazing situational awareness)
* The new [[AIM-9H Sidewinder|AIM-9H]] has much better flare resistance than previous AIM-9s (such as the [[AIM-9G Sidewinder|G]] or [[AIM-9J Sidewinder|J]] variants)

'''Cons:'''

* Big plane and thus an easy target to hit
* The afterburner's fuel consumption is otherworldly fast; constant usage of it requires carrying a lot of fuel that can hamper the plane's performance and manoeuvrability
* Massive wing and fuselage fuel tanks make it especially prone to catching fire
* Cannot pull sustained Gs when above 1,000 km/h IAS (11-13 G) in RB or the wings will rip
* At high throttle and afterburner, the engine emits an unparalleled amount of heat, requiring throttling down (and therefore significantly bleeding speed) to reliably flare missiles off
* 60 countermeasures may be a bit lacking considering the extremely high engine temperature
* The AIM-54A only has 16G overload and thus is rather easy to dodge
* The AIM-54A's rocket motor lasts for a very long time, giving plenty of time for enemies to spot and evade it
* Requires lots of work and control binds related to the radar and variable wing sweep angle to make the most of the aircraft
* The Damping SAS mode limits the AoA so much that it cannot be used in one-circle fights (scissors etc.) thus forcing the player to use the much harder to use the Manual SAS mode (SB with full-real controls)

== History ==

=== Early Development ===
In 1967, the U.S. Navy wanted a long-range fleet defence fighter to boost their naval plane capabilities with the "VFX" program. The USN first started with a redesigned F-111 Aardvark named the F-111B (basically an F-111 designed around the TF30 engine and AIM-54 Phoenix missiles), they soon found out that the F-111 was too big for practical reasons so the F-111B plan never came to fruition. Fast forward to 1969, the USN gave the contract to Grumman to build the new fleet defence fighter named the F-14 Tomcat, its first variants were built around the TF30 engines found on the F-111B and to use the AN/AWG-9 radar set and the airframe was specifically built to carry the AIM-54 Phoenix missile.

===[[wt:en/news/7705-development-f-14a-tomcat-into-the-danger-zone-en|Devblog]]===
In 1968, five aircraft building companies entered the Pentagon's competition for a new carrier-based interceptor fighter. The commission's preference was given to Grumman's design, a twin-engine jet fighter with a variable-swept wing. Work on the F-14A fighter began in February 1969, and in December of the next year, the new aircraft took her maiden flight. The main weapon of the F-14A was the AIM-54 Phoenix long-range missiles controlled by the newest to date weapon control system. Instead of building prototypes, Grumman immediately switched to the production of an experimental series, and already on December 31, 1972, the first batch of jet fighters were put into service with the VF-124 Fleet Replacement Squadron . Pilot training took place on the deck of the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier, and during the withdrawal of US troops from Vietnam, combat sorties were also made from the deck. In total 557 F-14A fighters were delivered to the US Navy until 1987, and another 80 aircraft were built for Iran. Tomcats were used in all military conflicts where US aircraft took part until the very decommissioning. Iranian F-14s took an active part in the Iran-Iraq war, scoring dozens of air kills.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f_14a_early Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 1.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 2.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 3.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 4.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 5.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 6.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 7.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Wdnef_6_6oM|'''The Shooting Range #307''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Other jet planes with variable sweep wings

* [[MiG-23 (Family)]]
* [[Su-17/22 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7705-development-f-14a-tomcat-into-the-danger-zone-en|[Devblog] F-14A Tomcat: Into the Danger Zone!]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/557191-f-14a-early/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Grumman}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-104C

2023-01-02T20:47:04Z

U97916902: /* Usage in battles */

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-104 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-104c
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]]. Designed for pure speed and acceleration, the F-104C is one of the fastest planes at its BR, but its terrible manoeuvrability relegates it to the role of support fighter.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 10,668 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,097 || 2,070 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 34.5 || 34.9 || 203.3 || 194.7 || rowspan="2" | 1,200
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,188 || 2,142 || 33.6 || 34.0 || 269.3 || 235.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,527  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 827 || 444 || ~13 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 720 || < 950 || < 800 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | General Electric J79-GE-7a || 1
| colspan="2" | 6,235 kg || colspan="3" | 514 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 35m fuel
|-
| 1,540 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 7,027 kg || 7,740 kg || 8,493 kg || 8,874 kg || 24,000 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 35m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 4,171 kgf || 6,540 kgf
| 0.93 || 0.84 || 0.77 || 0.74 || 0.27
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 4,171 kgf (0 km/h) || 8,544 kgf (1,200 km/h)
| 1.22 || 1.10 || 1.01 || 0.96 || 0.36
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

In terms of armour, there is no armour on the F-104C. Since the F-104C relies on high speed, it wouldn't need armour as that would reduce the speed and manoeuvrability of the plane. The F-104C is a very long plane and it is not very manoeuvrable, making it a large, easy target for enemy guns. As such, the only characteristic that should be relied upon for survivability is the plane's speed. It is very quick, and as such is hard to catch.

* No armour
* Self-sealing fuel tanks

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, chin-mounted (750 rpg)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|BLU-1 incendiary|AIM-9B Sidewinder|FFAR Mighty Mouse}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
* 2 x BLU-1 incendiary bombs

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="9%" | 1 !! width="9%" | 2 !! width="9%" | 3 !! width="9%" | 4 !! width="9%" | 5
| rowspan="6" width="25%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! BLU-1 incendiary bombs
| || 1 || || 1 ||
|-
! FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
| || 19 || || 19 ||
|-
! AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || || || || 1
|-
| colspan="6" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 400 kg
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The F-104 is an interceptor which relies solely on its high speed and acceleration. This great speed comes with a great cost; the F-104 undoubtedly has the worst overall turn rate at high tiers (and perhaps in the whole game as well). Keep that in mind when playing it. It is highly recommended not to dogfight in the F-104 as you aren't out-turning anything, and even if you have someone energy trapped, it is hard to capitalize on it as the F-104's manoeuvrability is just so poor. Additionally, if someone gets on your tail, there isn't much you can do. While the F-104 does have a good roll rate, the turning capability makes it so it cannot effectively perform defensive manoeuvres. Even if you manage to get a tailing enemy to overshoot, the F-104 can't turn well enough to use the opportunity to attack.

Due to this, the best way to play the F-104 is to keep its speed up as much as possible and at all times. You will want to play the F-104 primarily in the support role as either a boom and zoom fighter or a hit and run fighter, picking on slow enemies that are preferably distracted and already engaged in a dogfight with teammates. This strategy prioritizes that no enemy get on the F-104's tail, because as discussed before, there is little one can do once this happens. This also means that the F-104 is very team-reliant in most battles, as it does not fare well in any 1v1 scenario.

The F-104C will do best in downtiers as it will be one of the fastest if not the fastest planes. Therefore, you can prioritize the high-threat planes first before handling the slower jets. Fast planes and planes with excellent missiles like the [[MiG-19S (Germany)|MiG-19S]], [[MiG-21F-13]], [[Yak-38]], [[Yak-38M]], [[A-5C]], etc. should be prioritized as main threats.

In an uptier, the F-104 quickly becomes outclassed. Most other fighters can at least keep up with its speed while also having better missiles. A full uptier is your worst nightmare as most planes do pretty much everything better than you. On top of that, your lack of flares means that most potent air-to-air missiles found in an uptier (AIM-9Js, R-60/R-60Ms, Magic 1s) mean a nearly unavoidable death. This means that in uptiers, it will be the same support strategy as discussed before, except you will need to be much more cautious. The one and only thing you have is, again, your speed, which is luckily still competitive even up to 11.0. It will be especially important to keep this speed as high as possible at all times. To avoid missiles, you will want to keep your distance from enemies while being cautious and waiting for the right opportunity to strike. Again, slow and/or distracted enemies will ideally be your targets. Attack when you are sure no one can or will bother to follow you or launch a missile at you.

The F-104C's air-to-air armament is great. For its gun, it gets the powerful M61 Vulcan rotary cannon. This is arguably one of the best aircraft guns in the game and sports extremely high rate of fire, high velocity, and high damage. Its only downside is that it only gets 750 rounds of ammunition; while it may seem like a lot, the cannon's extreme fire rate sees that it gets depleted quicker than one would expect. Since this will be your primary weapon when engaging enemy fighters, you should maintain trigger discipline when using it. As for your missiles, you have two AIM-9B Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. These are the basic air-to-air missile and as such aren't very strong. They don't turn well and are sensitive to flares. Due to this, they shouldn't be your main weapon, but they are better than nothing, and can sometimes be useful. They should be launched only when needed, such as at long ranges, at distracted enemies, or to make an enemy drop speed.

In the ground attack role, there are many better choices than the F-104C (such as the AV-8C, F-100D or A-4E), though the F-104C isn't completely helpless when it comes to the task. It can carry either 3x 750lb bombs, 38x FFAR rockets, or 2x Napalm bombs. Since only 38 rockets can be carried (which even in higher quantities aren't very powerful), it isn't recommended to take them. Napalm can be used to bomb bases in air RB, but in ground RB it has little overall use and shouldn't be taken. This leaves the only acceptable option being the 3x 750lb bombs. These 750lb bombs have an adequate explosion size which is enough to reliably destroy tanks. The two wing-mounted bombs drop together first, followed by the single centerline one, giving two bomb drops. Since the F-104C lacks the luxury of a ballistic computer, you must manually calculate the point of impact for the bombs and rockets. Additionally, the M61 Cannon has decent penetration and can be used to attack lighter targets or the roofs of MBTs, and the two wingtip AIM-9B sidewinders can be taken with any of these for some semblance of multi-role capability. After you drop the bombs, you can either use the cannon for strafing, or you can use the cannon and missiles to engage enemy aircraft (the M61 cannon is great for taking out helicopters).The F-104C's speed will help it get in and out of the battlefield quickly, and the RWR is a helpful tool to alert you of SPAA and SAMs. Keep the F-104C's bad manoeuvrability in mind when doing ground attack runs, as it will prove fatal if you don't pull up in time.

=== Radars ===

The F-104C is equipped with an AN/ASG-14 search and tracking radar. The radar is mounted in the nose of the aircraft.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="4" | AN/ASG-14 - Target Detection Radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Detection Range|The maximum possible range at which a target can be detected}}
! {{Annotation|Guaranteed Detection Range|The range, below which, detection of a target is practically guaranteed}}
! {{Annotation|Max Azimuth Scan Angle|How far to each side the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
! {{Annotation|Max Elevation Scan Angle|How far up and down the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
|-
| 37,000 m || 15,000 m || ±45° || ±45°
|-
! colspan="4" | AN/ASG-14 - Target Tracking Radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Tracking Range|The maximum range at which a target can be tracked}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Tracking Range|The range below which targets cannot be tracked by the radar}}
! {{Annotation|Azimuth Tracking Angle|How far to each side the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Elevation Tracking Angle|How far up and down the radar can track a target}}
|-
| 18,500 m || 150 m || ±10° || ±10°
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent top speed and acceleration
* Excellent climb rate
* Good roll rate
* Powerful M61 Vulcan cannon with a very high rate of fire, great ballistics and high damage
* Availability of ground attack ordnance

'''Cons:'''

* Very poor overall manoeuvrability and terrible low-speed manoeuvrability
* Bleeds energy quickly in sustained turnfights
* The cannon's high rate of fire forces the player to have some trigger discipline
* Air-to-air missiles are weak compared to analogues of the rank
* Lacks countermeasures

== History ==

The brainchild of famed Lockheed engineer Clarence "Kelly" Johnson, after having spoken to USAF pilots about their experience in the Korean Air War, the F-104 Starfighter was innovative in both its design and speed. Developed from the start as a daytime air-superiority fighter with speed in mind, the Starfighter began life at Lockheed's famous "Skunk Works" facility in 1952 to combat the Soviets' new age of supersonic jet fighters. The aircraft would incorporate the smallest airframe, combined with the most technologically advanced turbojet at the time, to create the base of what would become the F-104.

In 1953, the USAF showed interest in the project, and proposed an open contest with Lockheed and multiple other firms for a supersonic interceptor, based wholly on performance. Lockheed evidently won the contest and approval for two prototypes to be produced and, in February of 1954, took flight for the first time. Although it was slated to be fitted with the General Electric J79 turbofan, due to shortages of the engines the prototypes were mated to a license-built variant of the British Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire engine, called the Wright XJ65-W-6, until the initial power-plant was available. The aircraft however was not without its problems, resulting in a four-year long developmental period for the aircraft. By the end of it, 17 pre-production YF-104As had been built, tested, and used to iron out any problems that would be noticeable on the final F-104. In 1958, the F-104 would finally be available for deliveries featuring some differences from the initial prototypes in the form of a longer fuselage as well as the fitting of General Electric J79GE-3 engines putting out a whopping 14,800 lbs of thrust.

From the start the F-104A smashed records, taking the record as the first operational fighter in service to succeed Mach 2, as well as going on to take the records for both altitude and speed in both the F-104A and F-104C variants respectively. On May 7th, 1958, Maj. Howard C. Johnson, in his F-104A, set a new world altitude record at 91,243 feet, and 11 days later another aircraft set a new speed record at 1,403.19 mph. The altitude record was later bested by another variant of the aircraft, the F-104C, at a whopping altitude of 103,389 feet. In the 1950s, the aircraft had come to be exactly what the public had expected a fighter of this magnitude to look like. With a long, pencil shaped fuselage with short, sharp edged wings it encompassed the era of space flight and Sci-Fi with its design. The wings were one of the most unique parts of the aircraft, as well as its long fuselage taken up mostly by its large engine and fuel storage, and were only 4 inches and its thickest. Sweeping was only utilized on the leading edge, and a slight anhedral was in place to combat "Dutch Roll", a phenomenon where the aircraft rocks side-to-side uncontrollably. The wings, while helping with supersonic flight, were harmful to ground crews, and special equipment had to be issued to service these areas.

While having a history of accidents and high pilot attrition, the aircraft was fitted with an ejection seat. Due to the great speed of the aircraft at Mach 2, it was believed that the seat wouldn't have enough time to clear the tail section in an ejection scenario. Therefore, a downward firing ejection seat known as the Stanley C-1 was fitted into early models of the F-104. While a good idea, and in theory could work, the C-1 was also believed harmful in the case of a low-altitude ejection of the aircraft. After a failed introduction of the Stanley C-2 ejection seat, the problem was finally solved by the introduction of the Martin-Baker ejection system, particularly in foreign-operator's Starfighters. Roughly 153 F-104As were produced, with 26 more being F-104B two-seat variants. The F-104A spend a short time in USAF service before being send to Air National Guard (ANG) units, which some others being sent to foreign operators which had some success in their service. In September of 1958 the USAF would get the F-104C, a dedicated fighter-bomber variant designed for the USAF's Tactical Air Command's 479th Tactical Fighter Squadron. The F-104C featured improvements over the F-104A in the form of a better fire-control system as well as hardpoints on the centerline on the belly and under the wings. The aircraft also introduced the ability to refuel mid-flight via a probe running along the right side of the aircraft, extending the reach of the aircraft somewhat. However, like most of the A models ended up, the C models were quickly transferred to Air National Guard (ANG) units both of which served until around 1975 in their service. The first combat of the F-104 however wouldn't be seen until the Vietnam War, and while not having any kills to count was successful in keeping MiGs back and from intercepting friendly aircraft. The aircraft had a short service life in this theatre, only serving in 1965, and again from 1967-1969 until the introduction of the more-capable F-4 Phantom II by which it was replaced.

=== [[wt:en/news/6731-development-f-104-starfighter-the-manned-missile-en|Devblog]] ===
The development history of the F-104 Starfighter begins in 1951, when Lockheed's lead engineer visited US pilots in Korea. The feedback given to Johnson was clear - US planes were too large and complex and would often find themselves inferior to the much smaller and simpler Soviet MiG-15. On his return to the United States, Johnson assembled a team of engineers and started developing an aircraft that would address the concerns of the pilots.

The result of this undertaking was the F-104 Starfighter, whose first prototype, designated XF-104, first took to the skies on the 4th March 1954. Although both prototypes were lost during testing, the results delivered by the prototypes were promising enough for the USAF to accept the aircraft into service in November 1955.

Soon after entering production, the F-104 quickly also became a highly popular aircraft on the export market. West Germany was, alongside the United States, the primary operator of the Starfighter, owning over 900 F-104s in its air force at the peak of its service career. However, 13 other nations also employed the F-104 such as Canada, Italy, Japan, Spain, and many more.

The F-104 saw most of its combat service with the USAF, most notably taking part in the Vietnam War. Furthermore, the F-104 also saw combat during the Indo-Pakistani Wars in the mid '60s - early '70s while flying under Pakistani colors.

In the end, over 2,500 Starfighters would be built, with most being gradually decommissioned by the end of the Cold War. Italy was the last to decommission its F-104s in the early 2000s.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-104c Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:F104C in the hangar.png|F-104C in the hangar
</gallery>

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[F-104 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=113 <nowiki>[Military Factory]</nowiki> Lockheed F-104 Starfighter]
* [http://www.alternatewars.com/SAC/F-104C_Starfighter_SAC_-_8_December_1958.pdf Standard Aircraft Characteristics of the F-104C]

{{AirManufacturer Lockheed}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-16A ADF

2023-01-02T20:35:47Z

U97916902: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=f_16a_block_15_adf
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 10,973 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,093 || 2,063 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 20.3 || 20.6 || 252.7 || 240.2 || rowspan="2" | ___
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || ___ || ___ || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 || 1
| colspan="2" | _,___ kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel
|-
| 1,470 kg || colspan="2" | ___
| _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || ___%/WEP
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || ___ kgf || ___ kgf
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Optimal'' || ___ kgf (_ km/h) || ___ kgf (_ km/h)
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, wing root-mounted (512 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|AIM-7M Sparrow|AIM-9L Sidewinder}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 1 x 300 gal drop tank
* 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AIM-7M Sparrow missiles

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="6%" | 1 !! width="6%" | 2 !! width="6%" | 3 !! width="6%" | 4 !! width="6%" | 5 !! width="6%" | 6 !! width="6%" | 7
| rowspan="4" width="25%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! AIM-7M Sparrow missiles
| || || 1 || || 1 || ||
|-
! AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! 300 gal drop tanks
| || || || 1 || || ||
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Excellent acceleration and climb rate, the former of which helps the F-16 recover from the lower speeds that it can dogfight at
* Excellent energy retention
* Excellent maneuverability at low to medium speeds
* Decent top speed
* 20 mm Vulcan cannon has high velocity and rate of fire
* Six powerful missiles: up to six all aspect AIM-9Ls and up to two potent SARH AIM-7Ms
* Drop tank available to extend range
* Bubble canopy with excellent unobstructed 360° visibility gives great situational awareness in simulator mode

'''Cons:'''

* Lacks any air-to-ground suspended ordinance whatsoever
* Internal M61 cannon has a small ammo pool
* Very poor maneuverability at higher speeds (above around 850km/h) due to 9G G limiter
** Staying at these higher speeds is ideal for general combat, but greatly limits maneuvering and dogfighting ability
** At these speeds, poor nose pointing ability makes it troublesome to lock Sidewinders, get an ACM radar lock, or aim the gun
** Only by going below these speeds (thus getting slow) does ''any'' semblance of dogfighting ability whatsoever begin to be gained
** Acceleration can be “too good”: Poor high speed maneuverability combined with excellent acceleration and energy retention means heavy down-throttling and air braking is practically required to drop below these speeds to dogfight
* Very hot engine temperature
* Extremely high fuel consumption on afterburner

== History ==

In the mid-1980s, after the deactivation of the USAF Air Defense Command, the ANG (Air National Guard) was tasked with defending North American airspace from Soviet bombers. To complete this task, 270 F-16A/Bs were to be converted into ADFs (Air Defense Fighters) at Ogden Air Logistics Center in Utah. General Dynamics carried out the first conversions and then sent kits to Ogden to complete the conversion. The ADF conversion included upgrading the AN/APG-66 radar to improve target acquisition of small targets, IFF for distinguishing friendlies and foes (AN/APX-109), and a 150,000-candlepower night spotlight for identification.

The first F-16 ADF was delivered to the Oregon Air National Guard in March 1989. Conversions started from 1989 to 1992, with around 270 airframes converted to ADF F-16s. However, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, there was no longer a purpose for the F-16 ADF. The Air National Guard F-16s were to be slowly phased out and were either converted back to the original F-16A/B configuration or placed in storage. The North Dakota ANG had the last few F-16 ADFs in service until they were retired in 2007. Since the F-16 ADFs in storage had low flight hours, they were sold to other countries like Jordan (Peace Falcon program) and Thailand (Peace Naresuan IV program.)

== Media ==


;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="150">
File:IFF F-16 ADF.png|4-blade "bird slicer" antenna on the nose of the F-16A ADF (AN/APX-109)
</gallery>

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer General Dynamics}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-16A ADF

2023-01-02T11:23:25Z

U97916902: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=f_16a_block_15_adf
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 10,973 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,093 || 2,063 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 20.3 || 20.6 || 252.7 || 240.2 || rowspan="2" | ___
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || ___ || ___ || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 || 1
| colspan="2" | _,___ kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel
|-
| 1,470 kg || colspan="2" | ___
| _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || ___%/WEP
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || ___ kgf || ___ kgf
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Optimal'' || ___ kgf (_ km/h) || ___ kgf (_ km/h)
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, wing root-mounted (512 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|AIM-7M Sparrow|AIM-9L Sidewinder}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 1 x 300 gal drop tank
* 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AIM-7M Sparrow missiles

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="6%" | 1 !! width="6%" | 2 !! width="6%" | 3 !! width="6%" | 4 !! width="6%" | 5 !! width="6%" | 6 !! width="6%" | 7
| rowspan="4" width="25%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! AIM-7M Sparrow missiles
| || || 1 || || 1 || ||
|-
! AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! 300 gal drop tanks
| || || || 1 || || ||
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Excellent acceleration and climb rate, the former of which helps the F-16 recover from the lower speeds that it can dogfight at
* Excellent energy retention
* Excellent maneuverability at low to medium speeds
* Decent top speed
* 20 mm Vulcan cannon has high velocity and rate of fire
* Six powerful missiles: up to six all aspect AIM-9Ls and up to two potent AIM-7Ms
* Drop tank available to extend range

'''Cons:'''

* Lacks any air-to-ground suspended ordinance whatsoever
* Internal M61 cannon has a small ammo pool
* Very poor maneuverability at higher speeds (above around 850km/h) due to 9G G limiter
** Staying at these higher speeds is ideal for general combat, but greatly limits maneuvering and dogfighting ability
** At these speeds, poor nose pointing ability makes it troublesome to lock Sidewinders, get an ACM lock, or use the gun
** Only by going below these speeds (thus getting slow) does ''any'' semblance of dogfighting ability whatsoever begin to be gained
** Acceleration can be “too good”: Poor high speed maneuverability combined with excellent acceleration and energy retention means 0% down-throttling and air braking is required to drop below these speeds to dogfight
* Very hot engine temperature
* Extremely high fuel consumption on afterburner

== History ==

In the mid-1980s, after the deactivation of the USAF Air Defense Command, the ANG (Air National Guard) was tasked with defending North American airspace from Soviet bombers. To complete this task, 270 F-16A/Bs were to be converted into ADFs (Air Defense Fighters) at Ogden Air Logistics Center in Utah. General Dynamics carried out the first conversions and then sent kits to Ogden to complete the conversion. The ADF conversion included upgrading the AN/APG-66 radar to improve target acquisition of small targets, IFF for distinguishing friendlies and foes (AN/APX-109), and a 150,000-candlepower night spotlight for identification.

The first F-16 ADF was delivered to the Oregon Air National Guard in March 1989. Conversions started from 1989 to 1992, with around 270 airframes converted to ADF F-16s. However, with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, there was no longer a purpose for the F-16 ADF. The Air National Guard F-16s were to be slowly phased out and were either converted back to the original F-16A/B configuration or placed in storage. The North Dakota ANG had the last few F-16 ADFs in service until they were retired in 2007. Since the F-16 ADFs in storage had low flight hours, they were sold to other countries like Jordan (Peace Falcon program) and Thailand (Peace Naresuan IV program.)

== Media ==


;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="150">
File:IFF F-16 ADF.png|4-blade "bird slicer" antenna on the nose of the F-16A ADF (AN/APX-109)
</gallery>

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer General Dynamics}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-14A Early

2023-01-02T10:54:50Z

U97916902: Enemies worth noting

{{Specs-Card
|code=f_14a_early
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Danger Zone"]]. One of the most iconic US naval fighter jets of the Cold War era, the F-14A was developed as the US Navy's fleet-defense fighter jet to protect their carrier groups over a vast swath of ocean. First deployed in the 1970s, the F-14A wields the advanced AN/AWG-9 radar and up to eight missiles, including the iconic [[AIM-54A Phoenix|Phoenix missile,]] to locate and target bandits at long range.

In the game, these characteristics allow the F-14A to engage enemy air targets at far greater distances than most enemy aircraft can, allowing the F-14A to take the initiative and achieve air superiority by firing first. At long range, Phoenix missiles force enemy fighters to actively monitor the sky even when they cannot yet see or detect the F-14A. While Phoenix missiles may prove too sluggish to target enemy fighters at high-speed merges, its [[AIM-7F Sparrow|Sparrows]] can engage manoeuvring targets at short and medium ranges before engaging at closer ranges with [[AIM-9H Sidewinder|Sidewinders]] and M61 cannon fire.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The F-14A might be seen underpowered compared to other aircraft, primarily the F-4J Phantom II and other Phantom variants such as the Phantom FG.1. While it is true that the engines are not as powerful, the F-14A is far superior in terms of top speed and energy management. However, insufficient power can be noticed when zoom climbing or when turning at low speed, and regaining the speed back can take a while. The engines also consume tremendous amounts of fuel: while the F-14A can stay in the air for at least one hour with full fuel tanks, at full afterburner (WEP) the jet can fly for only 7 minutes at sea level.

The F-14A is more of a two-circle dogfighter since it keeps speed very well in hard turns, but might not have as much nose authority as other planes to win one-circle fights (such as scissors and anything similar when you turn into the opponent's nose). Although it can still beat planes like the MiG-23MLD in the instantaneous turn-rate performance, delta-wing fighters like the J35 or MiG-21 could have the advantage during the first seconds of the fight. Like other planes with variable wing geometry, the F-14A reaches its most efficient turn rate performance when wings are swept fully forward (set to 0%) and that can be achieved only by using the manual wing sweep controls. Since it is semi-automatic, the wing will automatically change its position after reaching around ~800 km/h IAS.

The most optimal turning speed is around 900 km/h IAS at sea level (it reaches the highest sustained turn rate there), but the best is actually between 700 and 830 km/h IAS since any faster, and it becomes impossible to maintain the turn without the crew blacking out. At such speeds, the F-14A in a clean configuration with 30 minutes of fuel can reach up to 23 deg/s of sustained turn rate, which is better than any MiG-23, Su-17, or even other more manoeuvrable fighters like the MiG-19. Both the sustained and instantaneous turn rate can be improved by using combat flaps, which can function at speeds up to 850 km/h IAS.

Thanks to the variable wing sweep, the F-14A is able to move its center of mass and thus increase or decrease its roll rate. High sweep allows higher speeds at reduced roll rate and vice versa. Low sweep increases roll rate and energy retention at subsonic speeds.

To get the most of its turn rate performance in Simulator Battles, you should always try to use the manual SAS (Stability Augmentation System) mode. The damping mode severely limits its nose authority, and it is harder to win fights against planes like the MiG-21 or other delta-wing fighters. In general, combat flaps should always be used when you are about to merge with the enemy plane, as they not only increase the sustained turn rate but also improves nose authority. In turn, it becomes easier to get lead on the enemy plane and to control the plane when using manual SAS mode. The player should still be very careful with pulling the stick around 500 km/h IAS. Below that speed, it's very easy to abruptly lose speed, reach the critical AoA, and stall out the plane. Pulling the stick all the way to yourself should be done only when you are going for snap shots. The other downside manual SAS mode is the plane is much more sensitive to controls, especially in pitch. For this reason, it is recommended to use the damping SAS mode during cruising and BVR combat.

While using the manual SAS mode, it is can be easy to stall out the plane when flying below 400 km/h IAS. In this case, after entering the flat spin, the quickest method to recover the plane is to increase the wing sweep angle and then counter the plane rotation with the rudder.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 12,192 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,202 || 2,191 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.4 || 25.1 || 178.4 || 170.5 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,245 || 2,221 || 23.6 || 24.0 || 231.6 || 203.8
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 1,359 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || rowspan="2" | 1,200 || rowspan="2" | 873 || rowspan="2" | 416 || ~10 || ~5
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,555 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 1,200 || < 850 || < 1,800 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="7" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="4" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-412A || 2
| colspan="3" | 18,545 kg || colspan="4" | 493 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 18m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 62m fuel
|-
| 1,802 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 20,750 kg || 20,905 kg || 22,085 kg || 23,855 kg || 25,895 kg || 30,935 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 18m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 62m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 4,860 kgf || 8,019 kgf
| 0.77 || 0.77 || 0.73 || 0.67 || 0.62 || 0.52
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,808 kgf (1,555 km/h) || 12,692 kgf (1,555 km/h)
| 1.22 || 1.21 || 1.15 || 1.06 || 0.98 || 0.82
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The F-14A holds 60 countermeasures, which is a decent number of chaff and flares that can let the Tomcat survive multiple missiles. Due to its massive engines, the IR signature of the aircraft is not an easy thing to conceal when fighting heat-seeking missiles. As with other jets around its battle rating, flares alone are not enough. To defeat an IR-guided missile (heat-seeker), turn off afterburner and reduce throttle to at least 80-85% while dumping flares and turning away from the missile. This is to ensure that an IR-guided missile will track the flares and not the engines. Due to the massive size compared to other aircraft, the chances of a successful hit from enemies, both missile and cannon, are higher compared to other aircraft, such as the AV-8 or F-5. This should be taken into consideration as proximity fuses will trigger with more ease as the wingspan of the Tomcat is considerably larger than most jets seen in game.

