Hobby Master 1/72 Grumman F-14B Tomcat "OEF" 163220, VF-143 "Pukin Dogs", 2002

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a twin-engine, variable sweep wings capable of supersonic flight. The aircraft is crewed by a Pilot and a Radar Intercept Officer who share the tasks of navigation, target acquisition, ECM and weapons usage. The Tomcat was operated by the United States Navy and the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force only. The name "Tomcat" is said to come from the call-sign used by Vice Admiral Thomas Connolly which conformed to the USN tradition of giving Grumman aircraft feline names.

In March 2002 VF-143 “Pukin Dogs” sailed on board the USS John F. Kennedy as part of CVW-7 with a mission to support Operation Enduring Freedom and returned home in August. Their next deployment was on board the USS George Washington in 2004 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. 2005 saw the unit transition to the new F/A-18 Super Hornet and this required a designation change to VFA-143. “Pukin Dogs” is believed to be a comment made when the Griffin logo was first viewed, the drooping head and open mouth, “it looks like a puking dog”.

Role:	Carrier-based multi-role strike fighter
First Flight:	F-14A 1970, F-14B (F-14A+) 1986, F-14D 1990
Last Production Year:	F-14D July 20, 1992
Number All Variants Produced:	710
Crew:	2 (pilot and radar intercept officer)
Dimensions
Length:	62 ft 8 inches
Wingspan (Swept)	38 ft 2.5 inches
Wingspan (Unswept)	64 ft 1.5 inches
Height:	16 ft
Performance
Powerplants:	F-14A 2 x P&W TF-30-P414A F-14B 2 x GE F-110-GE-400 F-14D 2 x GE F-110-GE-400
Maximum Thrust:	F-14A 34,154 lbs F-14B 56,400 lbs F-14D 56,400 lbs
Maximum Speed:	F-14A 1,544 mph (Mach 2.38) F-14B 1,544 mph (Mach 2.38) F-14D 1,544 mph (Mach 2.38)
Ceiling:	F-14A 50,000+ ft F-14B 53,000+ ft F-14D 53,000+ ft
Range:	F-14A 1,730 nm F-14B 2,050 nm F-14D 2,050 nm
Weights
Empty:	F-14A 40,104 pounds F-14B 41,780 pounds F-14D 43,735 pounds
Maximum:	F-14A 72,000 pounds F-14B 74,349 pounds F-14D 74,349 pounds
Armament:	1 x MK-61A1 Vulcan 20mm cannon
Maximum Weight:	13,000 lbs. Of Combined Ordnance
	Air-Air Missiles
	6 AIM-7 Sparrows
	4 AIM-9 Sidewinder
	6 AIM-54 Phoenix
	Air-To-Ground
	MK-82 (500 lbs.)
	4 MK-83 (1,000 lbs.)
	4 MK-84 (2,000 lbs.)
	MK-20 cluster bombs
	4 GBU-10 LGB
	GBU-12 MK-82 LGB
	4 GBU-16 MK-83 LGB
	4 GBU-24 MK-84 LGB