maizenbluenc

August 2nd, 2013 at 1:44 PM ^

our carriers became more vulnerable the day they retired the Tomcat.

The 35 gets us some standoff range back, but they are having a problem with the tailhook being to close to the wheels and thus the trapwire may still be pressed down to the deck, and so the common airframe now needs to be lengthened.

Either way, who would like to fly an F-14 around on the weekend?

gbdub

August 2nd, 2013 at 2:04 PM ^

Every time I've seen a Tomcat (never in flight, sadly). I'm struck by how huge it is. Stick an F-18 next to it and the Hornet looks positively wimpy.

Now granted the threat the F-14 was designed to meet (large formations of big bombers carrying large standoff cruise missiles) has mostly become obsolete, but the old cats could still carry a massive amount of ordnance a long way very fast. Sad to see them go - we may never see another plane like it.

joeyb

August 2nd, 2013 at 12:48 PM ^

Sorry, it would bother me if this were his car. He's just not a flashy guy and this just doesn't fit his persona. So, this would just seem to mean that he is putting on an act. (FWIW, I know certain things are an act like the Ohio bit, his down-to-earth, nose-to-the-grindstone additude doesn't have to be.)

Don

August 2nd, 2013 at 1:03 PM ^

and he'd really have to squeeze himself into a Mustang. On top of that, head coaches are constantly having to entertain recruits or play host to visitors or go on the road with assistants, and doing that in a Mustang ain't happening. He drives a big SUV of some sort, like the Tahoe that Heiko said.

RedGreene

August 2nd, 2013 at 1:14 PM ^

This was in Urban's parking space.   I assume he drives this in case he comes down with another mysterious illness.

 

 

gbdub

August 2nd, 2013 at 1:30 PM ^

I doubt it would be Hoke's daily driver, but doesn't Hoke seem like the kind of guy that would own a muscle car for a toy? I mean, he makes plenty to support a guilty pleasure or two, and "cars with huge engines" strikes me as an in-character hobby.

I agree that this probably isn't Hoke's - it's an early 2000s mustang so unless he bought it during his stint as DL coach, it doesn't make sense to have it decked out in Michigan paraphernalia. And anyway that's too much gaudy flash (looks like a rich teenagers car). Maybe it's what Mattison drives when he wears those gold aviators.

But I could definitely see Hoke owning a classic era or new model Mustang. It would suit him, assuming he could fit in it.