Fuel tanks are housed flatly in both the fuselage and wings. The F-14A will easily catch fire from enemy rounds from above and below the plane. Thankfully, the fuel tanks are well-separated compared to other fighters like the F-4 family, so damage to one part of the plane may not necessarily compromise the whole plane. However, fires will rapidly destroy traction of control surfaces, so they must be immediately extinguished. As long as some control surfaces are usable, the F-14A can survive critical damage (such as losing a wing) and return to base. Its multiple fuel tanks help isolate fuel fires especially on the wings, and the plane can fly on one engine.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, cheek-mounted (676 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP}}
{{main|AIM-7E-2 Sparrow|AIM-7F Sparrow|AIM-54A Phoenix}}
{{main|AIM-9D Sidewinder|AIM-9G Sidewinder|AIM-9H Sidewinder}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles
* 5 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
* 14 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (3,500 lb total)
* 14 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (7,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 16 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets

The F-14A is the first aircraft in game to have access to Active Radar Homing missiles with internal navigation. While it is mostly used for air defense and anti-air duties, it holds decent ground pounding abilities that are nothing new to American pilots. The F-14A has access to a wide variety of weapon selections due to having 'Custom Loadouts' feature. Depending on the needs of the pilot, one can carry different loadouts for different needs. Some may prefer the use of the AIM-7F over the AIM-54 due to the fast acceleration and good performance in short-medium ranges. A recommended loadout to carry is the following: x4 AIM-54A, x2 AIM-7F, x2 AIM-9 (on preference). It holds the power to fight at all ranges, being able to launch AIM-54A at unaware targets and then engage other with Sparrows, later to dogfight at close ranges with Sidewinders.

The F-14A comes with three options for missiles: shorter-ranged AIM-9H Sidewinders, medium-ranged AIM-7F Sparrows, and long-range AIM-54A Phoenixes.

The '''AIM-9H Sidewinder''' is very similar to the previous AIM-9G — having good range but below average manoeuvrability. Its seeker can also be slaved to a radar lock or TWS soft lock. With only 18G maximum overload, the AIM-9H should not be used in high-aspect or hard-turning shots at close ranges. Instead, the AIM-9H's good range should be used to catch enemies off guard. A good way to utilize this range is to position yourself over the battlefield and dive down on enemies. Your dive speed combined with gravity will increase the speed and range of your missiles, and your unexpected direction will see that many enemies will not notice the missile until they have been destroyed by it.

The '''AIM-7F Sparrow''' is a medium-range, SARH (Semi-Active Radar Homing) missile. Pilots of the F-14A are probably familiar with the AIM-7F from the previous F-4J. The AIM-7F is one of the best radar-guided missiles in the game. It has good 25G manoeuvrability, and a very long motor burn time gives it long range and sustained manoeuvrability (whereas other missiles will stop producing thrust and lose speed in manoeuvres, the long burn time of the AIM-7F sustains its speed and manoeuvrability for a long time). This should be the F-14A's go-to missile; it can be launched from all aspects and is difficult to dodge without the correct defensive manoeuvres. The AIM-7F can be launched from longer ranges to utilize its long burn time and the F-14A's good radar. Pay attention to your Radar Warning Receiver; if the enemy you are radar locking is also radar locking you, it is likely that they are about to or already have launched a radar-guided missile at you. In this case, do not fly straight; you are going to be hit first. Launch your missile, then crank to one side. To crank means to turn to one side as far as possible without losing radar lock. This makes the enemy's missile travel further at higher angles and thus decreases the chance it will hit you during defensive manoeuvres. If you have Sparrows to spare and an enemy is approaching head-on, you can launch Sparrows in succession (2-3 seconds between launches) to increase your probability of a kill. An enemy can avoid one missile with manoeuvres, but will have bled speed and will have a more difficult time avoiding further missiles.

The '''AIM-54A Phoenix''' is a long-range, ARH (Active Radar Homing) missile, and is only found on the F-14 (both in-game and in real life). The AIM-54A is a unique missile with unique capabilities. It has an extremely long burn time and thus an extremely long range, as well as a rather large proximity fuse and a large amount of explosive (doesn't have to be as close as other missiles to enemies to explode and cause critical damage). However, its more interesting features come in the form of its behaviour. First, it's an active radar homing missile, meaning it has a small internal radar which at closer ranges it can use to automatically search for, track and guide itself to targets without any input from the parent (the F-14's) radar. Second, it can be guided via the parent (F-14's) radar, but if it loses lock, the missile will fly straight for a while and use the aforementioned internal radar to search for enemies to home in towards. Third, the AIM-54 does not need a true radar lock to be launched; when the F-14's radar is in TWS (Track While Scan) mode, you can simply hover the radar cursor over a radar contact to launch the AIM-54. This also means you can launch more than one Phoenix at a time by hovering over a target, launching, and then hovering over another target to launch another Phoenix.

It is important to know that despite these seemingly impressive features, the AIM-54 is not an all-powerful missile and has its downsides; there are many scenarios where it is advisable not to use them. First, some F-14A players may feel tempted to take six AIM-54s, take off, and then launch at six enemy targets very far away. There is a very high chance none will hit; at such a long-range, and with player behaviour at the start of a match, it is very likely that the missiles will be inadvertently notched, or the missiles will get distracted by enemy and/or friendly AI bots. In addition, the AIM-54A only has 16G overload — less than an AIM-9H — and with its very long burn time, it is easily seen and dodged by enemies. It is more worth it to save your missiles for a better firing window. Second, the missile should not be used at closer ranges (< 5 km). In addition to having low manoeuvrability, the AIM-54 has a very, very slow acceleration, and it highly likely won't be able to follow the defensive manoeuvres of such a close enemy. For this case, Sparrows are a much better option. Third, the AIM-54 should not be launched in the direction of friendly aircraft. The AIM-54 and its internal radar will go for the first target it sees, regardless if it is friend or foe. And fourth and finally, the AIM-54 is the heaviest air-to-air missile in the game, and they impact aircraft performance significantly. To make use of the AIM-54's advantages, it is advisable to use them at higher altitudes (> 5 km) and at long ranges. The AIM-54 will have time to accelerate to its target, and due to the low air density at high altitudes enemy aircraft will have a harder time evading the missile (even if it is just 16G). Because the AIM-54 can home in on enemies on its own, you can completely turn away from the enemy after launching to avoid enemy missiles.

Each of these missiles has its strengths and weaknesses. A mix between long-range weapons and short-range weapons must be used at the pilot's discretion. A maximum of six of a mix of Sparrows or Phoenixes can be taken, two Sidewinders can be carried on the side, and pilots can choose to substitute up to two Sparrows or Phoenixes for Sidewinders. High altitude engagements are uncommon, so ideally either a small number of Phoenixes (or none) should be taken. The exception to this is enduring confrontation (operation) air battles, where air combat is prevalent at higher altitudes where the Phoenix will truly shine.

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="12" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs
| || || 8* || 6 || ||
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| || || 8* || 6 || ||
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| || || 2* || 2 || ||
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| || || 2*† || 2 || ||
|-
! Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
| || 8 || || || 8 ||
|-
! AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1, 2* || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
| || 1 || 2* || 2† || 1 ||
|-
| colspan="9" | * Use of dual Sparrow missiles on hardpoint 4 prevents use of the marked options on hardpoint 3 † The AIM-54A Phoenix missiles on hardpoint 4 cannot be carried in conjunction with 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs on hardpoint 3
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Boasting a high top speed, excellent turning characteristics, a large number of excellent missiles, and a powerful radar, the F-14A (Early) Tomcat is a potent air superiority fighter and should be used as such.

'''Flying the F-14A'''

Despite being a very large aircraft, the F-14A Tomcat's manoeuvrability and energy retention are excellent. With the wings swept out, it's among the best rate fighters in the game, and has excellent instantaneous turn rate. This allows the F-14A to out-dogfight most aircraft in-game. For planes with poor energy retention such as F-4s, MiG-21s, J35s, and JA37s, you can use the F-14's excellent turn rate to enter a prolonged two-circle fight, where the F-14's superior energy retention will drain the energy of these delta-winged fighters. The optimal rate speed of the F-14A is around 750 km/h, though 600 km/h will still allow you to out-rate fighters with poor energy retention. For planes with better energy retention such as F-8s and MiG-23s, you can use F-14A's excellent instantaneous turn rate to force a one-circle fight. It should be noted that when dogfighting in the F-14A, it is critical to always sweep your wings forward to 0% wing sweep. At this wing sweep, you will obtain the optimal energy retention and turn characteristics of the F-14A. Therefore, it is highly recommended to set key binds for manually changing the sweep angle and switching between auto to manual wing sweep. Keep in mind that, although the F-14A has excellent dogfighting characteristics, it is still a very large aircraft with extremely hot engines. Due to this, it is advised to avoid turn-fighting in the Tomcat unless absolutely necessary because, as with all other top-tier jets, doing so will bleed your speed and make you an easy target for enemy aircraft.

The F-14A with its TF30 engines were historically underpowered, and this shows in-game: while the F-14A has a great top speed with the wings swept back, the acceleration is below average. Faster planes such as MiG-23s, Mirage 2000s, F-16s, and MiG-29s will easily out-accelerate you. Even F-4s will accelerate faster at lower speeds. Luckily, at higher speeds, the acceleration becomes a little better, though still nowhere near as good as the faster planes. Due to this, it is advisable to keep your speed up in the F-14. This is also another reason to be careful when engaging in dogfights, as you will have difficulty out-accelerating your opponents should you need to exit.

'''Wing Sweep'''

The F-14A has a variable sweep wing, which means the wings can change angle during flight to obtain the desirable flight characteristics. As discussed before, when the wings are swept forward (0%), the F-14A obtains high energy retention and excellent instantaneous and sustained turn rate. However, the wings being swept forwards limits the Tomcat's top speed, and therefore should only be used at lower speeds, when dogfighting, or takeoff/landing (especially with carriers). On the other hand, the wings being swept back allows the F-14A to reach its top speed, but at lower speeds, loss of lift greatly reduces manoeuvrability. Generally, pilots can keep the wing sweep mode set to automatic (AUTO); this will automatically sweep the wings without player input based on how fast or slow the Tomcat is going. However, when dogfighting, you will want to switch the sweep mode to manual, and use selected key binds to manually sweep the wing forward to obtain optimal manoeuvrability.

'''Fuel Consumption and Engine Heat'''

It should be noted that the F-14A burns up fuel very fast when on afterburner. This should be taken into consideration as one can burn up all the fuel without realizing until it is too late. Due to this, it is advisable to take at the very least 30 minutes of fuel. You can use the mouse scroll wheel to save a lot more fuel by using the first-stage afterburner, which gives a significant power boost from 100% throttle but a little less power than full afterburner. On minimum fuel (18 minutes) the full afterburner can only last about 2 minutes and 30 seconds, but the afterburner (first-stage) can last you 8 minutes.

Something to be aware of when playing the F-14A is the insane heat of its engines. At high throttle and afterburner, its engines emit an unparalleled amount of heat at around 2,100 °F (1,150 °C). For reference, that is around 66% hotter than the F-4J's engines, which is around 1,239 °F (671 °C) at 100% throttle and 1,256 °F (680 °C) during full afterburner. During gameplay, this means that in the F-14A simply just turning off the afterburner and deploying flares may not be enough to avoid an incoming IR missile. You will also have to throttle down the engine significantly (at least 80-85%) to make sure that an incoming IR missile goes for the flare. This is especially true for more flare-resistant IR missiles such as the [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] and [[Matra R550 Magic 2|Magic 2]], which may need substantial throttling down to flare off. Keep in mind that throttling down means that you will lose a decent amount of speed in the process, so be prepared.

'''Radar and Radar Modes'''

The AN/AWG-9 radar set carried by the F-14A is an extremely potent radar, especially for long-range missile combat. It has great range (a maximum of 185 km tracking and 370 km detecting). For most normal air RB maps, a 37km display range should suffice, while 93 km should be enough for most enduring confrontation air RB maps. A radar lock is necessary to guide Sparrows, while either radar lock or soft lock (selecting targets in TWS) will suffice for a Phoenix launch. The radar has four different modes which have different purposes, capabilities and usages:

* '''SRC PD HDN''' (Surveillance Radar Computer, Pulse-Doppler, Head-On): Users of the F-14 are likely at least somewhat aware of what a pulse-Doppler radar is from usage of the previous F-4J. This is a pulse-Doppler mode, meaning it measures an aircraft's Doppler shift (difference in velocity compared to surroundings) in order to "see" targets. Due to the nature of the detection method, this pulse-Doppler mode is most ideal for targets close to the ground, as well as in head-on situations (as the name suggests). However, this pulse-Doppler mode has a weakness: it can be [[Airborne_radars#Notching_a_Pulse-Doppler_radar|notched]]; pulse-Doppler measures the target aircraft's velocity change compared to surroundings, so if a target flies perpendicular to the radar (not moving closer or further compared to the surroundings), the radar will not observe a change in velocity and therefore cannot see the aircraft. F-14A pilots must be aware of how the notch works; if an enemy radar is locking you at low altitude, they are likely using a pulse-Doppler mode, and thus notching becomes a defensive option to break radar lock. Provided the target is not at very low altitudes, an enemy notching your pulse-Doppler radar can be countered by switching the radar mode to SRC. Another weakness to be aware of is that pulse-Doppler modes generally have trouble detecting and locking targets travelling away from the radar. In conclusion, the pulse-Doppler mode is good for tracking targets at very low altitudes, but is vulnerable to notching and has difficulty finding targets moving away.
* '''SRC''' (Surveillance Radar Computer): This is the standard radar mode. It is not a pulse-Doppler mode and therefore does not have its weaknesses; it cannot be notched like pulse-Doppler can, and has an easier time tracking targets moving away. Therefore, if an enemy is attempting to notch your pulse-Doppler mode, you can switch the radar lock from a pulse-Doppler one to standard SRC. However, due to the radar return from ground clutter, it has great trouble locking targets at very low altitude, though it can still lock higher targets. It's worth noting that the SRC mode on the AN/AWG-9 is more resistant to ground clutter than previous radars; while you still cannot detect or lock a target very close to the ground, it can sometimes detect targets as little as 1 km from the ground. In conclusion, SRC is generally more reliable at finding and tracking targets than pulse-Doppler mode, but cannot see targets at very low altitudes like pulse-Doppler can.
* '''TWS HDN''' (Track While Scan, Head-On): This mode allows targets to be detected and "tracked" simultaneously. By hovering your radar cursor over detected targets, you can "soft lock" them; their position is marked in third-person view, and their general speed, heading, and height are displayed. With a soft lock, the radar return is not strong enough to trigger the RWR, so enemies will not know you are soft locking them. AIM-54A Phoenixes can be launched via a soft lock, and after launching a Phoenix, you can hover over another enemy to launch another Phoenix. Using onboard electronics, the Phoenixes will guide themselves to the target after this. In addition, AIM-9G/H Sidewinders can be slaved to the soft lock. However, for a Sparrow launch, you will need to "hard lock" the target. This can be done simply by locking the target the cursor is hovering over (as with other radar modes). In addition, track while scan uses pulse-Doppler, so it can detect targets close to the ground as well. Unfortunately, this also means it has the same weaknesses as pulse-Doppler mode (vulnerable to notching or targets flying away). The capabilities of the track while scan mode are potent and allows pilots great situational awareness, and therefore should generally be your go-to radar mode, only switching to SRC to overcome pulse-Doppler's weaknesses.
* '''SRC PDV HDN''' (Surveillance Radar Computer, Pulse-Doppler Velocity, Head-On): This radar mode is very similar to pulse-Doppler, but instead displays the velocity of the aircraft on the radar screen rather than the range. This is the only radar mode on the AN/AWG-9 which does not utilize IFF (Identification Friend or Foe), so in simulator mode, be careful.
* The AN/AWG-9 has two acquisition modes, ACM PD HDN and ACQ, and two track modes, TRK PD HDN and TRK.
** SRC PD HDN, TWS HDN and SRC PDV HDN radar modes all use '''ACM PD HDN''' (Air Combat Maneuvering, Pulse-Doppler, Head-On) as the acquisition mode, and '''TRK PD HDN''' (Track, Pulse-Doppler, Head-On) as the lock mode. These are pulse-Doppler search and lock methods, and as such have the same strengths and weaknesses.
** SRC uses '''ACQ''' and '''TRK''' as acquisition and lock modes, respectively, which are the non pulse-Doppler counterparts to ACM PD HDN and TRK PD HDN.
** When in these acquisition modes, you can press your keybind for “Change Radar/IRST Search Mode” to change the scope of the acquisition search area. Clicking it once changes it from a square to a vertically long rectangle, clicking it twice moves this rectangle to an upper position (to lock enemies above you), and clicking it a third time changes it back to a square.
** A nice feature of the F-14's radar is that, if you have a target radar locked, you can switch between pulse-Doppler and normal SRC tracking without breaking lock (most other radars will require the lock to be broken before switching radar mode to reattempt a lock). This allows you to quickly and easily switch to TRK (SRC) if the target is notching, or switch to TRK PD HDN (Pulse-Doppler) if the target is going close to the ground.

'''Realistic Battles'''

In realistic battles, the F-14A is a powerful air superiority fighter. With a maximum of six long-range AIM-7F or AIM-54A missiles and a powerful radar, it is arguably the best BVR (Beyond Visual Range) fighter in the game. Due to this, it is advisable to exploit this advantage. In air realistic battles, players can side climb to high altitudes (>5 km) and search for targets to engage with the long-range Sparrows or Phoenixes. Once higher altitude is swept of enemy fighters, pilots can dive down on lower altitude enemies and use the energy advantage to obtain missile kills from an unexpected angle. If necessary, the Tomcat's excellent manoeuvrability can be used to dogfight enemy aircraft.

In ground realistic battles, the F-14A can use its long-range missiles to clear the sky of enemy strike aircraft. With its excellent Sparrow and Phoenix missiles, the F-14A will be especially potent at destroying enemy strike aircraft at high altitudes who are using guided munitions to attack your team outside of SAM range. While the F-14A gets access to some variety of air-to-ground bombs and rockets, these are all unguided and thus are very risky to use in the presence of SAMs. Therefore, unless a ground strike is absolutely necessary, a Tomcat is much better off in the air-to-air role guarding the skies.

'''Enemies Worth Noting'''

* '''F-16A:''' These planes have excellent acceleration and decent top speed. In addition, they have AIM-9Ls, which can sometimes be difficult to flare with the F-14’s two very hot engines, as well as AIM-7Ms (except the “normal” US F-16A”), which can give competition to the F-14’s AIM-7Fs and AIM-54As. In a dogfight, the F-16 can and will compete with the F-14 with it’s excellent maneuverability, but a weakness is it’s G-limiter which effectively bricks the F-16 at high speeds. This can be exploited in a merge with an F-16, where pulling hard into the F-16 will let you park yourself on his tail. The F-16’s excellent acceleration in contrast with the F-14’s poor acceleration makes it ill-advised to engage in a vertical dogfight with the F-16.
* '''MiG-29''': The MiG-29 has excellent acceleration and top speed. Though it’s R-60Ms are a far cry from the F-16’s AIM-9Ls, it does possess the extremely dangerous R-27ER long range SARH missile. These missiles are faster accelerating and more maneuverable than the F-14’s AIM-7Fs while having the same listed maximum range of 100km. However, the MiG-29 can only carry two of them. They can be outranged by your AIM-54s, but at closer ranges, even a single missile can mean death for you so you will have to use missile jousting strategies to beat the R-27ER with your AIM-7Fs. In a dogfight, it’s mostly the same story as with the F-16: the MiG-29 has excellent maneuverability, and while the F-14 can certainly keep up, vertical dogfights should be avoided due to the stark difference in acceleration between the MiG-29 and F-14A.
* '''Mirage 2000C:''' Mirage 2000s have excellent acceleration and top speed, as well as powerful missiles. Like AIM-9Ls, the Magic 2 can be difficult to flare, and the Super 530D is comparable to the AIM-7F. In a dogfight, the Mirage 2000 has excellent instantaneous turn rate, but due to it’s delta wing design bleeds speed quickly; in this case the F-14A’s excellent rate speed should be used to drain the Mirage 2000 of energy and outrate it.
* '''F-4J, F-4EJ Kai:''' These Phantoms can very easily be beaten in a dogfight by the F-14A, but beware of powerful AIM-7Fs, and in the case of the EJ Kai, AIM-9Ls.
* '''MiG-23ML/MLA/MLD:''' These MiG-23s boast good R-24s which can compete with the AIM-7F, as well as dangerous R-24Ts which can lock on to the F-14’s hot heat signature and stealthily destroy it. Good situational awareness is key to defeating these missiles. In a dogfight, MiG-23s have a very good rate speed which can keep up with the F-14. However, their instantaneous turn rate is poor, so a one circle or scissors can be used with the F-14A to easily gain an advantage over MiG-23s.
* '''F-5E:''' F-5s have a surprisingly excellent turn rate that can rival even the F-14A. However, it has slow acceleration, it’s guns are mediocre and it has very limited missiles. Therefore, the vertical can be used on the F-5 to stall them out and gain the advantage.

'''Simulator Battles - Enduring Confrontation'''

Before you take the F-14A to battle you need to figure out what weapons you want to use. All the available IR missiles have almost identical turn performance, the range is almost the same too. The D version cannot be slaved to the locked target, the G can be and the H works exactly like the G, but has a higher tracking rate. Taking at least two of them is highly recommended since they almost do not affect the flight performance.

There are also two options for radar-guided missiles. The AIM-7F works very well at close and medium ranges (3-20 km) and can hit a target which is pulling lots of G. They are harder to dodge in Simulator Battles, though you need to keep your lock all the time. The AIM-54A is an active radar-guided missile, it does not require the radar lock when it is launched 16 km from the target (or when it gets that close, then you can break your lock), but it can pull only up to 16G which is quite easy to dodge, both these missiles can also be avoided by just simply notching when the F-14 uses the pulse-Doppler radar mode.

A few loadout recommendations:

* 4x AIM-9H + 4x AIM-7F - Works very well in almost any scenario, and does not affect the flight performance that much.
* 4x AIM-9H + 4x AIM-54A or 2x AIM-9H + 6x AIM-54A - Makes the plane turn a lot worse, in most cases will not work against fighters which know how to deal with radar-guided missiles, this loadout is useful mainly against planes that attack the bombing bases or airfields only, so for example Su-7s loaded with bombs etc. (farmers). It is not recommended to use it in normal EC battles.
* 4x AIM-9H + 2x AIM-54A + 2x AIM-7F

To make full use of the F-14A's manoeuvrability it is best to buy the expert crew and the ace crew if it is possible, since the plane pulls around 8G at 750 km/h IAS in a sustained turn and that increases even further when the player decided to pull it even more, though you need to keep in mind that the G limit is ~11G.

'''Outside the combat''' - As a start, keep in mind that the F-14A really likes to burn fuel a lot when the afterburner is used, at low altitudes it can fly up to 7 minutes with full fuel tanks, so it is recommended to fly either with 45 minutes of fuel (on 64x64 km maps like Ruhr, Port Moresby) or full fuel tanks (128x128 km maps like Vietnam, Denmark). WEP should not be used while cruising and only during combat or while chasing someone, flying with the throttle set to 85-90% should be fine too. There are a few tactics that can be used in the F-14 in SB, but it mostly depends on what map you play. On more open maps like Denmark you can at 1,000-3,000 m alt while looking for targets, though some MiGs can still sneak up to you if you are not paying enough attention to your surroundings, doing so you are mostly vulnerable to attack from below and behind, especially when the enemy has access to all-aspect missiles. The other tactic is just simply hugging the ground, in most cases it is the safest one and should be used on maps with hills and mountains where you can break the enemy's line of sight by flying between them. It is more difficult and requires lots of focus. The player needs to keep looking around all the time to find the target, the radar is less useful in this scenario, though the TWS mode can be helpful on maps like Vietnam to check the enemy plane direction and ambush them while you are flying in areas where it is hard to spot the planes due to the ground colour and many objects like trees. To make cruising easier the damping SAS mode can be used, which limits the angle of attack (AoA) so much that the G limit cannot be reached at any speed, the automatic wing sweep control also can be activated. About the radar modes, the PDV should not really be used since it is the only one which does not have any kind of IFF and it is as good at detecting targets as the normal PD mode. Since the PD radar cannot track targets that are flying perpendicular to your plane switching between modes is very important, even the normal Pulse (SRC) mode can detect targets against the ground up to 15-20 km and even further when it is above the horizon. To be safe from enemy missiles it is best to stay around 20-30 km away from enemy planes.

'''During the combat''' - During the BVR combat when both sides have similar missiles it is important to get to a higher speed before launching it and launch the missile before the enemy does, for now the only plane that can actually start this kind of fight is the Viggen (Sweden is very often on the Russian side), though you can just ignore it and keep notching while getting below the enemy plane (missiles have much lower range at low altitude) and wait until it gets close, the start a dogfight. The AIM-54A can be useful in such scenarios, even when the F-14 will be forced to break away the missile will still be tracking the target, then the enemy will be forced to dodge it and when that happens you can launch another missile to force the enemy into an even more defensive position. When the distance between planes is around 10 km, the radar mode should be switched to either BST or VSL since they offer an instant radar lock after pointing at the targets, locking on manually can sometimes take a few seconds and a few failed attempts. Those two modes can also be used when the player in the F-14A is trying to be sneaky, then when the enemy is not aware of being tracked by TWS mode on maps like Vietnam the F-14 can switch to them when the enemy gets close from the front and then right after that launch the AIM-7F. Overall learning quick switching between radar modes depending on the situation is very important.

Within visual range (up to ~10 km) against opponents in a head-on, it is important to keep launching 1 flare every few seconds, it will reduce the chance of being tracked by the R-23T, R-24T or R-60M, also as soon as the missile launch happens a few more of them should be launched. For this kind of scenario it is best to be equipped with AIM-7F missiles, by using them you can deny the enemy any head-on attempts, by launching it they will be forced to notch it, while the IR missiles in most cases can be dodged by using flares right before the launch, not using WEP before the dogfight starts and it can be done by just flying in a straight line (when the distance between the missile and the F-14 is big enough).
The enemy will not be able to safely reengage until it gets very close (when the AIM-7F becomes less effective, so within 2 km from the target), but at that point the AIM-9H can be used in some cases against afterburning targets trying to notch the PD radar. All of this can lead to the enemy having to dodge the missile and becoming an easy target, you can easily get on their six and shoot them down by using the gun.

When the dogfight happens it is needed to switch the SAS mode to manual, the damping limits the manoeuvrability too much and can put the F-14 in a worse position, especially against the delta wing planes, though using it makes the plane harder to control. The other thing to remember is switching the wing sweep controls to manual, then reducing it to 0% for the best manoeuvrability.
The last thing is using the combat flaps, but overusing them and doing it in the wrong situation can lead to being shot down faster. Before the merge between both planes happens the speed should be around 800 km/h IAS and 900 km/h (450-500 kn IAS), it will make starting a two-circle fight (where the F-14 excels) easier. The combat flaps in the F-14 improve both the sustained and instantaneous turn rate, the only downside is that they work effectively only up to 900 km/h IAS and make reaching speed above that harder. The one-circle fight can be done only with planes like the MiG-23, Su-17/22 or the Japanese Phantoms; against other planes, especially the delta wing planes, it is not very safe, although the F-14 can sometimes pull a very tight turn (takeoff flaps have a speed limit up to 800 km/h and can help with that). Generally, the safest way to win the fight is to keep your speed around 800 km/h IAS in a two-circle fight, there is not a single plane that can win it. There are a few planes which can give a hard time in close-range fights, the MiG-23MLD, J35s, MiG-21bis, J-7E, Chinese F-5E, the player should be very careful while engaging any of these.

