Article 9479 of rec.aviation.military:
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From: jfb@usgp1.ih.att.com (Joe Baugher)
Subject: New Fighter Series--Grumman F-14 Tomcat (8 of 14)
Message-ID: <D1HqL8.I17@ssbunews.ih.att.com>
Summary: F-14A(Plus), F-14B, F110 engines 
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Date: Tue, 27 Dec 1994 22:31:56 GMT
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Following the cancellation of the F-14B, F-14A BuNo 157986 was put 
into storage.  In 1981, it was taken out of storage and re-engined 
with two General Electric F101 DFE (Derivative Fighter Engine) 
turbofans, each rated at 16,400 lb.s.t. dry and 27,400 lb.s.t. with 
afterburning.  The F101-DFE used the core engine from the F101, which 
had originally been developed for the B-1B, and was modified by adding 
a scaled-up fan and augmenter nozzle taken from the F404 engine used 
by the F/A-18A Hornet.  

The first flight of the "Super Tomcat" (as the aircraft was 
unofficially known) took place on July 14, 1981 at Calverton.  Grumman 
test pilot Chuck Sewell called this aircraft "a fighter pilot's 
dream".  The test program showed significant performance gains, 
including a 62 percent increase in intercept radius, and such vast 
improvements in takeoff performance that non-afterburning carrier 
takeoffs were now a distinct possibility.  

In the meantime, the Air Force had decided to adopt an alternative 
engine strategy for both the F-15 and F-16 fighters, splitting engine 
orders between Pratt & Whitney and General Electric.  With each new 
fiscal year, a new set of engine orders would be issued.  Having a 
second source would help to ensure a steady supply of engines, and 
competition between these two companies would, it was hoped, keep 
prices down.  

The Navy announced that it too would move to competitive yearly engine 
evaluations in selecting a new powerplant for the Tomcat.  Initially, 
the Navy announced that the candidates would be the General Electric 
F110 and the Pratt & Whitney PW1128 turbofans.  However, in the summer 
of 1983, the Navy abandoned this plan and announced that they would 
rely on the results of the USAF's competitive evaluation.  

The two USAF candidates were the General Electric F101 DFE (now 
redesignated F110) and a revised Pratt & Whitney F100.  In February 
1984, the USAF announced that General Electric had been awarded with 
75 percent of the total contract for engines for the FY1985 run of 
F-16 fighters.  All of the FY 85 F-15 Eagles and the remaining FY 85 
F-16s would use the upgraded Pratt & Whitney F100.  The F110 was to be 
phased into the General Dynamics F-16 production line as soon as 
production engines became available, but it was agreed that individual 
USAF F-16 units would never operate a mix of engine types, the choice 
of engine being made at the wing level.  Future models of the F-15 
would be designed to accept either the F110 and F100.  

The Navy liked the F110 better than the F100 since the F110 had 
greater thrust and promised to have lower overall support costs.  The 
Navy announced that they would be adopting the F110 for all future 
Tomcats, and would not be doing USAF-style annual procurement 
competitions.  

In August 1984, the Navy awarded Grumman a contract for improved 
versions of the F-14 and A-6.  The new Tomcat would be known as the 
F-14D.  The troublesome TF30 would be replaced by the F110-GE-400, the 
avionics would upgraged from analog to digital, the aircraft would 
receive an enhanced radar, a new computer, a stores management system, 
new controls, new displays, and a digital INS.  While the full F-14D 
avionics suite was being developed, an interim aircraft, designated 
F-14A(Plus), would be produced which would introduce only the F110 
engines and keep the F-14A electronics suite.  However, all 
F-14A(Plus) aircraft would eventually be upgraded to full F-14D 
status.  

The go-ahead for the interim F-14A(Plus) and the definitive F-14D 
program was given in July of 1984, when Grumman was awarded a 
contract.  Both these versions were to be powered by General Electric 
F110-GE-400 turbofans, rated at an afterburning thrust of 27,000 
lb.s.t. each.  The engines were to be fitted with a computerized fuel 
control system to prevent compressor stalls in all flight regimes.  In 
addition, the F-14A(Plus) was to be fitted with the AN/ALR-67 threat 
warning and recognition system.  

The basic F110 was considerably shorter than the TF30 which it 
replaced.  In order to avoid having to completely redesign the air 
intake ducting, the Navy version of this engine was "stretched" in 
length by adding a new section between the engine and the afterburning 
section.  Apparently, this created no significant engineering 
difficulties.  The nozzle is positioned 11 inches further aft, which 
should reduce the aerodynamic drag of the boat-tail area of the rear 
fuselage.  Very few structural changes were needed to adapt the F-14A 
to the new F110 engine.  Almost the only changes needed were the 
rearrangement of the engine accessories and their drive gearbox, plus 
minor modifications of the surrounding F-14 secondary structure.  

F-14A BuNo 157986 (which had also served as the F-14B prototype) was 
chosen as the engine development aircraft for the new aircraft and was 
fitted with a pair of F110-GE-400s in 1986 and took off on its first 
flight on September 29, 1986, piloted by Joe Burke.  This engine 
offered considerable extra thrust over the old TF30 turbofan, and 
offered a considerable better performance.  The new F110 engines 
offered the additional benefit of fewer compressor stalls, a more 
unrestricted throttle movement throughout the entire flight regime, 
and improved fuel economy.  In addition, the F110-GE-400 had over 80 
percent commonality with F110 variants used by the Air Force.  

The increased power of the F110 engine dramatically improved all-round 
combat performance.  It also made it possible to make catapult 
takeoffs from carriers without afterburner.  The fuel consumption of 
the F110 was also much better than that of the TF30, increasing the 
mission radius by 62 percent.  Time to reach high altitudes was 
reduced by 61 percent.  Last and by no means least, the pilot could at 
long last forget about his engine during combat maneuvers and move the 
throttles shut or wide open no mater what the angle of attack or 
airspeed without having to worry about the danger of a compressor 
stall.  

