1/72 Hasegawa F-14A Tomcat “Carrier Air Wing Atlantic” 0544

The F-14A Tomcat is a carrier-based jet fighter of the United States Navy. The F-14A uses the AWG-9 (Aug-Nine) fire control system to track up to 24 targets (enemies), and can simultaneously attack six of them with Phoenix missiles.

The F-14A also has a unique variable wing design. The computer controls the angle of the wings to keep them at the optimum angle. For example, when the aircraft slows down, the wings spread out to increase lift. On the other hand, when the aircraft is flying at high speed, the wings are folded to prevent resistance. When the aircraft is on an aircraft carrier, the wings are folded in to keep them out of the way.

*Fire control system: A system that uses a radar mounted on the nose to detect enemies, tracks them with radio waves, and fires missiles (missile firing is controlled by the pilot).

• Crew: 2 pilots
• Aircraft width (wingspan at maximum): 19.54m
• Aircraft length: 18.90m
• Height (from ground to tip of vertical tail): 4.88m
• Engines: Pratt & Whitney P&W TF-30-P-412 x 2
• Thrust: 4,763kg (9,480kg with afterburners)
• Maximum speed: Mach 2.34
• Armament: 1 x 20mm M61A1 Vulcan cannon

(Thrust is the force of the engine exhaust. An afterburner is a device that increases thrust by reburning the exhaust gas in the engine’s exhaust pipe .)