Why does the F-14 Tomcat change its wings in flight?
Wings forward help with low-speed lift and carrier landings. Sweeping them back reduces wave drag at high speeds. The Central Air Data Computer normally selects the sweep angle, while hydraulically powered mechanisms move the wings together. Pilots also have manual controls.
The animation is a simplified illustration of wing movement, not an internal engineering cutaway. Wing angle varies continuously; the two configurations illustrate different flight needs. Airshow footage is not a measured supersonic demonstration.
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MUSIC
‘Ascension’ by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
Music excerpt edited and mixed beneath narration.
FOOTAGE SOURCES
AirTales — F-14 Tomcat Wings Sweep Out:
VF-31 Tomcatters Last Tomcat Cruise Video, uploaded by TripleNickel:
Archive excerpts edited for this educational explanation. No affiliation with or endorsement by the source creators is implied.
REFERENCES
NASA Glenn — Supersonic Aircraft:
USAF Tactical Air Command — The Swingers, February 1973, p. 20:
Computer History Museum — Ray Holt oral history:
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