F/A-18 HORNET  "TOPGUN" EXPERIENCE
​
F/A-18 Hornet:
Our Bird Service History:
F/A-18 Hornet  Bureau #161354
1984-2003
84-88   VMFA 115  South Carolina
88-91  VMFA  312  South Carolina
91-94  VFA  204  Louisiana
94-99 “Blue Angels”
00-03  Boeing  Washington
04-19  TN Aviation Museum
19-Present  DreamBIG “TOPGUN” Experience Nose Section is currently operated as a Mobile Aviation Museum by DreamBIG Entertainment



The F/A-18 "Hornet" is a single- and two-seat, twin engine, multi-mission fighter/attack aircraft that can operate from either aircraft carriers or land bases. The F/A-18 fills a variety of roles: air superiority, fighter escort, suppression of enemy air defenses, reconnaissance, forward air control, close and deep air support, and day and night strike missions. The F/A-18 Hornet replaced the F-4 Phantom II fighter and A-7 Corsair II light attack jet, and also replaced the A-6 Intruder as these aircraft were retired during the 1990s.
The F/A-18 has a digital control-by-wire flight control system which provides excellent handling qualities,and allows pilots to learn to fly the airplane with relative ease. At the same time, this system provides exceptional maneuverability and allows the pilot to concentrate on operating the weapons system. A solid thrust-to-weight ratio and superior turn characteristics combined with energy sustainability, enable the F/A-18 to hold its own against any adversary. The power to maintain evasive action is what many pilots consider the Hornet's finest trait. In addition, the F/A-18 was also the Navy's first tactical jet aircraft to incorporate a digital, MUX bus architecture for the entire system's avionics suite. The benefit of this design feature is that the F/A-18 has been relatively easy to upgrade on a regular, affordable basis.
The F/A-18 has proven to be an ideal component of the carrier based tactical aviation equation over its years of operational experience. The only F/A-18 characteristic found to be marginally adequate by battle group commanders, outside experts, and even the men who fly the Hornet, is its range when flown on certain strike mission profiles. However, the inadequacy is managed well with organic and joint tanking assets.
F/A-18A/B Hornet While the general configuration of the YF-17 was retained, the F-18 became a completely new airplane. To meet the single-place fighter and attack mission capability, full use was made of new technology in digital computers. Coupled with cathode ray tubes for cockpit displays and appropriate controls based on thorough pilot evaluations in simulators, a single airplane and subsystems configuration for both missions was evolved
During development, two-place trainer versions were added, to be built in limited numbers as TF/A-18s, intermingled with the basic F/As. Minimum changes were made to incorporate the second cockpit, with the two-seat airplanes retaining the ability to perform combat missions.
Making the first flight in November 1978, the F/A-18 and its two-place derivative [subsequently redesignated the F/A-18B] underwent most of their development testing at the Naval Air Test Center under the new single-site testing concept. While much attention was focused on development problems, these were largely typical of those in any new program, with their resolution being part of the development process. For the most part, these occurred in the basic aircraft hardware rather than in the digital electronic systems.
The original F/A-18A (single seat) and F/A-18B (dual seat) became operational in 1983 replacing Navy and Marine Corps F-4s and A-7s. It quickly became the battle group commander's mainstay because of its capability, versatility and availability. Reliability and ease of maintenance were emphasized in its design, and F/A-18s have consistently flown three times more hours without failure than other Navy tactical aircraft, while requiring half the maintenance time.
Throughout its service, annual upgrades to F/A-18 weapon systems, sensors, etc. continued. The latest lot of the F/A-18C/D has grown to be far more capable (night attack, precision strike, low observable technologies, etc.) than the original F/A-18A/B; however, by 1991, it was becoming clear that avionics cooling, electrical, and space constraints would begin to limit future growth. Additionally, another operational deficiency was beginning to develop. As the F/A-18C/D empty weight increased the aircraft were returning to the carrier with less than optimal reserve fuel and/or unexpended weapons. The additional range and "bring back" is not as essential to shore based operations. F/A-18A/B/C/D aircraft will fly for years with the U.S. Marine Corps and eight international customers: Australia, Canada, Finland, Kuwait, Malaysia, Spain, Switzerland and Thailand. Although the F/A-18C/D's future growth is now limited, it will also continue to fill a critical role in the U.S. Navy's carrier battle group for many years to come and will be an excellent complement to the larger, longer range, more capable F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
 
General characteristics
  • Crew: 1 (C)/2 (D - pilot and weapon systems officer)
  • Length: 56 ft 1 in (17.1 m)
  • Wingspan: 40 ft 4 in (12.3 m) with AIM-9 Sidewinders on wingtip LAU-7 launchers
  • Width: 32 ft 7 in (9.94 m) wing folded
  • Height: 15 ft 5 in (4.7 m)
  • Wing area: 410 sq ft (38 m2)
  • Aspect ratio: 4
  • Airfoil: root:NACA 65A005 mod.; tip:NACA 65A003.5 mod.
  • Empty weight: 23,000 lb (10,433 kg)
  • Gross weight: 36,970 lb (16,769 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 51,900 lb (23,541 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 10,860 pounds (4,930 kg) internally
  • Powerplant: 2 × General Electric F404-GE-402 afterburning turbofan engines, 11,000 lbf (49 kN) thrust each dry, 17,750 lbf (79.0 kN) with afterburner
Performance
  • Maximum speed: 1,034 kn (1,190 mph, 1,915 km/h) at 40,000 ft (12,000 m)
  • Maximum speed: Mach 1.8
  • Cruise speed: 570 kn (660 mph, 1,060 km/h)
  • Range: 1,089 nmi (1,253 mi, 2,017 km)
  • Ferry range: 1,800 nmi (2,100 mi, 3,300 km)
  • Service ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,000 m)
  • Rate of climb: 50,000 ft/min (250 m/s)
  • Wing loading: 93 lb/sq ft (450 kg/m2)
  • Thrust/weight: 0.96 (1.13 with loaded weight at 50% internal fuel)​
 
Wing span: 37 feet 5 inches
Length: 56 feet
Height: 15 feet 3 1/2 inches
Weight: Fighter mission takeoff: 36,710 pounds
Attack mission takeoff: 49,224 pounds
Speed: more than 1,360 mph
Ceiling: approximately 50,000 feet
Range: Fighter mission: 400 nautical-mile radius
Attack mission: 575 nautical-mile radius
Ferry range: more than 2,000 nautical miles
Power plant: two GE F404-GE-400 low-bypass turbofan engines
Crew: F/A-18A/C models: one; F/A-18B/D: two
Contractor: prime, McDonnell Douglas/BOEING; airframe, Northrop
​


Picture
A-7D Corsair II 
Picture


OUR BIRD Service History:  A-7D-10-CV s/n 71-0295
*1971: USAF 4525th FWW.
*1971: USAF  358th FFS / 355th TFW
*1972-1973:  USAF  354th TFW
*1973-1979: USAF 57th FWW.
*1979-1983  USAF 23rd TFW.
*1984-88: USAF 4451st TS (4450th TG).
*1988-92: Iowa ANG 124th TFS (132nd TFG).
*9/1992: Put into storage at the AMARC bone yard.
*4/1997: Salvaged.
*1998: Nose section was preserved at Ellington ANGB, TX.
*10/2010- Present:  Nose Section is currently operated as a Mobile Aviation Museum by DreamBIG Entertainment
​*2012:  ICAS Member # 27075

On Oct 31st 2010, DreamBIG Was Born with the Purchase of an A-7 Corsair II #71-0295. For the last 13 Years, this amazing asset has been the Work Horse of DreamBIG Entertainment, Our A-7 has been seen and experienced by 1000’s of visitors at Air Shows and Events around the country since that date. I’m very Proud and Honored to announce that as of Feb. 4th 2023, She will become a semi -permanent resident as an interactive display at the National MIA/POW Museum, in Jacksonville Florida. Our A-7D Corsair II # 71-0295 has an Incredible History. Not just as an Interactive event attraction for the last 13 years, But an even MORE meaningful Service History. Servicing from 1971 to 1992. Service includes Actual Combat time over Southeast Asia in support of the Vietnam War. She was an asset of the Famed BullDogs from the 355th. She was also part of the Famed “Flying Tigers” of the 23rd FS out of England AFB. After her Fighting Days, she was part of the “Skunk Works” 4450th in support of the F-177 Project Development. Then finishing out her flying career with the 124th TFS in the Iowa Air National Guard. To say that she has a storied history would be remiss. To say that I don’t shed tears, letting her go would be an understatement. However, she will be well cared for. And, she will continue to be appreciated for her Service and History. And her legacy will continue to be shared to generations. Perhaps, she will return to the DreamBIG Squadron someday. However, until that time, I invite you to visit and greet her with a smile during your visit to the National MIA /POW Memorial Museum in Jacksonville Florida. And Always DREAM BIG!
@miapowmemorial.org
@dream-bigllc.com


HISTORY:
The Ling-Temco-Vought A-7 Corsair II was a carrier-capable subsonic light attack aircraft introduced to replace the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. The A-7 airframe design was based on the successful supersonic Vought F-8 Crusader. It was one of the first combat aircraft to feature a head-up display (HUD), an inertial navigation system (INS), and a turbofan engine.

The A-7D is the model which DreamBIG Entertainment owns. However, the A-7D has a storied History.  The A-7D version was built for the USAF, with one Allison TF41-A-1 turbofan, and a single 20 mm M61 Vulcan Gatling cannon; AN/APN-153 navigational radar in earlier models is replaced by AN/APN-185 navigational radar, AN/APQ-116 terrain following radar in earlier A-7B/C is replaced by AN/APQ-126 terrain following radar; 459 built.

