F-14 Plane SHip and Missile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

F-14 Plane SHip and Missile - Essay Example These planes are so huge that just one carrier has more air power than most other nations. Engineering advancements in aviation allowed the F-14 Tomcat to reach record speeds and have greater combat range, while using an extreme payload of missiles, than other U.S. aircraft. Installing a Phoenix AN-54 long range missile to the Tomcat’s onboard radar further utilized this highly adaptable platform. There was no greater employment of naval superiority than during the first Gulf War (1990-1991). From 1974 to the present, the combination of planes, ships, and long range missiles gave the U.S. the most powerful naval aviation industry in the world. Although naval aviation was developed by the U.S, it has taken a long time to become an integral part of the defensive strategies of U.S. In 1910, the U.S. Navy conducted a demonstration from a cruiser, the USS Birmingham (CL-2), and launched the Curtiss 1991 Model D aircraft from the deck. Though the ship was at anchor, â€Å"Eugene El y coaxes his Curtiss biplane from the ship†¦actually brushed the water before Ely gained altitude† (Reynolds 7). After this historic two minute flight, Ely would also go on to complete a carrier landing at sea two months after. This was an extreme test of man and machine. The landing was â€Å"made possible by ingenious arresting gear-ropes stretched between sandbags that slowed and stopped the plane† (Reynolds 7). ... The Chance Vought F4U Corsair was flown after 1942 and maintained combat superiority in the Pacific Theater of Operations. This U.S. Navy fighter bomber utilized America’s naval aviation advantage over the Japanese from mid-1943 until the end of the war. Flown by both the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps, squadrons were â€Å"quickly trained to operate their F4U Corsairs from a flight deck and assigned to fast carriers† (Remolds 159). This numerical advantage was further exploited by the quality of trained pilots and their ability to alter their battle plans in theater. Thus, the division of labor by the carriers and the subsequent rotation of experienced pilots proved too much for the Japanese military. A television show, The Black Sheep Squadron, depicted this segment of the war in the Solomon Islands, which is located in the South Pacific. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, a character portrayed in the show, commanded the squadron, which was nicknamed â€Å"Boyingtonâ₠¬â„¢s Bastards.† Boyington received the Medal of Honor from President Roosevelt for his leadership along with an accredited â€Å"26 Japanese aircraft kills† (Geranios 2). This ingenuity, skill, and experience were evident throughout WWII, which ended with the use of the atomic bomb. During the Vietnam War conflict, the McDonald Douglas F-4 Phantom became the jet powered workhorse with its superior speed as a fighter-bomber. It was used by both the U.S. Navy and the newly formed U.S. Air Force. The F-4 was very successful and remained operational until the conclusion of the first Gulf War. This two seat fighter-bomber, with atop speed of 1,500 miles per hour, achieved numerous land speed records and provided a stable platform for new, emerging electronics.