The F-14A(Plus) program called for the manufacture of 38 new aircraft 
and the rebuilding of 32 existing F-14As.  BuNo 158630, the first 
F-14A(Plus) rebuilt from a TF30-powered F-14A, flew on December 11, 
1986, and the first new-build F-14A(Plus) (BuNo 162910) flew on 
November 14, 1987.  A second new-build F-14A(Plus) was accepted in 
1987, 17 were delivered in 1989.  

Externally, the F-14A(Plus) can be distinguished from the F-14A by its 
larger engine exhaust nozzles, the deletion of the wing glove vanes, a 
modified door near the gun port, and the installation of the new 
AN/ALR-67 radar warning receiver with antennae below the wing glove 
area.  A new Direct Lift Control/Approach Power Control system was 
installed, and the gun bay was redesigned, incorporating a gas purging 
system with NACA-type inlets replacing the original grilles.  A 
fatigue/engine-monitoring system was added and AN/ARC-182 UHF/VHF 
radios are installed.  The modernized and modified radar fire control 
system was redesignated AN/AWG-15F.  

In May of 1991, the Navy decided to redesignate the F-14A(Plus) F-14B, 
using the same designation as that of the stillborn F401-powered 
aircraft of 1973.  A total of 38 F-14Bs were newly built.  32 
additional F-14Bs were produced by conversion from existing F-14A 
airframes.  These conversions were allocated the sequential KB-series 
identifications KB-1 to KB-32 respectively.  About 17 more conversions 
have since been funded.  

Most F-14Bs may be upgraded to F-14D standards under a general 
depot-level update program that was used for some of the earlier 
F-14As.  

Serials of Grumman F-14A(Plus) (F-14B) Tomcat:

157986			Grumman F-14A-30-GR Tomcat
      				modified as F-14B and then as F-14A(Plus).
161270/161299		Grumman F-14A-115-GR Tomcat 
				161287(KB-5) converted to F-14A(Plus), later
				redesignated F-14B.
161416/161445		Grumman F-14A-120-GR Tomcat 
				161424(KB-1),161426(KB-2),161429(KB-3),
				161418(KB-4),161428(KB-6),161433(KB-7),
				161417(KB-8),161419(KB-9),161440(KB-10),
				161444(KB-11),161427(KB-12),161416(KB-13),
				161442(KB-14),161437(KB-15),161441(KB-16),
				161421(KB-17),161422(KB-18),161425(KB-19),
				161430(KB-22),161432(KB-24),161434(KB-25),
				161435(KB-26),161438(KB-27) converted to
				F-14A(Plus), later redesignated F-14B.
161597/161626		Grumman F-14A-125-GR Tomcat 
				16159?(KB-20),161610(KB-21),161608(KB-23),
				161610(KB-30) converted to F-14A(Plus), later
				redesignated F-14B.
161850/161879		Grumman F-14A-130-GR Tomcat 
				161851(KB-28),161871(KB-29),161870(KB-31),
				161873(KB-32) converted to F-14A(Plus) and
				later redesignated F-14B
163217/163229		Grumman F-14B-150-GR Tomcat 
163407/163411		Grumman F-14B-155-GR Tomcat 


Specification of Grumman F-14A(Plus) (F-14B) Tomcat 

Two General Electric F110-GE-400 turbofans, each rated at 14,000 
lb.s.t. dry and 23,100 lb.s.t with afterburning.  
Performance:  Maximum speed (with four semi-recessed Sparrow missiles) 
Mach 1.2 (912 mph) at sea level, Mach 2.34 (1544 mph) at 40,000 feet.  
Combat air patrol loiter time 2.05 hours (at 173 mile radius with two 
280 US gallon drop tanks).  combat air patrol radius (with 1 hour 
loiter) 423 miles.  intercept radius (Mach 1.3) 319 miles.  
Weights:  42,000 pounds empty, maximum takeoff weight, 75,000 pounds.  
Dimensions:  wing span 64 feet 1 1/2 inches (unswept), 37 feet 7 
inches (fully swept), length 61 feet 11 7/8 inches, wing area 565 
square feet.  
Fuel:  Maximum internal fuel 2385 US gallons.  A 267 US-gallon drop 
tank can be carried on a hardpoint underneath each air intake.  
Armament:  One 20-mm General Electric M61A1 Vulcan in the nose with 
675 rounds.  Provision for six AIM-7F/M Sparrow and two AIM-9L/P 
Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, or six AIM-54A/C Phoenix long-range 
air-to-air missiles and two AIM-9L/P Sidewinders, or four AIM-54A/C 
Phoenix missiles underneath the fuselage and two AIM-7F/M Sparrow and 
two AIM-9L/P Sidewinders on the wing glove pylons.  

Sources:

   Grumman Aircraft Since 1919, Rene J. Francillon, Naval Institute
   Press, 1989.

   Grumman F-14 Tomcat, Doug Richardson, Osprey, 1987.

   F-14 Tomcat: Fleet Defender, Robert F. Dorr, World Airpower
   Journal, Vol 7, 1991.
 
   Grumman F-14 Tomcat Variant Briefing, World Airpower Journal,
   Vol. 19, 1994.

   The American Fighter, Enzo Angelucci and Peter Bowers, 
   Orion, 1987.

   Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft, Volume 1, David Donald
   and Jon Lake, AirTime, 1994.

   The World's Great Interceptor Aircraft, Gallery Books, 1989. 


Joe Baugher			  **************************************
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