'''Basic mistakes''' - Ignoring the IFF and teamkilling are the biggest mistakes happening in SB, it is always important to check if the target is a friendly plane or not (one line - unknown/enemy, two lines - friendly). Also, launching the AIM-54 into a direction with a few friendly planes can end really badly, just like launching any kind of missile into furballs. Ignoring the IFF readouts will lead to being kicked from the session and the team performing worse because they will also need to worry about dodging friendly missiles.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very effective dogfighter at any speed with its variable wing sweep which gives it great energy retention
* Variable swept wings can help plane accelerate fast when swept back and turn better when the wing is less swept
* High top speed (can cap out at 1500 km/h IAS at sea level)
* Lethal M61 Vulcan cannon which has an extremely fast fire rate, great velocity, and great damage
* Can carry up to 8 missiles maximum, with options of AIM-7s, AIM-9s, and [[AIM-54A Phoenix|AIM-54]]<nowiki/>s for versatile use
* The AIM-54 has insane range (100 km max), its rocket booster lasts for a very long time, and it's an Active Radar Homing missile (at closer ranges can automatically guide itself towards enemies using its own radar)
* Multi-mode radar makes it effective in any situation (the TWS mode allows launching AIM-54s at multiple aircraft at once and provides amazing situational awareness)
* The new [[AIM-9H Sidewinder|AIM-9H]] has much better flare resistance than previous AIM-9s (such as the [[AIM-9G Sidewinder|G]] or [[AIM-9J Sidewinder|J]] variants)

'''Cons:'''

* Big plane and thus an easy target to hit
* The afterburner's fuel consumption is otherworldly fast; constant usage of it requires carrying a lot of fuel that can hamper the plane's performance and manoeuvrability
* Massive wing and fuselage fuel tanks make it especially prone to catching fire
* Cannot pull sustained Gs when above 1,000 km/h IAS (11-13 G) in RB or the wings will rip
* At high throttle and afterburner, the engine emits an unparalleled amount of heat, requiring throttling down (and therefore significantly bleeding speed) to reliably flare missiles off
* 60 countermeasures may be a bit lacking considering the extremely high engine temperature
* The AIM-54A only has 16G overload and thus is rather easy to dodge
* The AIM-54A's rocket motor lasts for a very long time, giving plenty of time for enemies to spot and evade it
* Requires lots of work and control binds related to the radar and variable wing sweep angle to make the most of the aircraft
* The Damping SAS mode limits the AoA so much that it cannot be used in one-circle fights (scissors etc.) thus forcing the player to use the much harder to use the Manual SAS mode (SB with full-real controls)

== History ==

=== Early Development ===
In 1967, the U.S. Navy wanted a long-range fleet defence fighter to boost their naval plane capabilities with the "VFX" program. The USN first started with a redesigned F-111 Aardvark named the F-111B (basically an F-111 designed around the TF30 engine and AIM-54 Phoenix missiles), they soon found out that the F-111 was too big for practical reasons so the F-111B plan never came to fruition. Fast forward to 1969, the USN gave the contract to Grumman to build the new fleet defence fighter named the F-14 Tomcat, its first variants were built around the TF30 engines found on the F-111B and to use the AN/AWG-9 radar set and the airframe was specifically built to carry the AIM-54 Phoenix missile.

===[[wt:en/news/7705-development-f-14a-tomcat-into-the-danger-zone-en|Devblog]]===
In 1968, five aircraft building companies entered the Pentagon's competition for a new carrier-based interceptor fighter. The commission's preference was given to Grumman's design, a twin-engine jet fighter with a variable-swept wing. Work on the F-14A fighter began in February 1969, and in December of the next year, the new aircraft took her maiden flight. The main weapon of the F-14A was the AIM-54 Phoenix long-range missiles controlled by the newest to date weapon control system. Instead of building prototypes, Grumman immediately switched to the production of an experimental series, and already on December 31, 1972, the first batch of jet fighters were put into service with the VF-124 Fleet Replacement Squadron . Pilot training took place on the deck of the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier, and during the withdrawal of US troops from Vietnam, combat sorties were also made from the deck. In total 557 F-14A fighters were delivered to the US Navy until 1987, and another 80 aircraft were built for Iran. Tomcats were used in all military conflicts where US aircraft took part until the very decommissioning. Iranian F-14s took an active part in the Iran-Iraq war, scoring dozens of air kills.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f_14a_early Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 1.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 2.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 3.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 4.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 5.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 6.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 7.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Wdnef_6_6oM|'''The Shooting Range #307''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Other jet planes with variable sweep wings

* [[MiG-23 (Family)]]
* [[Su-17/22 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7705-development-f-14a-tomcat-into-the-danger-zone-en|[Devblog] F-14A Tomcat: Into the Danger Zone!]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/557191-f-14a-early/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Grumman}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

Air-to-air missiles

2022-12-30T06:11:15Z

U97916902: /* SARH guidance Pros and Cons */

__TOC__

==Overview==
Air-to-air missiles were added to the game in [[Update 1.85]]; they are available to many aircraft from around the Korean War era and onwards. In-game they are a potent weapon to have at your disposal, allowing you to destroy enemy aircraft from several km away in some situations. There are currently three main categories of air-to-air missiles available to use: command guided missiles, beam riding missiles, and infrared homing (heat-seeking) missiles.

===Rockets vs. Missiles===
The thing that separates air-to-air missiles from rockets is the presence of a guidance system. When a rocket is fired it will simply fly along its trajectory until it hits something (a target or more often the ground), or self-destructs. By comparison, an air-to-air missile has an active guidance system, allowing it to fly towards and follow a target.

==Command guided missiles==
The most basic type of air-to-air missiles in-game are command guided missiles. Command guided missiles are manually guided to the target by the pilot (or another crew member) of the aircraft which fired them. Once the missile was fired the pilot would watch the missile (many missiles had a flare in the tail to aid visibility) and manually guide it towards the target, using a joystick.

===Command guided missile usage===
[[File:AA-20_Fired.jpg|thumb|400px|right|An [[AA-20]] command guided missile, fired at a [[MiG-15]] from a [[G.91 R/4]]. Notice the lack of HUD elements relating to the missile, you have to watch the missile's flare and manually guide it to the target.]]
In-game if a command guided missile is fired, and no further input is given, then it will act like an unguided rocket with a proximity fuse. In order to guide the missile you must set up guided weaponry controls (see below); after you have fired the missile you can then use the controls to manually guide it towards the target. Guiding a missile will usually require you to stop controlling your aircraft, as guiding the missile to its target is hard enough without also manoeuvring your aircraft at the same time, so make sure there is no one on your tail before you fire one. It takes a lot of practice to get good at using command guided missiles, however, such missiles usually have a large warhead and proximity fuse, making the job slightly easier. It can sometimes be desirable to use command guided missiles as unguided, proximity fused, rockets; such as in head-ons or if an enemy is dead in front of you (e.g. after they over-shot you).

{{Notice|Unlike heat-seeking missiles, command guided missiles will not trigger a missile launch warning for the enemy player.}}

===Command guidance pros and cons===
'''Pros:'''

* Not vulnerable to countermeasures
* Do not trigger missile warnings
* Much better manoeuvrability than beam riding missiles, and better than some heat-seekers
* Can be used as unguided proximity rockets

'''Cons:'''

* Have to stop controlling aircraft to control missile
* Can be hard to manually guide missiles
* Can be easy to dodge if the missile is spotted soon enough

===Command guided missile controls===
To control command guided missiles you set up axis controls for the pitch and yaw; select the relevant control from the menu and click the edit axis button, this will display various controls you can edit. The "maximum value" control is the button you want to press to increase the missiles steering angle (make the missile go up in pitch or right in yaw); and the "minimum value" control is the button you want to press to decrease the missiles steering angle (make the missile go down in pitch or left in yaw). The rest of the controls (apart from relative control, see next paragraph) can be left on default values without much thought and are present for user preference.

An important option to consider is "relative control"; this dramatically changes how you control the missile. With relative control off pressing a control key will immediately set that axis's steering value to 100% and back to 0% when the key is released. By comparison with it on pressing a control key will gradually increase / decrease the steering angle and it will remain at that value until the player changes it.

What this amounts to is that if relative control is off and the player presses the control to move the missile right, the missile will begin moving to the right, then start flying straight in whatever direction it is facing when the player releases the key. With relative control on the missile will begin moving the right and when the player releases the key the missile will keep turning to the right in an arc until the player presses the left key to move the missiles steering angle back to 0%. Personal preference will determine how you set this option, but turning relative control off can be more intuitive, as it makes correcting the missile's course quicker and easier.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="3" | Command guided missile controls
|-
! Control name
! Default Keybind (PC keyboard & mouse)
! Description
|-
| Yaw axis for aim weapons || Shift + A / Shift + D || Keys to control the yaw (side to side) movement of the missile
|-
| Pitch axis for aim weapons || Shift + W / Shift + S ||Keys to control the pitch (up and down) movement of the missile
|-
| Fire air-to-ground missile || Space || Fire the command guided missile (they are treated as proximity fused air-to-ground missiles)
|-
|}

===List of command guided air-to-air missiles===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="3" | Command guided missiles
|-
! Missile || Country || Max guidance range
|-
| [[AA-20|AA-20 Nord]] || [[File:France_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 8,000 m
|-
|}

==Beam riding missiles==
Beam riding is another primitive form of missile guidance. An aircraft equipped with beam riding missiles will also carry a small radar transmitter, which projects a narrow (few degrees wide) radio beam in front of the aircraft. When the missile has launched, a receiver on the rear of the missile detects the beam from the aircraft and steers the missile to keep it within the beam. The effect of this is that the missile will fly wherever the beam is pointing.

===Beam riding missile usage===
[[File:Fireflash_Fired.jpg|thumb|400px|right|A [[Fireflash]] beam riding missile, fired at a [[MiG-17]] from a [[Swift F.7]]. Like with the command guided missile, there are no HUD elements associated with the missile; the missile is following the beam projected from the aircraft towards the targets.]]
In-game to use a beam riding missile, you simply fire it; the missile will then enter the beam and fly towards where the nose of your aircraft is pointing. You can gently manoeuvre the nose of your aircraft to correct the course of the missile.

Beam riding missiles have a number of disadvantages; firstly once the missile is fired you have to keep the nose of the aircraft pointing at the enemy aircraft, as the missile follows wherever the nose of your aircraft is pointing. Secondly the missile has a very low turning ability, if you move the nose of your aircraft too quickly the beam will move away from the missile quicker than the missile can correct, so the missile will fall out of the beam, at which point you lose all control of the missile; therefore you can only make gentle movements once the missile is launched. Finally, the missile becomes less accurate the further it gets away from the launching aircraft; the beam from the aircraft spreads as it moves away from the aircraft, so at long ranges the missile can still be within the beam, but off-centre (some missiles are better at staying centred within the beam than others)

{{Notice|Unlike heat-seeking missiles, beam riding missiles will not trigger a missile launch warning for the enemy player.}}

===Beam riding pros and cons===
'''Pros:'''

* Not vulnerable to countermeasures
* Do not trigger missile warnings
* Can be easier to guide than command guided missiles
* Can be used as unguided proximity rockets

'''Cons:'''

* Must keep your aircraft pointing at the target
* Bad at engaging manoeuvring targets
* Anything more than gentle corrections will make missile fall out of beam and lose tracking
* Gets less accurate with increased range
* Easy to dodge if the missile is spotted

===Beam riding missile controls===
To control the missile, launch it then gently correct its course by moving where the nose of your aircraft is pointing.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="3" | Beam riding missile controls
|-
! Control name
! Default Keybind (PC keyboard & mouse)
! Description
|-
| Fire air-to-ground missile || Space || Fire the command guided missile (they are treated as proximity fused air-to-ground missiles)
|-
|}

===List of beam riding air-to-air missiles===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="6" | Beam riding missiles
|-
! Missile || Country || Max overload || Max guidance range
|-
| [[Fireflash]] || [[File:Britain_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 2 G || 4,000 m
|-
|}

==Infrared homing (heat-seeking) missiles==
Infrared (IR) homing missiles, also known as heat-seeking missiles, or heat-seekers, are the most widespread type of air-to-air missile in War Thunder. Infrared homing missiles have what is known as an IR seeker mounted in the nose of the missile. The IR seeker is capable of detecting the infrared light emitted by the target; and when the missile is launched the IR seeker tracks the source of infrared light and steers the missile towards it. These missiles are commonly called "heat-seekers", as things which are hot emit large amounts of infrared light, so the missile is effectively looking for hot things to lock on to.

{{Notice|Infrared homing missiles will lock on to any suitably strong infrared light source; this includes friendly aircraft (RB and SB) and the sun|!}}

===Infrared homing missile usage===
[[File:Firestreak_Caged_Lock.jpg|thumb|400px|right|A [[Firestreak]] missile locked on to a [[MiG-15]]. The seeker ring is red as it has locked onto the MiG. This is a caged seeker (see the section below).]]
Firing Infrared homing missiles in-game is a little more complicated than firing other types of weaponry. You must first turn on the IR seeker (see controls section below). Once the seeker is turned on you will see a grey flashing circle appear on your screen, the missile seeker is now cooling down to improve the performance; the length of time required for the seeker to cool-down varies between missiles (see individual missile pages for details), but is generally several seconds.

Once the seeker has cooled down it will become active and the flashing grey circle will become solid grey; this will be accompanied by a "growling" noise to let you know the missile is active. You must now manoeuvre your aircraft to place the circle over the target you wish to click on to. The seeker on each missile has a maximum range at which it can lock on to a target; you will need to be within that range to get a lock. Most missiles will also require you to be in the rear aspect of your target (behind the target) so that the missile can lock onto the target's engine exhaust (see the all aspect seekers section for more information). Once a lock is achieved the grey circle will turn red and the growling noise will change in tone, indicating a lock. Once a lock is achieved you can fire the missile, after this point the missile requires no further input and will guide itself to the target.

Once the missile is fired there is no guarantee it will hit the target. Early missiles cannot turn very tightly (about 5G), so it is possible for the enemy player to dodge the missile.

'''Important notes:'''

* If your missile locks onto the wrong target before you launch it, you can turn the seeker off then back on again to reset it and force it to find a new target (this is mainly a problem for missiles with uncaged seekers, where you cannot easily move the seeker ring off the target).

* If you are in the cockpit view there are no rings visible, you must rely purely on the growling tone to know when the missile seeker is active and locked.

* Each missile has a maximum amount of time the seeker can be powered up for before launch. If this time is exceeded the seeker will turn off and have to be turned back on again manually (see individual missile pages for details).

* Just because you have achieved a missile lock does not mean it is a good idea to fire the missile; many missiles can lock onto a target which is outside of their effective range (although within their max range), make sure you have closed to a good firing range. In addition, firing while yourself, or the enemy plane, is mid-manoeuvre, is just asking for the missile to lose its lock.

* Once a missile is fired it can lose its lock on the enemy aircraft and lock on to something else; if a friendly flies in front of your missile be prepared for the missile to start chasing them instead. Likewise, if the sun is in the background of your target, expect the missile to fly towards the sun (after all the missile is looking for infrared light, and the sun puts out way more of that than the enemy plane does).

* If there is more than one target in front of the missile's seeker then the seeker may get confused and the missile will likely fly off course and miss.

{{Notice|In AB & RB shortly after you fire a heat-seeking missile the enemy plane will receive a warning, this is a balance mechanic and represents the enemy's pilot noticing the plume of smoke from the missile launch}}

====Caged vs uncaged missile seekers====
[[File:SRAAM_Uncaged_Lock.jpg|thumb|400px|right|A [[SRAAM]] missile locked on to a [[MiG-15]]. As the seeker is uncaged the lock is maintained so long as the target stays within the larger ring.]]
Most early infrared homing missiles have what is known as a caged IR seeker prior to being launched, this means the seeker is locked facing directly forwards. This is the mode described in the section above (and the image in that section); in-game you will see a small circle, which you have to position over a target to get a lock, then hold over the target until you fire the missile.

Some more advanced missiles are capable of "uncaging" their seeker once a target has been locked. This means that once the seeker has locked onto a target it is free to move. In practice this means that once you have locked on to a target with one of these missiles you no longer have to manually keep the missile's seeker over the target to maintain a lock prior to launch, the missile will maintain its own lock and you can (within reason) manoeuvre you aircraft before firing the missile.

In-game when the seekers of these missiles are turned on you will see the normal missile seeker ring, but there will also be a larger ring present around the missile seeker ring. To lock on you still need to position the smaller ring over the target, but once a lock is achieved you only need to keep the target within the big ring to maintain a lock. The user interfaces for missiles with uncaged seekers can be seen to the right.

Uncaged seekers are a major advantage as they make maintaining a lock prior to launch much easier. They also allow you to "lead" the missiles like you would your guns, making them more likely to hit turning opponents.

====Slaving the seeker to an aircraft tracking radar====
[[File:Firestreak_Slaved_Seeker.jpg|thumb|400px|right|A [[Firestreak]] missile with the seeker slaved to the [[Javelin F.(A.W.) Mk.9]]'s tracking radar. The seeker ring is grey as it has not achieved a lock yet, but it is automatically placed over the tracked target for you.]]
Aircraft which have [[Airborne_radars#Target_tracking_radars|tracking radars]] have the option of slaving the missile's IR seeker to their radar system. This means that when a target is being tracked by the radar and the missile seeker is turned on, instead of the seeker pointing directly forwards it will receive data from the radar and point at the target the radar is locked on to.

Rotorcraft with a gunner seat or ATGM tracking camera may also guide their seeker manually by hopping in the gunner seat or using the tracking camera, however it is not possible to fire the missile until the player switches back to pilot mode. It is important that the crosshair is pointing at the enemy aircraft and locked upon switching back to the pilot seat otherwise the seeker head will reset.

The benefits of slaving the IR seeker to the tracking radar are essentially the same as having an uncaged sensor; making achieving and maintaining a lock easier, as well as allowing you to "lead" the missile in some situations. A disadvantage is that if you lose the radar track (as can happen often) you will also lose your IR lock (unless you have an uncaged seeker).

{{Notice|Seeker slaving is available for both missiles with and without an uncaged seeker}}

====All aspect seekers====
Most infrared homing missiles in-game are what are known as "rear-aspect" missiles, which require you to be in the rear aspect of your target (behind the target) in order for the missile to lock on. This is because early IR seekers were only sensitive enough to lock on to very hot targets, such as the exhaust of a jet engine. There are however some more advanced missiles in-game which are known as "all-aspect" missiles, these missiles have more sensitive IR seekers and better tracking systems which are able to detect heat emitted from the body of the aircraft, allowing the missile to lock on to and engage a target from any direction. These missiles are a major upgrade other infrared homing missiles, they allow you to attack a target from any direction and are much harder to dodge.

====Countermeasures====
There are general techniques pilots can employ to dodge missiles (covered in a later section), however, in addition, some vehicles also have systems dedicated to defeating infrared homing missiles. These systems fall into two categories: flares and IRCM systems.

=====Flares=====
The most basic countermeasure to infrared homing missiles is the use of flares. Flares are a type of pyrotechnic which can be fired (usually in bursts) from the target aircraft when the pilot believes a heat-seeking missile has been fired at them. The flare burns extremely hot and produces a large amount of infrared light; this will often trick the IR seeker of the missile into locking on to the flares instead of the target aircraft. More modern missiles with more advanced IR seekers are less vulnerable to flares.

If a target you are locking onto deploys flares you will often see the seeker ring move over the flares instead of the target. If the target deploys flares after a missile has been fired then the missile will often switch course and fly towards the flares. Some modern missiles in-game are not affected as much by flares.

=====Infrared Counter Measures (IRCM) systems=====
A more advanced countermeasure to infrared-guided missiles are Infrared Counter Measures (IRCM) systems, these systems are effectively jammers for infrared missiles. There are two techniques used by these systems: older systems would have a powerful infrared light source, which was then flickered on and off; this would disrupt the missile's guidance system and cause it to fly off course. More modern systems detect the missile and shine a laser directly at it, blinding the IR seeker.

In-game these systems make locking on to aircraft with the system activated much harder. It is currently only helicopters which have access to these systems.

===Infrared homing missile controls===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="3" | Infrared homing missile controls
|-
! Control name
! Default Keybind (PC keyboard & mouse)
! Description
|-
| Weapon lock || Alt + X || Toggles the missile's IR seeker on or off
|-
| Fire air-to-air missile || Alt + Space || Fires the air-to-air missile once a target is locked, or if IR seeker is not active it will activate the seeker.
|-
|}

===Infrared homing pros and cons===
'''Pros:'''

* Fire and forget in nature
* Hardest type of missile to physically dodge (although this depends on the exact missile, some like the [[SRAAM]] can be extremely hard to dodge, while others are quite easy)
* Easiest missiles to use
* Can be all-aspect depending on missile

'''Cons:'''

* Vulnerable to other heat sources
** Can lock on to the sun and friendly players
** Vulnerable to flares and IRCM (generally making most IR missiles near useless against top tier helicopters)

=== List of infrared homing air-to-air missiles ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="6" | Infrared homing missiles
|-
! Missile || Country || Max overload || All-aspect || Uncaged seeker || Radar slaving
|-
| [[9M39 Igla]] || [[File:USSR_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 10 G || {{Tick}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}}
|-
| [[AIM-9B Sidewinder]] || [[File:USA_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 10 G || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}}
|-
| [[AIM-9B FGW.2 Sidewinder]] || [[File:Germany_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 10 G || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}}
|-
| [[AIM-9D Sidewinder]] || [[File:USA_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 18 G || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}}
|-
| [[AIM-9E Sidewinder]] || [[File:USA_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 10 G || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}} || {{Cross}}
|-
| [[AIM-9G Sidewinder]] || [[File:USA_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 18 G || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
| [[AIM-9H Sidewinder]] || [[File:USA_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 18 G || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
| [[AIM-9J Sidewinder]] || [[File:USA_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 20 G || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
| [[AIM-9L Sidewinder]] || [[File:USA_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 30 G || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
| [[AIM-9P Sidewinder]] || [[File:USA_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 20 G || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
| [[ATAS (AIM-92)]] || [[File:USA_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 10 G || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Cross}}
|-
| [[Firestreak]] || [[File:Britain_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 15 G || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
| [[Matra R530E]] || [[File:France_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 15 G || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
| [[Matra R550 Magic 1]] || [[File:France_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 35 G || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
| [[Matra R550 Magic 2]] || [[File:France_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 35 G || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
| [[Mistral]] || [[File:France_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 12 G || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Cross}}
|-
| [[PL-2]] || [[File:China_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 10 G || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}}
|-
| [[PL-5B]] || [[File:China_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 30 G || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
| [[PL-7]] || [[File:China_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 35 G || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
| [[R-3S]] || [[File:USSR_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 10 G || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}}
|-
| [[R-13M1]] || [[File:USSR_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 20 G || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}} || {{Cross}}
|-
| [[R-23T]] || [[File:USSR_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 20 G || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
| [[R-24T]] || [[File:USSR_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 24 G || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
| [[R-27T]] || [[File:USSR_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 30 G || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
| [[R-60]] || [[File:USSR_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 30 G || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
| [[R-60M]] || [[File:USSR_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 30 G || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
| [[R-60MK]] || [[File:USSR_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 30 G || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
| [[RB24]] || [[File:Sweden_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 10 G || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}}
|-
| [[RB24J]] || [[File:Sweden_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 20 G || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
| [[RB 74]] || [[File:Sweden_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 30 G || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
| [[Red Top]] || [[File:Britain_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 16 G || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
| [[Shafrir]] || [[File:Israel_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 11 G || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}}
|-
| [[Shafrir 2]] || [[File:Israel_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 18 G || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}} || {{Cross}}
|-
| [[SRAAM]] || [[File:Britain_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 20 G || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}} || {{Cross}}
|-
| [[TY-90]] || [[File:China_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 20 G || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Cross}}
|-
|}

== Semi-Active Radar Homing (SARH) missiles ==
SARH guidance is often used for medium-range and long-range Air-to-Air missiles, which rely on the launch aircraft to provide guidance (specifically a radar lock). SARH missiles rely on radar waves from the launch aircraft reflecting off the target, similar to beam-riding missiles. However, due to the larger boresight angles and larger radar scanning angles, these missiles offer increased performance.

=== SARH missile usage ===
{{main|wt:en/news/6879-development-sarh-air-to-air-missiles-en|l1=SARH Air-to-Air Missiles Devblog}}

; How are these missiles fired?

Since SARH missiles are capable of locking onto targets that are out of the pilot's visual range, it might be tricky for the said pilot to estimate the distance to the target. This type of armament has a specific operational range, or the launch envelope, which can be defined as the distance between minimum and maximum ranges of the missile given the present movement parameters of the player's aircraft and the target. This zone is strictly individual for every missile model and varies with technical characteristics.

The minimum launch range is affected by parameters such as:

* The commit time when the missile begins homing in on the target. For instance, for the R-3R model, this is equal to 0.5 seconds, while for the AIM-7D/E – approximately 2 seconds.
* The post-launch time required to arm the fuse.
* The turn rate of each particular model of missile. For example, if an opponent is flying directly towards or away from the player's aircraft, the manoeuvring time window of the missile will be minimal, while if the movement trajectory of the opponent's aircraft is perpendicular to the player's, the time window will be maximal.

In a similar vein, each missile has a maximum launch range, which depends on:

* The aerodynamics, motor thrust, and firing duration of the missile.
* The flight altitude of the player's aircraft – the higher its value, the greater the missile's flight range.
* The flight altitude of the opponent's aircraft – correspondingly, the higher up in the sky they are, the shorter the flight range of your missiles.
* The speed of the player's and the opponent's aircraft, as well as the angle at which the opponent's aircraft is moving with respect to the player – if they are flying away from you, the maximum launch range is severely reduced.

The armament control system calculates all the aforementioned parameters and helps the player identify the potential launch envelope – the minimum and maximum launch ranges will appear as small marks by the right-hand side of the indicator if the B-Scope (rectangular coordinate system) is used, and as arcs if the radar uses the polar system.

[[File:Radar Indicators SARH DEVBLOG.jpg]]

Moreover, the pilot has the indicator of the target's velocity vector at their disposal. You will find it right under the square marking the locked-on target. If the target's velocity vector changes laterally, the side component will reveal their speed, and the vertical component – the direction in which they are moving with respect to the player (down and up are towards and away correspondingly).

Don't expect an "intelligent" armament to do all the hard work for you – if your target changes speed or direction after you have fired the missile, it may not hit the target. Besides, when tracking the target, the missile may be confused by ground clutter. Such a scenario is possible if you are radiating a signal down on the target (in this case, the opponent is situated below the horizon line). This causes the radio waves to bounce off the ground, that might prevent the seeker from tracking down the target. Additionally, there's even a higher risk of this phenomenon when firing a missile at a low altitude, because the side lobes of your aircraft radar and the missile seeker receive all-ways signals reflected off the Earth surface, which may result in the missile losing its target. To ensure you don't run into these problems, lock onto the target and launch your SARH missiles when you are positioned below them.

; How does the SARH home in on its target?

Unlike IR guided missiles, missiles with a semi-active radio seeker lock onto and track their target and maintain range or speed tracking. Thus, the missile will never become distracted by other targets within the reflected radio-signal acquisition zone while simultaneously ignoring some of the emissions reflected back from ground and water surfaces. The seeker is equally operable whether pulse or continuous wave signal is used. However, different missiles have different subtle aspects depending on targeting mode, and it's crucial to study them in advance if you wish to make the best use of your SARH missiles.

When bombarding an opponent with pulsed emissions, the guided warhead will home in on the target according to distance – the R-3Rs, Matra R.530 and some others employ this approach. This mode allows the pilot to mark the desired target and fire a missile at it while ignoring other possible targets and parasitic signal reflections off the Earth surface that are reflected at ranges different from the range to the target the missile is locked on. In addition to this, you can lock onto the target of choice before launching the missile. When deploying SARH warheads in pulsed mode, it's important to remember that locking onto a target positioned below the horizon line or at low altitudes may cause issues. For a perfect lock-on, target opponents at medium and high altitudes – and only if they are level with you or above you. If the distance between you and the target is less than the flight altitude of your aircraft, you can totally neglect the emission bouncing off the ground – under these conditions, the missile is guaranteed to lock onto and track the target.

Specific missiles, like the American AIM-7D/E, track the target based on its radial speed by using the Doppler effect as they are guided by a continuous or pulse-Doppler radar signal. In this particular instance, the seeker ignores any targets and signals reflected off the ground surface in the set direction with different speed values. The cons of such technology include the impossibility for the seeker to lock onto a target before launch, issues locking onto a target travelling perpendicular to the movement trajectory of your aircraft, and the reduction of the lock-on range when pursuing fleeing targets. In order to lock onto a target, the missile must travel at least 1–2 km away from the carrier, which renders them useless in a dogfight. These missiles are most effective against opponents moving towards you, as well as against fleeing targets travelling at medium or high altitudes – in this case, the seeker will never misidentify any signal reflected off the Earth surface as objects travelling at the target's speed.

=== SARH guidance: Pros and Cons ===
'''Pros:'''

* Radar guidance
** All-aspect capability
** Immune to Flares and helicopter IRCM
* Usually boasts medium or long range

'''Cons:'''

* IR missiles generally accelerate faster and are initially more maneuverable in short ranged scenarios
* Requires you to maintain radar lock on your target for the entire duration of flight
* Vehicles with a Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) can tell when you are locked on to them
* Performance significantly depends on the potency of the launching aircraft’s radar

=== SARH missile controls ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="3" | Infrared homing missile controls
|-
! Control name
! Default Keybind (PC keyboard & mouse)
! Description
|-
| Lock radar target on || Alt + F || Locks onto a target with the aircraft's tracking radar.
|-
| Weapon lock || Alt + X || Toggles the missile's seeker on or off.
|-
| Fire air-to-air missile || Alt + Space || Fires the air-to-air missile once a target is locked, or if seeker is not active it will activate the seeker.
|-
|}

=== List of SARH air-to-air missiles ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="4" | SARH missiles
|-
! Missile || Country || Max overload || Launch range
|-
| [[AIM-7C Sparrow]] || [[File:USA_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 15 G || 25 km
|-
| [[AIM-7D Sparrow]] || [[File:USA_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 15 G || 45 km
|-
| [[AIM-7E Sparrow]] || [[File:USA_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 25 G || 50 km
|-
| [[AIM-7E-2 Sparrow]] || [[File:USA_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 25 G || 50 km
|-
| [[AIM-7F Sparrow]] || [[File:USA_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 25 G || 100 km
|-
| [[AIM-7M Sparrow]] || [[File:USA_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 25 G || 100 km
|-
| [[AIM-9C Sidewinder]] || [[File:USA_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 18 G || 18 km
|-
| [[Aspide-1A]] || [[File:Italy_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 25 G || 80 km
|-
| [[Matra R511]] || [[File:France_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 12 G || 8 km
|-
| [[Matra R530]] || [[File:France_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 15 G || 18 km
|-
| [[Matra Super 530D]] || [[File:France_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 30 G || 40 km
|-
| [[Matra Super 530F]] || [[File:France_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 20 G || 40 km
|-
| [[R-3R]] || [[File:USSR_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 10 G || 9 km
|-
| [[R-23R]] || [[File:USSR_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 20 G || 27 km
|-
| [[R-24R]] || [[File:USSR_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 24 G || 50 km
|-
| [[R-27ER]] || [[File:USSR_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 30 G || 100 km
|-
| [[R-27R]] || [[File:USSR_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 30 G || 55 km
|-
| [[RB71]] || [[File:Sweden_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 25 G || 50 km
|-
| [[Skyflash]] || [[File:Britain_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 25 G || 50 km
|-
|}

==Active Radar Homing (ARH) missiles==
Active radar homing (ARH) missiles have a radar emitter built in so that they don't have to rely on target illumination by the aircraft that fired it, making them fire-and-forget weapons. Unfortunately, this is only true to an extent: ARH mode is only available when the missile is coming close to the target, as the range of the built-in radar is limited by its size, which needs to fit inside the compact missile. During the first stage of the flight, the missile has to either rely on inertial guidance, act like a SARH missile, or be course-corrected by Datalink from the aircraft.