The Corsair II initially entered service with the United States Navy during the Vietnam War. It was later adopted by the United States Air Force, including the Air National Guard, to replace the Douglas A-1 Skyraider, North American F-100 Super Sabre and Republic F-105 Thunderchief.[citation needed] The aircraft was also exported to Greece in the 1970s, and Portugal in the late 1980s.

Design and development:
In 1962, the United States Navy began preliminary work on VAX (Heavier-than-air, Attack, Experimental), a replacement for the A-4 Skyhawk with greater range and payload. A particular emphasis was placed on accurate delivery of weapons to reduce the cost per target. The requirements were finalized in 1963, announcing the VAL (Heavier-than-air, Attack, Light) competition.   The first A-7 mock-up in 1964.  To minimize costs, all proposals had to be based on existing designs. Vought, Douglas Aircraft, Grumman and North American Aviation responded. The Vought proposal was based on the successful Vought F-8 Crusader fighter, having a similar configuration, but shorter and more stubby, with a rounded nose. It was selected as the winner on 11 February 1964, and on 19 March the company received a contract for the initial batch of aircraft, designated A-7.  In 1965, the aircraft received the popular name Corsair II, after Vought's highly successful Vought F4U Corsair of World War II
    Compared to the F-8 fighter, the A-7 had a shorter, broader fuselage. The wing had a longer span, and the unique variable incidence wing of the F-8 was omitted. To achieve the required range, the A-7 was powered by a Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-6 turbofan producing 11,345 lbf (50.5 kN) of thrust, the same innovative combat turbofan produced for the F-111 and early F-14 Tomcats, but without the afterburner needed for supersonic speeds.
 VA-147 was the first operational U.S. Navy A-7 squadron, in 1967.  The aircraft was fitted with an AN/APQ-116 radar, later followed by the AN/APQ-126, which was integrated into the ILAAS digital navigation system. The radar also fed a digital weapons computer which made possible accurate delivery of bombs from a greater stand-off distance, greatly improving survivability compared with faster platforms such as the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. It was the first U.S. aircraft to have a modern head-up display, (made by Marconi-Elliott), now a standard instrument which displayed information such as dive angle, airspeed, altitude, drift and aiming reticle. The integrated navigation system allowed for another innovation – the PAVE-PENNY projected map display system (PMDS) which accurately showed aircraft position on two different map scales which was released to the public 25 years later.  Today it is known to the public as "GPS".
  The A-7 had a fast and smooth development. The YA-7A made its first flight on 27 September 1965, and began to enter Navy squadron service late in 1966. The first Navy A-7 squadrons reached operational status on 1 February 1967, and began combat operations over Vietnam in December of that year.  The A-7 offered a plethora of leading-edge avionics compared to contemporary aircraft. This included data link capabilities that, among other features, provided fully "hands-off" carrier landing capability when used in conjunction with its approach power compensator (APC) or auto throttle. Other notable and highly advanced equipment was a projected map display located just below the radar scope. The map display was slaved to the inertial navigation system and provided a high-resolution map image of the aircraft's position superimposed over TPC/JNC charts. Moreover, when slaved to the all-axis auto pilot, the inertial navigation system could fly the aircraft "hands off" to up to nine individual way points. Typical inertial drift was minimal for newly manufactured models and the inertial measurement system accepted fly over, radar, and TACAN updates.

United States Air Force A-7D
 The U.S. Army was not permitted to operate fixed-wing combat aircraft, but it nevertheless required close support for its troops in the field in South Vietnam. To meet this need, the Army pressured the United States Air Force for a specialized subsonic close-support aircraft that would suit its needs better than the general-purpose supersonic aircraft that the USAF preferred.  The Vought A-7 seemed to be a relatively quick and inexpensive way to satisfy this need. However, the USAF was initially reluctant to take on yet another Navy-designed aircraft, but Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara was insistent, and on 5 November 1965, Secretary of the Air Force Harold Brown and USAF Chief of Staff General John McDonnell announced that they had decided to order a version of the Corsair II, designated A-7D, for the Tactical Air Command. The A-7D differed from the Navy's Corsair II in several ways. For one, the Air Force insisted on significantly more power for its Corsair II version, and they selected the Allison TF41-A-1 turbofan engine, which was a license-built version of the Rolls-Royce Spey. It offered a thrust of 14,500 pounds, over 2000 pounds greater than that of the TF30 that powered the Navy's Corsair IIs. Other changes included a heads-up display, a new avionics package, and an M61 rotary cannon in place of the two single-barreled 20-mm cannon. Also included was a computerized navigation/weapons delivery system with AN/APQ-126 radar and a heads-up display.

The A-7D first entered service with in 1970 with the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing at Luke AFB Arizona, and with the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing at Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina was equipped with four squadrons of A-7Ds by 1972; the 355th TFW at Davis-Monthan AFB was equipped with four squadrons in 1972, and in 1973, the 23d TFW at England AFB, Louisiana was fully equipped with A-7Ds.  The 354th TFW first deployed two squadrons of A-7Ds to Korat Royal Thai AFB, Thailand in September 1972 as part of Operation Cornet Dancer, The A-7Ds were quickly assigned the "Sandy mission" of providing air cover for Combat Search and Rescue missions of downed pilots.  Taking over for Douglas A-1 Skyraiders (and adopting their call sign of "Sandy"), the A-7's higher speed was somewhat detrimental for escorting the helicopters but the aircraft's high endurance and durability were an asset and it performed admirably.    On 18 November 1972, Major Colin A. Clarke led a successful CSAR mission near
Thanh Hoa to rescue a downed F-105 Wild Weasel crew. The mission lasted a total of 8.8 hours during which Clarke and his wingman took a number of hits from 0.51 cal (12.7 mm) anti-aircraft fire. For his actions in coordinating the rescue, Clarke was awarded the Air Force Cross, the USAF's second-highest decoration for valor, and his A-7D (AF Serial No. 70-0970) was eventually placed on display on 31 January 1992 at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.

 With the end of US involvement in South Vietnam, the 354th TFW (Deployed) at Korat began flying combat sorties in Cambodia to support the Lon Nol government in support of Khmer National Armed Forces against the Khmer Rouge. Rotational deployments began to Korat from the 355th TFW and 23d TFW, with pilots and support personnel beginning six-months deployment cycles. In March 1973, the 354th transferred a squadron of A-7Ds to the 388th TFW, the host wing at Korat RTAFB at the time, which re-established the 3d Tactical Fighter Squadron and created a permanent USAF A-7D presence in Southeast Asia. A-7Ds from both wings stationed at Korat engaged in combat operations in Cambodia until 15 August 1973 when an A-7D of the deployed 353d TFS/354th TFW carried out the last air support mission. In March 1974, the 354th TFW transferred several more aircraft to the 3d TFS prior to its return to Myrtle Beach AFB.

 The USAF A-7D flew a total of 12,928 combat sorties during the war with only six losses– (the lowest of any U.S. fighter in the theater.)   The aircraft was second only to Boeing B-52 Stratofortress in the amount of ordnance dropped on Hanoi and dropped more bombs per sortie with greater accuracy than any other U.S. attack aircraft.

Post-Vietnam era
Air National Guard:
 With the pullout of the USAF from its Thailand bases in late 1975, the A-7Ds stationed at Korat initially went to Clark AB, Philippines. The 3d TFS transitioned from its Corsairs to the McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II and remained at Clark. The A-7Ds were returned to the United States where they were reassigned to several Air National Guard squadrons.

With the end of the Vietnam War, the Air Force began to transfer its active-duty A-7D aircraft to Air National Guard units beginning in 1974. The Corsairs had been in a sense, a forced acquisition by the Air Force in the late 1960s, and the inter-service rivalry of flying a Navy plane had led, beginning about 1970, to the development of its own Close Air Support aircraft.  In 1974, selection of the Republic Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II was made as the replacement of the A-7D. The first A-10As were received by the 354th TFW in 1977 at Myrtle Beach AFB; the 355th TFW at Davis-Monthan AFB began replacing their A-7Ds in 1978, and the 23d TFW at England AFB in 1979. As the A-10s were received from Republic, the A-7Ds were transferred from the USAF to the National Guard Bureau for subsequent re-allocation. By 1981, when the 23d TFW sent their last A-7Ds to Tonopah Test Range Airport, Nevada for clandestine use in the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk development program, fifteen ANG squadrons were equipped with the A-7D Corsair II.  However, Congressional decisions added additional funding to the DOD FY 1975 and FY 1976 budgets for the procurement of additional A-7Ds, primarily to keep the LTV production line in Dallas open and the workers employed in the wake of post-Vietnam DOD procurement reductions. As a result of these unplanned acquisitions, the Air Force assigned these new 1975 and 1976 built aircraft, along with new twin seat A-7Ks trainers in 1979 directly to the Air National Guard.

