American multi-role fighter aircraft F-14 TOMCAT COBI 5920 - TOP GUN 1:48

Did you know:

• The F-14 was designed in the 1960s based on experience gained from encounters with Soviet MiGs during the Vietnam War.
• The prototype's test flight took place on December 21, 1970, at 4:00 PM despite approaching darkness, as Grumman would have had to pay a massive penalty for missing the deadline starting at 5:00 PM.
• A total of three prototypes crashed due to malfunctions.
• 712 units were produced in various versions.
• The structure connecting the space between the two engines is nicknamed the “pancake.”
• The aircraft is equipped with variable-sweep wings controlled by the AiResearch CP-1166B/A computer, which the Soviets unsuccessfully tried to obtain, as the MiG-23's wing angle was only controlled manually.
• A new generation of radar allowed it to engage up to six enemy aircraft simultaneously.
• During a military exercise in the Gulf of Sidra, two F-14s were attacked by Libyan Su-22 fighters.
• Missiles launched from the Su-22s missed, but AIM-9L missiles fired from the Tomcats destroyed both enemy aircraft within 45 seconds.
• The very first units produced were intended to serve on the famous ship USS Enterprise.
• Grumman named the aircraft after Admiral Thomas Connolly's cat (Tom’s cat), hence TOMCAT.
• Amazingly, in some air forces, these fighters are still in service 50 years after their introduction.
• The country with the most combat missions was not the United States, but Iran during the war with Iraq.
• During the campaign, 16 Iranian aircraft were lost, though half were due to accidents caused by unqualified crews.
• One hour of combat flight with this aircraft costs the U.S. military approximately 40,000 USD.

Technical Specifications:

• Wingspan: 11.58 - 19.55 m
• Length: 19.1 m
• Height: 4.88 m
• Empty weight: 19,838 kg
• Maximum takeoff weight: 33,720 kg
• Powerplant: 2 x Pratt & Whitney TF30 turbofan jet engines
• Engine thrust: 61,400 N, with afterburner 124,700 N
• Maximum speed: 2,485 km/h
• 3 fuel tanks with a total volume of 9,028 liters
• Maximum service ceiling: 15,200 m
• Rate of climb: 229 m/s
• Fuel tank capacity: 9,030 liters
• Range: 2,960 km
• Armament: 2 x AIM-7 Sparrow semi-active missiles + 4 x AIM-54 Phoenix + 2 x AIM-9 Sidewinder infrared supersonic missiles + 1 x M61A1 Vulcan 20 mm cannon
• Crew: pilot + weapon systems operator

Director Joseph Kosinski on filming Top Gun:

“Capturing some shots was extremely demanding. The actors operated the cockpit cameras during flight, adjusted mirrors, and handled cuts — all while under extreme G-forces and constant nausea. We spent 3 days shooting the scenes with gunfire. Apparently, we managed to record something we shouldn’t have. After reviewing the footage, the Air Force returned an empty disk. Everything was deleted — three days of work gone.”

• A loose sequel to the iconic film Top Gun starring Tom Cruise in the lead role as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell.
• Preparation for the film began as early as 2010 with pilot flight training.
• The film’s title, *Top Gun: Maverick*, was suggested by actor Tom Cruise himself.
• The characters training for the special mission are played by actual U.S. Navy pilots.
• The riskiest scene involved an extremely low flyover that required special permission from the U.S. Navy.
• Paramount Pictures paid the Department of Defense $11,374 per hour to rent the aircraft.
• Over 800 hours of footage were recorded during production, resulting in the final 131-minute film.
• The premiere was originally scheduled for July 12, 2019, but due to the Covid pandemic it was repeatedly delayed and finally released in theaters on May 27, 2022.
• The film has a notable Czech connection — Czech jet aircraft Aero L-39 Albatros from Aero Vodochody were used to help train the actors.