=== List of ARH air-to-air missiles ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="5" | ARH missiles
|-
! Missile || Country || Max overload || Launch range || ARH range
|-
| [[AIM-54A Phoenix]] || [[File:USA_flag.png|40px|link=]] || 16 G || 150 km || 16 km
|-
|}

==Avoiding air-to-air missiles==
There are various techniques you can use to avoid the different types of air-to-air missiles. As a general rule though situational awareness is absolutely key, you should be looking out to see if any aircraft around you could have air-to-air missiles, and judging what type they are likely to have. If an enemy is on your tail keep looking to see if a missile is launched. You may not get a warning (depending on missile type) and even if you do it may be too late.

===Avoiding command guided missiles===
You don't get a warning for these missiles so you need to keep a constant eye out to see if one has been launched. If one is launched at you begin manoeuvring to make it hard for the enemy player to hit you. If one is fired at you in a head-on, then abandon the head-on immediately, if you don't the proximity fuse will get you.

===Avoiding beam riding missiles===
You don't get a warning for these missiles so you need to keep a constant eye out to see if one has been launched. If one has been launched then any manoeuvre pulling more than a few G's will likely cause the missile to fall out of the beam from the chasing aircraft, at which point the missile poses little threat. Again if one is fired in a head-on then abandon immediately and pull off to the side.

===Avoiding heat-seeking missiles===
{{Notice|There is a delay between missile launch and receiving an inbound missile warning; it is best to look at the enemy aircraft so you can react as soon as a missile is fired.}}

How you best avoiding heat-seeking missiles depends largely on what missile was fired at you; it is recommended to familiarise yourself with what missiles different planes carry and what the characteristics of each are. For early missiles, you should be able to turn tighter than the missile and make it lose its lock that way. For missiles which you can't simply throw off with a hard turn your options are more limited, you can try pulling a sort of barrel roll manoeuvre, the combination of turning hard and rolling can sometimes throw the missile off. A final option is to manoeuvre your aircraft so that it is directly between the missile and the sun, causing the missile to lock onto the sun, although this is rarely possible in battle situations; this can be done pre-emptively (i.e. fly towards the sun when you spot an enemy with air-to-air missiles on your tail).

If you have flares deploy them and turn sharply so you get away from the missile seekers field of view. Advanced heat-seeking missiles can have IRCCM (InfraRed Counter-Counter-Measures) which are not easily confused by flares.

== Media ==


;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|v8j3kJwm_Eg|'''Air To Air Missiles: The Complete Guide (Updated July 2022''' - ''Tims Variety''|PICL4dLt2zI|'''Danger Sticks: A Beginners Guide to Air to Air Missiles''' - ''rampageTG''|_txt7q-KlnA|'''Fox 1 - A Guide to SARH Missiles''' - ''rampageTG''|TclR7XJMoWY|'''Heat Seekers. How they work''' - War Thunder Official Channel|omcme8er-7o|'''Heat-seeking missiles 101''' - War Thunder Official Channel}}

== See also ==


* [[Template:Missiles|Missiles]]
* [[Air-to-ground missiles]]
* [[Anti-tank guided missiles]]
* [[:Category:Countermeasures|Countermeasures]]

== External links ==


;Devblogs

* [[wt:en/news/6879-development-sarh-air-to-air-missiles-en|[Development] SARH Air-to-Air Missiles]]
* [[wt:en/news/5947-development-air-to-air-missiles-en|[Development] Air-to-air Missiles]]

;Wikipedia

* [[wikipedia:Command_guidance|[Wikipedia] Command guidance]]
* [[wikipedia:Beam_riding|[Wikipedia] Beam riding]]
* [[wikipedia:Infrared_homing|[Wikipedia] Infrared homing]]

[[Category:Game mechanics]]
[[Category:Armaments]]

F-14A Early

2022-12-30T01:35:46Z

U97916902: /* Usage in battles */ Radar acquisition mode details

{{Specs-Card
|code=f_14a_early
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Danger Zone"]]. One of the most iconic US naval fighter jets of the Cold War era, the F-14A was developed as the US Navy's fleet-defense fighter jet to protect their carrier groups over a vast swath of ocean. First deployed in the 1970s, the F-14A wields the advanced AN/AWG-9 radar and up to eight missiles, including the iconic [[AIM-54A Phoenix|Phoenix missile,]] to locate and target bandits at long range.

In the game, these characteristics allow the F-14A to engage enemy air targets at far greater distances than most enemy aircraft can, allowing the F-14A to take the initiative and achieve air superiority by firing first. At long range, Phoenix missiles force enemy fighters to actively monitor the sky even when they cannot yet see or detect the F-14A. While Phoenix missiles may prove too sluggish to target enemy fighters at high-speed merges, its [[AIM-7F Sparrow|Sparrows]] can engage manoeuvring targets at short and medium ranges before engaging at closer ranges with [[AIM-9H Sidewinder|Sidewinders]] and M61 cannon fire.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The F-14A might be seen underpowered compared to other aircraft, primarily the F-4J Phantom II and other Phantom variants such as the Phantom FG.1. While it is true that the engines are not as powerful, the F-14A is far superior in terms of top speed and energy management. However, insufficient power can be noticed when zoom climbing or when turning at low speed, and regaining the speed back can take a while. The engines also consume tremendous amounts of fuel: while the F-14A can stay in the air for at least one hour with full fuel tanks, at full afterburner (WEP) the jet can fly for only 7 minutes at sea level.

The F-14A is more of a two-circle dogfighter since it keeps speed very well in hard turns, but might not have as much nose authority as other planes to win one-circle fights (such as scissors and anything similar when you turn into the opponent's nose). Although it can still beat planes like the MiG-23MLD in the instantaneous turn-rate performance, delta-wing fighters like the J35 or MiG-21 could have the advantage during the first seconds of the fight. Like other planes with variable wing geometry, the F-14A reaches its most efficient turn rate performance when wings are swept fully forward (set to 0%) and that can be achieved only by using the manual wing sweep controls. Since it is semi-automatic, the wing will automatically change its position after reaching around ~800 km/h IAS.

The most optimal turning speed is around 900 km/h IAS at sea level (it reaches the highest sustained turn rate there), but the best is actually between 700 and 830 km/h IAS since any faster, and it becomes impossible to maintain the turn without the crew blacking out. At such speeds, the F-14A in a clean configuration with 30 minutes of fuel can reach up to 23 deg/s of sustained turn rate, which is better than any MiG-23, Su-17, or even other more manoeuvrable fighters like the MiG-19. Both the sustained and instantaneous turn rate can be improved by using combat flaps, which can function at speeds up to 850 km/h IAS.

Thanks to the variable wing sweep, the F-14A is able to move its center of mass and thus increase or decrease its roll rate. High sweep allows higher speeds at reduced roll rate and vice versa. Low sweep increases roll rate and energy retention at subsonic speeds.

To get the most of its turn rate performance in Simulator Battles, you should always try to use the manual SAS (Stability Augmentation System) mode. The damping mode severely limits its nose authority, and it is harder to win fights against planes like the MiG-21 or other delta-wing fighters. In general, combat flaps should always be used when you are about to merge with the enemy plane, as they not only increase the sustained turn rate but also improves nose authority. In turn, it becomes easier to get lead on the enemy plane and to control the plane when using manual SAS mode. The player should still be very careful with pulling the stick around 500 km/h IAS. Below that speed, it's very easy to abruptly lose speed, reach the critical AoA, and stall out the plane. Pulling the stick all the way to yourself should be done only when you are going for snap shots. The other downside manual SAS mode is the plane is much more sensitive to controls, especially in pitch. For this reason, it is recommended to use the damping SAS mode during cruising and BVR combat.

While using the manual SAS mode, it is can be easy to stall out the plane when flying below 400 km/h IAS. In this case, after entering the flat spin, the quickest method to recover the plane is to increase the wing sweep angle and then counter the plane rotation with the rudder.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 12,192 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,202 || 2,191 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.4 || 25.1 || 178.4 || 170.5 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,245 || 2,221 || 23.6 || 24.0 || 231.6 || 203.8
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 1,359 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || rowspan="2" | 1,200 || rowspan="2" | 873 || rowspan="2" | 416 || ~10 || ~5
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,555 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 1,200 || < 850 || < 1,800 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="7" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="4" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-412A || 2
| colspan="3" | 18,545 kg || colspan="4" | 493 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 18m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 62m fuel
|-
| 1,802 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 20,750 kg || 20,905 kg || 22,085 kg || 23,855 kg || 25,895 kg || 30,935 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 18m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 62m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 4,860 kgf || 8,019 kgf
| 0.77 || 0.77 || 0.73 || 0.67 || 0.62 || 0.52
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,808 kgf (1,555 km/h) || 12,692 kgf (1,555 km/h)
| 1.22 || 1.21 || 1.15 || 1.06 || 0.98 || 0.82
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The F-14A holds 60 countermeasures, which is a decent number of chaff and flares that can let the Tomcat survive multiple missiles. Due to its massive engines, the IR signature of the aircraft is not an easy thing to conceal when fighting heat-seeking missiles. As with other jets around its battle rating, flares alone are not enough. To defeat an IR-guided missile (heat-seeker), turn off afterburner and reduce throttle to at least 80-85% while dumping flares and turning away from the missile. This is to ensure that an IR-guided missile will track the flares and not the engines. Due to the massive size compared to other aircraft, the chances of a successful hit from enemies, both missile and cannon, are higher compared to other aircraft, such as the AV-8 or F-5. This should be taken into consideration as proximity fuses will trigger with more ease as the wingspan of the Tomcat is considerably larger than most jets seen in game.

Fuel tanks are housed flatly in both the fuselage and wings. The F-14A will easily catch fire from enemy rounds from above and below the plane. Thankfully, the fuel tanks are well-separated compared to other fighters like the F-4 family, so damage to one part of the plane may not necessarily compromise the whole plane. However, fires will rapidly destroy traction of control surfaces, so they must be immediately extinguished. As long as some control surfaces are usable, the F-14A can survive critical damage (such as losing a wing) and return to base. Its multiple fuel tanks help isolate fuel fires especially on the wings, and the plane can fly on one engine.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, cheek-mounted (676 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP}}
{{main|AIM-7E-2 Sparrow|AIM-7F Sparrow|AIM-54A Phoenix}}
{{main|AIM-9D Sidewinder|AIM-9G Sidewinder|AIM-9H Sidewinder}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles
* 5 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
* 14 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (3,500 lb total)
* 14 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (7,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 16 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets

The F-14A is the first aircraft in game to have access to Active Radar Homing missiles with internal navigation. While it is mostly used for air defense and anti-air duties, it holds decent ground pounding abilities that are nothing new to American pilots. The F-14A has access to a wide variety of weapon selections due to having 'Custom Loadouts' feature. Depending on the needs of the pilot, one can carry different loadouts for different needs. Some may prefer the use of the AIM-7F over the AIM-54 due to the fast acceleration and good performance in short-medium ranges. A recommended loadout to carry is the following: x4 AIM-54A, x2 AIM-7F, x2 AIM-9 (on preference). It holds the power to fight at all ranges, being able to launch AIM-54A at unaware targets and then engage other with Sparrows, later to dogfight at close ranges with Sidewinders.

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="12" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs
| || || 8* || 6 || ||
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| || || 8* || 6 || ||
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| || || 2* || 2 || ||
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| || || 2*† || 2 || ||
|-
! Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
| || 8 || || || 8 ||
|-
! AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1, 2* || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
| || 1 || 2* || 2† || 1 ||
|-
| colspan="9" | * Use of dual Sparrow missiles on hardpoint 4 prevents use of the marked options on hardpoint 3 † The AIM-54A Phoenix missiles on hardpoint 4 cannot be carried in conjunction with 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs on hardpoint 3
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Boasting a high top speed, excellent turning characteristics, a large number of excellent missiles, and a powerful radar, the F-14A (Early) Tomcat is a potent air superiority fighter and should be used as such.

'''Flying the F-14A'''

Despite being a very large aircraft, the F-14A Tomcat's manoeuvrability and energy retention are excellent. With the wings swept out, it's among the best rate fighters in the game, and has excellent instantaneous turn rate. This allows the F-14A to out-dogfight most aircraft in-game. For planes with poor energy retention such as F-4s, MiG-21s, J35s, and JA37s, you can use the F-14's excellent turn rate to enter a prolonged two-circle fight, where the F-14's superior energy retention will drain the energy of these delta-winged fighters. The optimal rate speed of the F-14A is around 750 km/h, though 600 km/h will still allow you to out-rate fighters with poor energy retention. For planes with better energy retention such as F-8s and MiG-23s, you can use F-14A's excellent instantaneous turn rate to force a one-circle fight. It should be noted that when dogfighting in the F-14A, it is critical to always sweep your wings forward to 0% wing sweep. At this wing sweep, you will obtain the optimal energy retention and turn characteristics of the F-14A. Therefore, it is highly recommended to set key binds for manually changing the sweep angle and switching between auto to manual wing sweep. Keep in mind that, although the F-14A has excellent dogfighting characteristics, it is still a very large aircraft with extremely hot engines. Due to this, it is advised to avoid turn-fighting in the Tomcat unless absolutely necessary because, as with all other top-tier jets, doing so will bleed your speed and make you an easy target for enemy aircraft.

The F-14A with its TF30 engines were historically underpowered, and this shows in-game: while the F-14A has a great top speed with the wings swept back, the acceleration is below average. Faster planes such as MiG-23s, Mirage 2000s, F-16s, and MiG-29s will easily out-accelerate you. Even F-4s will accelerate faster at lower speeds. Luckily, at higher speeds, the acceleration becomes a little better, though still nowhere near as good as the faster planes. Due to this, it is advisable to keep your speed up in the F-14. This is also another reason to be careful when engaging in dogfights, as you will have difficulty out-accelerating your opponents should you need to exit.

'''Wing Sweep'''

The F-14A has a variable sweep wing, which means the wings can change angle during flight to obtain the desirable flight characteristics. As discussed before, when the wings are swept forward (0%), the F-14A obtains high energy retention and excellent instantaneous and sustained turn rate. However, the wings being swept forwards limits the Tomcat's top speed, and therefore should only be used at lower speeds, when dogfighting, or takeoff/landing (especially with carriers). On the other hand, the wings being swept back allows the F-14A to reach its top speed, but at lower speeds, loss of lift greatly reduces manoeuvrability. Generally, pilots can keep the wing sweep mode set to automatic (AUTO); this will automatically sweep the wings without player input based on how fast or slow the Tomcat is going. However, when dogfighting, you will want to switch the sweep mode to manual, and use selected key binds to manually sweep the wing forward to obtain optimal manoeuvrability.

'''Fuel Consumption and Engine Heat'''

It should be noted that the F-14A burns up fuel very fast when on afterburner. This should be taken into consideration as one can burn up all the fuel without realizing until it is too late. Due to this, it is advisable to take at the very least 30 minutes of fuel. You can use the mouse scroll wheel to save a lot more fuel by using the first-stage afterburner, which gives a significant power boost from 100% throttle but a little less power than full afterburner. On minimum fuel (18 minutes) the full afterburner can only last about 2 minutes and 30 seconds, but the afterburner (first-stage) can last you 8 minutes.

Something to be aware of when playing the F-14A is the insane heat of its engines. At high throttle and afterburner, its engines emit an unparalleled amount of heat at around 2,100 °F (1,150 °C). For reference, that is around 66% hotter than the F-4J's engines, which is around 1,239 °F (671 °C) at 100% throttle and 1,256 °F (680 °C) during full afterburner. During gameplay, this means that in the F-14A simply just turning off the afterburner and deploying flares may not be enough to avoid an incoming IR missile. You will also have to throttle down the engine significantly (at least 80-85%) to make sure that an incoming IR missile goes for the flare. This is especially true for more flare-resistant IR missiles such as the [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] and [[Matra R550 Magic 2|Magic 2]], which may need substantial throttling down to flare off. Keep in mind that throttling down means that you will lose a decent amount of speed in the process, so be prepared.

'''Air-to-Air Missile Characteristics'''

The F-14A comes with three options for missiles: shorter-ranged AIM-9H Sidewinders, medium-ranged AIM-7F Sparrows, and long-range AIM-54A Phoenixes.

* The '''AIM-9H Sidewinder''' is very similar to the previous AIM-9G — having good range but below average manoeuvrability. Its seeker can also be slaved to a radar lock or TWS soft lock. With only 18G maximum overload, the AIM-9H should not be used in high-aspect or hard-turning shots at close ranges. Instead, the AIM-9H's good range should be used to catch enemies off guard. A good way to utilize this range is to position yourself over the battlefield and dive down on enemies. Your dive speed combined with gravity will increase the speed and range of your missiles, and your unexpected direction will see that many enemies will not notice the missile until they have been destroyed by it.
* The '''AIM-7F Sparrow''' is a medium-range, SARH (Semi-Active Radar Homing) missile. Pilots of the F-14A are probably familiar with the AIM-7F from the previous F-4J. The AIM-7F is one of the best radar-guided missiles in the game. It has good 25G manoeuvrability, and a very long motor burn time gives it long range and sustained manoeuvrability (whereas other missiles will stop producing thrust and lose speed in manoeuvres, the long burn time of the AIM-7F sustains its speed and manoeuvrability for a long time). This should be the F-14A's go-to missile; it can be launched from all aspects and is difficult to dodge without the correct defensive manoeuvres. The AIM-7F can be launched from longer ranges to utilize its long burn time and the F-14A's good radar. Pay attention to your Radar Warning Receiver; if the enemy you are radar locking is also radar locking you, it is likely that they are about to or already have launched a radar-guided missile at you. In this case, do not fly straight; you are going to be hit first. Launch your missile, then crank to one side. To crank means to turn to one side as far as possible without losing radar lock. This makes the enemy's missile travel further at higher angles and thus decreases the chance it will hit you during defensive manoeuvres. If you have Sparrows to spare and an enemy is approaching head-on, you can launch Sparrows in succession (2-3 seconds between launches) to increase your probability of a kill. An enemy can avoid one missile with manoeuvres, but will have bled speed and will have a more difficult time avoiding further missiles.
* The '''AIM-54A Phoenix''' is a long-range, ARH (Active Radar Homing) missile, and is only found on the F-14 (both in-game and in real life).
** The AIM-54A is a unique missile with unique capabilities. It has an extremely long burn time and thus an extremely long range, as well as a rather large proximity fuse and a large amount of explosive (doesn't have to be as close as other missiles to enemies to explode and cause critical damage). However, its more interesting features come in the form of its behaviour. First, it's an active radar homing missile, meaning it has a small internal radar which at closer ranges it can use to automatically search for, track and guide itself to targets without any input from the parent (the F-14's) radar. Second, it can be guided via the parent (F-14's) radar, but if it loses lock, the missile will fly straight for a while and use the aforementioned internal radar to search for enemies to home in towards. Third, the AIM-54 does not need a true radar lock to be launched; when the F-14's radar is in TWS (Track While Scan) mode, you can simply hover the radar cursor over a radar contact to launch the AIM-54. This also means you can launch more than one Phoenix at a time by hovering over a target, launching, and then hovering over another target to launch another Phoenix.
** It is important to know that despite these seemingly impressive features, the AIM-54 is not an all-powerful missile and has its downsides; there are many scenarios where it is advisable not to use them. First, some F-14A players may feel tempted to take six AIM-54s, take off, and then launch at six enemy targets very far away. There is a very high chance none will hit; at such a long-range, and with player behaviour at the start of a match, it is very likely that the missiles will be inadvertently notched, or the missiles will get distracted by enemy and/or friendly AI bots. In addition, the AIM-54A only has 16G overload — less than an AIM-9H — and with its very long burn time, it is easily seen and dodged by enemies. It is more worth it to save your missiles for a better firing window. Second, the missile should not be used at closer ranges (< 5 km). In addition to having low manoeuvrability, the AIM-54 has a very, very slow acceleration, and it highly likely won't be able to follow the defensive manoeuvres of such a close enemy. For this case, Sparrows are a much better option. Third, the AIM-54 should not be launched in the direction of friendly aircraft. The AIM-54 and its internal radar will go for the first target it sees, regardless if it is friend or foe. And fourth and finally, the AIM-54 is the heaviest air-to-air missile in the game, and they impact aircraft performance significantly. To make use of the AIM-54's advantages, it is advisable to use them at higher altitudes (> 5 km) and at long ranges. The AIM-54 will have time to accelerate to its target, and due to the low air density at high altitudes enemy aircraft will have a harder time evading the missile (even if it is just 16G). Because the AIM-54 can home in on enemies on its own, you can completely turn away from the enemy after launching to avoid enemy missiles.

Each of these missiles has its strengths and weaknesses. A mix between long-range weapons and short-range weapons must be used at the pilot's discretion. A maximum of six of a mix of Sparrows or Phoenixes can be taken, two Sidewinders can be carried on the side, and pilots can choose to substitute up to two Sparrows or Phoenixes for Sidewinders. High altitude engagements are uncommon, so ideally either a small number of Phoenixes (or none) should be taken. The exception to this is enduring confrontation (operation) air battles, where air combat is prevalent at higher altitudes where the Phoenix will truly shine.

'''Radar and Radar Modes'''

The AN/AWG-9 radar set carried by the F-14A is an extremely potent radar, especially for long-range missile combat. It has great range (a maximum of 185 km tracking and 370 km detecting). For most normal air RB maps, a 37km display range should suffice, while 93 km should be enough for most enduring confrontation air RB maps. A radar lock is necessary to guide Sparrows, while either radar lock or soft lock (selecting targets in TWS) will suffice for a Phoenix launch. The radar has four different modes which have different purposes, capabilities and usages:

* '''SRC PD HDN''' (Surveillance Radar Computer, Pulse Doppler, Head-On): Users of the F-14 are likely at least somewhat aware of what a pulse-Doppler radar is from usage of the previous F-4J. This is a pulse-Doppler mode, meaning it measures an aircraft's doppler shift (difference in velocity compared to surroundings) in order to "see" targets. Due to the nature of the detection method, this pulse doppler mode is most ideal for targets close to the ground, as well as in head-on situations (as the name suggests). However, this pulse-Doppler mode has a weakness: it can be [[Airborne_radars#Notching_a_Pulse-Doppler_radar|notched]]; pulse doppler measures the target aircraft's velocity change compared to surroundings, so if a target flies perpendicular to the radar (not moving closer or further compared to the surroundings), the radar will not observe a change in velocity and therefore cannot see the aircraft. F-14A pilots must be aware of how the notch works; if an enemy radar is locking you at low altitude, they are likely using a pulse doppler mode, and thus notching becomes a defensive option to break radar lock. Provided the target is not at very low altitudes, an enemy notching your pulse doppler radar can be countered by switching the radar mode to SRC. Another weakness to be aware of is that pulse doppler modes generally have trouble detecting and locking targets travelling away from the radar. In conclusion, the pulse doppler mode is good for tracking targets at very low altitudes, but is vulnerable to notching and has difficulty finding targets moving away.
* '''SRC''' (Surveillance Radar Computer): This is the standard radar mode. It is not a pulse doppler mode and therefore does not have its weaknesses; it cannot be notched like pulse doppler can, and has an easier time tracking targets moving away. Therefore, if an enemy is attempting to notch your pulse-Doppler mode, you can switch the radar lock from a pulse-Doppler one to standard SRC. However, due to the radar return from ground clutter, it has great trouble locking targets at very low altitude, though it can still lock higher targets. It's worth noting that the SRC mode on the AN/AWG-9 is more resistant to ground clutter than previous radars; while you still cannot detect or lock a target very close to the ground, it can sometimes detect targets as little as 1 km from the ground. In conclusion, SRC is generally more reliable at finding and tracking targets than pulse doppler mode, but cannot see targets at very low altitudes like pulse doppler can.
* '''TWS HDN''' (Track While Scan, Head-On): This mode allows targets to be detected and "tracked" simultaneously. By hovering your radar cursor over detected targets, you can "soft lock" them; their position is marked in third-person view, and their general speed, heading, and height are displayed. With a soft lock, the radar return is not strong enough to trigger the RWR, so enemies will not know you are soft locking them. AIM-54A Phoenixes can be launched via a soft lock, and after launching a Phoenix, you can hover over another enemy to launch another Phoenix. Using onboard electronics, the Phoenixes will guide themselves to the target after this. In addition, AIM-9G/H Sidewinders can be slaved to the soft lock. However, for a Sparrow launch, you will need to "hard lock" the target. This can be done simply by locking the target the cursor is hovering over (as with other radar modes). In addition, track while scan uses pulse-Doppler, so it can detect targets close to the ground as well. Unfortunately, this also means it has the same weaknesses as pulse-Doppler mode (vulnerable to notching or targets flying away). The capabilities of the track while scan mode are potent and allows pilots great situational awareness, and therefore should generally be your go-to radar mode, only switching to SRC to overcome pulse-Doppler's weaknesses.
* '''SRC PDV HDN''' (Surveillance Radar Computer, Pulse Doppler Velocity, Head-On): This radar mode is very similar to pulse-Doppler, but instead displays the velocity of the aircraft on the radar screen rather than the range. This is the only radar mode on the AN/AWG-9 which does not utilize IFF (Identification Friend or Foe), so in simulator mode, be careful.
* The AN/AWG-9 has two acquisition modes, ACM PD HDN and ACQ, and two track modes, TRK PD HDN and TRK.
** SRC PD HDN, TWS HDN and SRC PDV HDN radar modes all use '''ACM PD HDN''' (Air Combat Maneuvering, Pulse Doppler, Head-On) as the acquisition mode, and '''TRK PD HDN''' (Track, Pulse Doppler, Head-On) as the lock mode. These are pulse-Doppler search and lock methods, and as such have the same strengths and weaknesses.
** SRC uses '''ACQ''' and '''TRK''' as acquisition and lock modes, respectively, which are the non pulse doppler counterparts to ACM PD HDN and TRK PD HDN.
** When in these acquisition modes, you can press your keybind for “Change Radar/IRST Search Mode” to change the scope of the acquisition search area. Clicking it once changes it from a square to a vertically long rectangle, clicking it twice moves this rectangle to an upper position (to lock enemies above you), and clicking it a third time changes it back to a square.
** A nice feature of the F-14's radar is that, if you have a target radar locked, you can switch between pulse-Doppler and normal SRC tracking without breaking lock (most other radars will require the lock to be broken before switching radar mode to reattempt a lock). This allows you to quickly and easily switch to TRK (SRC) if the target is notching, or switch to TRK PD HDN (Pulse Doppler) if the target is going close to the ground.

'''Realistic Battles'''

In realistic battles, the F-14A is a powerful air superiority fighter. With a maximum of six long-range AIM-7F or AIM-54A missiles and a powerful radar, it is arguably the best BVR (Beyond Visual Range) fighter in the game. Due to this, it is advisable to exploit this advantage. In air realistic battles, players can side climb to high altitudes (>5 km) and search for targets to engage with the long-range Sparrows or Phoenixes. Once higher altitude is swept of enemy fighters, pilots can dive down on lower altitude enemies and use the energy advantage to obtain missile kills from an unexpected angle. If necessary, the Tomcat's excellent manoeuvrability can be used to dogfight enemy aircraft.

In ground realistic battles, the F-14A can use its long-range missiles to clear the sky of enemy strike aircraft. With its excellent Sparrow and Phoenix missiles, the F-14A will be especially potent at destroying enemy strike aircraft at high altitudes who are using guided munitions to attack your team outside of SAM range. While the F-14A gets access to some variety of air-to-ground bombs and rockets, these are all unguided and thus are very risky to use in the presence of SAMs. Therefore, unless a ground strike is absolutely necessary, a Tomcat is much better off in the air-to-air role guarding the skies.

'''Simulator Battles - Enduring Confrontation'''

Before you take the F-14A to battle you need to figure out what weapons you want to use. All the available IR missiles have almost identical turn performance, the range is almost the same too. The D version cannot be slaved to the locked target, the G can be and the H works exactly like the G, but has a higher tracking rate. Taking at least two of them is highly recommended since they almost do not affect the flight performance.

There are also two options for radar-guided missiles. The AIM-7F works very well at close and medium ranges (3-20 km) and can hit a target which is pulling lots of G. They are harder to dodge in Simulator Battles, though you need to keep your lock all the time. The AIM-54A is an active radar-guided missile, it does not require the radar lock when it is launched 16 km from the target (or when it gets that close, then you can break your lock), but it can pull only up to 16G which is quite easy to dodge, both these missiles can also be avoided by just simply notching when the F-14 uses the pulse-Doppler radar mode.