 During the post-Vietnam era, Tactical Air Command gained Air National Guard frequently deployed their Corsairs on annual operational exercises. Frequent deployments were made to Howard AFB, Panama to provide CAS training with Army units in the Canal Zone as part of Operation Cornet Cove. Other Air National Guard deployments were made to NATO and USAFE bases in West Germany and Denmark as part of Cornet Cove exercises along with the USAREUR Reforger training exercises. In 1989, while deployed in Panama for a Coronet Cove deployment, Ohio Air National Guard 180th Tactical Fighter Group A-7Ds were employed during Operation Just Cause
 
Use in F-117 development:
 The 4450th Tactical Group stationed at Nellis AFB, Nevada had the distinction of being the last active USAF unit to operate the A-7 Corsair II. The mission of the 4450th TG was the operational development of the Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk, and the unit needed a surrogate aircraft for pilot training and practice. A-7Ds and A-7Ks were obtained from various active duty and air national guard squadrons and were assigned initially to the "(P)" or "Provisional" unit of the 4450th Tactical Group, redesignated the 4451st Tactical Squadron in January 1983.
   The A-7s were used as a deception and training aircraft by the group between 1981 and 1989. It was selected because it demanded about the correct amount of pilot workload expected in the F-117A, was single seat, and many of the F-117A pilots had F-4 or F-111 backgrounds. A-7s were used for pilot training before any F-117As had been delivered to bring all pilots to a common flight training base line.  Later, the A-7s were used to chase
F-117A tests and other weapon tests at the Nellis Range.
    A-7 flight operations began in June 1981 concurrent with the very first YF-117A flights. The A-7s wore a unique "LV" tailcode (for Las Vegas) and had a dark purple/black paint motif. The A-7s were based officially at Nellis Air Force Base and were maintained by the 4450th Maintenance Squadron.  In addition to providing an excuse for the 4450th's existence and activities, the A-7s were also used to maintain pilot currency, particularly in the early stages when very few production F-117As were available. The pilots learned to fly chase on F-117A test and training flights, perform practice covert deployments, and practice any other purpose that could not be accomplished using F-117As, given the tight restrictions imposed on all F-117A operations.
 Some A-7s operated from the Tonopah Test Range Airport, about 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Tonopah, Nevada where the F-117s were being operationally tested. As a deception operation, care was taken to ensure that F-117As were never left parked outside aircraft hangars during daylight hours.  However, A-7s were deliberately and routinely left outside hangars for the benefit of any orbiting Soviet spy satellites. Soviet intelligence agencies examining spy satellite imagery of the base would undoubtedly notice the A-7s parked on the Tonopah flight line, and would not be particularly interested. The intention of this deception was to convince the Soviets that Tonopah operated nothing more exciting than some A-7 Corsairs.   There were approximately 20 A-7D aircraft used in developing the F-117, including several two-seat A-7K trainers.   In January 1989, just three months after the USAF admitted the F-117A existed, the A-7s were retired to AMARC and were replaced by AT-38B Talons as training aircraft and the 4451st TS was deactivated.

**NOTE:  The DreamBIG A-7D, SN#  71-0295 was one of the 20 A-7's used  in the Development of the F-117

Training and Retirement:
 Pilots quipped that the Corsair "is not very fast, but it sure is slow." For dissimilar air combat training (DACT), and aerial demonstrations by the Blue Angels, the Navy would choose the more nimble Douglas A-4 Skyhawk as a subsonic maneuvering platform, as some considered the A-7 to be inadequate in air combat, even though it was highly maneuverable and was more fitting as a highly successful attack aircraft with a stable bombing platform. The Marine Corps would also pass on the Corsair, opting instead for the V/STOL vertical landing AV-8 Harrier as their light attack aircraft to replace their A-4F/M Skyhawks.
 The Hellenic Air Force ordered 60 new A-7H aircraft in 1974 and three TA-7H's in 1980 and received 62 surplus A-7E/TA-7C from the USN after the Gulf War, 42 of which are still in use. The last squadron that uses the aircraft is the 336th. The A-7 was going to be replaced by a 4.5 generation fighter jet, but due to budget cuts, it will be retired in 2017, without a replacement.  The sale of A-7s to Pakistan was not approved due to U.S. opposition to its nuclear program.  F-16s began replacing the Air National Guard Corsairs beginning in the late 1980s and the last were retired in 1993 by the ANG units at Rickenbacker ANGB, Ohio; Des Moines International Airport/ANGB, Iowa; Tulsa International Airport/ANGB, Oklahoma; and Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport/ANGB, Ohio.  Some of these surplus aircraft were passed to Greece, Thailand and Portugal; however by the end of 1998, with the exception of some airframes used as static displays, all U.S. A-7s were disposed of by the AMARC at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona.

General characteristics:
Crew: 1 Length: 46 ft 2 in (14.06 m) 
Wingspan: 38 ft 9 in (11.8 m) 
Width: 23 ft 9 in (7.24 m) wings folded 
Height: 16 ft 1 in (4.9 m) 
Wing area: 374.9 sq ft (34.83 m2) 
Airfoil: NACA 65A007 root and tip 
Empty weight: 19,127 lb (8,676 kg) 
Max takeoff weight: 42,000 lb (19.050 kg) 
Fuel capacity: 1,338 US gal (5,060 l;
1,114 imp gal) (10,200 lb (4,600 kg)) internal 
Powerplant: 1 × Allison TF41-A-2 non-afterburning turbofan
engine, 15,000 lbf (66.7 kN) thrust
Performance:
562 kn (1,041 km/h; 647 mph) at 5,000 ft
(1,524.0 m) with 12x Mk82 bombs
595 kn (1,102 km/h; 685 mph) at 5,000 ft
(1,524.0 m) after dropping bombs
Range: 1,070 nmi; 1,231 mi (1,981 km) maximum internal
fuel 
Ferry range: 1,342 nmi; 1,544 mi (2,485 km) with
maximum internal and external fuel 
Wing loading: 77.4 lb/sq ft (378 kg/m²) 
Thrust/weight: 0.50 
  • Sustained maneuvering performance: 5,300 ft (1,615.4 m)
    turning radius at 4.3g and 500 kn (930 km/h; 580 mph) at an All
    Up Weight (AUW) of 28,765 lb (13,048 kg)
 
