Retired F-14s being shredded

JohnR said:
http://wire.jacksonville.com/pstories/20070702/181549216.shtml
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The work includes the recent demolition of 23 Tomcats in Arizona, accounting for about $900,000 of TRI-Rinse's contract.
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39K to destroy a jet? Why not save some money? Give ten teenagers a sledgehammer and 1000$ a piece, and the gov't still saves at least 19K per aircraft (assuming the gov't cost of a sledgehammer is still 1000$). Saves almost half of that contract right there.

And here we wonder why we pay so much in taxes and so high of a national debt. Why pay so much when teenagers can get valuable work experience? :D :yes:

That said, I'll gladly submit to a gov't background check and monitoring if they'll give me one of the F-14s. I swear it won't be sold or parted out. (But can I get a voucher for some fuel?)
 
I'll bet Michael Moore, Cindy Sheehan, and some of their friends would do it for free.
 
JohnR said:
I'll bet Michael Moore, Cindy Sheehan, and some of their friends would do it for free.
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...and then they'd injure themselves, then they'd sue the government and the manufacturer, and then they'd get treatment in Cuba.
 
SCCutler said:
...and then they'd injure themselves, then they'd sue the government and the manufacturer, and then they'd get treatment in Cuba.
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I'd pay them the contract even for non-performance if they go to Cuba and not ever return to the US. Oh, and no sending any materials or communications to the US.
 
While necessary, it's sad. Think about how coveted a P-51, P-47, F4U, or B-17 is today. Then think about how many thousands of those there were. And then think about how many thousands were junked.

So while I understand and agree with the decision to do away the leftovers, I do hope that a few are kept around in a condition that at least makes them restorable. In the same way that all the WWII aircraft are, it would be a testament to where we've been.

[edit:] I don't say that because I'd want to be the guy to have an F-14 in my hangar. Of course not. :)
 
Obi Heed Kenobi said:
While necessary, it's sad. Think about how coveted a P-51, P-47, F4U, or B-17 is today. Then think about how many thousands of those there were. And then think about how many thousands were junked.

So while I understand and agree with the decision to do away the leftovers, I do hope that a few are kept around in a condition that at least makes them restorable. In the same way that all the WWII aircraft are, it would be a testament to where we've been.

[edit:] I don't say that because I'd want to be the guy to have an F-14 in my hangar. Of course not. :)
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Hrmm... AOPA Sweeps plane? ;)
 
According to a show I saw on the History Channel not too long ago Iran has a whole bunch of them that we sold them back in the 70s. But when all hell broke loose a handful of Grumman engineers sneaked in and removed one small, but vital, component from each, rendering them useless. From what I understand they're all still sitting in the hangar in pristine, but unflyable, condition.
 
Gerhardt said:
According to a show I saw on the History Channel not too long ago Iran has a whole bunch of them that we sold them back in the 70s. But when all hell broke loose a handful of Grumman engineers sneaked in and removed one small, but vital, component from each, rendering them useless. From what I understand they're all still sitting in the hangar in pristine, but unflyable, condition.
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http://www.csd.uwo.ca/Elevon/baugher_us/f014.html said:
This embargo was to have a especially severe long-term effect on the Tomcat fleet, since the embargo prevented the delivery of any spares. In addition, by August of 1979, all 79 of the F-14A Tomcats had supposedly been sabotaged so that they could no longer fire their Phoenix missiles. According to various accounts, this was done either by departing Grumman technicians, by Iranian Air Force personnel friendly to the US shortly after the fall of the Shah, or even by Iranian revolutionaries in an attempt to prevent operations by an Air Force perceived to be too pro-Western.
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In any case, if Iran found the F-14s to be useful by any means, they wouldn't risk them in the air against our fighters. It'd just be a waste.
 
Gerhardt said:
According to a show I saw on the History Channel not too long ago Iran has a whole bunch of them that we sold them back in the 70s. But when all hell broke loose a handful of Grumman engineers sneaked in and removed one small, but vital, component from each, rendering them useless. From what I understand they're all still sitting in the hangar in pristine, but unflyable, condition.
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The proverbial Cub in a barn!
 