A few loadout recommendations:

* 4x AIM-9H + 4x AIM-7F - Works very well in almost any scenario, and does not affect the flight performance that much.
* 4x AIM-9H + 4x AIM-54A or 2x AIM-9H + 6x AIM-54A - Makes the plane turn a lot worse, in most cases will not work against fighters which know how to deal with radar-guided missiles, this loadout is useful mainly against planes that attack the bombing bases or airfields only, so for example Su-7s loaded with bombs etc. (farmers). It is not recommended to use it in normal EC battles.
* 4x AIM-9H + 2x AIM-54A + 2x AIM-7F

To make full use of the F-14A's manoeuvrability it is best to buy the expert crew and the ace crew if it is possible, since the plane pulls around 8G at 750 km/h IAS in a sustained turn and that increases even further when the player decided to pull it even more, though you need to keep in mind that the G limit is ~11G.

'''Outside the combat''': As a start, keep in mind that the F-14A really likes to burn fuel a lot when the afterburner is used, at low altitudes it can fly up to 7 minutes with full fuel tanks, so it is recommended to fly either with 45 minutes of fuel (on 64x64 km maps like Ruhr, Port Moresby) or full fuel tanks (128x128 km maps like Vietnam, Denmark). WEP should not be used while cruising and only during combat or while chasing someone, flying with the throttle set to 85-90% should be fine too. There are a few tactics that can be used in the F-14 in SB, but it mostly depends on what map you play. On more open maps like Denmark you can at 1,000-3,000 m alt while looking for targets, though some MiGs can still sneak up to you if you are not paying enough attention to your surroundings, doing so you are mostly vulnerable to attack from below and behind, especially when the enemy has access to all-aspect missiles. The other tactic is just simply hugging the ground, in most cases it is the safest one and should be used on maps with hills and mountains where you can break the enemy's line of sight by flying between them. It is more difficult and requires lots of focus. The player needs to keep looking around all the time to find the target, the radar is less useful in this scenario, though the TWS mode can be helpful on maps like Vietnam to check the enemy plane direction and ambush them while you are flying in areas where it is hard to spot the planes due to the ground colour and many objects like trees. To make cruising easier the damping SAS mode can be used, which limits the angle of attack (AoA) so much that the G limit cannot be reached at any speed, the automatic wing sweep control also can be activated. About the radar modes, the PDV should not really be used since it is the only one which does not have any kind of IFF and it is as good at detecting targets as the normal PD mode. Since the PD radar cannot track targets that are flying perpendicular to your plane switching between modes is very important, even the normal Pulse (SRC) mode can detect targets against the ground up to 15-20 km and even further when it is above the horizon. To be safe from enemy missiles it is best to stay around 20-30 km away from enemy planes.

'''During the combat''': 
During the BVR combat when both sides have similar missiles it is important to get to a higher speed before launching it and launch the missile before the enemy does, for now the only plane that can actually start this kind of fight is the Viggen (Sweden is very often on the Russian side), though you can just ignore it and keep notching while getting below the enemy plane (missiles have much lower range at low altitude) and wait until it gets close, the start a dogfight. The AIM-54A can be useful in such scenarios, even when the F-14 will be forced to break away the missile will still be tracking the target, then the enemy will be forced to dodge it and when that happens you can launch another missile to force the enemy into an even more defensive position. When the distance between planes is around 10 km, the radar mode should be switched to either BST or VSL since they offer an instant radar lock after pointing at the targets, locking on manually can sometimes take a few seconds and a few failed attempts. Those two modes can also be used when the player in the F-14A is trying to be sneaky, then when the enemy is not aware of being tracked by TWS mode on maps like Vietnam the F-14 can switch to them when the enemy gets close from the front and then right after that launch the AIM-7F.
Overall learning quick switching between radar modes depending on the situation is very important.

Within visual range (up to ~10 km) against opponents in a head-on, it is important to keep launching 1 flare every few seconds, it will reduce the chance of being tracked by the R-23T, R-24T or R-60M, also as soon as the missile launch happens a few more of them should be launched. For this kind of scenario it is best to be equipped with AIM-7F missiles, by using them you can deny the enemy any head-on attempts, by launching it they will be forced to notch it, while the IR missiles in most cases can be dodged by using flares right before the launch, not using WEP before the dogfight starts and it can be done by just flying in a straight line (when the distance between the missile and the F-14 is big enough).
The enemy will not be able to safely reengage until it gets very close (when the AIM-7F becomes less effective, so within 2 km from the target), but at that point the AIM-9H can be used in some cases against afterburning targets trying to notch the PD radar. All of this can lead to the enemy having to dodge the missile and becoming an easy target, you can easily get on their six and shoot them down by using the gun.

When the dogfight happens it is needed to switch the SAS mode to manual, the damping limits the manoeuvrability too much and can put the F-14 in a worse position, especially against the delta wing planes, though using it makes the plane harder to control. The other thing to remember is switching the wing sweep controls to manual, then reducing it to 0% for the best manoeuvrability.
The last thing is using the combat flaps, but overusing them and doing it in the wrong situation can lead to being shot down faster. Before the merge between both planes happens the speed should be around 800 km/h IAS and 900 km/h (450-500 kn IAS), it will make starting a two-circle fight (where the F-14 excels) easier. The combat flaps in the F-14 improve both the sustained and instantaneous turn rate, the only downside is that they work effectively only up to 900 km/h IAS and make reaching speed above that harder. The one-circle fight can be done only with planes like the MiG-23, Su-17/22 or the Japanese Phantoms; against other planes, especially the delta wing planes, it is not very safe, although the F-14 can sometimes pull a very tight turn (takeoff flaps have a speed limit up to 800 km/h and can help with that). Generally, the safest way to win the fight is to keep your speed around 800 km/h IAS in a two-circle fight, there is not a single plane that can win it. There are a few planes which can give a hard time in close-range fights, the MiG-23MLD, J35s, MiG-21bis, J-7E, Chinese F-5E, the player should be very careful while engaging any of these.

'''Basic mistakes''': 
Ignoring the IFF and teamkilling - one of the biggest mistakes happening in SB, it is always important to check if the target is a friendly plane or not (one line - unknown/enemy, two lines - friendly), also launching the AIM-54 into a direction with a few friendly planes can end really badly, the same about launching any kind of missile into furballs. Ignoring the IFF readouts will lead to being kicked from the session and the team performing worse because they will also need to worry about dodging friendly missiles.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very effective dogfighter at any speed with its variable wing sweep which gives it great energy retention
* Variable swept wings can help plane accelerate fast when swept back and turn better when the wing is less swept
* High top speed (can cap out at 1500 km/h IAS at sea level)
* Lethal M61 Vulcan cannon which has an extremely fast fire rate, great velocity, and great damage
* Can carry up to 8 missiles maximum, with options of AIM-7s, AIM-9s, and [[AIM-54A Phoenix|AIM-54]]<nowiki/>s for versatile use
* The AIM-54 has insane range (100 km max), its rocket booster lasts for a very long time, and it's an Active Radar Homing missile (at closer ranges can automatically guide itself towards enemies using its own radar)
* Multi-mode radar makes it effective in any situation (the TWS mode allows launching AIM-54s at multiple aircraft at once and provides amazing situational awareness)
* The new [[AIM-9H Sidewinder|AIM-9H]] has much better flare resistance than previous AIM-9s (such as the [[AIM-9G Sidewinder|G]] or [[AIM-9J Sidewinder|J]] variants)

'''Cons:'''

* Big plane and thus an easy target to hit
* The afterburner's fuel consumption is otherworldly fast; constant usage of it requires carrying a lot of fuel that can hamper the plane's performance and manoeuvrability
* Massive wing and fuselage fuel tanks make it especially prone to catching fire
* Cannot pull sustained Gs when above 1000 km/h IAS (11-13 G) in RB or the wings will rip
* At high throttle and afterburner, the engine emits an unparalleled amount of heat, requiring throttling down (and therefore significantly bleeding speed) to reliably flare missiles off
* 60 countermeasures may be a bit lacking considering the extremely high engine temperature
* The AIM-54A only has 16G overload and thus is rather easy to dodge
* The AIM-54A's rocket motor lasts for a very long time, giving plenty of time for enemies to spot and evade it
* Requires lots of work and control binds related to the radar and variable wing sweep angle to make the most of the aircraft
* The Damping SAS mode limits the AoA so much that it cannot be used in one-circle fights (scissors etc.) thus forcing the player to use the much harder to use the Manual SAS mode (SB with full-real controls)

== History ==

=== Early Development ===
In 1967, the U.S. Navy wanted a long-range fleet defence fighter to boost their naval plane capabilities with the "VFX" program. The USN first started with a redesigned F-111 Aardvark named the F-111B (basically an F-111 designed around the TF30 engine and AIM-54 Phoenix missiles), they soon found out that the F-111 was too big for practical reasons so the F-111B plan never came to fruition. Fast forward to 1969, the USN gave the contract to Grumman to build the new fleet defence fighter named the F-14 Tomcat, its first variants were built around the TF30 engines found on the F-111B and to use the AN/AWG-9 radar set and the airframe was specifically built to carry the AIM-54 Phoenix missile.

===[[wt:en/news/7705-development-f-14a-tomcat-into-the-danger-zone-en|Devblog]]===
In 1968, five aircraft building companies entered the Pentagon's competition for a new carrier-based interceptor fighter. The commission's preference was given to Grumman's design, a twin-engine jet fighter with a variable-swept wing. Work on the F-14A fighter began in February 1969, and in December of the next year, the new aircraft took her maiden flight. The main weapon of the F-14A was the AIM-54 Phoenix long-range missiles controlled by the newest to date weapon control system. Instead of building prototypes, Grumman immediately switched to the production of an experimental series, and already on December 31, 1972, the first batch of jet fighters were put into service with the VF-124 Fleet Replacement Squadron . Pilot training took place on the deck of the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier, and during the withdrawal of US troops from Vietnam, combat sorties were also made from the deck. In total 557 F-14A fighters were delivered to the US Navy until 1987, and another 80 aircraft were built for Iran. Tomcats were used in all military conflicts where US aircraft took part until the very decommissioning. Iranian F-14s took an active part in the Iran-Iraq war, scoring dozens of air kills.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f_14a_early Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 1.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 2.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 3.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 4.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 5.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 6.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 7.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Wdnef_6_6oM|'''The Shooting Range #307''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Other jet planes with variable sweep wings

* [[MiG-23 (Family)]]
* [[Su-17/22 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7705-development-f-14a-tomcat-into-the-danger-zone-en|[Devblog] F-14A Tomcat: Into the Danger Zone!]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/557191-f-14a-early/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Grumman}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

MiG-23BN (Germany)

2022-12-26T10:25:40Z

U97916902: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = MiG-23 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=mig_23bn
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (NATO: Flogger-F) is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Drone Age"]].

MiG-23BN was based on its previous model MiG-23B which a dedicated attacker, where MiG-23B was based on the airframe of 1st generation MiG-23S interceptor. While it looks exactly like previous MiG-23s in-game, all the bombs, AGMs, and rocket pods will certainly tell another story to the targets on the ground while excelling at fast speed to leave the combat area. Alternatively, it can take down aircraft with its gunpods and a similar mobility to the MiG-23 interceptor variants.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

At first glance, aside from having the LSK's emblem (East German Air Force), the MiG-23BN looks exactly like any other Flogger. A closer inspection on its nose gives its identity away: as an attacker, MiG revised the nose with a flat bottom for the B variants; but the BN removed the optical equipment for this exact job. Since it was based on the first-generation MiG-23 but with a R-29B-300 engine, the overall flight performance is very similar to the [[MiG-23M]] in the Soviet tech tree but without AAMs. Experienced players might take the use of its iconic variable swept wing for dogfights, but do keep in mind that a major problem of these 1st generation Floggers were exactly the wings, it might be sufficient to take down heavier jets like Phantoms if utilized the wings well, but having only guns for air-to-air operations makes it a huge target for other jets. Any extra ordnance ranging from bombs up to AGMs affects the flight model severely, so utilize its speed in missions and avoid dogfights unless in dire situation.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 13,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,191 || 2,188 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 36.6 || 37.0 || 135.4 || 130.7 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,209 || 2,200 || 35.4 || 36.0 || 176.4 || 155.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 1,154 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 508 || 473 || ~__ || ~__
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,417 || N/A || N/A || N/A || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 665 || < 650 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Tumansky R-29B-300 || 1
| colspan="2" | 11,305 kg || colspan="3" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 11m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 39m fuel
|-
| 1,780 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 12,666 kg || 13,612 kg || 14,765 kg || 15,835 kg || 18,905 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 11m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 39m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 7,950 kgf || 10,208 kgf
| 0.81 || 0.75 || 0.69 || 0.64 || 0.54
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 8,282 kgf (1,417 km/h) || 12,633 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.00 || 0.93 || 0.86 || 0.80 || 0.67
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The MiG-23BN has only a pair of 16 mm steel plates on the side of the cockpit as extra protection against other targets. If it has to committ to a head-on fight or even a dogfight, it might not have sufficient survivability to leave the combat in one piece.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|GSh-23L (23 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon, belly-mounted (200 rpg)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|OFAB-100 (100 kg)|FAB-250M-62 (250 kg)|FAB-500M-62 (500 kg)|ZB-500 incendiary}}
{{main|Kh-23M|S-5K|S-8KO|S-24B|GSh-23L (23 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x Kh-23M missiles
* 64 x S-5K rockets
* 128 x S-5K rockets
* 80 x S-8KO rockets
* 4 x S-24B rockets
* 8 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (800 kg total)
* 18 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (1,800 kg total)
* 6 x 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs (1,500 kg total)
* 6 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (3,000 kg total)
* 4 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs
* 2 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg = 500 total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="11" width="20%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg)
| 1 || || || || || 1
|-
! 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs
| 4 || 1 || 4 || 4 || 1 || 4
|-
! 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! ZB-500 incendiary bombs
| 1 || || 1 || 1 || || 1
|-
! S-5K rockets
| 16, 32 || || 16, 32 || 16, 32 || || 16, 32
|-
! S-8KO rockets
| 20 || || 20 || 20 || || 20
|-
! S-24B rockets
| 1 || || 1 || 1 || || 1
|-
! Kh-23M missiles
| 1 || || || || || 1
|-
| colspan="7" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 750 kg
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

For players who jumped from the subsonic [[G.91 R/3 (Germany)|G.91 R/3]] into the MiG-23BN, not only it is supersonic and goes up to mach 2.0, it also carries as much ordnance as its TT predecessor [[IL-28 (Germany)|IL-28]]. For players of MiG-27 or MiG-23 variants, the flight performance is very similar as they were built under similar airframe but with some revision differences per blocks (batches). Some players might want to take it for a dogfight for its manoeuvrability as well as the variable swept-wing; but as an attacker, it doesn't have any AAM at disposal, the only viable option is the 23 mm gun for gunning down enemy jets with its fast rate of fire and sufficient damage. Additional 23 mm cannons can be mounted as wing-mount gunpods. The MiG-23BN doesn't have countermeasures either, the airframe is also rather unprotected other than 2 steel plates on the sides of the cockpit, so avoid enemies at all cost and only fight enemies when there's only one of them- any more than this number means the MiG-23BN will become an easy prey for the enemies due to its enormous size.

But there are some good news for the jet though: it is a very fast attacker in-game (only slower than its [[Su-22UM3K (Germany)|Sukhoi counterpart]]) and the payload is sufficient to deal devastating damage to enemies. It might not be as much as USAF's [[F-4C Phantom II|F-4C]] or British's [[Buccaneer S.2|Buccaneer]], but the varietiy of bombs or AGMs will fit the player's playstyle one way or another. For players who demand a fireworks show on the ground and create as many craters as possible, conventional and incendiary bombs are at your disposal. While for a safer approach or for those who are not used with manual-guided missiles like the [[AGM-12B Bullpup|AGM-12B]] or the [[AS-20 Nord|AS-20]], it does comes with a pair of Kh-23M AGMs using mouse control with devastating damage. If the enemy SPAAGs, interceptors or in some occasion, helicopters with AAMs (namely, [[TY-90|TY-90s]] found on PLAGF helicopters) are in business, the excellent speed of the MiG-23BN will certainly help you to get away from trouble since there are few jets that can catch up with your mach 2.0 top speed (but in high-altitude). Speed is what makes MiG-23BN unique among jet attackers of its era and BR; any prolonged fight in the combat area hugely increase its risk of meeting its end.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Extremely fast top speed
* Great acceleration
* Sufficient payload for ground-attack
* Variable swept-wing makes it maneuverable
* Equipped with RWR

'''Cons:'''

* Lacks flares
* Lacks AAMs
* Relatively small ammo pool for the fixed 23 mm cannon
* Rather large size makes it easier to hit

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=mig_23bn Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|HqDtRttvNBk|'''The Shooting Range #331''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer MiG}}
{{Germany jet aircraft}}

F-4F (Germany)

2022-12-26T10:22:46Z

U97916902: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = German jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-4 Phantom II (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-4f_late
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]]. A dreaded sight for aircraft and ground vehicles alike, the F-4F Phantom II provides a strong air superiority fighter and supremely potent ground attacker to German pilots.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

Equipped with twin MTU Aero J79-MTU-17A engines (licensed copies of the [[F-4E]]'s engines), each providing 8010 kgf of thrust when spaded, F-4F provides solid performance at any altitude.

While not as fast a climber as the [[F-104G]], it can still climb incredibly well. Its acceleration is above average thanks to its twin engines.

F-4F also has incredible roll rate and thanks to its "Agile Eagle" wing slats and all-flying tail, it can also pull high-G manoeuvres without any issues.

However, pilots should be aware, that while the newfound agility of this Phantom might tempt them to dogfight, they should still stick to Boom'n'Zoom tactics as the F-4F is heavy, and any prolonged turning will bleed a lot of speed - and a slow jet is a dead jet.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 12,192 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,066 || 2,020 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.5 || 27.8 || 162.3 || 152.4 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,216 || 2,140 || 25.5 || 26.0 || 224.2 || 192.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 607 || 583 || 463 || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 810 || < 750 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | MTU Aero Engines J79-MTU-17A || 2
| colspan="2" | 14,375 kg || colspan="2" | 398 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 27m fuel
|-
| 1,724 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 15,941 kg || 18,196 kg || 19,595 kg || 24,000 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 27m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 5,200 kgf || 8,008 kgf
| 1.00 || 0.88 || 0.82 || 0.67
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,200 kgf (0 km/h) || 10,170 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.28 || 1.12 || 1.04 || 0.85
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

In terms of armour, there is no armoured glass in the cockpit of the F-4F, nor any relevant armour protecting any crucial part of the plane. There is an 8.5 mm thick steel plate just below the forward fuel tank of the plane, but due to its size relative to the size of the plane, it might as well not be there at all.

All fuel tanks are self-sealing, but this is pretty much standard at this battle rating. Pilots should note that right behind the cockpit, the middle and back section of the plane is littered with modules - fuel tanks, engines, and control surface controls are all tightly packed together and thus any hit to this part of the plane will cause critical damage to at least one component.

The F-4F is equipped with a Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) from the get go and can unlock a countermeasures launcher as a tier I modification (unlike the [[F-4F Early]]).

Countermeasures are either Flares or Chaff. Flares are crucial to defeating IR guided missiles, while Chaff confuses enemy radars. Pilots should note that since F-4F is equipped with two engines, its heat signature is enormous, especially with afterburner active; thus they need to turn afterburner off in order to successfully evade IR missile.

RWR issues a warning to the pilot when it detects active radar pulsing towards the player; this will be heard as beeps. It also warns pilots when their plane gets "radar locked" by continuous tone. It also displays the approximate position of active radar relative to the plane and highlights radar that achieved "radar lock".

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

Pilots should start researching countermeasures from the get go, since it can be almost impossible to dodge advanced missiles such as Matra Magics without them. After that, pilots' focus should be on getting [[AIM-9J Sidewinder|AIM-9Js]], as those are F-4F strongest missiles and best weapon against enemy planes.

Order of modifications:

Countermeasures > AIM-9B FGW.2 > New boosters > AIM-9E > G-suit > Wings repair > AIM-9J

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, chin-mounted (640 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 90 x countermeasures

The M61A1 is an excellent cannon at its rank, its only disadvantages being the spool-up time and somewhat limited ammo count relative to rate of fire.

Armed with anti-air belts for Air RB, even a short connecting burst will be fatal to any enemy aircraft.

The cannon excels even in Ground RB equipped with armour-piercing belts, giving it 53 mm of penetration, which is enough to get through most SPAAs and light tanks armour and can even pierce the roofs and engine decks of MBTs such as T-90A.

With its extremely high rate of fire, trigger discipline is a must.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)}}
{{main|AGM-65B|AIM-9B FGW.2 Sidewinder|AIM-9E Sidewinder|AIM-9J Sidewinder}}
{{main|BLU-27/B incendiary|M118 (3,000 lb)|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP|GAU-4 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1,200 rpg = 2,400 total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9B FGW.2 Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 24 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 17 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (12,750 lb total)
* 13 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (13,000 lb total)
* 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 1 x 3,000 lb M118 bomb (3,000 lb total)
* 285 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 60 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 2 x AGM-65B missiles

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" width="100%" style="text-align:center"
|-
! !! width="6%" | 1 !! width="6%" | 2 !! width="6%" | 3 !! width="6%" | 4 !! width="6%" | 5 !! width="6%" | 6 !! width="6%" | 7
| rowspan="16" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1200 rpg)
| 1 || || || || || || 1
|-
! 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs
| 6 || 3 || || 6 || || 3 || 6
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| 6 || 3 || || 6 || || 3 || 6
|-
! 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs
| 3 || 3 || || 5 || || 3 || 3
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| 2 || 3 || || 3 || || 3 || 2
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| 1 || || || 1 || || || 1
|-
! 3,000 lb M118 bombs
| || || || 1 || || ||
|-
! BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
| 1 || || || 2 || || || 1
|-
! FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
| 57 || 57 || || 57 || || 57 || 57
|-
! Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
| 12 || 12 || || 12 || || 12 || 12
|-
! AGM-65B missiles
| || 1 || || || || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-9B FGW.2 Sidewinder missiles
| || || 2 || || 2 || ||
|-
! AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
| || || 1, 2 || || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
| || || 2 || || 2 || ||
|-
| colspan="8" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg
|-
|}

'''GAU-4 gunpods''' - additional gunpods with M61A1 cannons, providing 1,200 rounds per gun. These basically allow pilot to put a wall of lead between their plane and the enemy, however, they severely hamper flight performance.

'''Air-to-air'''

'''AIM-9B FGW.2''' - Bravo version are F-4F stock missiles, should be used only until better options become available, as they are obsolete at this BR.

'''AIM-9E''' - First upgraded missiles available to F-4F, Echo Sidewinders provide much needed performance boost over the AIM-9B. Better speed, better range and wider seeker window allow Es to hit more reliably. Still, they retain its predecessor's poor G limit and should be used only as stop gap solution.

'''AIM-9J''' - Final upgrade available to F-4F, AIM-9Js provide excellent performance and are the best Sidewinders available to German pilots. They can pull twice the G limit of its predecessors, are resistant to flares, and can be radar-slaved (which helps in high traffic airspace or when leading a target). These bad boys should be the pilot's weapons of choice for engaging air targets.

'''Air-to-ground'''

As F-4F is equipped with a ballistic computer, coupled with its ability to equip massive amounts of ordnance, F-4F can become an extremely potent ground attacker with any ground attack payload.

'''FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets''' - Mighty Mouse rockets provide solid performance against ground targets. Sporting 290 mm of penetration, these can easily get through roof armour of most vehicles in-game, though some ERA equipped tanks can survive a few hits. While not having enough explosive mass to score kills with indirect hits, the ballistic computer can help with their aiming, and as F-4F can equip up to 285 of them, pilots can easily compensate accuracy with quantity.

'''Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets''' - Basically Mighty Mouse rockets on steroids, Zunis are an anti-everything tool. Their HEAT warhead provides up to 457 mm of penetration and thanks to their explosive mass equivalent to 8.91 kg of TNT, they can severely damage light targets with indirect hits.

'''AGM-65B missiles''' - Unique to the F-4F (compared to other German planes) are AGM-65Bs, more commonly known as Mavericks. These are fire and forget anti-tank missiles with TV guidance and a maximum range of 6 km. Their warheads can penetrate up to 830 mm of armour. As they are fire and forget, they are great to use in contested airspace when compared to bombs, though F-4F can carry only 2 of them at once.

'''Bombs''' - F-4F, being equipped with a ballistic computer, turns any bomb payload into a much more viable option. Turning on the ballistic computer allows pilot to use arcade-style crosshairs, so any pilot is capable of hitting ground targets with laser accuracy.

F-4F is capable of carrying up to 24 x 500 lb bombs and these are dropped individually, allowing the player in theory to achieve a whopping 24 kills per payload, thus completely wiping the enemy team from existence (in practice however, there will be enemy AA units, and F-4F carrying all that ordnance practically becomes a rock with wings). All bombs carried by F-4F are viable, so it is up to the pilot's personal preferences.

== Usage in battles ==

'''Ground battles'''

Most air-to-air combat in ground battles happens inside cannon range; thus it is not recommended to take Sidewinders to ground battles, and focus purely on CAS.

As stated above, the F-4F is an extremely potent ground attacker. Since there are currently only two AA vehicles armed with IR missiles ([[PGZ04A]] and [[Type 93]]) in-game, pilots should prioritise chaff when picking up countermeasures. Chaff helps with confusing enemy search and tracking radars, increasing probability of miss and thus increasing F-4F survivability.

Flying high above the battlefield is ill-advised, as this approach puts pilots in range of most enemy SAMs.

Radar needs an unobstructed line of sight to work properly, so flying low and utilizing ground obstacles helps with plane survival. Pilots should approach the battlefield at low altitude and do a flyby over enemy spawn in order to determine whenever the enemy team has active AA or not. RWR helps with this task, but pilots should note that lack of active radar does not necessarily mean that there's no AA active; some skilled players turn off search radars in order to drawn out enemy air assets out of cover. If there's enemy AA, it needs to be taken out first. Only then should the pilot gain altitude necessary for ground attacks. If the pilot gets warning that radar lock has been achieved, immediately deploy chaff, start evasive manoeuvres, and should consider disengaging for the time being.

Pilots should not be afraid to inform their teammates in chat while approaching the battlefield, as forward observers help immensely with locating enemy ground assets; F-4F working this way in tandem with squadmates on ground can turn the tide of battle in a matter of minutes.

'''Air battles'''

Generally speaking, pilots should always try to stick with their teammates. While the F-4F's agility might be tempting, due to its weight it bleeds speed a lot. Dogfighting a single plane might be doable, but doing so often leaves F-4F in low energy state and thus extremely vulnerable. Pilots also tend to tunnel vision on a single enemy, thus exposing themselves to other enemy planes; teammates can provide much needed cover in this scenario, allowing pilots to survive longer.

As for fuel load, F-4F performs best when afterburner is activated - but pilots should be aware that afterburner devours a lot of fuel. Thus it is not advised to take lighter fuel loads; pilots should take either 20 or 28 minutes load, depending on how much they plan to be active.

At the start of the game, pilots should first accelerate to a speed of 1,000-1,100 km/h, then climb to around 3 km altitude, and head towards the battlefield. As the F-4F is not armed with SARH missiles, climbing higher is ill-advised, as higher altitudes tend to be dominated by planes equipped with SARH missiles - those don't need rear aspect to achieve lock, as they use radar guidance and thus they can lock onto enemies from front and side. However, SARH missiles need continuous radar lock of enemy planes in order to score a hit; older radars (those without look down/shoot down ability) tend to pick up a lot of clutter (reflection of radar waves from the ground) when aimed towards ground. This means older radars lose their lock when aiming at the enemy that is below them, significantly reducing SARH missile effectiveness. By simply staying lower than SARH equipped enemies, pilots should be relatively safe (as long as they keep situational awareness). On top of that, pilots can equip chaff as another layer of protection against SARH missiles.

Pilots should not turn fight and instead stick to boom'n'zoom tactics. Luckily, thanks to excellent AIM-9Js, F-4F doesn't need to turn fight in most cases. Optimal launch range is from 1 to 3 km - closer and the missile might not be able to keep track, farther and the missile might run out of fuel before reaching its target. Missile range is dependent on several factors - altitude, the speed of the launching and targeted aircraft, their mutual distance, and the amount of manoeuvring the missile needs to do. Generally speaking, missile traveling in a straight line will have better range than manoeuvring missile. Also, missile launched from higher altitude and with initial speed advantage will also have better range. As for evading missiles, it depends on distance and type of missile launched. It is not advised to pull high G manoeuvres when the missile is launched outside 3.5 km range, as the missile still has time and energy to correct itself before impact, while the target plane just bleeds all of its energy and is left defenseless.

Missiles launched at 3-3.5 km range or greater can be dodged without need for high G manoeuvres - simply slowly zig-zagging while going fast is often enough to defeat them; this manoeuvre does not waste precious countermeasures nor energy. Of course, pilots can also turn off the afterburner and deploy flares as another layer of protection.

Missiles launched below 3 km require different tactics. As most modern missiles can pull 20 Gs or more, pilots need to get as many countermeasures as they can between them and the incoming missile; this often requires a combination with high G evasive manoeuvres, as countermeasures are not 100% guarantee and a missile that locked onto countermeasures might still continue in its path and hit an escaping plane.

If pilots need to counter ground based AA, the best tactic is to break line of sight; by either flying behind cover such as mountains or flying close to the ground.

'''Specific enemies worth mentioning:'''

* [[Mirage III (Family)|Mirage IIIs]], [[F-5C|F-5s]] and [[J35D|J-35s]]: While F-4F, thanks to its Agile Eagle upgrade, can get these planes in its crosshair, they are more than capable of out-turning F-4F in prolonged turns. On top of that, Mirage is armed with a dreaded [[Matra R550 Magic 1|Magic]] AAM that is capable of pulling 30 Gs.

