Super Tomcat - the Lost Potential of the F-14D
20th century
•
20m
Why the F-14D Could Have Been the Ultimate Fighter.
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat was one of the most iconic fighter aircraft of the Cold War—renowned for its variable-geometry wings, twin engines, and long-range AIM-54 Phoenix missiles. But what if the platform had been allowed to fully mature?
This documentary explores the full evolution of the F-14, from the early Alpha models to the final F-14D variant, and examines the ambitious upgrade paths—including the ST-21, AST-21, and ASF-14—that could have transformed the Tomcat into the most capable multirole fighter of its generation.
Up Next in 20th century
-
The Gulf of Sidra Incident
In the 1980s, the skies over the Gulf of Sidra became a Cold War flashpoint as Gaddafi's Libya drew a provocative "Line of Death" across international waters and challenged U.S. Freedom of Navigation operations in open confrontations.
These confrontations included the dramatic 1981 dogfight where... -
The Fall of Rabaul
In January 1942, the Australian outpost at Rabaul stood directly in the path of Japan’s advance across the Pacific. Poorly defended, under-equipped, and relying on outdated aircraft, the men of the RAAF and Lark Force faced overwhelming odds as Japanese air raids intensified and invasion loomed. ...
-
How one missile changed air combat - ...
For nearly 70 years, the AIM-9 Sidewinder has been the West’s most iconic air-to-air missile — from its humble 1940s origins at China Lake to its latest AIM-9X incarnation with helmet-cueing and thrust-vectoring agility. This documentary charts its evolution through Cold War dogfights, the Falkla...