On 4 Jul 2004 18:40:06 -0700, (Chris Range)
wrote:

I have an utterly stupid question. What is the difference between
these two fighters? From a distance, they look exactly the same.

That's easy. The F-15 is a good-looking airplane and the F-14 isn't.

OK, that's not going to help you. Let's see:

The F-15 has a pointier nose than the F-14 does.
The F-15 has a longer, thinner forebody.
The F-15 wing is pretty much all in front of the verticals.
The F-14 wing sweeps and looks thicker at the root.
The F-14 fuselage is fatter.
The F-14 inlets aren't as exposed.
The F-15 engines are right next to each other on the centerline.
The F-14 engines are a lot further apart.
The F-14 aft fuselage is wider.
The F-14 canopy is slanted at the sill and it's more bubble-like
The F-15 canopy is level and more teardrop-like. It can be a lot
shorter for the single-seat versions (A and C models).
The F-15 wing has a lot more area.

But they do look a lot alike at a glance until you glance at a lot of
them. The F-14 looks huskier, as least to me.

Mary

--
Mary Shafer Retired aerospace research engineer