* [[MiG-21 (Family)|MiG-21s]]s: Same case as above; Most of these planes are armed with [[R-60]] AAM, capable of pulling 30 Gs.

* [[F-4E Phantom II|F-4E]], [[F-4EJ Phantom II|F-4EJ]], [[Phantom FG.1]] and [[Phantom FGR.2|FGR.2]]: While these planes offer similar flight performance, they are armed with [[AIM-7E Sparrow|SARH]] missiles, and thus have significant advantage while fighting at high altitudes.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good AIM-9J Sidewinder Air-to-Air missiles
* Powerful internal M61 Vulcan rotary cannon with high velocity, fire rate and damage
* Equipped with RWR and 90 Countermeasures
* Variety of large air-to-ground payloads, including the potent AGM-65B Maverick fire and forget missiles

'''Cons:'''

* Heavy, bleeds a lot of speed in turns
* Lacks SARH missiles that other Phantoms have
* Pure CAS loadout reduces flight performance
* Big size presents a giant target
* Limited ammunition for its internal cannon

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-4f_late Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|zuMxIkT1jLQ|'''Germany Suffers - Should You Grind The F-4F Phantom - Vehicle Review''' - ''Sako Sniper'' (Review starts at 0:53)}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer McDonnell}}
{{Germany jet aircraft}}

F-4E Phantom II

2022-12-26T10:20:10Z

U97916902: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-4 Phantom II (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-4e
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|cockpit=F-4E II Cockpit.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.97 "Viking Fury"]].

The mighty F-4E Phantom II is a famous US aircraft from the Vietnam War era and a reliable workhorse of many militaries around the world. Powered by two General Electric J79-GE-17 jets, each producing an incredible 8,010 kgf on maximum afterburner, the F-4E boasts high speed and a solid climb rate. Leading-edge "Agile Eagle" slats increase its turning capability and somewhat mitigate the reputation of the Phantom family as flying bricks. In the weapons department, the F-4E has access to AIM-7E-2 Sparrows for medium-to-long range combat, AIM-9J Sidewinders for close-in work, and an enormous array of ground attack ordnance including AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missiles and AGM-62 Walleye glide bombs. This multi-role vehicle is a supremely capable ground attacker and a competitive fighter, though in air combat pilots must account for its lack of a pulse-Doppler radar.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 12,192 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,097 || 2,074 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.5 || 27.5 || 160.8 || 151.2 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,202 || 2,140 || 25.5 || 26.0 || 221.6 || 190.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
[[File:F-4E Phantom II deploying drogue chute.png|right|thumb|420x420px|A ROKAF F-4E Phantom II from to 153th Combat Squadron deploying its drogue chute for landing]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 1,458 || 625 || 463 || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 810 || < 750 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | General Electric J79-GE-17 || 2
| colspan="2" | 14,205 kg || colspan="2" | 408 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel
|-
| 1,750 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 15,964 kg || 18,027 kg || 20,069 kg || 28,681 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 5,200 kgf || 8,010 kgf
| 1.00 || 0.89 || 0.80 || 0.56
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,200 kgf (0 km/h) || 10,170 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.27 || 1.13 || 1.01 || 0.71
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


The survivability features of the {{PAGENAME}} have grown compared to its [[F-4C Phantom II|predecessor]] with an armour plate and missile countermeasures attached.

By this stage in the high-rank battles, all the fuel tanks are self-sealing. While this will assist with any fuel tank punctures from machine gun calibre weapons, the presence of fast-firing autocannons and missiles mean that these self-sealing tanks are only an accessory to the overall survival of the aircraft.

The addition of an armour plate is a minor benefit as it is only an 8.5 mm steel plate just below the forward fuel tank in the fuselage. This is only thick enough to block a glancing shot to the fuselage. Its most effective use seems to when the {{PAGENAME}} as it is pulling up from an attack run, as it is in that angle where the armour plate can potentially block any shot threatening the fuselage fuel tanks and engine. However, considering the small size it is made up of and the large plane overall, this armour plate should not be relied upon for the overall survival of the aircraft.

The biggest change from previous version is the countermeasure flares, which are greatly useful at deterring incoming infrared-homing missiles like the [[AIM-9J Sidewinder|Sidewinders]] or [[R-60]]s. To utilise the flares, one must turn off their engine afterburners to eliminate that as a significant source of heat, deploy the flares in a suitable manner, then bank away from the flares to that the missile lock onto the remaining heat source rather than the plane's engine.

A survivability feature shared with its predecessor is the Radar Warning Receiver (RWR). The RWR will ping the player in the source of any incoming radar scans, and will also notify if the radar source have achieved a lock-on with the player. Keep an eye on this as it may signify to the player that an enemy semi-active radar homing missile may be launched soon and evasive actions should be taken.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, chin-mounted (640 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 90 x countermeasures

Due to this cannon's high rate of fire, trigger discipline is a must.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)}}
{{main|AGM-62A Walleye I (505 kg)|GBU-8 (2,000 lb)|GBU-15(V)1/B (2,000 lb)|AGM-12C Bullpup|AGM-65B}}
{{main|AIM-7E Sparrow|AIM-7E-2 Sparrow|AIM-9E Sidewinder|AIM-9J Sidewinder}}
{{main|BLU-27/B incendiary|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP|GAU-4 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 3 x 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1,200 rpg = 3,600 total)
* 24 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 24 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 17 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (12,750 lb total)
* 13 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (13,000 lb total)
* 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 4 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
* 285 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 60 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
* 2 x AGM-12C Bullpup missiles
* 6 x AGM-65B missiles
* 4 x 505 kg AGM-62A Walleye I bombs (2,020 kg total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb GBU-8 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 2 x 2,000 lb GBU-15(V)1/B bombs (4,000 lb total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" width="100%" style="text-align:center"
|-
! !! width="4%" | 1 !! width="4%" | 2 !! width="4%" | 3 !! width="4%" | 4 !! width="4%" | 5 !! width="4%" | 6 !! width="4%" | 7 !! width="4%" | 8 !! width="4%" | 9 !! width="4%" | 10 !! width="4%" | 11
| rowspan="20" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_F-4C_Phantom_II.png]]</div>
|-
! 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1,200 rpg)
| 1 || || || || || 1 || || || || || 1
|-
! 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs
| 6 || 3 || || || || 6 || || || || 3 || 6
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| 6 || 3 || || || || 6 || || || || 3 || 6
|-
! 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs
| 3 || 3 || || || || 5 || || || || 3 || 3
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| 2 || 3 || || || || 3 || || || || 3 || 2
|-
! 505 kg AGM-62A Walleye I bombs
| 1 || 1* || || || || || || || || 1* || 1
|-
! 2,000 lb GBU-8 bombs
| 1 || 1* || || || || || || || || 1* || 1
|-
! 2,000 lb GBU-15(V)1/B bombs
| || 1* || || || || || || || || 1* ||
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| 1 || || || || || 1 || || || || || 1
|-
! BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
| 1 || || || || || 2 || || || || || 1
|-
! FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
| 57 || 57 || || || || 57 || || || || 57 || 57
|-
! Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
| 12 || 12 || || || || 12 || || || || 12 || 12
|-
! AGM-12C Bullpup missiles
| || 1* || || || || || || || || 1* ||
|-
! AGM-65B missiles
| || 3* || || || || || || || || 3* ||
|-
! AIM-7E Sparrow missiles
| || || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
! AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
| || || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
! AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
| || || 1, 2* || || || || || || 1, 2* || ||
|-
! AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
| || || 2* || || || || || || 2* || ||
|-
| colspan="12" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg
|-
| colspan="13" | * Marked options for hardpoints 2/10 cannot be used in conjunction with air-to-air missiles on hardpoints 3/9 respectively
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The F-4E Phantom II is well-suited for most in-game situations. For attacking ground targets, the plane is armed with an assortment of bombs, rockets, and missiles. And against air targets, players may employ the vehicle's deadly air-to-air missiles and frontal cannon(s). If desired, three externally-mounted gunpods may be equipped, but note that these may not be useful in certain situations. Although they will undoubtedly increase the vehicle's destructive capabilities, they also appreciably hinder flight performance through induced drag. In many situations, one front-facing cannon is all that is required to dispatch an opponent aircraft. As for the missiles, the ones used by this plane are average at its rank, comparable to the [[R-60]] missiles equipped by the [[MiG-21MF (Germany)]] and the [[MiG-21SMT]] (albeit with worse manoeuvrability). The AIM-9J missiles are most effective when fired from between 1 to 3 km away from the target. Any closer and they will struggle to track and likely veer off target for a miss.

The F-4E has one of the highest rates of climb out of any vehicle in the game. This is however where most of its performance advantages end. Due to its weight, the Phantom has rather mediocre acceleration, and not the best top speed. It is not advised to dogfight anything other than Starfighters and other Phantom variants, as the F-4 has a very poor turn rate. Although the aircraft has better energy retention than most of its opponents, it still bleeds considerable amounts of speed while turning, which can't be regained very quickly due to the aircraft's heavy weight. It also performs quite poorly at low speeds, which is also caused by its weight.

=== Air-to-Air ===
In air realistic battles, it is recommended to take a balanced fuel load of 20 or 30 minutes, depending on how aggressive you fly (this will also allow you to liberally use the afterburner without fear of premature fuel exhaustion). The most useful default Air RB armament for the F-4E are the 4 AIM-9Js or 4 AIM-7E-2s, though both missiles can be used under a custom loadout setting. As the F-4E's dogfighting abilities are rather lacklustre, the Sparrows may prove more useful in the long run compared to the AIM-9J Sidewinders. The best strategy is to accelerate to a speed of roughly 900-1,100 km/h on the deck and then zoom climb to altitude (5 km or higher), where the pilot should accelerate to the highest speed possible. Lock on to targets with your radar and use your Sparrows to shoot down enemy aircraft when in range; and remember to keep an eye on your RWR as being at altitude makes you an easy target for the long range missiles prevalent at this tier. Sparrows should ideally be launched above Mach 1 to take maximum advantage of their range and manoeuvrability. After using up all your Sparrows, return to base to rearm, with the Sidewinders (if brought along) used moreso for self-defense rather as a primary weapon. Because of its poor flight characteristics, the Phantom will struggle in one-on-one fights, making it vital to keep your teammates around and to avoid dogfighting whenever possible. The Phantom should target enemies turnfighting its friendlies, as not only will the enemy be distracted and slow, but it provides you a chance to save your teammate, who in turn may down another enemy chasing you later in the match.

To reiterate, dogfighting should be avoided as much as possible. The Phantom was designed around missiles, so they will naturally be your main way of getting kills, with the gun being a backup weapon for opportune targets. Furthermore, most of the enemies you will face at 11.0 or above can and will be able to easily manoeuvre around you, if they haven't already fired a high performance AAM at you. Although if one has unlocked the triple SUU-23/A gunpods, that is an almost surefire way to earn at least one kill in the classic head-on (in addition to its usefulness in attacking ground targets, possibly being the best option in Air Realistic).

==== Notable Air RB enemies ====

* [[MiG-21bis]]: the most advanced Soviet MiG-21, with amazing acceleration that can catch up to the F-4E quite easily and evade missiles with flares. The German [[MiG-21bis-SAU]] has access to all-aspect R-60MK missiles as well. Neither has competitive radar-guided missiles however.
* [[JA37C|JA37C Viggen]]: a Swedish powerhouse that boasts high low-altitude speed, good turning performance, similar weapons to the F-4E, and a Pulse-Doppler radar.
* [[Mirage IIIC]]/[[Mirage IIIE|IIIE]]: armed with two of the best infrared missiles in the game, the R.550 Magic, and a long-range radar-guided missile with similar performance to the AIM-7. Strong short-term turning capabilities make them dangerous in snapshots. The former does not have countermeasures, however.
* [[Phantom FGR.2]]/[[Phantom FG.1|FG.1]]: British Phantoms with more powerful engines, can out accelerate and outrun the F-4E. They also have pulse-Doppler radars and are superior in BVR.
* [[F-4EJ Kai Phantom II|F-4EJ Kai]]: Japanese Phantom with an excellent pulse-Doppler radar and the same armament as the F-4E.
* F-4E Phantom II: This very aircraft, as a result you simply play around its weaknesses as described in the "[[#Pros and cons|Pros and cons]]" section.
* [[F-4J Phantom II]]: Later American Phantom variant, sacrifices ATGM/GBU capability for generally improved dogfighting performance/armaments over the F-4E.
* [[F-14A Early]]: American successor to the F-4 with the ultra-long range and fire-and-forget Phoenix missiles, a superior radar, and overall better dogfighting performance.
* [[MiG-23M]]/[[MiG-23MF (Germany)|MF]]/[[MiG-23MLD|MLD]]: swing-wing fighters with potent missiles, good avionics, and superior agility to the F-4E on lower sweep settings. Avoid dogfighting and keep an eye out for sneak attacks with the R-23T/24T missiles. The MiG-23M and MiG-23MF have very limited countermeasures, which the F-4E can exploit with its large missile capacity. The MiG-23MLD has excellent speed and climb performance that can match or exceed the F-4E.
* [[J-7E]]: a light and nimble Chinese fighter with exceptional agility but no radar-guided missiles. Avoid dogfighting whenever possible.

=== Ground Realistic ===
While the AA threat at this BR is significant, this aircraft can still find great utility if used properly and is among the top aircraft for CAS in the American tech tree when the appropriate modifications are unlocked. However, like most aircraft at this BR it has little utility in ground RB when stock/without countermeasures unlocked and even when spaded is still heavily pressured by SAMs, which on some maps can even immediately engage the aircraft as it spawns. In the ground attack role, while its 20 mm cannon can do significant damage against the thinly armoured topsides of most vehicles at this BR, the strafing runs required to do so put you at immense risk of being shot down by radar guided AAA, any SAM, or even some tanks with proximity fused ammunition/ATGMs/autocannons. As a result, you want to rely on quick strikes that put you in the line of fire for as little time as possible or long range attacks that eliminate the need to enter enemy AA range at all. The latter is most prominently done with its advanced guided munitions, the best of which are the AGM-65 Mavericks. To significantly make use of these guided weapons, you often need to put several kilometers worth of distance between you and the target so you can properly aim, fire, and pull away (and optimally against a stationary target). With the GBU and [[AGM-62A Walleye I (505 kg)|Walleye]], this can be difficult as the launch parameters for them put you in the range of most radar guided SAMs due to the limited zoom of its seeker head. As for quick strikes, this is best done through the use of the Bullpups (in a similar manner to the previous [[F-4C Phantom II|F-4C]], and all other aircraft that use the Bullpup). Bombs can also be suitable for this via high-speed treetop attacks with the ballistic computer. Rockets meanwhile are only slightly better than the cannon as while you can equip a large amount of them, they do little damage individually and have engagement distances similar to gun-runs, putting you at similar risk.

Air-to-air ordnance on planes is often dead weight in Ground Realistic battles as dogfighting is rare and nearly always limited to low altitude visual range, with most air kills being claimed by AA vehicles. With that in mind and the prevalence of countermeasures at this BR, you can often omit such ordnance. However, against helicopters at/above this BR and high performance planes, the Sidewinders can sometimes be of use, as it would often be quite risky to dogfight either with guns. The Sparrows have little use due to BVR combat being exceedingly rare and often non-viable due to small map sizes and/or map layout. Seeing as such ordnance also adds to the SP costs of air to ground loadouts, it's generally worth it to entirely omit or take a reduced loadout of said weapons.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Can carry up to eight missiles, allowing a total of four AIM-9Js and AIM-7E-2 (DF) for fighting either manoeuvring aircraft or at close-medium range head-on engagements respectively.
* Equipped with flares and chaff for evading enemy missiles
* Can carry a vast range of deadly ground attack ordnance (including fire-and-forget ATGMs and Guided Bombs)
* Deadly frontal armament with high burst mass and high damage
* Has a ballistic computer for assisting in the aim of cannons, rockets, and bombs
* Better manoeuvrability than most other Phantoms due to slats
* Best CAS payload out of all US Phantoms

'''Cons:'''

* Susceptible to wing rip, especially when doing negative G manoeuvres or rolls
* Limited ammunition in the frontally-mounted cannon
* Large target for aircraft and AA alike
* Despite having slats, it is still a heavy aircraft which bleeds speed quickly and will struggle in dogfights versus more maneuverable opponents
* Two engines make for a strong heat signature, making it harder to dodge missiles
* Flight performance suffers immensely when carrying large amounts of ordnance
* Radar lacks pulse-Doppler or look-down capabilities, meaning it is difficult to lock and engage enemies below the horizon and/or at low altitudes with sparrows
* In Air Battles, is often uptiered to top-rank where it can become vastly outclassed in speed, maneuverability and firepower

== History ==

[[File:F-4E Phantom.jpg|thumb|400x400px|An F-4E of Holloman Air Force base.]]
The F-4E was initially designed as an incremental upgrade to the standard F-4C airframe used by the US Air Force. The aircraft carried a new radar in a redesigned radome, and more importantly, an internal M61 cannon mounted in the nose. As well, later-production aircraft featured the Agile Eagle upgrade, which gave the Phantom leading edge slats which improved manoeuvrability at the expense of top speed. The addition of an internal cannon was a highly anticipated upgrade, as it fixed a problem that F-4C squadrons faced when operating over Vietnam.

The first F-4Es entered service in the 1960s and were dispatched to serve in Vietnam, where they complemented the existing inventories of F-4C and D variant aircraft. The aircraft type was credited with 21 kills in Vietnam, most of which were achieved using the AIM-7E-2 'Dogfight Sparrow'. Several pilots achieved Ace status while flying the F-4 in Vietnam, including Charles B. DeBellevue, who was the highest-scoring American ace in Vietnam. The F-4 went on to form the backbone of the US fighter force for the bulk of the 1960s and 70s. As well, F-4E was flown by the USAF Thunderbirds Demonstration Team between 1969 and 1974. The large, noisy Phantom performed around the world until 1974, when rising fuel costs forced the Thunderbirds to convert to the smaller T-38 Talon.

The F-4E was exported to a variety of countries. Israel was the largest foreign user of the F-4 Phantom, having purchased 124 F-4 Phantoms from the United States betwen 1971 and 1974; the Israelis were credited with at least 115 kills using the F-4 Phantom during various conflicts. As well, Germany and Japan both procured modified versions of the F-4E, being the F-4F and F-4EJ, respectively. Other notable foreign users of the F-4E include Australia (24 aircraft), Egypt (35 aircraft), Greece (34 aircraft), and Turkey (40 aircraft).

During service, the Phantom gained a number of nicknames, including "Rhino" (referencing its titanium construction and long nose), "Double-Ugly", and even "The world's largest distributor of MiG Parts", referencing the 277 MiGs downed by the Phantom during various conflicts. The USAF retired the aircraft in 1996, and the aircraft was used as a target drone until 2016. The aircraft remains in service with Iran, Japan, South Korea, Greece and Turkey, 62 years after its maiden flight.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-4e Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|TWT-ETcU_No|'''The Shooting Range #198''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:33 discusses the F-4E Phantom II.}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[F-4 Phantom II (Family)]]

;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-21 (Family)]]
* SAAB [[J35D]] ''Draken''
* Dassault [[Mirage IIIC]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/479889-f-4e/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* [https://archive.org/details/t.o.1f4c1flightmanualf4cf4df4e01101970/mode/2up/ Technical Order 1F-4C-1 - Flight Manual for F-4C/F-4D/F-4E Aircraft]

{{AirManufacturer McDonnell}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-14A Early

2022-12-26T07:44:16Z

U97916902:

{{Specs-Card
|code=f_14a_early
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Danger Zone"]]. One of the most iconic US naval fighter jets of the Cold War era, the F-14A was developed as the US Navy's fleet-defense fighter jet to protect their carrier groups over a vast swath of ocean. First deployed in the 1970s, the F-14A wields the advanced AN/AWG-9 radar and up to eight missiles, including the iconic [[AIM-54A Phoenix|Phoenix missile,]] to locate and target bandits at long range.

In the game, these characteristics allow the F-14A to engage enemy air targets at far greater distances than most enemy aircraft can, allowing the F-14A to take the initiative and achieve air superiority by firing first. At long range, Phoenix missiles force enemy fighters to actively monitor the sky even when they cannot yet see or detect the F-14A. While Phoenix missiles may prove too sluggish to target enemy fighters at high-speed merges, its [[AIM-7F Sparrow|Sparrows]] can engage manoeuvring targets at short and medium ranges before engaging at closer ranges with [[AIM-9H Sidewinder|Sidewinders]] and M61 cannon fire.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The F-14A might be seen underpowered compared to other aircraft, primarily the F-4J Phantom II and other Phantom variants such as the Phantom FG.1. While it is true that the engines are not as powerful, the F-14A is far superior in terms of top speed and energy management. However, insufficient power can be noticed when zoom climbing or when turning at low speed, and regaining the speed back can take a while. The engines also consume tremendous amounts of fuel: while the F-14A can stay in the air for at least one hour with full fuel tanks, at full afterburner (WEP) the jet can fly for only 7 minutes at sea level.

The F-14A is more of a two-circle dogfighter since it keeps speed very well in hard turns, but might not have as much nose authority as other planes to win one-circle fights (such as scissors and anything similar when you turn into the opponent's nose). Although it can still beat planes like the MiG-23MLD in the instantaneous turn-rate performance, delta-wing fighters like the J35 or MiG-21 could have the advantage during the first seconds of the fight. Like other planes with variable wing geometry, the F-14A reaches its most efficient turn rate performance when wings are swept fully forward (set to 0%) and that can be achieved only by using the manual wing sweep controls. Since it is semi-automatic, the wing will automatically change its position after reaching around ~800 km/h IAS.

The most optimal turning speed is around 900 km/h IAS at sea level (it reaches the highest sustained turn rate there), but the best is actually between 700 and 830 km/h IAS since any faster, and it becomes impossible to maintain the turn without the crew blacking out. At such speeds, the F-14A in a clean configuration with 30 minutes of fuel can reach up to 23 deg/s of sustained turn rate, which is better than any MiG-23, Su-17, or even other more manoeuvrable fighters like the MiG-19. Both the sustained and instantaneous turn rate can be improved by using combat flaps, which can function at speeds up to 850 km/h IAS.

Thanks to the variable wing sweep, the F-14A is able to move its center of mass and thus increase or decrease its roll rate. High sweep allows higher speeds at reduced roll rate and vice versa. Low sweep increases roll rate and energy retention at subsonic speeds.

To get the most of its turn rate performance in Simulator Battles, you should always try to use the manual SAS (Stability Augmentation System) mode. The damping mode severely limits its nose authority, and it is harder to win fights against planes like the MiG-21 or other delta-wing fighters. In general, combat flaps should always be used when you are about to merge with the enemy plane, as they not only increase the sustained turn rate but also improves nose authority. In turn, it becomes easier to get lead on the enemy plane and to control the plane when using manual SAS mode. The player should still be very careful with pulling the stick around 500 km/h IAS. Below that speed, it's very easy to abruptly lose speed, reach the critical AoA, and stall out the plane. Pulling the stick all the way to yourself should be done only when you are going for snap shots. The other downside manual SAS mode is the plane is much more sensitive to controls, especially in pitch. For this reason, it is recommended to use the damping SAS mode during cruising and BVR combat.

While using the manual SAS mode, it is can be easy to stall out the plane when flying below 400 km/h IAS. In this case, after entering the flat spin, the quickest method to recover the plane is to increase the wing sweep angle and then counter the plane rotation with the rudder.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 12,192 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,202 || 2,191 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.4 || 25.1 || 178.4 || 170.5 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,245 || 2,221 || 23.6 || 24.0 || 231.6 || 203.8
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 1,359 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || rowspan="2" | 1,200 || rowspan="2" | 873 || rowspan="2" | 416 || ~10 || ~5
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,555 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 1,200 || < 850 || < 1,800 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="7" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="4" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-412A || 2
| colspan="3" | 18,545 kg || colspan="4" | 493 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 18m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 62m fuel
|-
| 1,802 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 20,750 kg || 20,905 kg || 22,085 kg || 23,855 kg || 25,895 kg || 30,935 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 18m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 62m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 4,860 kgf || 8,019 kgf
| 0.77 || 0.77 || 0.73 || 0.67 || 0.62 || 0.52
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,808 kgf (1,555 km/h) || 12,692 kgf (1,555 km/h)
| 1.22 || 1.21 || 1.15 || 1.06 || 0.98 || 0.82
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The F-14A holds 60 countermeasures, which is a decent number of chaff and flares that can let the Tomcat survive multiple missiles. Due to its massive engines, the IR signature of the aircraft is not an easy thing to conceal when fighting heat-seeking missiles. As with other jets around its battle rating, flares alone are not enough. To defeat an IR-guided missile (heat-seeker), turn off afterburner and reduce throttle to at least 80-85% while dumping flares and turning away from the missile. This is to ensure that an IR-guided missile will track the flares and not the engines. Due to the massive size compared to other aircraft, the chances of a successful hit from enemies, both missile and cannon, are higher compared to other aircraft, such as the AV-8 or F-5. This should be taken into consideration as proximity fuses will trigger with more ease as the wingspan of the Tomcat is considerably larger than most jets seen in game.

Fuel tanks are housed flatly in both the fuselage and wings. The F-14A will easily catch fire from enemy rounds from above and below the plane. Thankfully, the fuel tanks are well-separated compared to other fighters like the F-4 family, so damage to one part of the plane may not necessarily compromise the whole plane. However, fires will rapidly destroy traction of control surfaces, so they must be immediately extinguished. As long as some control surfaces are usable, the F-14A can survive critical damage (such as losing a wing) and return to base. Its multiple fuel tanks help isolate fuel fires especially on the wings, and the plane can fly on one engine.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, cheek-mounted (676 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP}}
{{main|AIM-7E-2 Sparrow|AIM-7F Sparrow|AIM-54A Phoenix}}
{{main|AIM-9D Sidewinder|AIM-9G Sidewinder|AIM-9H Sidewinder}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles
* 5 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
* 14 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (3,500 lb total)
* 14 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (7,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 16 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets

The F-14A is the first aircraft in game to have access to Active Radar Homing missiles with internal navigation. While it is mostly used for air defense and anti-air duties, it holds decent ground pounding abilities that are nothing new to American pilots. The F-14A has access to a wide variety of weapon selections due to having 'Custom Loadouts' feature. Depending on the needs of the pilot, one can carry different loadouts for different needs. Some may prefer the use of the AIM-7F over the AIM-54 due to the fast acceleration and good performance in short-medium ranges. A recommended loadout to carry is the following: x4 AIM-54A, x2 AIM-7F, x2 AIM-9 (on preference). It holds the power to fight at all ranges, being able to launch AIM-54A at unaware targets and then engage other with Sparrows, later to dogfight at close ranges with Sidewinders.

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="12" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs
| || || 8* || 6 || ||
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| || || 8* || 6 || ||
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| || || 2* || 2 || ||
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| || || 2*† || 2 || ||
|-
! Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
| || 8 || || || 8 ||
|-
! AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1, 2* || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
| || 1 || 2* || 2† || 1 ||
|-
| colspan="9" | * Use of dual Sparrow missiles on hardpoint 4 prevents use of the marked options on hardpoint 3 † The AIM-54A Phoenix missiles on hardpoint 4 cannot be carried in conjunction with 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs on hardpoint 3
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Boasting a high top speed, excellent turning characteristics, a large amount of excellent missiles and a powerful radar, the F-14A (Early) Tomcat is a air superiority fighter and should be used as such.

'''Flying the F-14A'''

Despite being a very large aircraft, the F-14A Tomcat‘s maneuverability and energy retention is excellent. With the wings swept out, it’s among the best rate fighters in the game, and has excellent instantaneous turn rate. This allows the F-14A to out-dogfight most aircraft in-game. For planes with poor energy retention such as F-4s, MiG-21s, J35s, and JA37s, you can use the F-14s excellent turn rate to enter a prolonged two-circle fight, where the F-14’s superior energy retention will drain the energy of these delta winged fighters. The optimal rate speed of the F-14A is around 750km/h, though 600km/h will still allow you to out rate fighters with poor energy retention. For planes with better energy retention such as F-8s and MiG-23s, you can use F-14A’s excellent instantaneous turn rate to force a one circle fight. It should be noted that when dogfighting in the F-14A, it is critical to always sweep your wings forward to 0% wing sweep. At this wing sweep, you will obtain the optimal energy retention and turn characteristics of the F-14A. Therefore, it is highly recommended to set key binds for manually changing sweep angle and switching between auto to manual wing sweep. Keep in mind that, although the F-14A has excellent dogfighting characteristics, it is still a very large aircraft with extremely hot engines. Due to this, it is advised to avoid turn fighting with the Tomcat unless absolutely necessary because, as with all other top tier jets, doing so will bleed your speed and make you an easy target for enemy aircraft.

The F-14A with it’s TF30 engines were historically underpowered, and this shows in game; while the F-14A has a great top speed with the wings swept back, the acceleration is below average. Faster planes such as MiG-23s, Mirage 2000s, F-16s, and MiG-29s will easily out-accelerate you. Even F-4s will accelerate faster at lower speeds. Luckily, at higher speeds, the acceleration becomes a little better, though still nowhere near as good as the faster planes. Due to this, it is advisable to keep your speed up in the F-14. This is also another reason to be careful when engaging in dogfights, as you will have difficulty out-accelerating your opponents should you need to exit.

