Summary and key points: The F-14 Tomcat and the F/A-18 Super Hornet are iconic aircraft of the US Navy. The first is prominently featured in the original film. Super shooter and the latter in the sequel Top Shooter: Maverick.

-The F-14, known for its swept wings and two-seat cockpit, was larger and faster, reaching speeds of up to Mach 2.34. However, it had reliability problems and was prone to flat spins.

-The F/A-18, with its fixed wings and more reliable systems, is easier to land on aircraft carriers and excels in close combat. While the F-14 remains a fan favorite, the F/A-18 is the Navy’s current workhorse.

F-14 Tomcat vs. F/A-18 Super Hornet: A Top Gun Showdown

When the public thinks about the F-14 Tomcat or the F/A-18 Super Hornet, Super shooter film series is probably the most important. In the first Super shooterThe F-14 is a prominent component. In Top Shooter: MaverickCruise reprises his role as Maverick 36 years later. One of the most noticeable differences in the sequel is that the F-14 has been replaced by the F/A-18 Super Hornet.

Of course, the Super shooter The sequel ends with a cameo appearance by the F-14, giving viewers a chance to compare the active F/A-18 to the retired F-14. Let’s take a moment to do the same here.

The obvious differences

The two aircraft differ in subtle and obvious ways. Let’s look at the obvious differences first.

The F-14, unlike the F/A-18, had swing wings. These are visually recognizable even to many laymen, as the wings can swing along a joint on the fuselage, allowing them to be swung forward or backward while lying flush with the fuselage. Sweeping the wings forward increases drag, slowing the aircraft but improving maneuverability. Sweeping the wings backward reduces drag and increases speed, but reduces maneuverability. So an F-14 would push its wings forward during a carrier landing, but pull them backwards when intercepting an alien aircraft.

Like the vast majority of aircraft, the F/A-18 has a fixed wing position.

The F-14 also had a cockpit for two people, while the F/A-18 had one or two seats depending on the variant. For this reason Super shooter In a sequel, the F/A-18 was piloted with a backseat, but sometimes without – different variants were used throughout the film.

Differences in the air

The F-14 was larger and significantly faster than the F/A-18. While the F/A-18 had a top speed of Mach 1.6-1.8, the powerful F-14 could reach Mach 2.34. The F-14 was “incredibly fast,” said Tom “Trots” Trotter, boasting that it once accelerated from 150 to 610 knots in less than ten seconds. Although generally outdated compared to the F/A-18, the F-14’s speed was enviable.

Trotter is a former pilot who was qualified in both the F-14 and F/A-18. On the Fighter Pilot Podcast, he said that the F-14’s speed is a major advantage of the aircraft.

“You know what, most of the time I’m in combat… I can tell you this honestly: You’ll be in combat and they’ll shoot at you. Boy, it’s good to be in combat in an F-14, to be fast and the other guy has his head down and is working the laser, and that’s like, most of the time when I’m dropping bombs, I’m like, ‘Ah, put me in a Tomcat, please.'”

Trotter also pointed out that the F-14 has reliability issues. The F/A-18 is far more reliable – so much so that the Navy doesn’t bother keeping a replacement aircraft on standby.

The F-14 was also prone to flat spins, as shown in the original image. Super shooterduring the scene where “Goose” catapults himself into the cabin and dies. According to Trots, the scene was an accurate depiction. The F-14 crew were instructed to blast the cabin, look up to confirm the cabin was clear, and then eject – a process that requires tremendous attention during the hectic moments of ejection.

The F/A-18 was also much easier to land on an aircraft carrier than the F-14. Super shooter The series begins with a pilot trying to land his F-14 on an aircraft carrier at night.

In terms of dogfights, Trots said the F-14 could easily hold its own against an F/A-18. However, in slower, more intense battles, the F/A-18 was superior in the “phone booth.”

“I think any Tomcat can take on a Hornet, but you know, the Hornet is much better in the phone booth,” Trotter said. “The slow fight, taking a guy under fire, taking a high angle of attack.”

Overall, both aircraft are legendary and highly respected. The F-14 still enjoys a cult status that the F/A-18 was never able to quite achieve.

About the author: Harrison Kass

Harrison Kass is a defense and national security writer who has written over 1,000 articles on world affairs. Harrison is a lawyer, pilot, guitarist, and part-time professional hockey player. He joined the U.S. Air Force as a student pilot but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.

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