  • Take-off run: 1,705 ft (519.7 m) at 42,000 lb
    (19,000 kg)

 Armament:
 Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M61 Vulcan 6-barreled gatling cannon with 1,030 rounds 
Hardpoints: 6× under-wing and 2× fuselage pylon stations (for
mounting AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs only) with a capacity of 15,000 lb
(6,803.9 kg) total capacity,with provisions to carry combinations of:  
Rockets: 4× LAU-10 rocket pods (each with 4× 127 mm
(5.000 in) Mk 32 Zuni rockets) 
Missiles: 
2× AIM-9 Sidewinder AAM 
2× AGM-45 Shrike Anti-radiation
missile (ARM) 
2× AGM-62 Walleye TV-guided Glide
bomb 
2× AGM-65 Maverick 
2× AGM-88
HARM 
2× GBU-8 HOBOS electro-optically guided Glide
bomb 
Bombs: 
Up to 30× 500 lb (226.8 kg) Mark 82 bombs or Mark 80 series of unguided bombs (including 6.6 lb (3 kg)
and 31 lb (14 kg) practice bombs) 
Paveway series of laser-guided bombs 
Up to 4× B28 nuclear bomb/B57 nuclear bomb/B61 nuclear bombs 


MORE Planes Currently in Restoration:
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F-101 VOODOO (F-14 Tomcat "TOPGUN" Tribute)
 The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo was a supersonic jet fighter which served the United States Air Force (USAF) and the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).
Initially designed by McDonnell Aircraft as a long-range bomber escort (known as a penetration fighter) for the Strategic Air Command (SAC), the Voodoo was instead developed as a nuclear-armed fighter-bomber for the Tactical Air Command (TAC), and as a photo reconnaissance aircraft based on the same airframe. An F-101A set a number of world speed records for jet powered aircraft, including fastest airspeed, attaining 1,207.6 miles (1,943.4 km) per hour on December 12, 1957. They operated in the reconnaissance role until 1979.
Delays in the 1954 interceptor project led to demands for an interim interceptor aircraft design, a role that was eventually won by the B model of the Voodoo. This required extensive modifications to add a large radar to the nose of the aircraft, a second crewmember to operate it, and a new weapons bay using a rotating door that kept its four AIM-4 Falcon missiles or two AIR-2 Genie rockets hidden within the airframe until it was time to be fired. The F-101B entered service with Air Defense Command in 1959 and the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1961. US examples were handed off to the Air National Guard where they served until 1982. Canadian examples remained in service until 1984.