To properly destroy a military airplane to goverment specs, 39,000 seems like a good deal. Now, before you argue - go read the specs they bid on.

I haven't read these specs particularly, but generally one has to have equipment that will cut through all the exotic and non-exotic metals used in the airplanes, not create any toxic dust (or deal with whatever dust is created), deal with any volatile liquids in accordance with local/state/fed rules, and pay for your workforce. Then, depending on the contract, you may not be the owner of the scrap, and have to return it to the government (appropriately packaged).

Or course, I'd rather have one, sans engines and weapons, for a lawn ornament.
 
TMetzinger said:
To properly destroy a military airplane to goverment specs, 39,000 seems like a good deal. Now, before you argue - go read the specs they bid on.

I haven't read these specs particularly, but generally one has to have equipment that will cut through all the exotic and non-exotic metals used in the airplanes, not create any toxic dust (or deal with whatever dust is created), deal with any volatile liquids in accordance with local/state/fed rules, and pay for your workforce. Then, depending on the contract, you may not be the owner of the scrap, and have to return it to the government (appropriately packaged).

Or course, I'd rather have one, sans engines and weapons, for a lawn ornament.
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Very true, plus the liability insurance, workers comp, security clearances, etc.
 
Take 'em to county fairs and CHARGE people $3 for 5 swings of a sledge. Cripes, you could MAKE money instead of spending it.
 
Oh man. :(

Can't they just sit 'em in a boneyard for a couple dozen more years (at which point they'd be worthless for combat), demilitarize them too (see above), and then sell 'em?

Think of how neat it is for us to see flying P-51's today. The next generation will never have the privilege of seeing historic US fighters fly - The P-51's are all gonna be gone and there won't be anything newer sold to mere citizens. :( :( :(
 
flyingcheesehead said:
Think of how neat it is for us to see flying P-51's today. The next generation will never have the privilege of seeing historic US fighters fly - The P-51's are all gonna be gone and there won't be anything newer sold to mere citizens. :( :( :(
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That is a sobering thought. The most recent warbirds I can think of are the L-39s out there, and those aren't particularly new, and aren't really combat aircraft. The expense of operating a late 20th century combat aircraft is probably the limiting factor.
 
Ken Ibold said:
Take 'em to county fairs and CHARGE people $3 for 5 swings of a sledge. Cripes, you could MAKE money instead of spending it.
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They wouldn't be able to make any money from me that way. The idea of smashing an aircraft with a sledgehammer is antithetical to everything I believe in!
 
Frank Browne said:
They wouldn't be able to make any money from me that way. The idea of smashing an aircraft with a sledgehammer is antithetical to everything I believe in!
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Me too. But I've seen the lines of people waiting to land a few blows on a junk car, and I have to think an F-14 would suffer the same fate.
 
Ken Ibold said:
Me too. But I've seen the lines of people waiting to land a few blows on a junk car, and I have to think an F-14 would suffer the same fate.
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When I was about 7 or 8 I tried that. I wanted the door handle on a '61 Impala they were smashing at some carnival. The sledgehammer was so heavy to me I could barely dent it. That '61 Impala would be a really cool car to have today!
 
JohnR said:
That is a sobering thought. The most recent warbirds I can think of are the L-39s out there, and those aren't particularly new, and aren't really combat aircraft. The expense of operating a late 20th century combat aircraft is probably the limiting factor.
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L-39's are also not American. And while expense of operating these suckers is certainly *A* limiting factor, it can't be THE limiting factor until they stop chopping 'em into little pieces. :(
 
It seems like there's an F-14 at every aircraft museum I've been too lately. Seattle Museum of Flight, Tillamook, Pax River, Sun 'N Fun. Even a small one like South Jersey. I hate to see them torn up but at least we'll always be able to look at 'em. As far as flying goes, who could afford to pay the gas for one of those monsters!
 
JohnR said:
That is a sobering thought. The most recent warbirds I can think of are the L-39s out there, and those aren't particularly new, and aren't really combat aircraft. The expense of operating a late 20th century combat aircraft is probably the limiting factor.
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L-39's are trainers. It's the same idea as the T-38 or the Navy's T-45 (advanced jet trainer), but not as powerful.
 
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