Has anyone seen or heard of a F-14 in these colours? I found this picture while surfing and I have never seen one like it ever.

Thats unusual? Was it due to go to a ground base?

I doubt it. The caption said a F-14 aboard the USS Enterprise in support of Operation Enduring Freedon in Afghanistan.

I could be wrong, seems to be one of them exotic aggressor scheme to me.

Are you sure they are not shadows? There have been some recent posts, I have noticed, where people are pointing out recent "paint schemes" on different a/c which I believe are most likely shadow due to prevailing lighting conditions or possibly condensation on the a/c's skin, which will change the color, sometimes quite significantly.

That could be what is happening in that photo and there is condensation on the windscreen....although it does look like a tan color of some sort and a grey color, the canopy rails look like a tan color to me.

I can't see them painting the Tomcats a special desert camo color for Afghanistan, and not doing it for Iraq, as Iraq has about the same terrain. Not to mention that I am sure the US isn't worried about being able to see the Tomcat from a higher altitude as there would be no enemy AC up looking down, however any AAA or SAM crews looking up would have a harder time picking a grey on grey scheme Tomcat out against a blue or overcast sky, than a desert scheme Tomcat.

My guess if it is a special desert scheme that it could be from an Aggressor Squadren just doing some landings out on the Enterprise.

I've read and seen pictures of old Tomcat A's painted in desert camo for aggressor duty as Arab Flankers. Those are the only ones that I can think of other than the Iranian Tomcat survivors. That scheme was intended for American land based use of Tomcats back in the 70's

I don't think they are shadows, I f you look at the tonal values...the tan of the tech's overalls and the tan on the aircraft and then the green helmet and the green on camo they sort of relate.

One other factor that may alter the colours is what time of day it was shot. If its a low sun time...i.e. dawn or dusk, this could have an effect.

Also if it was shot using tungsten film this may effect the finished pic too.

And I don't think its condensation either. I'm familiar with the Gulf and if its water mist collection, some of it would collect and run thanks to gravity especially on the curved fuselage sides. And there is no sign of wet runs anywhere.

Just a few thoughts...

Cheers
Peter
:-)

It could be one from an agressor squadron but I dont know. Thanks for the help fellas.

Very interesting observation. In 1986 a number of F-14 were camouflaged in experimental water based paint for RAM-86 exercise. A number of F-14s of VF-213 carried an experimental and short -lived water -based camouflge. This experiment was then further practised for Iraq and Afghanistan with better paint. F-14s delivered to the Imperial Iranian Air Force wear Desert Scheme Camouflage. Some F-14s in US Navy service were at times also painted in the experimental schemes of Keith Ferris, so were F-4s, F-15s, F-16s,F-18s, A-7s and even the A-10 .
Hope I helped in some way ... ... ... ... .

i would say that the picture was taken @ either sunrise or sunset. the white lettering in the background has a light orange tint to it. the crewman skintone is also a bit dark. and for the differant colors on the aircraft itself i would say that is due to shadows of equipment not seen in the photo.

I'm gonna agree on the sunrise/sunset. Looking at the superstructure in the background, you can see the light conditions are relatively the same orange as the aircraft indicating sunrise/sunset. The "shades" could be shadows of an aircraft next to this one, or an other things. To my knowledge, the only current desert schemes used by the USN is aggressor camo and that is by F-5As and F/A-18A/Cs. As mentioned, there was desert schemes done in the F-14s lifetime (including Iranian F-14As), but low-viz is the name of the game now as we lose this legendary aircraft. Its so sad seeing F/A-18E/Fs with the red, white, and blue stripes or the "Skull and Bone" tail emblems.

Jeff