What's the significance of this?

[TheElf]

It may not be as obvious as you think...

[dtravel]

I'm guessing it was the last F-14 being flown off a carrier before the model is retired.

[MorbiusStorm]

Yes, that's an F-14. The FA-18 has its engines side by side in the center, without a gap between them.

It's not taking off, or it wouldn't be above the people. It would be on one of the cats with the blast shield up behind it. In this, its above them.

If its coming in for a landing, I'd say it missed the trajectory in the first place, and in the second he'd have run down a lot of people. Yet his landing gear is down.

He's doing some kind of intentional fly by or its a doctored picture (seems the most likely to me).

[m10bob]

This looks like a "blown" landing and the plane is stalling out..Pilot has flaps extended to provide stol lift in this case with afterburner on full..
He is below the deck falling down.. (Hope he made it).

[rogueusmc]

Hook is still up...don't look like a blown landing...

[treespider]

ORIGINAL: Eloryn

Yes, that's an F-14. The FA-18 has its engines side by side in the center, without a gap between them.

It's not taking off, or it wouldn't be above the people. It would be on one of the cats with the blast shield up behind it. In this, its above them.

If its coming in for a landing, I'd say it missed the trajectory in the first place, and in the second he'd have run down a lot of people. Yet his landing gear is down.

He's doing some kind of intentional fly by or its a doctored picture (seems the most likely to me).

Why couldn't it be taking off from the angled flight deck?

[jwilkerson]

ORIGINAL: dtravel

I'm guessing it was the last F-14 being flown off a carrier before the model is retired.

I'm with dtravel, last Tomcat launch during an operational deployment.

[tsimmonds]

I find it interesting that the heat from the afterburners is distorting the water but not the flight deck. This photo looks doctored to me....

[rogueusmc]

ditto but someone already said they thought it was doctored.

[MkXIV]

The photo REALLY looks bogus to me... but I am not an expert

Most (all?) Tomcat's still in service were either built with or re-engined with General Electrics, and are normally launched without afterburners. The orginal F-14 power By P&W's used afterburners to takeoff. I would would imagine GE powered planes still use AB for go arounds but I can't imagine he could get his hook up that fast. The other thing is look at the horizontal Stabs, they are too level. Look at any other Tomcat taking off and they are pointed almost straight down!

[RevRick]

Nope.. Don't think it's bogus because if it was launched from the outboard waist cat, you wouldn't see the end of the cat from that shot. The 14 had a habit of dropping its butt, and you also don't realize just how big that bird really is. It looks foreshortend because of the size of the bird and the angle of the shot. Either that, or some really insane "aviator" is dragging the thing by low, slow, and dirty and is applying the burners to pull out and up.

[TheElf]

[:D]

[Dino]

I think irrelevat's observation is correct... Also, if you look closely, those guys on the deck are not looking at THAT plane.

[ChezDaJez]

Great photo.

Let's see. Judging by the number of people with cameras by the angle deck, it's obviously a historic photo of some type.

Hook is up and flaps in the takeoff position so probably is a waist cat shot. Certainly not a landing... too many people in the area. A snapped arresting cable could potentially mow them down not to mention what would happen if the aircraft crashed.

Trying to vsiualize the tail emblem, I think it may be a panther (hard to tell) which would be VF-21 (Freelancers) onboard Independence in Japan. If so, it could be VF-21's last cat shot when they decommissioned in 1996.

-OR-

It could the last fly-off of a carrier being dsecommisioned, possibly Independence in 1998. Given the lack of tail letters, it might also represent CAG's bird during the last fly-off but most CAG birds I've seen are painted a little brighter than that.

-OR-

It could be that I haven't a clue as to what the picture represents and am just talking out my a$$.

Chez

[ChezDaJez]

I find it interesting that the heat from the afterburners is distorting the water but not the flight deck. This photo looks doctored to me....

Good observation. Hadn't noticed that. Does look funny, doesn't it?

How about a REALLY low fly-by?[:-]

Chez

[treespider]

Here is a different angle of the same event...

[whippleofd]

It could be a doctored photo. Not sure about that. What I DO KNOW, is that it is not a photo of a shot or a trap.

Evidence:

1) See that thick line on the deck? The one with the thin line just inboard of it. Those are the stbd most lines that are painted on the deck to "outline" the angled deck landing area. This Tomcat is not landing as evidenced by there not being a tail-hook being extended.

2) This next "evidence" may be a bid hard to describe, as it can be hard to see, but I'll do my best. See the guy with a white vest on? The one with the red cross on his back who is standing just inboard and aft of the other one who is dressed the same. Now look at his shadow. Just inboard of his shadow is a line on the deck. That is the "safety line". No one, and I mean NO ONE, is allowed between that saftey line and the one to port (that you can't see) when a plane is soon to be launched or landed. The safety observers can , and WILL, scrub a launch or a trap if they see someone in that area. Look at the number of folks indside that line. Not even during "Tiger" cruise traps and shots are dependents allowed in there. This fact alone tells me that this pic is FUBAR.

3) Others have mentioned the disconnect of the jet wash, but I'm not sure of the camera angle.

4) No way, no how, are the deck crews lined up like that during either a shot or a trap. Thats just ASKING for a BOHICA.

Not a chance this pic is representative of either a trap or a shot.

Whipple

[treespider]

The below accompanied the above photo I posted...and yes I Googled...


060310-N-6410T-016 Atlantic Ocean (March 10, 2006) – Lt. Ken Hockycko and Lt. Roy Emanuel, F-14D Tomcat pilots assigned to the "Black Lions" of Fighter Squadron Two One Three (VF-213), launch from the flight deck of USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) in aircraft number 201. This marks the final launch of F-14 on deployment. VF-213 and VF-31 are completing their final deployment flying the F-14 Tomcat. For the past 30 years, the F-14 Tomcat has assured U.S. air superiority, playing a key role in ensuring victory and preserving peace around the world. The F-14 Tomcat will be removed from service and officially stricken from the inventory in September of 2006. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Chris Thamann (RELEASED)

[Ian R]

I thought it was a collage involving this photo:

Then again maybe not.

[Ian R]

Ah! now I have it: The F6F has already crashed: