I got and it is sweet, I didn't use the standard decal setup ether. I however have some major questions that need to be answered.

1)I really would love to have a Night Boomer, I see there two versions. If the most resent one is the same as the original I don't mind getting the newer one. Question is are they the same?

2)What is the difference between the F-14 A and the XP-14F and why did GI Joe feel the need to make those changes?

*Personally I feel the changes are unwarranted, the XP-14F carries less of every missile than the F-14A can carry, it has one less 250-500 gal fuel tank, the Six shooter has been moved, the long range video sensor is gone.

*I heard it may carry a Laser cannon instead of the six shooter so that would make up for loss of missiles of it is true. I also heard that they can fly in space... Now to make a F-14A fly in space the conversion process would already be half done because the airframe of a new F-14A is durable and safe enough that it can be put through 12 Gs. It was also considered for uses as a trans-atmospheric craft.

3)What is the difference between the ASF-14 Super Strike 21 and the XP-21F?

*Same question as before but I will point out the Iran F-14 T and X now have helmet mounted targeting systems like the XP-21F so would GI Joe really need a whole new Interceptor Air Superiority fighter just for the use of that type of targeting system?


4) Is ACE really strictly a Air force pilot? I ask this because the Sky strikers have been depicted as still being Naval aircraft. Thought we have programs for pilots to get training in other branches and different countries all together, after years of flying from carries and air force bases with both groups Jets would he still really count as a Air Force pilot?

5)What is Joes and Cobras mainline Fighter? I have a hard time finding what it is with Cobra because I have seen the Night Raven used like a Fighter which seems funny because that would mean it is a Intelligence/Fighter/Bomber/Interceptor.

6): Is it ever explained how G.I. Joe or Cobra end up using the same aircraft with minor modifications? Did Cobra ever once question how and why GI Jore was using Night Ravens/ Sky Ravens? Did GI Joes question how and why Cobra was using their reversed winged fighters.

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1) Not sure, I own neither, but prices being what they are, it seems like they're about the same price.

2) The A would be the standard F-14 used by the Navy. G.I.*JOE, being a special operations unit, might have an F-14 more suited to their needs, or like the way SEAL 6 gets all the cool new toys to try out before being integrated into the rest of the military, this might be the case.
As far as being space worthy, I don't know how the fuselage would hold up, but retro rockets would have to be added to wing tips, vertical stabelizers, the nose, etc since rudders, alerons, flaps, and other control services would be ineffective in the vacuum of space.

3) Not sure

4) Ace started his military career in the Air Force and was then selected for the Joe. He's still Air Force despite flying what is typically a Navy aircraft. At the time, the F-14 was the best fighter available, so the Joes got their version, that's what Ace and the other Joes were trained to fly.

5) I'd say the two primary fighters are the Sky Strikers and Conquests, Cobra has the Rattled and Night Raven. The Joe planes make sense, but the Cobra's planes real world counterparts are a slow moving tank destroyer and ground support aircraft, the other a Recondo plane that flies just below space at over three times the speed of sound. Not a practical fighter per se, but it does have missiles and guns. Perhaps it has better control surfaces and a low speed flight capability to make it effective as a fighter.

6) There are a few other cross over vehicles, but it can be assumed that the aircraft were captured. I'd guess there's only one Sky Raven as Sky Patrol is just a small sub team. The Python Conquests are repainted with the Python coating and may have had modifications made to accommodate Cobra's needs.

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As always I find it fun to take liberties with specific elements.

On my Joe team not everyone flys like in the cartoon. Those operatives that are dedicated pilots are sepparated by fixed wing and rotary wing. Fixed wing pilots are required to attain a level of proficent in all aspects of piloting the four main aircraft used by the joe team. Each pilot is trained in mid air refueling, carrier take off and landing, Longe range flight, High altitude piloting and below radar flight) Certain pilots are better than others in each of these areas for example Sky Striker is an expert close air support pilot while ghostrider is an expert stealth pilot.

