"Jim Carriere" wrote in message
...
Greasy Rider @ invalid.com wrote:
On Sat, 18 Nov 2006 20:31:53 GMT, "DDAY"
postulated :

What I'm trying to explore is why that is. Why was this technology
really
popular for a couple of decades and then phased out? I don't think you
can
say that better airfoil or wing technology replaced it. It's just that
requirements changed and the swing-wing was a solution that no longer
fit
the existing problem set. But I'm willing to be proven wrong.

The swing wing was a maintenance nightmare.

Also flaps and slats were improved to be similarly effective at reducing
approach speeds.

Not exactly true. The F-14 had the lower approach speed by about 10 knots.
The major advantage to the swing wing is that it allows a design to have
good loiter and range characteristics plus excellent high speed capability.
Neither the Bug nor the Rhino can match the Turkey in these performance
parameters.

While high speed is apparently no longer a major design consideration,
loiter and range remain desirable. The Navy, when it hung its future on the
F-18, adapted to the aircraft's limitations in these areas by reducing or
eliminating deck cycles/times and learning to live with its performance
shortcomings.

R / John