#Turkey Feathers

[fatchance]

Plumas brillantes.

Iridescent plumage on Gould’s turkeys / guajolote norteño (Meleagris gallopavo mexicana) at Santa Rita Lodge. In Madera Canyon, Santa Cruz County, Arizona.

[thatsrightice]

F-14 Tomcat Variants

A beginner’s guide to identifying and differentiating the different F-14 Tomcat variants using three distinctive, easy-to-spot features: Glove Vanes, Engine Exhaust Nozzle (aka “Turkey Feathers”), and Sensor Pods.

F-14A

NUMBER BUILT: 637 total

INTRODUCED: 22 September 1974

The F-14A’s were the first Tomcats ever produced. The TF30 engines were initially an interim engine used during testing but it was later decided they would be used in full production of the F-14A. A total of 478 F-14As were delivered to the US Navy and 79 were delivered to Iran with the TF30-P-412A engine. Iran was supposed to receive 80 aircraft but the last one was given to the US Navy. Later in production, the final 102 F-14A’s were delivered to the US Navy with Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-414A engine.

IDENTIFYING FEATURES:

✅ GLOVE VANES

The A-variant is the only variant of the Tomcat to have Glove Vanes. They were designed to automatically deploy when the aircraft was flying at speeds greater than Mach 1.4 and retract when below in order to correct the tendency for the Tomcat’s nose to pitch downwards at high speeds. They were notoriously difficult to maintain and the benefit was marginal at the speed they were designed for, so the glove vanes were disconnected entirely and welted shut. The glove vanes were not featured on new F-14 Tomcats, but the outline of the glove vane makes it easy to identify an F-14A or an F-14B/F-14D that was a rebuilt F-14A.

✅ SMALL NOZZLE EXHAUST FEATHERS

When compared to the F110 engines, it becomes pretty easy to tell the difference. When you look at the TF30 engine nozzle, you’ll see a lot of small metal plates, “Turkey Feathers,” that expand and contract when the nozzle opens and closes. It’ll be easier to tell the difference once you take a look at the General Electric F110 engine used on later F-14 Tomcat variants. This is the BEST way to identify an F-14A.

✅ SINGLE SENSOR POD BELOW CHIN

I recommend using the TF30 engine as the best way to identify an A-variant Tomcat as they are the only variant with those engines, however, I am choosing to include a section on the sensor pods for your reference as it is important for identifying the B and D-variants. The F-14A features a single sensor pod located below its chin but can come in a variety of configurations.

F-14A+ aka F-14B

NUMBER BUILT: 81 Aircraft (38 new builds, 43 upgraded F-14As)

UPGRADES BEGAN: March 1987

Initially designated the F-14A+, the upgrade is primarily characterized by the replacement of the Pratt & Whitney TF-30 engine with the General Electric F110-GE-400 engine due to being notoriously problematic. Many of the avionic systems and radars were retained, but the ALR-67 Radar Homing and Warning system was added. The A+was redesignated to the F-14B on 1 May 1891.

In the late 1990’s, the F-14Bs were upgraded again to extend its airframe life and upgrade the avionics system, but it was not given a variant designation due to the lack of major changes.

MAIN VARIANT FEATURES:

F110-GE-400 engines

ALR-67 Radar Homing and Warning system

IDENTIFYING FEATURES:

❌ NO GLOVE VANES

As stated in the section for the A-variant, the glove vanes were welded shut and completely disconnected on all existing Tomcats. On new builds, they weren’t even included in the design, however, if the aircraft is an upgraded F-14A, you might see the glove vane outline. This would be a way you can identify which aircraft were originally F-14As (Rebuild) and which were completely new builds.

✅ LARGE EXHAUST NOZZLE FEATHERS

Because most of the F-14B models were upgraded F-14As, it’s a little tricky to tell the difference sometimes. The easiest way is the F110 engine nozzle’s large turkey feathers. In comparison, the turkey feathers on the F110 engine are significantly larger and fewer in number, making it easily identifiable.

✅ SINGLE SENSOR POD BELOW CHIN

If you see a Tomcat with guide vanes and the F110 engine, then you can infer that it isn’t an F-14A. But to tell the difference between an F-14B and an F-14D, you’ll need to examine the sensors located below the chin.

Similar to the A-variant, the F-14B only has a single sensor pod located below its nose. The B model only had one true configuration with the Tactical Camera System (TCS), however, it may have an Aerodynamic Cover. This image from M.A.T.S. best shows the only possible sensor pod configurations for the F-14 A and B. The bottom two diagrams represent the B-variant.

F-14D Super Tomcat

NUMBER BUILT: 55 aircraft (37 new, 18 upgraded F-14As)

UPGRADES BEGAN: 1991

The F-14D, much like the F-14B, featured many avionics upgrades, including a new AN/APG-71 radar radar to replace the AWG-9 used in the A and B-variants and digital avionics systems. The D-variant, also called the Super Tomcat, featured the same F110-GE-400 engine used on the B-variant. There were many other upgrades to the F-14 Tomcat’s systems in this variant.

MAIN VARIANT FEATURES:

F110-GE-400 engine

AN/APG-71 radar

Glass cockpit

IDENTIFYING FEATURES:

❌ NO GLOVE VANES

As stated in the section for the A-variant and the B-variant, the glove vanes were welded shut and completely disconnected on all existing Tomcats. On new builds, however, they weren’t even included in the design. The rebuilds, however, might have the glove vanes if they were not removed during the rebuild process. F-14Ds upgraded from F-14As may also be designated F-14D(R)s, where R stands for rebuild.