Fixed Wing Airframes:
Air Craft 1: "Sky Striker" XF-14 (Long Range JSF (Single Seat)/lite bomber(Single Seat) /recon craft (two seat))
Notes: Approx. 16 in use, 6 with US East Wing, 6 with US West Wing and 4 on the USS Flagg. Multiple uses, looking to be phased out for the XF-120 Thunderwing in the near future.
Positions:
- Pilot (dual jets)
- Pilot/Munitions officer (Bomber varient single seat only)
- RIO (Recon varient back seater)

Aircraft 2: "Conquest" XF-30 (JSF - Mid Range, air to air combat fighter)
Note: Approx. 30 in use split in 3 squads of 10 (US East Wing, US West Wing and USS Flagg)
Position:
- Pilot/Munitions Officer (Dual Jets)

Aircraft 3: "Thunderbolt/TIger Bolt" XA-10 (Close Air Support/ Mid-Range Bomber - Two Seats)
Note: Approx. 12 in use (4 each with US East Wing, US West Wing and USS Flagg)
- Pilot (triple jets, VSTOL/VTOL)
- Muntions Officer

Aircraft 4: "Sky Sweeper" XFR - 117 (Longe Range Recon Craft, Single Seat)
Note: Approx. 3 in use (1 each US East Wing, US West Wing and USS Flagg)
- Pilot (Longe Range dual jets) / Intelligence Officer (Special Electronics)

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What I don't get though is why Joe would choose to use a modified F-14 that uses less missiles, carries less fuel, and has lost a lot of its observation awareness and observance equipment. If it can be confirmed that the XP-14F, Night Boomer, and XP-21 are armed with a Laser cannon than I feel it greatly makes up for the loss in ordnance.

*As for space travel with any newly built version of the F-14, I agree that its ability to propel and guide itself would change for space flight. More than likely using some type of Scram Jet or Nuclear turbo fans. I just know engineers where making models (computer) designed for space flight because the body itself is very very sturdy and the geometric wing design is looked on as great for trans-atmospheric flight. I know of F-14s that have made maneuvers that put it through 12 positive gs. I wouldn't try it with worn craft though.




The funny thing about the Night Raven is that the bird it is based off, most likely, had a prototype predecessor that was made for Interception missions. It carried the AIM-47 Falcon BVR missiles. These missiles were the predecessor of the AIM-54 A,C, ECCM Phoenix that the F-14 A used and then theirs the Sea Phoenix.

7)New question. Are their any Naval Aviator Joes excluding Steel Brigade?

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As far as the limited ordinance, I think that has more to do with the limited space on the toy, than what the actual plane would have to offer. As far as being on with a laser, you'll notice that the gun port on the sky Striker is located on top of the nose in front of the cockpit instead of on the bottom of the nose like an F-14. It is located on the bottom of the nose on the F-14 to accommodate the actual size of the Vulcanmachine gun.

In the episode "The Wrong Stuff," the Sky Strikers are shown having an additional booster added to the rear their fuselage.

The Night Raven like plane you're talking about is the YA-12 Intercepor. Similar looking to the SR-71, but it was armed. However it was not a fighter that could engage in traditional dog fights between planes. It lacked the maneuverability. It was designed to take out the MiG-25, a fighter designed to take out the SR-71. It would not engage in a dogfight but it would track the target at several hundred miles out and be able to launch a missile that would take out the enemy aircraft before they had to engage.

According to halfbattle.com, Keel-Haul is the only true naval aviator, however some of the other pilots might be Navy but it just doesn't say that in their file card. You might be able to call Deep Six and Torpedo Navy pilots as the SHARC is an aircraft of sorts. Shipwreck got a lot of time behind the stick on the cartoon.

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Didnt the orignal production of these jets come with blue prints showing what weapons they have?

Yeah the YA-12 was an Interceptor most Interceptors are fast have mid range misslies but are not great at turning and I am sure the YA-12 was no diffrent. The only long range Interceptor I know of that breakes this mold is the F-14.

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The F-15 was also designed with the interception role in mind. That's why it has a powerful air to air radar, twin engines, etc. But the F-15 was a response to the Mig 25, which in turn was the Soviet response to the XB-70 Valkyrie Bomber. The XB-70 was a Mach 3 penetration bomber, but was made obsolete by the rapid improvement in radars, anti-aircraft missiles, and ballistic missiles which could hit the same targets as the XB-70 much easier.
The Night Raven is based on the M-21 variant of the A-12 which carried the D-21 reconnaissance drone. It was always cool how Hasbro integrated real-world stuff into GI Joe.

I considered all Joe vehicles to be experimental. Cobra could get away with doing anything they wanted.

In the VvV line, the Joes were introduced to the Thunderwing, a plane similar to the F-22 and F-35; the 22 in that it has two engines and the angular design, the 35 in that it has (as shown in the VvV movie) VTOL capabilities (like the Marine Corps version) and external weapons stations. It's a logical move to to these plane as they were designed to replace just about every fighter/attack aircraft in the inventory of the USAF, Navy and Marines.