Background:
The Voodoo's career as a fighter-bomber was relatively brief, but the reconnaissance versions served for some time. Along with the US Air Force's Lockheed U-2 and US Navy's Vought RF-8 Crusaders, the RF-101 reconnaissance variant of the Voodoo was instrumental during the Cuban Missile Crisis and saw extensive service during the Vietnam War.[4] Interceptor versions served with the Air National Guard until 1982, and in Canadian service they were a front line part of NORAD until their replacement with the CF-18 Hornet in the 1980s.
While the Voodoo was a moderate success, it may have been more important as an evolutionary step towards its replacement in most roles, the F-4 Phantom II, one of the most successful Western fighter designs of the 1960s. The Phantom would retain the twin engines, twin crew for interception duties, and a tail mounted well above and behind the jet exhaust but was an evolution of the F3H Demon while the Voodoo was developed from the earlier XF-88 Voodoo.
Design and development Initial design on what would eventually become the Voodoo began just after World War II in response to a USAAF Penetration Fighter Competition in 1946. This called for a long-range, high-performance fighter to escort a new generation of bombers, much as the North American P-51 Mustang had escorted the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and Consolidated B-24 Liberators in World War II. Several companies responded with designs, and the Air Force provided funds for several of them to produce prototypes.
After being awarded a contract (AC-14582) on 14 February 1947, McDonnell built two prototypes, designated the XF-88 Voodoo. The first prototype (serial number 46-6525), powered by two 3,000 lbf (13.3 kN) Westinghouse XJ34-WE-13 turbojets, flew from Muroc on 20 October 1948.  Preliminary testing revealed that while handling and range was adequate, the top speed was a disappointing 641 mph (1,032 km/h) at sea level.  After fitting McDonnell-designed afterburners to the second prototype, thrust was increased to 3,600 lbf (16.1 kN) with corresponding performance increases in top speed, initial rate of climb and reduced takeoff distance. Fuel consumption was greatly increased by use of the afterburners, however, reducing the range.
Although the XF-88 won the "fly-off" competition against the competing Lockheed XF-90 and North American YF-93, the detonation of the first nuclear weapon by the Soviet Union resulted in the USAF (created in 1947) re-evaluating its fighter needs, with interceptors being more important and bomber escorts being of reduced priority, and it terminated the Penetration Fighter program in 1950. Analysis of Korean war missions, however, revealed that contemporary USAF strategic bombers were vulnerable to fighter interception. In 1951, the USAF issued a new requirement for a bomber escort with all major US manufacturers submitting designs. The McDonnell design was a larger and higher powered version of the XF-88, and won the bid in May 1951. The F-88 was redesignated the F-101 Voodoo in November 1951.
Design changes for new engines.  The new design was considerably larger, carrying three times the initial fuel load and designed around larger, more powerful Pratt & Whitney J57 turbojets. The greater dimensions of the J57 engines required modifications to the engine bays, and modification to the intakes to allow a larger amount of airflow to the engine. The new intake also was designed to be more efficient at higher Mach numbers. In order to increase aerodynamic efficiency, reduce structural weight and alleviate pitch-up phenomena recently identified in flight testing of the Douglas D-558-2 Skyrocket, an aircraft with a control surface configuration similar to the XF-88, the horizontal tail was relocated to the top of the vertical stabilizer, giving the F-101 its signature "T-tail". In late 1952, the mission of the F-101 was changed from "penetration fighter" to "strategic fighter", which entailed equal emphasis on both the bomber escort mission and on nuclear weapons delivery. The new Voodoo mock-up with the reconfigured inlets, tail surfaces, landing gear, and dummy nuclear weapon was inspected by Air Force officials in March 1953. The design was approved, and an initial order for 29 F-101As was placed on 28 May 1953, no prototypes being required as the F-101 was considered a simple development of the XF-88, with the Cook-Cragie production policy, in which initial low-rate production would be used for testing without the use of separate prototypes, chosen instead.

F-101B / CF-101B / EF-101B
A two-seat McDonnell F-101B Voodoo of the Oregon Air National Guard

CF-101 Voodoo 101060 from 409 "Nighthawk" Squadron, CFB Comox on the ramp at CFB Moose Jaw in spring 1982.In the late 1940s, the Air Force had started a research project into future interceptor aircraft that eventually settled on an advanced specification known as the 1954 interceptor. Contracts for this specification eventually resulted in the selection of the F-102 Delta Dagger, but by 1952 it was becoming clear that none of the parts of the specification other than the airframe would be ready by 1954; the engines, weapons and fire control systems were all going to take too long to get into service. An effort was then started to quickly produce an interim supersonic design to replace the various subsonic interceptors then in service, and the F-101 airframe was selected as a starting point.
Although McDonnell proposed the designation F-109 for the new aircraft (which was to be a substantial departure from the basic Voodoo), the USAF assigned the designation F-101B. It was first deployed into service on January 5, 1959, with the 60th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron.[36] The production ended in March 1961.  The Voodoo featured a modified cockpit to carry a crew of two, with a larger and more rounded forward fuselage to hold the Hughes MG-13 fire control radar of the F-102. It had a data link to the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system, allowing ground controllers to steer the aircraft towards its targets by making adjustments through the plane's autopilot. The F-101B had more powerful Pratt & Whitney J57-P-55 engines, making it the only Voodoo not using the -13 engines. The new engines featured a substantially longer afterburner than J57-P-13s. To avoid a major redesign, the extended afterburners were simply allowed to extend out of the fuselage by almost 8 ft (2.4 m). The more powerful engines and aerodynamic refinements allowed an increased speed of Mach 1.85.
The F-101B was stripped of the four M39 cannons and carried four AIM-4 Falcon air-to-air missiles instead, arranged two apiece on a rotating pallet in the fuselage weapons bay.  The initial load was two GAR-1 (AIM-4A) semi-active radar homing and two GAR-2 (AIM-4B) infrared-guided weapons with one of each carried on each side of the rotating pallet.  After the first two missiles were fired, the door turned over to expose the second pair. Standard practice was to fire the weapons in SARH/IR pairs to increase the likelihood of a hit. Late-production models had provision for two 1.7-kiloton MB-1/AIR-2 Genie nuclear rockets on one side of the pallet with IR-guided GAR-2A (AIM-4C) on the other side. "Project Kitty Car" upgraded most earlier F-101Bs to this standard beginning in 1961.