'''Wing Sweep'''

The F-14A has a variable sweep wing, which means the wings can change angle during flight to obtain the desirable flight characteristics. As discussed before, when the wings are swept forward (0%), the F-14A obtains high energy retention and excellent instantaneous and sustained turn rate. However, the wings being swept forwards limits the Tomcat’a top speed, and therefore should only be used at lower speeds, when dogfighting, or takeoff/landing (especially with carriers). On the other hand, the wings being swept back allows the F-14A to reach it’s top speed, but at lower speeds, loss of lift greatly reduces maneuverability. Generally, pilots can keep the wing sweep mode set to automatic (AUTO); this will automatically sweep the wings without player input based on how fast or slow the Tomcat is going. However, when dogfighting, you will want to switch the sweep mode to manual, and use selected key binds to manually sweep the wing forward to obtain optimal maneuverability. Again, this means that these controls will have to be set.

'''Fuel Consumption and Engine Heat'''

It should be noted that the F-14A burns up fuel very fast when on afterburner. This should be taken into consideration as one can burn up all the fuel without realizing until it is too late. Due to this, it is advisable to take at the very least 30 minutes of fuel. You can use the mouse scroll wheel to save a lot more fuel by using the first-stage afterburner, which gives a significant power boost from 100% throttle but a little less power than full afterburner. On minimum fuel (18 minutes) the full afterburner can only last about 2 minutes and 30 seconds, but the afterburner (first-stage) can last you 8 minutes.

Something to be aware of when playing the F-14A is the insane heat of its engines. At high throttle and afterburner, its engines emit an unparalleled amount of heat at around 2,100 °F (1,150 °C). For reference, that is around 66% hotter than the F-4J's engines, which is around 1,239 °F (671 °C) at 100% throttle and 1,256 °F (680 °C) during full afterburner. During gameplay, this means that in the F-14A simply just turning off the afterburner and deploying flares may not be enough to avoid an incoming IR missile. You will also have to throttle down the engine significantly (at least 80-85%) to make sure that an incoming IR missile goes for the flare. This is especially true for more flare-resistant IR missiles such as the [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] and [[Matra R550 Magic 2|Magic 2]], which may need substantial throttling down to flare off. Keep in mind that throttling down means that you will lose a decent amount of speed in the process, so be prepared.

'''Air-to-Air Missile Characteristics'''

The F-14A comes with three options for missiles: short ranged AIM-9H Sidewinders, medium ranged AIM-7F Sparrows, and long range AIM-54A Phoenixes.

* The '''AIM-9H Sidewinder''' is very similar to the previous AIM-9G — having good range but below average maneuverability. Its seeker also be slaved to a radar lock or TWS soft lock. With only 18G maximum overload, the AIM-9H should not be used in high-aspect or hard-turning shots at close ranges. Instead, the AIM-9H’s good range should be used to catch enemies off guard. A good way to utilize this range is to position yourself over the battlefield and dive down on enemies. Your dive speed combined with gravity will increase the speed and range of your missiles, and your unexpected direction will see that many enemies will not notice the missile until they have been destroyed by it.
* The '''AIM-7F Sparrow''' is a medium range, SARH (Semi-Active Radar Homing) missile. Pilots of the F-14A are probably familiar with the AIM-7F from the previous F-4J. The AIM-7F is one of the best radar guided missiles in the game. It has good 25G maneuverability, and a very long motor burn time gives it long range and sustained maneuverability (whereas other missiles will stop producing thrust and lose speed in maneuvers, the long burn time of the AIM-7F sustains it’s speed and maneuverability for a long time). This should be the F-14A's go-to missile; it can be launched from all-aspects and is difficult to dodge without the correct defensive maneuvers. The AIM-7F can be launched from longer ranges to utilize its long burn time and the F-14A’s good radar. Pay attention to your Radar Warning Receiver; if the enemy you are radar locking is also radar locking you, it is likely that they are about to or already have launched a radar guided missile at you. In this case, do not fly straight; you are going to be hit first. Launch your missile, then crank to one side. To crank means to turn to one side as far as possible without losing radar lock. This makes the enemy’s missile travel further at higher angles and thus decreases the chance it will hit you during defensive maneuvers. If you have sparrows to spare and an enemy is approaching head-on, you can launch sparrows in succession (2-3 seconds between launches) to increase your probability of kill. An enemy can avoid one missile with maneuvers, but will have bled speed and will have a more difficult time avoiding further missiles.
* The '''AIM-54A Phoenix''' is a long range, ARH (Active Radar Homing) missile, and is only found on the F-14 (both in-game and in real life).
** The AIM-54A is a unique missile with unique capabilities. It has an extremely long burn time and thus an extremely long range, as well as a rather large proximity fuse and a large amount of explosive (doesn't have to be as close as other missiles to enemies to explode and cause critical damage). However, its more interesting features come in the form of its behavior. First, it's an active radar homing missile, meaning it has a small internal radar which at closer ranges it can use to automatically search for, track and guide itself to targets without any input from the parent (the F-14's) radar. Second, it can be guided via the parent (F-14's) radar, but if it loses lock, the missile will fly straight for a while and use the aforementioned internal radar to search for enemies to home in to. Third, the AIM-54 does not need a true radar lock to be launched; when the F-14's radar is in TWS (Track While Scan) mode, you can simply hover the radar cursor over a radar contact to launch the AIM-54. This also means you can launch more than one Phoenix at a time by hovering over a target, launching, and then hovering over another target to launch another Phoenix.
** It is important to know that despite these seemingly impressive features, the AIM-54 is not an all-powerful missile, and having downsides, there are many scenarios where it is advisable not to use them. First, some F-14A players may feel tempted to take six AIM-54s, take off, and then launch at six enemy targets very far away. There is a very high chance none will hit; at such a long range, and with player behavior at the start of a match, it is very likely that the missiles will be inadvertently be notched, or the missiles will get distracted by enemy and/or friendly AI bots. In addition, the AIM-54A only has 16G overload—less than an AIM-9H— and with its very long burn time, it is easily seen and dodged by enemies. It is more worth it to save your missiles for a better firing window. Second, the missile should not be used at closer ranges (< 5 km). In addition to having low maneuverability, the AIM-54 has a very, very slow acceleration, and it highly likely won’t be able to follow the defensive maneuvers of such a close enemy. For this case, sparrows are a much better option. Third, the AIM-54 should not be launched in the direction of friendly aircraft. The AIM-54 and its internal radar will go for the first target it sees, regardless if it is friend or foe. And fourth and finally, the AIM-54 is the heaviest air-to-air missile in the game, and they impact aircraft performance significantly. To make use of the AIM-54's advantages, it is advisable to use them at higher altitudes (> 5 km) and at long ranges. The AIM-54 will have time to accelerate to it's target, and due to the low air density at high altitude enemy aircraft will have a harder time evading the missile (even if it is just 16G). Because the AIM-54 can home in on enemies on it's own, you can completely turn away from the enemy after launching to avoid enemy missiles.

Each of these missiles have their strengths and weaknesses. A mix between long-range weapons and short-range weapons must be used at pilot's discretion. A maximum of six of a mix of sparrows or phoenixes can be taken, two sidewinders can be carried on the side, and pilots can choose to substitute up to two sparrows or phoenixes for sidewinders. High altitude engagements are uncommon, so ideally either a small amount of phoenixes (or none) should be taken. The exception to this is enduring confrontation (operation) air battles, where air combat is prevalent at higher altitudes where the Phoenix will truly shine.

'''Radar and Radar Modes'''

The AN/AWG-9 radar set carried by the F-14A is an extremely potent radar, especially for long range missile combat. It has great range (a maximum of 185 km tracking and 370 km detecting). For most normal air RB maps, a 37km display range should suffice, while 93km should be enough for most enduring confrontation air RB maps. A radar lock is necessary to guide Sparrows, while a radar lock or soft lock (hovering over targets in TWS) will suffice for a Phoenix launch. The radar has four different modes which have different purposes, capabilities and usages:

* SRC PD HDN (Surveillance Radar Computer, Pulse Doppler, Head-On): Users of the F-14 are likely at least somewhat aware of what a pulse-doppler radar is from usage of the previous F-4J. This is a pulse-doppler mode, meaning it measures an aircraft’s doppler shift (difference in velocity compared to surroundings) in order to “see” targets. Due to the nature of the detection method, this pulse doppler mode is most ideal for targets close to the ground, as well as in head-on situations (as the name suggests). However, this pulse-doppler mode has a weakness: it can be [https://wiki.warthunder.com/Airborne_radars#Notching_a_Pulse-Doppler_radar notched]; pulse doppler measures the target aircraft’s velocity change compared to surroundings, so if a target flies perpendicular to the radar (not moving closer or further compared to the surroundings), the radar will not observe a change in velocity and therefore cannot see the aircraft. F-14A pilots must be aware of how the notch works; if an enemy radar is locking you at low altitude, they are likely using a pulse doppler mode, and thus notching becomes a defensive option to break radar lock. Provided the target is not at very low altitudes, an enemy notching your pulse doppler radar can be countered by switching the radar mode to SRC. Another weakness to be aware of is that pulse doppler modes generally have trouble detecting and locking targets traveling away from the radar. In conclusion, the pulse doppler mode is good for tracking targets at very low altitude, but is vulnerable to notching and has difficulty finding targets moving away.
** SRC PD HDN, TWS HDN and SRC PDV HDN radar modes all use ACM PD HDN (Air Combat Maneuvering, Pulse Doppler, Head-On) as the acquisition mode, and TRK PD HDN (Track, Pulse Doppler, Head-On) as the lock mode. These are pulse-doppler search and lock methods, and as such are vulnerable to notching.
* SRC (Surveillance Radar Computer): This is the standard radar mode. Since it does not operate the same way as the pulse-doppler mode, SRC can track targets perpendicular to the radar. Therefore, if an enemy is attempting to notch your pulse-doppler mode, you can switch the radar lock from a pulse-doppler one to standard SRC. This is not a pulse doppler mode and therefore does not have it’s weaknesses; it cannot be notched like pulse doppler can, and has an easier time tracking targets moving away. However, due to the radar return from ground clutter, it has great trouble locking targets at very low altitude, but it can lock targets at higher altitude. It’s worth noting that the SRC mode on the AN/AWG-9 is more resistant to ground clutter than previous radars; while you still cannot detect or lock a target very close to the ground, it can sometimes detect targets as little as 1 km from the ground. In conclusion, SRC is generally more reliable at finding and tracking targets than pulse doppler mode, but cannot see targets at very low altitudes like pulse doppler can.
** SRC uses ACQ and TRK for acquisition and tracking, respectively.
* TWS HDN (Track While Scan, Head-On): This mode allows targets to be detected and “tracked” simultaneously. By hovering your radar cursor over detected targets, you can “soft lock” them; their position is marked in third-person view, and their general speed, heading and height is displayed. With a soft lock, the radar return is not strong enough to trigger the RWR, so enemies will not know you are soft locking them. AIM-54A Phoenixes can be launched via a soft lock, and after launching a Phoenix, you can hover over another enemy to launch another Phoenix. Using onboard electronics, the Phoenixes will guide themselves to the target after this. In addition, AIM-9G/H sidewinders can be slaved to the soft lock. However, for a sparrow launch, you will need to “hard lock” the target. This can be done simply by locking the target the cursor is hovering over (as with other radar modes). In addition, track while scan uses pulse-doppler, so it can detect targets close to the ground as well. Unfortunately, this also means it has the same weaknesses as pulse-doppler mode (vulnerable to notching or targets flying away). The capabilities of the track while scan mode are potent and allows pilots great situational awareness, and therefore should generally be your go-to radar mode, only switching to SRC to overcome pulse-doppler’s weaknesses.
* SRC PDV HDN (Surveillance Radar Computer, Pulse Doppler Velocity, Head-On): This radar mode is similar to pulse-doppler, but instead displays the velocity of the aircraft on the radar screen rather than the range. This is the only radar mode on the AN/AWG-9 which does not utilize IFF (Identification Friend or Foe), so in simulator mode, be careful.

A nice feature of the F-14’s radar is that, if you have a target radar locked, you can switch between pulse-doppler and normal SRC tracking without breaking lock (most other radars will require the lock to be broken before switching radar mode to reattempt a lock). This allows you to quickly and easily switch to TRK (SRC) if the target is notching, or switch to TRK PD HDN (Pulse Doppler) if the target it going close to the ground.

'''Realistic Battles'''

In realistic battles, the F-14A is a powerful air superiority fighter. With a maximum of six long range AIM-7F or AIM-54A missiles and a powerful radar, it is arguably the best BVR (Beyond Visual Range) fighter in the game. Due to this, it is advisable to exploit this advantage. In air realistic battles, players can side climb to high altitudes (>5 km) and search for targets to engage with the long range Sparrows or Phoenixes. Once higher altitude is swept of enemy fighters, pilots can dive down on lower altitude enemies and use the energy advantage to obtain missile kills from an unexpected angle. If necessary, the Tomcat’s excellent maneuverability can be used to dogfight enemy aircraft.

In ground realistic battles, the F-14A can use it’s long range missiles to clear the sky of enemy strike aircraft. With it’s excellent Sparrow and Phoenix missiles, the F-14A will be especially potent at destroying enemy strike aircraft at high altitudes who are using guided munitions to attack your team outside of SAM range. While the F-14A gets access to some variety of air to ground bombs and rockets, these are all unguided and thus are very risky to use in the presence of SAMs. Therefore, unless a ground strike is absolutely necessary, a Tomcat is much better off in the air-to-air role guarding the skies.

'''Simulator Battles - Enduring Confrontation'''

Before you take the F-14A to battle you need to figure out what weapons you want to use. All the available IR missiles have almost identical turn performance, the range is almost the same too. The D version cannot be slaved to the locked target, the G can be and the H works exactly like the G, but has a higher tracking rate. Taking at least two of them is highly recommended since they almost do not affect the flight performance.

There are also two options between radar guided missiles. The AIM-7F works very well at close and medium ranges (3-20 km) and can hit a target which is pulling lots of G. They are harder to dodge in Simulator Battles, though you need to keep your lock all the time. The AIM-54A is an active radar guided missile, it does not require the radar lock when it is launched 16 km from the target (or when it gets that close, then you can break your lock), but it can pull only up to 16G which is quite easy to dodge, both these missiles can also be avoided by just simply notching when the F-14 uses the Pulse Doppler radar mode.

A few loadouts recommendations:

* 4x AIM-9H + 4x AIM-7F - Works very well in almost any scenario, does not affect the flight performance that much.
* 4x AIM-9H + 4x AIM-54A or 2x AIM-9H + 6x AIM-54A - Makes the plane turn a lot worse, in most cases will not work against fighters which know how to deal with radar guided missiles, this loadout is useful mainly against planes that attack the bombing bases or airfields only, so for example the Su-6s loaded with bombs etc. (farmers). It is not recommended to use it in normal EC battles.
* 4x AIM-9H + 2x AIM-54A + 2x AIM-7F

To make the full use of the F-14A's manoeuvrability it is the best to buy the expert crew and the ace crew if it is possible, since the plane pulls around 8G at 750 km/h IAS in a sustained turn and that increases even further when the player decided to pull it even more, though you need to keep in mind that the G limit is ~11G.

'''Outside the combat''': As a start keep in mind that the F-14A really likes to burn the fuel a lot when the afterburner is used, at low altitude it can fly up to 7 minutes with full fuel tanks, so it is recommended to fly either with 45 minutes of fuel (on 64x64 km maps like Ruhr, Port Moresby) or full fuel tanks (128x128 km maps like Vietnam, Denmark). WEP should not be used while cruising and only during combat or while chasing someone, flying with the throttle set to 85-90% should be fine too. There are a few tactics that can be used in the F-14 in SB, but it mostly depends on what map you play. On more open maps like Denmark you can at 1,000-3,000 m alt while looking for targets, though some MiGs can still sneak up to you if you are not paying enough attention to your surroundings, doing so you are mostly vulnerable to attack from below and behind, especially when the enemy has access to all-aspect missiles. The other tactic is just simply hugging the ground, in most cases it is the safest one and should be used on maps with hills and mountains where you can break the enemy's line of sight by flying between them. It is more difficult and requires lots of focus. The player needs to keep looking around all the time to find the target, the radar is less useful in this scenario, though the TWS mode can be helpful on maps like Vietnam to check the enemy plane direction and ambush them while you are flying in areas where it is hard to spot the planes due to the ground color and many objects like trees. To make the cruising easier the damping SAS mode can be used, which limits the angle of attack (AoA) so much that the G limit cannot be reached at any speed, the automatic wing sweep control also can be activated. About the radar modes, the PDV should not really be used since it is the only one which does not have any kind of IFF and it is as good at detecting targets as the normal PD mode. Since the PD radar cannot track targets that are flying perpendicular to your plane switching between modes is very important, even the normal Pulse (SRC) mode can detect targets against the ground up to 15-20 km and even further when it is above the horizon. To be safe from enemy missiles it is the best to stay around 20-30 km away from the enemy planes.

'''During the combat''': 
During the BVR combat when both sides have similar missiles it is important to get at higher rate before launching it and launch the missile before the enemy does, for now the only plane that can actually start this kind of fight is the Viggen (Sweden is very often on the Russian side), though you can just ignore it and keep notching while getting below the enemy plane (missiles have much lower range at low altitude) and wait until it gets close, the start a dogfight. The AIM-54A can be useful in such scenarios, even when the F-14 will be forced to break away the missile will still be tracking the target, then the enemy will be forced to dodge it and when that happens you can launch another missile to force the enemy into an even more defensive position. When the distance between planes is around 10 km, the radar mode should be switched to either BST or VSL since they offer an instant radar lock after pointing at the targets, locking on manually can sometimes take a few seconds and a few failed attempts. Those two modes can also be used when the player in the F-14A is trying to be sneaky, then when the enemy is not aware of being tracked by TWS mode on maps like Vietnam the F-14 can switch to them when the enemy gets close from the front and then right after that launch the AIM-7F.
Overall learning quick switching between radar modes depending on the situation is very important.

Within visual range (up to ~10 km) against opponents in a head-on, it is important to keep launching 1 flare every few seconds, it will reduce the chance of being tracked by the R-23T, R-24T or R-60M, also as soon as the missile launch happens a few more them should be launched. For this kind of scenario it is the best to be equipped with AIM-7F missiles, by using them you can deny the enemy any head-on attempts, by launching it they will be forced to notch it, while the IR missiles in most cases can be dodged by using flares right before the launch, not using WEP before the dogfight starts and it can be done by just flying in a straight line (when the distance between the missile and the F-14 is big enough).
The enemy will not be able to safely reengage until it gets very close (when the AIM-7F becomes less effective, so within 2 km from the target), but at that point the AIM-9H can be used in some cases against afterburning targets trying to notch the PD radar. All of this can lead to the enemy having to dodge the missile and becoming an easy target, you can easily get on their six and shoot them down by using the gun.

When the dogfight happens it is needed to switch the SAS mode to manual, the damping limits the manoeuvrability too much and can put the F-14 in a worse position, especially against the delta wing planes, though using it makes the plane harder to control. The other thing to remember is switching the wing sweep controls to manual, then reducing it to 0% for the best manoeuvrability.
The last thing is using the combat flaps, but overusing them and doing it in the wrong situation can lead to being shot down faster. Before the merge between both planes happens the speed should be around 800 km/h IAS and 900 km/h (450-500 kn IAS), it will make starting a two circle fight (where the F-14 excels) easier. The combat flaps in the F-14 improve both the sustained and instantaneous turn rate, the only downside is that they work effectively only up to 900 km/h IAS and make reaching speed above that harder. The one circle fight can be done only planes like the MiG-23, Su-17/22 or the Japanese Phantoms, against other planes, especially the delta wing planes it is not very safe, although the F-14 can sometimes pull a very tight turn (takeoff flaps have a speed limit up to 800 km/h and can help with that). Generally the safest way to win the fight is keep your speed around 800 km/h IAS in a two circle fight, there is not a single plane that can win it. There are a few planes which can give a hard time in close range fights, the MiG-23MLD, J35s, MiG-21bis, J-7E, Chinese F-5E, the player should be very careful while engaging any of these.

'''Basic mistakes''': 
Ignoring the IFF and teamkilling - one of the biggest mistakes happening in SB, it is always important to check if the target is a friendly plane or not (one line - unknown/enemy, two lines - friendly), also launching the AIM-54 into a direction with a few friendly planes can end really badly, the same about launching any kind of missile into furballs. Ignoring the IFF readouts will lead to being kicked from the session and the team performing worse because they will also need to worry about dodging friendly missiles.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very effective dogfighter at any speeds with its variable wing sweep which gives it great energy retention
* Variable swept wings can help plane accelerate fast when it's swept back and turn better when the wing is less swept
* High top speed (can cap out at 1500 km/h IAS at sea level)
* Lethal M61 Vulcan cannon which has an extremely fast fire rate, great velocity, and great damage
* Can carry up to 8 missiles maximum, with options of AIM-7s, AIM-9s, and [[AIM-54A Phoenix|AIM-54]]<nowiki/>s for versatile use
* The AIM-54 has insane range (100 km max), its rocket booster lasts for a very long time, and it’s an Active Radar Homing missile (at closer ranges can automatically guide itself towards enemies using its own radar)
* Multi-mode radar makes it effective in any situation (the TWS mode allows launching AIM-54s at multiple aircraft at once and provides amazing situational awareness)
* The new [[AIM-9H Sidewinder|AIM-9H]] has much better flare resistance than previous AIM-9s (such as the [[AIM-9G Sidewinder|G]] or [[AIM-9J Sidewinder|J]] variants)

'''Cons:'''

* Big plane and thus an easy target to hit
* The afterburner's fuel consumption is otherworldly fast; constant usage of it requires carrying a lot of fuel that can hamper the plane's performance and manoeuvrability
* Massive wing and fuselage fuel tanks makes it especially prone to catching fire
* Cannot pull sustained Gs when above 1000 km/h IAS (11-13 G) in RB or the wings will rip
* At high throttle and afterburner, the engine emits an unparalleled amount of heat, requiring throttling down (and therefore significantly bleeding speed) to reliably flare missiles off
* 60 countermeasures may be a bit lacking considering the extremely high engine temperature
* The AIM-54A only has 16G overload and thus is rather easy to dodge
* The AIM-54A's rocket motor lasts for a very long time, giving plenty of time for enemies to spot and evade it
* Requires lots of work and binded controls related to the radar and variable wing sweep angle to make it fully work in simulator battles
* The Damping SAS mode limits the AoA so much that it cannot be used in one circle fights (scissors etc.) thus forcing the player to use the much harder to use the Manual SAS mode (SB with full-real controls)

== History ==

=== Early Development ===
In 1967, the U.S. Navy wanted a long-range fleet defence fighter to boost their naval plane capabilities with the "VFX" program. The USN first started with a redesigned F-111 Aardvark named the F-111B (basically an F-111 designed around the TF30 engine and AIM-54 Phoenix missiles), they soon found out that the F-111 was too big for practical reasons so the F-111B plan never came to fruition. Fast forward to 1969, the USN gave the contract to Grumman to build the new fleet defence fighter named the F-14 Tomcat, its first variants were built around the TF30 engines found on the F-111B and to use the AN/AWG-9 radar set and the airframe was specifically built to carry the AIM-54 Phoenix missile.

===[[wt:en/news/7705-development-f-14a-tomcat-into-the-danger-zone-en|Devblog]]===
In 1968, five aircraft building companies entered the Pentagon's competition for a new carrier-based interceptor fighter. The commission's preference was given to Grumman's design, a twin-engine jet fighter with a variable-swept wing. Work on the F-14A fighter began in February 1969, and in December of the next year, the new aircraft took her maiden flight. The main weapon of the F-14A was the AIM-54 Phoenix long-range missiles controlled by the newest to date weapon control system. Instead of building prototypes, Grumman immediately switched to the production of an experimental series, and already on December 31, 1972, the first batch of jet fighters were put into service with the VF-124 Fleet Replacement Squadron . Pilot training took place on the deck of the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier, and during the withdrawal of US troops from Vietnam, combat sorties were also made from the deck. In total 557 F-14A fighters were delivered to the US Navy until 1987, and another 80 aircraft were built for Iran. Tomcats were used in all military conflicts where US aircraft took part until the very decommissioning. Iranian F-14s took an active part in the Iran-Iraq war, scoring dozens of air kills.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f_14a_early Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 1.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 2.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 3.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 4.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 5.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 6.jpg|
File:F-14A Early Wallpaper 7.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Wdnef_6_6oM|'''The Shooting Range #307''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Other jet planes with variable sweep wings

* [[MiG-23 (Family)]]
* [[Su-17/22 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7705-development-f-14a-tomcat-into-the-danger-zone-en|[Devblog] F-14A Tomcat: Into the Danger Zone!]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/557191-f-14a-early/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Grumman}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F-14A Early

2022-12-26T07:42:11Z

U97916902: /* Usage in battles */ Maneuverability, flight performance, Wing Sweep, and Radar Modes details

{{Specs-Card
|code=f_14a_early
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Danger Zone"]]. One of the most iconic US naval fighter jets of the Cold War era, the F-14A was developed as the US Navy's fleet-defense fighter jet to protect their carrier groups over a vast swath of ocean. First deployed in the 1970s, the F-14A wields the advanced AN/AWG-9 radar and up to eight missiles, including the iconic [[AIM-54A Phoenix|Phoenix missile,]] to locate and target bandits at long range.

In the game, these characteristics allow the F-14A to engage enemy air targets at far greater distances than most enemy aircraft can, allowing the F-14A to take the initiative and achieve air superiority by firing first. At long range, Phoenix missiles force enemy fighters to actively monitor the sky even when they cannot yet see or detect the F-14A. While Phoenix missiles may prove too sluggish to target enemy fighters at high-speed merges, its [[AIM-7F Sparrow|Sparrows]] can engage manoeuvring targets at short and medium ranges before engaging at closer ranges with [[AIM-9H Sidewinder|Sidewinders]] and M61 cannon fire.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The F-14A might be seen underpowered compared to other aircraft, primarily the F-4J Phantom II and other Phantom variants such as the Phantom FG.1. While it is true that the engines are not as powerful, the F-14A is far superior in terms of top speed and energy management. However, insufficient power can be noticed when zoom climbing or when turning at low speed, and regaining the speed back can take a while. The engines also consume tremendous amounts of fuel: while the F-14A can stay in the air for at least one hour with full fuel tanks, at full afterburner (WEP) the jet can fly for only 7 minutes at sea level.

The F-14A is more of a two-circle dogfighter since it keeps speed very well in hard turns, but might not have as much nose authority as other planes to win one-circle fights (such as scissors and anything similar when you turn into the opponent's nose). Although it can still beat planes like the MiG-23MLD in the instantaneous turn-rate performance, delta-wing fighters like the J35 or MiG-21 could have the advantage during the first seconds of the fight. Like other planes with variable wing geometry, the F-14A reaches its most efficient turn rate performance when wings are swept fully forward (set to 0%) and that can be achieved only by using the manual wing sweep controls. Since it is semi-automatic, the wing will automatically change its position after reaching around ~800 km/h IAS.

The most optimal turning speed is around 900 km/h IAS at sea level (it reaches the highest sustained turn rate there), but the best is actually between 700 and 830 km/h IAS since any faster, and it becomes impossible to maintain the turn without the crew blacking out. At such speeds, the F-14A in a clean configuration with 30 minutes of fuel can reach up to 23 deg/s of sustained turn rate, which is better than any MiG-23, Su-17, or even other more manoeuvrable fighters like the MiG-19. Both the sustained and instantaneous turn rate can be improved by using combat flaps, which can function at speeds up to 850 km/h IAS.

Thanks to the variable wing sweep, the F-14A is able to move its center of mass and thus increase or decrease its roll rate. High sweep allows higher speeds at reduced roll rate and vice versa. Low sweep increases roll rate and energy retention at subsonic speeds.

To get the most of its turn rate performance in Simulator Battles, you should always try to use the manual SAS (Stability Augmentation System) mode. The damping mode severely limits its nose authority, and it is harder to win fights against planes like the MiG-21 or other delta-wing fighters. In general, combat flaps should always be used when you are about to merge with the enemy plane, as they not only increase the sustained turn rate but also improves nose authority. In turn, it becomes easier to get lead on the enemy plane and to control the plane when using manual SAS mode. The player should still be very careful with pulling the stick around 500 km/h IAS. Below that speed, it's very easy to abruptly lose speed, reach the critical AoA, and stall out the plane. Pulling the stick all the way to yourself should be done only when you are going for snap shots. The other downside manual SAS mode is the plane is much more sensitive to controls, especially in pitch. For this reason, it is recommended to use the damping SAS mode during cruising and BVR combat.

While using the manual SAS mode, it is can be easy to stall out the plane when flying below 400 km/h IAS. In this case, after entering the flat spin, the quickest method to recover the plane is to increase the wing sweep angle and then counter the plane rotation with the rudder.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 12,192 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,202 || 2,191 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.4 || 25.1 || 178.4 || 170.5 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,245 || 2,221 || 23.6 || 24.0 || 231.6 || 203.8
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 1,359 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || rowspan="2" | 1,200 || rowspan="2" | 873 || rowspan="2" | 416 || ~10 || ~5
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,555 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 1,200 || < 850 || < 1,800 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="7" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="4" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-412A || 2
| colspan="3" | 18,545 kg || colspan="4" | 493 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 18m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 62m fuel
|-
| 1,802 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 20,750 kg || 20,905 kg || 22,085 kg || 23,855 kg || 25,895 kg || 30,935 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 18m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 62m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 4,860 kgf || 8,019 kgf
| 0.77 || 0.77 || 0.73 || 0.67 || 0.62 || 0.52
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,808 kgf (1,555 km/h) || 12,692 kgf (1,555 km/h)
| 1.22 || 1.21 || 1.15 || 1.06 || 0.98 || 0.82
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The F-14A holds 60 countermeasures, which is a decent number of chaff and flares that can let the Tomcat survive multiple missiles. Due to its massive engines, the IR signature of the aircraft is not an easy thing to conceal when fighting heat-seeking missiles. As with other jets around its battle rating, flares alone are not enough. To defeat an IR-guided missile (heat-seeker), turn off afterburner and reduce throttle to at least 80-85% while dumping flares and turning away from the missile. This is to ensure that an IR-guided missile will track the flares and not the engines. Due to the massive size compared to other aircraft, the chances of a successful hit from enemies, both missile and cannon, are higher compared to other aircraft, such as the AV-8 or F-5. This should be taken into consideration as proximity fuses will trigger with more ease as the wingspan of the Tomcat is considerably larger than most jets seen in game.