The Skystriker, Conquest and Thunderwing seem to be the primary fighters for the Joes.
They had the Ghost Striker X-16, based on the F-16, that just didn't get a whole lot of attention (I forgot it even existed until a friend sent me one in a lot a bought from him) but would be able to hold its own,
the Phantom X-19 which wouldn't be a good front line fighter more of a recon/bomber aircraft due to it's stealth capabilities,
The Mudfighter, despite its odd design might make for a good close in ground support aircraft, similar to the A-1 Sky Raider of the Viet Nam era,
The Sky Sweeper, though based on the real world F-117, seems less like a fighter or attack aircraft and more like a plane that might be used to get an operative behind enemy lines in a sneaky way with the little personnel pod.
The Storm Eagle is based on the YF-22 and really it could be something awesome, but the toy was based around a gimmick, so I have a hard time including it in a list of Joe's front line fighter aircraft
The SHARC is neat idea, while not very realistic (despite what you saw in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, a P-40 Warhawk would not survive under water) a submarine that has the ability to fly.
The BF2K Vector Jet is a really cool. The big gun turret on the back kinda takes away from it, but otherwise it works for me.

There are a few other planes in the Joe inventory, I just feel they're too ridiculous to mention

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The Conquest was based on the Grumman X-29 technology demonstrator
The X-19 was based on early concept pictures (and descriptions in Tom Clancy's Red Storm Rising) of what was dubbed the F-19, but later was revealed as the F-117 Stealth Fighter. Monogram had a good model.

What I thought was funny was how both the model and the X 19 had that pear shape to them, yet the actual F-117 all angular and had that pyramid shape to it.

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That was because the original design of the F-117 was developed in the '70s and the math (based on a Soviet scientist's work!) showed that a diamond/angular shape would be best for deflecting radar waves. When word of the plane leaked in the '80s, more refined math, better computers and better fabrication materials suggested and allowed the "pear" or rounded shape. Which is why the concept had that rounded look. You'll notice later generation stealth fighters like the B-2, and YF-23, F-22 etc. have a more rounded shape too.

The F-117 was based on the Have Blue design which started in the early 70s. Later planes were developed based on the results from the Tacit Blue program which started in the late 70s early 80s. The wrongness of the concept just shows how successful we were at keeping secrets back then. Although potential nuclear annihilation does tend to sharpen one's focus.

Yeah the thunderwing looks like a hybrid of the F-22 and F-35.




Yeah... Its trickery to figure out cobras air superiority fighter though. At this point it looks like they use the night raven... Although thinking back I swear cobra had a big blue and gray VTOL.



I think its based on the Northrop Grumman YF-23. I think it was better than the current 5th gens we have now. We will never know but I have a feeling it would not have suffered most the problems they have had.



Sounds like the U.S. new NAVY Mantaray flying sub from Rifts.


Well I found the blue prints for the XP-14F. It raises more questions than it answers.

http://www.yojoe.com/vehicles/83/skystriker/

Apparently the thing that looks like a cannon is a Vulcan.

Stranger is the fact that the thing I thought was a fuel tank is a Vulcan Cannon Pod. Granted that means it will carry a heck of a lot more shells, but why put the gun near the back of the fighter. At the same time I find it more except able that it is a gun pod because if it were a fuel tank even more of the internals would have to be changed to make room for a different fuel deliver setup, the pancake might have to be altered as well.

So I guess the question is since it is vague what the Vulcan shoots on the port could we say it is a rotary laser cannon? so feliz navidad.

The only thing I still find unacceptable is the removal of the AN/AXX 1 TCS. Its a very lethal tool in a bvr engagement. What most do not know is it is a great tool for detecting stealth craft. Sure on the scope the craft may not look like a plane but looking at the tv screen you'll see its a stealth fighter coming into the area. Why would G.I Joe remove it

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Most modern American fighters have rotary cannons as their gun. Usually 20mm like the M61 Vulcan and its variants. The gun pod under the Skystriker might be an homage to the F4 external gun pod SUU-16 or SUU-23. Early F4s didn't have an internal gun, so they had gun pods as a stop gap until they developed an internal one. Other times they used them for ground attack. A few years ago the proposed an F-16 with a GAU-8/13 30mm gun pod to replace the A-10.

I just don't like the idea that the gun pod sits behind all the missiles. I would worry about destroying my own missiles.

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