The AIM-4 Falcon side of the F-101B missile door.  From 1963–66, F-101Bs were upgraded under the Interceptor Improvement Program (IIP; also known as "Project Bold Journey"), with a fire control system enhancement against hostile ECM and an infrared sighting and tracking (IRST) system in the nose in place of the in-flight refueling probe.
The F-101B was made in greater numbers than the F-101A and C, with a total of 479 being delivered by the end of production in 1961.  Most of these were delivered to the Air Defense Command (ADC) beginning in January 1959.  The only foreign customer for the F-101B was Canada.  For more details on the history of the Voodoo in Canada, see McDonnell CF-101 Voodoo.
The F-101B was withdrawn from ADC service from 1969 to 1972, with many surviving USAF aircraft transferred to the Air National Guard (replacing F-102s), serving until 1982. The last Voodoo in US service (F-101B-105-MC, AF Ser. No. 58-300) was finally retired by the 2nd Fighter Weapons Squadron at Tyndall AFB, Florida on 21 September 1982.
TF-101B / F-101F / CF-101FSome of the F-101Bs were completed as dual-control operational trainer aircraft initially dubbed TF-101B, but later redesignated F-101F. Seventy-nine new-build F-101Fs were manufactured, and 152 more existing aircraft were later modified with dual controls. Ten of these were supplied to Canada under the designation CF-101F. These were later replaced with 10 updated aircraft in 1971.

The prototype RF-101B (s/n 57-0301).RF-101BIn the early 1970s, a batch of 22 former Royal Canadian CF-101Bs were returned to the US Air Force and converted to RF-101B reconnaissance aircraft with their radar and weapons bay replaced with a set of three KS-87B cameras and two AXQ-2 TV cameras. An in-flight refueling boom receptacle was also fitted. These aircraft served with the 192d Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron of the Nevada Air National Guard through 1975. They were expensive to operate and maintain and had a short service life.

Variants
RF-101C-55-MC (56-0220), assigned to 18th TRS, 460th TRW. This aircraft was shot down by a SAM over North Vietnam on 7 March 1966, killing the pilot.
Section source: Angelucci and Bowers 1987, pp. 309–10.
F-101A
initial production fighter bomber, 77 produced.
NF-101A
one F-101A used by General Electric for testing of the General Electric J79 engine.
YRF-101A
two F-101As built as prototype reconnaissance models.
RF-101A
first reconnaissance version, 35 built.
F-101B
two-seat interceptor, the most numerous version with 479 built (including CF-101B)
CF-101B
112 F-101Bs transferred to Royal Canadian Air Force.
RF-101B
22 former RCAF CF-101Bs modified for reconnaissance use.
TF-101B
dual-control trainer version of F-101B, redesignated F-101F, 79 built.
EF-101B
single F-101B converted for use as a radar target and leased to Canada.
NF-101B
F-101B prototype based on the F-101A airframe; the second prototype was built with a different nose.
F-101C
improved fighter-bomber, 47 built.
RF-101C
reconnaissance version of F-101C airframe, 166 built.
F-101D
proposed version with General Electric J79 engines, not built.
F-101E
another J79 proposal, not built.
F-101F
dual-control trainer version of F-101B; 79 re-designated TF-101Bs plus 152 converted F-101B.
CF-101F
Canadian designation for 20 TF-101B/F-101F dual-control aircraft.
TF-101F
24 dual-control versions of F-101B, re-designated F-101F (these are included in the -F total).
RF-101G
29 F-101As converted for ANG reconnaissance.
RF-101H
32 F-101Cs converted for reconnaissance use.

Specifications (F-101B)
Line drawings for the F-101B.Data from The Great Book of Fighters
General characteristics Performance Armament note: Falcon missile variants - AIM-4A, AIM-4B, AIM-4C only. The range was about 5 mi (8 km).
Avionics
  • Hughes MG-13 fire control system


F-14 TOMCAT Information:

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program after the collapse of the F-111B project. The F-14 was the first of the American teen-series fighters, which were designed incorporating air combat experience against MiG fighters during the Vietnam War.
The F-14 first flew in December 1970 and made its first deployment in 1974 with the U.S. Navy aboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65), replacing the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. The F-14 served as the U.S. Navy's primary maritime air superiority fighter, fleet defense interceptor, and tactical aerial reconnaissance platform into the 1990s. The Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) pod system was added in the 1990s and the Tomcat began performing precision ground-attack missions.
In the 1980s F-14s were used as land-based interceptors by the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force during the Iran–Iraq War, where they saw combat against Iraqi warplanes. Iranian F-14s reportedly shot down at least 160 Iraqi aircraft during the war, while only 12 to 16 Tomcats were lost; at least half of these losses were due to accidents.
The Tomcat was retired from the U.S. Navy's active fleet on 22 September 2006, having been supplanted by the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.  The F-14 remains in service with the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, having been exported to Iran in 1976.

General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Avionics:
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