Fuel tanks are housed flatly in both the fuselage and wings. The F-14A will easily catch fire from enemy rounds from above and below the plane. Thankfully, the fuel tanks are well-separated compared to other fighters like the F-4 family, so damage to one part of the plane may not necessarily compromise the whole plane. However, fires will rapidly destroy traction of control surfaces, so they must be immediately extinguished. As long as some control surfaces are usable, the F-14A can survive critical damage (such as losing a wing) and return to base. Its multiple fuel tanks help isolate fuel fires especially on the wings, and the plane can fly on one engine.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, cheek-mounted (676 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 60 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP}}
{{main|AIM-7E-2 Sparrow|AIM-7F Sparrow|AIM-54A Phoenix}}
{{main|AIM-9D Sidewinder|AIM-9G Sidewinder|AIM-9H Sidewinder}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles
* 5 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
* 6 x AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
* 14 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (3,500 lb total)
* 14 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (7,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 16 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets

The F-14A is the first aircraft in game to have access to Active Radar Homing missiles with internal navigation. While it is mostly used for air defense and anti-air duties, it holds decent ground pounding abilities that are nothing new to American pilots. The F-14A has access to a wide variety of weapon selections due to having 'Custom Loadouts' feature. Depending on the needs of the pilot, one can carry different loadouts for different needs. Some may prefer the use of the AIM-7F over the AIM-54 due to the fast acceleration and good performance in short-medium ranges. A recommended loadout to carry is the following: x4 AIM-54A, x2 AIM-7F, x2 AIM-9 (on preference). It holds the power to fight at all ranges, being able to launch AIM-54A at unaware targets and then engage other with Sparrows, later to dogfight at close ranges with Sidewinders.

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="12" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs
| || || 8* || 6 || ||
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| || || 8* || 6 || ||
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| || || 2* || 2 || ||
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| || || 2*† || 2 || ||
|-
! Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
| || 8 || || || 8 ||
|-
! AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
| || 1 || 2 || 1, 2* || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1
|-
! AIM-54A Phoenix missiles
| || 1 || 2* || 2† || 1 ||
|-
| colspan="9" | * Use of dual Sparrow missiles on hardpoint 4 prevents use of the marked options on hardpoint 3 † The AIM-54A Phoenix missiles on hardpoint 4 cannot be carried in conjunction with 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs on hardpoint 3
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Boasting a high top speed, excellent turning characteristics, a large amount of excellent missiles and a powerful radar, the F-14A (Early) Tomcat is a air superiority fighter and should be used as such.

'''Flying the F-14A'''

Despite being a very large aircraft, the F-14A Tomcat‘s maneuverability and energy retention is excellent. With the wings swept out, it’s among the best rate fighters in the game, and has excellent instantaneous turn rate. This allows the F-14A to out-dogfight most aircraft in-game. For planes with poor energy retention such as F-4s, MiG-21s, J35s, and JA37s, you can use the F-14s excellent turn rate to enter a prolonged two-circle fight, where the F-14’s superior energy retention will drain the energy of these delta winged fighters. The optimal rate speed of the F-14A is around 750km/h, though 600km/h will still allow you to out rate fighters with poor energy retention. For planes with better energy retention such as F-8s and MiG-23s, you can use F-14A’s excellent instantaneous turn rate to force a one circle fight. It should be noted that when dogfighting in the F-14A, it is critical to always sweep your wings forward to 0% wing sweep. At this wing sweep, you will obtain the optimal energy retention and turn characteristics of the F-14A. Therefore, it is highly recommended to set key binds for manually changing sweep angle and switching between auto to manual wing sweep. Keep in mind that, although the F-14A has excellent dogfighting characteristics, it is still a very large aircraft with extremely hot engines. Due to this, it is advised to avoid turn fighting with the Tomcat unless absolutely necessary because, as with all other top tier jets, doing so will bleed your speed and make you an easy target for enemy aircraft.

The F-14A with it’s TF30 engines were historically underpowered, and this shows in game; while the F-14A has a great top speed with the wings swept back, the acceleration is below average. Faster planes such as MiG-23s, Mirage 2000s, F-16s, and MiG-29s will easily out-accelerate you. Even F-4s will accelerate faster at lower speeds. Luckily, at higher speeds, the acceleration becomes a little better, though still nowhere near as good as the faster planes. Due to this, it is advisable to keep your speed up in the F-14. This is also another reason to be careful when engaging in dogfights, as you will have difficulty out-accelerating your opponents should you need to exit.

'''Wing Sweep'''

The F-14A has a variable sweep wing, which means the wings can change angle during flight to obtain the desirable flight characteristics. As discussed before, when the wings are swept forward (0%), the F-14A obtains high energy retention and excellent instantaneous and sustained turn rate. However, the wings being swept forwards limits the Tomcat’a top speed, and therefore should only be used at lower speeds, when dogfighting, or takeoff/landing (especially with carriers). On the other hand, the wings being swept back allows the F-14A to reach it’s top speed, but at lower speeds, loss of lift greatly reduces maneuverability. Generally, pilots can keep the wing sweep mode set to automatic (AUTO); this will automatically sweep the wings without player input based on how fast or slow the Tomcat is going. However, when dogfighting, you will want to switch the sweep mode to manual, and use selected key binds to manually sweep the wing forward to obtain optimal maneuverability. Again, this means that these controls will have to be set.

'''Fuel Consumption and Engine Heat'''

It should be noted that the F-14A burns up fuel very fast when on afterburner. This should be taken into consideration as one can burn up all the fuel without realizing until it is too late. Due to this, it is advisable to take at the very least 30 minutes of fuel. You can use the mouse scroll wheel to save a lot more fuel by using the first-stage afterburner, which gives a significant power boost from 100% throttle but a little less power than full afterburner. On minimum fuel (18 minutes) the full afterburner can only last about 2 minutes and 30 seconds, but the afterburner (first-stage) can last you 8 minutes.

Something to be aware of when playing the F-14A is the insane heat of its engines. At high throttle and afterburner, its engines emit an unparalleled amount of heat at around 2,100 °F (1,150 °C). For reference, that is around 66% hotter than the F-4J's engines, which is around 1,239 °F (671 °C) at 100% throttle and 1,256 °F (680 °C) during full afterburner. During gameplay, this means that in the F-14A simply just turning off the afterburner and deploying flares may not be enough to avoid an incoming IR missile. You will also have to throttle down the engine significantly (at least 80-85%) to make sure that an incoming IR missile goes for the flare. This is especially true for more flare-resistant IR missiles such as the [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] and [[Matra R550 Magic 2|Magic 2]], which may need substantial throttling down to flare off. Keep in mind that throttling down means that you will lose a decent amount of speed in the process, so be prepared.

'''Air-to-Air Missile Characteristics'''

The F-14A comes with three options for missiles: short ranged AIM-9H Sidewinders, medium ranged AIM-7F Sparrows, and long range AIM-54A Phoenixes.

* The '''AIM-9H Sidewinder''' is very similar to the previous AIM-9G — having good range but below average maneuverability. Its seeker also be slaved to a radar lock or TWS soft lock. With only 18G maximum overload, the AIM-9H should not be used in high-aspect or hard-turning shots at close ranges. Instead, the AIM-9H’s good range should be used to catch enemies off guard. A good way to utilize this range is to position yourself over the battlefield and dive down on enemies. Your dive speed combined with gravity will increase the speed and range of your missiles, and your unexpected direction will see that many enemies will not notice the missile until they have been destroyed by it.
* The '''AIM-7F Sparrow''' is a medium range, SARH (Semi-Active Radar Homing) missile. Pilots of the F-14A are probably familiar with the AIM-7F from the previous F-4J. The AIM-7F is one of the best radar guided missiles in the game. It has good 25G maneuverability, and a very long motor burn time gives it long range and sustained maneuverability (whereas other missiles will stop producing thrust and lose speed in maneuvers, the long burn time of the AIM-7F sustains it’s speed and maneuverability for a long time). This should be the F-14A's go-to missile; it can be launched from all-aspects and is difficult to dodge without the correct defensive maneuvers. The AIM-7F can be launched from longer ranges to utilize its long burn time and the F-14A’s good radar. Pay attention to your Radar Warning Receiver; if the enemy you are radar locking is also radar locking you, it is likely that they are about to or already have launched a radar guided missile at you. In this case, do not fly straight; you are going to be hit first. Launch your missile, then crank to one side. To crank means to turn to one side as far as possible without losing radar lock. This makes the enemy’s missile travel further at higher angles and thus decreases the chance it will hit you during defensive maneuvers. If you have sparrows to spare and an enemy is approaching head-on, you can launch sparrows in succession (2-3 seconds between launches) to increase your probability of kill. An enemy can avoid one missile with maneuvers, but will have bled speed and will have a more difficult time avoiding further missiles.
* The '''AIM-54A Phoenix''' is a long range, ARH (Active Radar Homing) missile, and is only found on the F-14 (both in-game and in real life).
** The AIM-54A is a unique missile with unique capabilities. It has an extremely long burn time and thus an extremely long range, as well as a rather large proximity fuse and a large amount of explosive (doesn't have to be as close as other missiles to enemies to explode and cause critical damage). However, its more interesting features come in the form of its behavior. First, it's an active radar homing missile, meaning it has a small internal radar which at closer ranges it can use to automatically search for, track and guide itself to targets without any input from the parent (the F-14's) radar. Second, it can be guided via the parent (F-14's) radar, but if it loses lock, the missile will fly straight for a while and use the aforementioned internal radar to search for enemies to home in to. Third, the AIM-54 does not need a true radar lock to be launched; when the F-14's radar is in TWS (Track While Scan) mode, you can simply hover the radar cursor over a radar contact to launch the AIM-54. This also means you can launch more than one Phoenix at a time by hovering over a target, launching, and then hovering over another target to launch another Phoenix.
** It is important to know that despite these seemingly impressive features, the AIM-54 is not an all-powerful missile, and having downsides, there are many scenarios where it is advisable not to use them. First, some F-14A players may feel tempted to take six AIM-54s, take off, and then launch at six enemy targets very far away. There is a very high chance none will hit; at such a long range, and with player behavior at the start of a match, it is very likely that the missiles will be inadvertently be notched, or the missiles will get distracted by enemy and/or friendly AI bots. In addition, the AIM-54A only has 16G overload—less than an AIM-9H— and with its very long burn time, it is easily seen and dodged by enemies. It is more worth it to save your missiles for a better firing window. Second, the missile should not be used at closer ranges (< 5 km). In addition to having low maneuverability, the AIM-54 has a very, very slow acceleration, and it highly likely won’t be able to follow the defensive maneuvers of such a close enemy. For this case, sparrows are a much better option. Third, the AIM-54 should not be launched in the direction of friendly aircraft. The AIM-54 and its internal radar will go for the first target it sees, regardless if it is friend or foe. And fourth and finally, the AIM-54 is the heaviest air-to-air missile in the game, and they impact aircraft performance significantly. To make use of the AIM-54's advantages, it is advisable to use them at higher altitudes (> 5 km) and at long ranges. The AIM-54 will have time to accelerate to it's target, and due to the low air density at high altitude enemy aircraft will have a harder time evading the missile (even if it is just 16G). Because the AIM-54 can home in on enemies on it's own, you can completely turn away from the enemy after launching to avoid enemy missiles.

Each of these missiles have their strengths and weaknesses. A mix between long-range weapons and short-range weapons must be used at pilot's discretion. A maximum of six of a mix of sparrows or phoenixes can be taken, two sidewinders can be carried on the side, and pilots can choose to substitute up to two sparrows or phoenixes for sidewinders. High altitude engagements are uncommon, so ideally either a small amount of phoenixes (or none) should be taken. The exception to this is enduring confrontation (operation) air battles, where air combat is prevalent at higher altitudes where the Phoenix will truly shine.

'''Radar and Radar Modes'''

The AN/AWG-9 radar set carried by the F-14A is an extremely potent radar, especially for long range missile combat. It has great range (a maximum of 185 km tracking and 370 km detecting). For most normal air RB maps, a 37km display range should suffice, while 93km should be enough for most enduring confrontation air RB maps. A radar lock is necessary to guide Sparrows, while a radar lock or soft lock (hovering over targets in TWS) will suffice for a Phoenix launch. The radar has four different modes which have different purposes, capabilities and usages:

* SRC PD HDN (Surveillance Radar Computer, Pulse Doppler, Head-On): Users of the F-14 are likely at least somewhat aware of what a pulse-doppler radar is from usage of the previous F-4J. This is a pulse-doppler mode, meaning it measures an aircraft’s doppler shift (difference in velocity compared to surroundings) in order to “see” targets. Due to the nature of the detection method, this pulse doppler mode is most ideal for targets close to the ground, as well as in head-on situations (as the name suggests). However, this pulse-doppler mode has a weakness: it can be [https://wiki.warthunder.com/Airborne_radars#Notching_a_Pulse-Doppler_radar notched]; pulse doppler measures the target aircraft’s velocity change compared to surroundings, so if a target flies perpendicular to the radar (not moving closer or further compared to the surroundings), the radar will not observe a change in velocity and therefore cannot see the aircraft. F-14A pilots must be aware of how the notch works; if an enemy radar is locking you at low altitude, they are likely using a pulse doppler mode, and thus notching becomes a defensive option to break radar lock. Provided the target is not at very low altitudes, an enemy notching your pulse doppler radar can be countered by switching the radar mode to SRC. Another weakness to be aware of is that pulse doppler modes generally have trouble detecting and locking targets traveling away from the radar. In conclusion, the pulse doppler mode is good for tracking targets at very low altitude, but is vulnerable to notching and has difficulty finding targets moving away.
** SRC PD HDN, TWS HDN and SRC PDV HDN radar modes all use ACM PD HDN (Air Combat Maneuvering, Pulse Doppler, Head-On) as the acquisition mode, and TRK PD HDN (Track, Pulse Doppler, Head-On) as the lock mode. These are pulse-doppler search and lock methods, and as such are vulnerable to notching.
* SRC (Surveillance Radar Computer): This is the standard radar mode. Since it does not operate the same way as the pulse-doppler mode, SRC can track targets perpendicular to the radar. Therefore, if an enemy is attempting to notch your pulse-doppler mode, you can switch the radar lock from a pulse-doppler one to standard SRC. This is not a pulse doppler mode and therefore does not have it’s weaknesses; it cannot be notched like pulse doppler can, and has an easier time tracking targets moving away. However, due to the radar return from ground clutter, it has great trouble locking targets at very low altitude, but it can lock targets at higher altitude. In conclusion, SRC is generally more reliable at finding and tracking targets than pulse doppler mode, but cannot see targets at very low altitudes like pulse doppler can.
** SRC uses ACQ and TRK for acquisition and tracking, respectively.
* TWS HDN (Track While Scan, Head-On): This mode allows targets to be detected and “tracked” simultaneously. By hovering your radar cursor over detected targets, you can “soft lock” them; their position is marked in third-person view, and their general speed, heading and height is displayed. With a soft lock, the radar return is not strong enough to trigger the RWR, so enemies will not know you are soft locking them. AIM-54A Phoenixes can be launched via a soft lock, and after launching a Phoenix, you can hover over another enemy to launch another Phoenix. Using onboard electronics, the Phoenixes will guide themselves to the target after this. In addition, AIM-9G/H sidewinders can be slaved to the soft lock. However, for a sparrow launch, you will need to “hard lock” the target. This can be done simply by locking the target the cursor is hovering over (as with other radar modes). In addition, track while scan uses pulse-doppler, so it can detect targets close to the ground as well. Unfortunately, this also means it has the same weaknesses as pulse-doppler mode (vulnerable to notching or targets flying away). The capabilities of the track while scan mode are potent and allows pilots great situational awareness, and therefore should generally be your go-to radar mode, only switching to SRC to overcome pulse-doppler’s weaknesses.
* SRC PDV HDN (Surveillance Radar Computer, Pulse Doppler Velocity, Head-On): This radar mode is similar to pulse-doppler, but instead displays the velocity of the aircraft on the radar screen rather than the range. This is the only radar mode on the AN/AWG-9 which does not utilize IFF (Identification Friend or Foe), so in simulator mode, be careful.

A nice feature of the F-14’s radar is that, if you have a target radar locked, you can switch between pulse-doppler and normal SRC tracking without breaking lock (most other radars will require the lock to be broken before switching radar mode to reattempt a lock). This allows you to quickly and easily switch to TRK (SRC) if the target is notching, or switch to TRK PD HDN (Pulse Doppler) if the target it going close to the ground.

'''Realistic Battles'''

In realistic battles, the F-14A is a powerful air superiority fighter. With a maximum of six long range AIM-7F or AIM-54A missiles and a powerful radar, it is arguably the best BVR (Beyond Visual Range) fighter in the game. Due to this, it is advisable to exploit this advantage. In air realistic battles, players can side climb to high altitudes (>5 km) and search for targets to engage with the long range Sparrows or Phoenixes. Once higher altitude is swept of enemy fighters, pilots can dive down on lower altitude enemies and use the energy advantage to obtain missile kills from an unexpected angle. If necessary, the Tomcat’s excellent maneuverability can be used to dogfight enemy aircraft.

In ground realistic battles, the F-14A can use it’s long range missiles to clear the sky of enemy strike aircraft. With it’s excellent Sparrow and Phoenix missiles, the F-14A will be especially potent at destroying enemy strike aircraft at high altitudes who are using guided munitions to attack your team outside of SAM range. While the F-14A gets access to some variety of air to ground bombs and rockets, these are all unguided and thus are very risky to use in the presence of SAMs. Therefore, unless a ground strike is absolutely necessary, a Tomcat is much better off in the air-to-air role guarding the skies.

'''Simulator Battles - Enduring Confrontation'''

Before you take the F-14A to battle you need to figure out what weapons you want to use. All the available IR missiles have almost identical turn performance, the range is almost the same too. The D version cannot be slaved to the locked target, the G can be and the H works exactly like the G, but has a higher tracking rate. Taking at least two of them is highly recommended since they almost do not affect the flight performance.

There are also two options between radar guided missiles. The AIM-7F works very well at close and medium ranges (3-20 km) and can hit a target which is pulling lots of G. They are harder to dodge in Simulator Battles, though you need to keep your lock all the time. The AIM-54A is an active radar guided missile, it does not require the radar lock when it is launched 16 km from the target (or when it gets that close, then you can break your lock), but it can pull only up to 16G which is quite easy to dodge, both these missiles can also be avoided by just simply notching when the F-14 uses the Pulse Doppler radar mode.

A few loadouts recommendations:

* 4x AIM-9H + 4x AIM-7F - Works very well in almost any scenario, does not affect the flight performance that much.
* 4x AIM-9H + 4x AIM-54A or 2x AIM-9H + 6x AIM-54A - Makes the plane turn a lot worse, in most cases will not work against fighters which know how to deal with radar guided missiles, this loadout is useful mainly against planes that attack the bombing bases or airfields only, so for example the Su-6s loaded with bombs etc. (farmers). It is not recommended to use it in normal EC battles.
* 4x AIM-9H + 2x AIM-54A + 2x AIM-7F

To make the full use of the F-14A's manoeuvrability it is the best to buy the expert crew and the ace crew if it is possible, since the plane pulls around 8G at 750 km/h IAS in a sustained turn and that increases even further when the player decided to pull it even more, though you need to keep in mind that the G limit is ~11G.

'''Outside the combat''': As a start keep in mind that the F-14A really likes to burn the fuel a lot when the afterburner is used, at low altitude it can fly up to 7 minutes with full fuel tanks, so it is recommended to fly either with 45 minutes of fuel (on 64x64 km maps like Ruhr, Port Moresby) or full fuel tanks (128x128 km maps like Vietnam, Denmark). WEP should not be used while cruising and only during combat or while chasing someone, flying with the throttle set to 85-90% should be fine too. There are a few tactics that can be used in the F-14 in SB, but it mostly depends on what map you play. On more open maps like Denmark you can at 1,000-3,000 m alt while looking for targets, though some MiGs can still sneak up to you if you are not paying enough attention to your surroundings, doing so you are mostly vulnerable to attack from below and behind, especially when the enemy has access to all-aspect missiles. The other tactic is just simply hugging the ground, in most cases it is the safest one and should be used on maps with hills and mountains where you can break the enemy's line of sight by flying between them. It is more difficult and requires lots of focus. The player needs to keep looking around all the time to find the target, the radar is less useful in this scenario, though the TWS mode can be helpful on maps like Vietnam to check the enemy plane direction and ambush them while you are flying in areas where it is hard to spot the planes due to the ground color and many objects like trees. To make the cruising easier the damping SAS mode can be used, which limits the angle of attack (AoA) so much that the G limit cannot be reached at any speed, the automatic wing sweep control also can be activated. About the radar modes, the PDV should not really be used since it is the only one which does not have any kind of IFF and it is as good at detecting targets as the normal PD mode. Since the PD radar cannot track targets that are flying perpendicular to your plane switching between modes is very important, even the normal Pulse (SRC) mode can detect targets against the ground up to 15-20 km and even further when it is above the horizon. To be safe from enemy missiles it is the best to stay around 20-30 km away from the enemy planes.

'''During the combat''': 
During the BVR combat when both sides have similar missiles it is important to get at higher rate before launching it and launch the missile before the enemy does, for now the only plane that can actually start this kind of fight is the Viggen (Sweden is very often on the Russian side), though you can just ignore it and keep notching while getting below the enemy plane (missiles have much lower range at low altitude) and wait until it gets close, the start a dogfight. The AIM-54A can be useful in such scenarios, even when the F-14 will be forced to break away the missile will still be tracking the target, then the enemy will be forced to dodge it and when that happens you can launch another missile to force the enemy into an even more defensive position. When the distance between planes is around 10 km, the radar mode should be switched to either BST or VSL since they offer an instant radar lock after pointing at the targets, locking on manually can sometimes take a few seconds and a few failed attempts. Those two modes can also be used when the player in the F-14A is trying to be sneaky, then when the enemy is not aware of being tracked by TWS mode on maps like Vietnam the F-14 can switch to them when the enemy gets close from the front and then right after that launch the AIM-7F.
Overall learning quick switching between radar modes depending on the situation is very important.

Within visual range (up to ~10 km) against opponents in a head-on, it is important to keep launching 1 flare every few seconds, it will reduce the chance of being tracked by the R-23T, R-24T or R-60M, also as soon as the missile launch happens a few more them should be launched. For this kind of scenario it is the best to be equipped with AIM-7F missiles, by using them you can deny the enemy any head-on attempts, by launching it they will be forced to notch it, while the IR missiles in most cases can be dodged by using flares right before the launch, not using WEP before the dogfight starts and it can be done by just flying in a straight line (when the distance between the missile and the F-14 is big enough).
The enemy will not be able to safely reengage until it gets very close (when the AIM-7F becomes less effective, so within 2 km from the target), but at that point the AIM-9H can be used in some cases against afterburning targets trying to notch the PD radar. All of this can lead to the enemy having to dodge the missile and becoming an easy target, you can easily get on their six and shoot them down by using the gun.

When the dogfight happens it is needed to switch the SAS mode to manual, the damping limits the manoeuvrability too much and can put the F-14 in a worse position, especially against the delta wing planes, though using it makes the plane harder to control. The other thing to remember is switching the wing sweep controls to manual, then reducing it to 0% for the best manoeuvrability.
The last thing is using the combat flaps, but overusing them and doing it in the wrong situation can lead to being shot down faster. Before the merge between both planes happens the speed should be around 800 km/h IAS and 900 km/h (450-500 kn IAS), it will make starting a two circle fight (where the F-14 excels) easier. The combat flaps in the F-14 improve both the sustained and instantaneous turn rate, the only downside is that they work effectively only up to 900 km/h IAS and make reaching speed above that harder. The one circle fight can be done only planes like the MiG-23, Su-17/22 or the Japanese Phantoms, against other planes, especially the delta wing planes it is not very safe, although the F-14 can sometimes pull a very tight turn (takeoff flaps have a speed limit up to 800 km/h and can help with that). Generally the safest way to win the fight is keep your speed around 800 km/h IAS in a two circle fight, there is not a single plane that can win it. There are a few planes which can give a hard time in close range fights, the MiG-23MLD, J35s, MiG-21bis, J-7E, Chinese F-5E, the player should be very careful while engaging any of these.

'''Basic mistakes''': 
Ignoring the IFF and teamkilling - one of the biggest mistakes happening in SB, it is always important to check if the target is a friendly plane or not (one line - unknown/enemy, two lines - friendly), also launching the AIM-54 into a direction with a few friendly planes can end really badly, the same about launching any kind of missile into furballs. Ignoring the IFF readouts will lead to being kicked from the session and the team performing worse because they will also need to worry about dodging friendly missiles.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very effective dogfighter at any speeds with its variable wing sweep which gives it great energy retention
* Variable swept wings can help plane accelerate fast when it's swept back and turn better when the wing is less swept
* High top speed (can cap out at 1500 km/h IAS at sea level)
* Lethal M61 Vulcan cannon which has an extremely fast fire rate, great velocity, and great damage
* Can carry up to 8 missiles maximum, with options of AIM-7s, AIM-9s, and [[AIM-54A Phoenix|AIM-54]]<nowiki/>s for versatile use
* The AIM-54 has insane range (100 km max), its rocket booster lasts for a very long time, and it’s an Active Radar Homing missile (at closer ranges can automatically guide itself towards enemies using its own radar)
* Multi-mode radar makes it effective in any situation (the TWS mode allows launching AIM-54s at multiple aircraft at once and provides amazing situational awareness)
* The new [[AIM-9H Sidewinder|AIM-9H]] has much better flare resistance than previous AIM-9s (such as the [[AIM-9G Sidewinder|G]] or [[AIM-9J Sidewinder|J]] variants)

'''Cons:'''

* Big plane and thus an easy target to hit
* The afterburner's fuel consumption is otherworldly fast; constant usage of it requires carrying a lot of fuel that can hamper the plane's performance and manoeuvrability
* Massive wing and fuselage fuel tanks makes it especially prone to catching fire
* Cannot pull sustained Gs when above 1000 km/h IAS (11-13 G) in RB or the wings will rip
* At high throttle and afterburner, the engine emits an unparalleled amount of heat, requiring throttling down (and therefore significantly bleeding speed) to reliably flare missiles off
* 60 countermeasures may be a bit lacking considering the extremely high engine temperature
* The AIM-54A only has 16G overload and thus is rather easy to dodge
* The AIM-54A's rocket motor lasts for a very long time, giving plenty of time for enemies to spot and evade it
* Requires lots of work and binded controls related to the radar and variable wing sweep angle to make it fully work in simulator battles
* The Damping SAS mode limits the AoA so much that it cannot be used in one circle fights (scissors etc.) thus forcing the player to use the much harder to use the Manual SAS mode (SB with full-real controls)

== History ==

=== Early Development ===
In 1967, the U.S. Navy wanted a long-range fleet defence fighter to boost their naval plane capabilities with the "VFX" program. The USN first started with a redesigned F-111 Aardvark named the F-111B (basically an F-111 designed around the TF30 engine and AIM-54 Phoenix missiles), they soon found out that the F-111 was too big for practical reasons so the F-111B plan never came to fruition. Fast forward to 1969, the USN gave the contract to Grumman to build the new fleet defence fighter named the F-14 Tomcat, its first variants were built around the TF30 engines found on the F-111B and to use the AN/AWG-9 radar set and the airframe was specifically built to carry the AIM-54 Phoenix missile.

===[[wt:en/news/7705-development-f-14a-tomcat-into-the-danger-zone-en|Devblog]]===
In 1968, five aircraft building companies entered the Pentagon's competition for a new carrier-based interceptor fighter. The commission's preference was given to Grumman's design, a twin-engine jet fighter with a variable-swept wing. Work on the F-14A fighter began in February 1969, and in December of the next year, the new aircraft took her maiden flight. The main weapon of the F-14A was the AIM-54 Phoenix long-range missiles controlled by the newest to date weapon control system. Instead of building prototypes, Grumman immediately switched to the production of an experimental series, and already on December 31, 1972, the first batch of jet fighters were put into service with the VF-124 Fleet Replacement Squadron . Pilot training took place on the deck of the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier, and during the withdrawal of US troops from Vietnam, combat sorties were also made from the deck. In total 557 F-14A fighters were delivered to the US Navy until 1987, and another 80 aircraft were built for Iran. Tomcats were used in all military conflicts where US aircraft took part until the very decommissioning. Iranian F-14s took an active part in the Iran-Iraq war, scoring dozens of air kills.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f_14a_early Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

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;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Wdnef_6_6oM|'''The Shooting Range #307''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Other jet planes with variable sweep wings

* [[MiG-23 (Family)]]
* [[Su-17/22 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7705-development-f-14a-tomcat-into-the-danger-zone-en|[Devblog] F-14A Tomcat: Into the Danger Zone!]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/557191-f-14a-early/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Grumman}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}