"TOMCAT", this is the meaning of a tomcat, just now Nathan casually said this word, it's so normal, who doesn't know it in the future? F-14 Tomcat, the best carrier-based aircraft of the US Navy, there is no one, even the F-35 of later generations, in the eyes of Nathan, it is not as good as the F-14!

However, when he said it, the people present were stunned, why is this?

Because the F-14 has not yet been nicknamed!

There are two versions of the origin of the Tomcat, the two old generals who support it, both have Thomas in their names, so TOM is extracted from this English word, and at the same time, Grumman has the suffix of cat when naming its own fighters: CAT.

For example, F4F Wildcat, F8F Panda, and now F-14, the two words together, it is TOMCAT, that is, it is named Tomcat, which is simply perfect!

Another theory is that the AWG-9 radar on the F-14 fighter is extremely powerful, and when the radar starts searching, it will make a sound like a cat meowing, but this version is not widely circulated.

Now, hearing Nathan's words, everyone was stunned for a moment, and then, an officer who followed behind the old general spoke: "During the F-14 project, we always called it Thomas's cat, and now, we call it Tomcat, which is exactly what it is!" ”

Thomas's cat, "Tom's cat," means "General Thomas's cat." Now, Nathan actually called out the word tomcat directly, and his thinking is really flexible!

Chris Clark, a member of the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command, followed General Thomas to inspect the base this time, and by the way, he met this young man who was talked about by General Thomas all day long.

General Thomas was also excited: "Yes, this name is good. ”

Nathan has already reacted, it turns out that the nickname Tomcat was given by himself, and history is really a joke on himself!

However, looking at this fighter, Nathan's heart is already full of excitement, compared with the F-4 ghost, this fighter does have too much attraction, it is really a weapon for naval pilots.

"How's that, do you want to fly?" General Thomas asked with a smile on his face.

"Well, I still have to be trained, right?" Nathan asked.

"It's not difficult for a skilled pilot to fly it." General Thomas said, "If you want, you can fly it now." ”

Hearing General Thomas's words, Nathan felt incredible, wouldn't he? I didn't do anything, and I can fly directly?

"Let's go, change into a flight suit, I'll be your flight instructor." Just then, an instructor from the Gunners' squad walked out and said to Nathan, "It's easy to drive it. ”

On the first day of coming, after a few glances at the plane, you can get on the plane and fly around? Nathan was still a little puzzled at this time, you know, the plane that had just been nicknamed a tomcat by himself was indeed a two-seater, but behind it was a weapons operator, but there was no aircraft operating equipment, no operating sticks, and no rudders.

If it was in a previous life, this would definitely be against the rules, and now, looking at the instructor's gestures, Nathan was naturally unceremonious.

The first flight, it came too quickly.

By the time he changed into a flight suit, Nathan was already familiar with the instructor.

Major John Lehmann, one of the first Tomcat pilots, became an instructor in the VF124 squadron after only 40 hours of flying, instructing other veteran flyers to fly.

Yes, those who can fly this fighter now are all old birds, so it is easy for old birds to guide.

The cadets sit in front of the flight, and the instructor sits in the position of the radar operator in the back and gives verbal instruction, yes, that's it!

It is quite difficult to operate the AWG-9 radar on the Tomcat fighter, and the flight instructor can say that he does not understand the sensors, controllers and displays behind him at all, but he still has to direct the flight of the cadets, which is simply a blind man to show the way to the myopic eye.

The Tomcat fighter has never had a two-seat trainer type, so even in later generations, the change of flight is also like this, the cadets who graduated from the A-4 training unit are "one-on-one help" by the instructors, but because of the development of electronic technology in later generations, they can already be familiar with the operation on the simulator first.

The first flight was just a simple take-off and landing, after all, Nathan knew in his heart that the TF30 engine used by the current Tomcat was notoriously difficult to serve, and all kinds of superb maneuvers must be carried out after proficiency.

After climbing into the cockpit, Nathan had a familiar feeling, and the arrangement of various instruments in front of him was very similar to the F-4 fighter he had flown over.

In later generations, after the concept of glass cockpit became popular, the pilot's cockpit changed a lot, which made it difficult to change the flight. But in this era, it was almost the same as the cockpit of the USSR, flying from the MiG-15 to the MiG-31, and the instruments in front of the pilot hardly changed.

This also greatly facilitates retrofitting.

Stabilizing his mood, Nathan began to prepare for takeoff, and at this moment, Instructor Lyman, who was behind, suddenly said again.

"Don't worry, the ejection control is mine, and if necessary, I will let you eject it first."

This sentence made Nathan unhappy to hear, what kind of setting is this?

For two-seater fighters, the order of ejection is to sit first and then to the front seat, the reason is very simple, the front seat is the pilot, who can control the aircraft, if the pilot runs first, then the radar officer in the back seat does not have any ability to control the aircraft attitude at all.

However, the control is in the hands of the back seat, and this is really the first time, is it afraid that the pilot will bounce away first?

As a pilot's instinct, I definitely don't want a question from the back seat: "Do you need to eject?" ”

Nathan glanced outside, a group of people who had just welcomed Nathan actually found a vacant space and set up a covered balcony, and actually came to see him take off and land?

Is this a test for yourself? See how your flying skills are?

Nathan retracted his thoughts, although it was the first time to fly the F-14, but he was no stranger, in later life, one way to get familiar with his opponent was to play a flight simulation game! A lot of it is done just like the real thing.

"Start the engine, toggle the left panel, the first to sixth switches in the second row." Behind him, Lyman was methodically directing, and as Nathan flicked the switch, a loud roar came from the tail.