✅ LARGE NOZZLE EHAUST FEATHERS

Many of the F-14Ds were rebuilt F-14As, so it’s a little tricky to tell the difference sometimes. The easiest way, similar to the F-14B, is the F110 engine nozzle’s large turkey feathers. In comparison to the TF30 engine, the turkey feathers are significantly larger and fewer in number.

✅ TWO SENSOR PODS BELOW CHIN

The main differentiating feature between the F-14B and D variants is the sensor pods located below the chin of the aircraft. This variant features two sensor pods as opposed to the one sensor pod of previous variants. This allows the aircraft to have both the Infra-Red Seeker pod and the Tactical Camera System (TCS). The F-14D is the only variant to have both, making it the easiest way to distinguish it from other variants.

[kyleecarrigan]

Went to go get turkey feathers, and came across a fisher (roadkill, i wasnt the one who hit it). Skull feels intact. So into the fenced area to decay.

Honestly pretty excited about it.

[catherine-white]

I have been collecting turkey feathers for a friend and I had to make an image with them before I handed them over.

[kedreeva]

I'm so sorry, I'm absolutely losing it. I went to my neighbor's today to find out what I would need to do to care for their puppy this weekend, and This Fucking Thing appeared ajgldfkjhfg she is a turkey hen. you know, the birds who quite famously look like this

with no feathers on their heads, or very little, mostly along the spine/top of the head... and this gal just rocks up with not only a LITTLE bit of feathering, but almost completely covered. Even her WATTLE had feathers.

I'mc rying

i said, what the hell is going on here? and they were like

her name's Fluffy

[empanadont]

Show me I mean nothing to you

Screaming. I actually dropped everything when the finale dropped?? Actually peak dialogue and worldbuilding from this series. No actually.

More people should watch this gem.

??? I actually cannot. This is peak.

[magiciian]

It’s Tickle turkey time !

comes out on Thursdays.

Trotting around the city to find the perfect lee.

Will travel high thighs and low soles !

Waddling ways

OH NO! some of my nylon ripped

Hope the tickle turkey doesn’t cave in…

Maybe they’ll slowly trot up my thigh and high in the hole for the night….

For now, they’ll just keep their eyes out for their next victim for next time.

Cashapp if you’re feeling generous !

[orofeaiel]

Turkey Vulture

[cutiepieautistic]

Turkey vulture stimboard

×/×/× ×/× ×/×/×

[overdramaticemotions]

Pen doodles r so fun, not even gonna lie abt that

(I can’t do see through objects 😔)

(not yet at least)

[critter-catcher]

Found some feathers and thought I'd share!

First up a wild turkey!

Next up is a barred owl!

A red shouldered hawk!

Next is a bit iffy but it's most likely a broad winged hawk

And lastly a great horned owl!

Hope y'all enjoyed this little post about feathers, and some of the birds we've spotted!

As always, after taking pictures make sure to put the feathers back where you found them in accordance of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act!

[artwithsydney]

Female versions of kirk drawn with huge boobs and cleavage and ass cheeks and hourglass figure like yess you get it. You get that hes normally the male version of that.

[rebeccathenaturalist]

Over the long weekend, I taught a couple of my field classes. Sunday was the field portion of the two-day Nature Identification for the Amateur Naturalist class (the next session of which will be the first weekend in July, if you're interested.) Among the many other nifty flora, fauna, and fungi we observed, we also found some great feathers!

The first is from a Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperii) (likely juvenile secondary, according to the USFW Feather Atlas.) We actually got to see the bird that shed it, as a pair were courting far up in the trees above us--really cool to watch!

The second one is a turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) primary that some other park visitor had left tucked into the tree just so. And the third is a primary from some flavor of dove (Columbidae spp.)

It was a great opportunity to talk about how even though we may not observe an animal directly, we can still often find signs that they were there--feathers and fur, prints, scat, claw or antler marks on trees, etc. There is a lot of storytelling in nature interpretation, and these little clues are a great way to spark a tale of curiosity.

(Just as a reminder, it is against federal law in the US--the Migratory Bird Treaty Act--to possess the feathers of almost any wild bird. There's no way to distinguish a feather naturally molted, and one that was taken from a poached bird, so the law errs on the side of protection.)

[textless]

Marabou stork! A very big bird which scavenges with the best of them.

Masai Mara, Kenya, July 2023

[fallenclan]

oh! oh! i know how to do edit the save files! okay so first go into the saves folder, just called "saves", and scroll until you see a folder titled "Fallen". there'll be a bunch of files in it, ignore most of them except the one called "clan_cats"- this is where the cats are held! you can do a bunch of things here but most of them aren't relevant to getting lee into the clan- do CTRL + F to do a search function (if that doesnt work youre on a different type of computer than i am and i have no clue. sorry! D:), then just type in Lee.

there you'll see Lee, he'll have a bunch of words and stuff IGNORE THAT and change a couple things for him to join the clan:

"status": "loner" to "status": "warrior" (or elder, whichever you want, just keep it in the commas). this part is near the top, just like 5 lines down

line directly below status is "backstory"- i dont actually know what his backstory would be listed as but it doesnt matter bc you're changing it to "loner1" (keep it in the commas)

scroll like ALL the way down until you see the next character section, that'll be visible by the }, } bit- then look like 5 lines above that until you see "outside": true, set that to false instead (no commas for this bit)

and that should be it! if it doesnt work or you need more clarification D: sorry D: but hopefully its fine and then WHAM. lee has joined the clan (it wont have an event blurb about him joining btw) (it thinks he's been part of the clan like forever) (but thats fine probs) !!! - 🪶

PS: 5 bird facts please >:D

oh shit it worked. well. i guess Lee is joining the clan now

[pinkfloyd-musicartnaturelove]

Vulture feathers