Why did McDonnell Douglas/Boeing jump from the F5 Phantom to the F14. Why the gap?

Answer 1

F (fighter) designations were used by USAF since change from P (pursuit).
First they kept the numbers (for Mustang the change was from P-51 to F-51).

Later was another change, when they coordinated the USN and USAF designations. Then they started from number 1 again and many aircraft had their designations changed - including Phantom from F-110 to F-4.

The complete list is as follows:

North American F-1 (U.S. Navy FJ)
McDonnell F-2 (U.S. Navy F2H)
McDonnell F-3 (U.S. Navy F3H)
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
Northrop F-5
Douglas F-6 Skyray (U.S. Navy F4D)
Convair YF-7A Cutlass (U.S. Navy YF2Y-1)
LTV F-8 Crusader (U.S. Navy F8U)
Grumman F-9 Cougar (U.S. Navy F9F)
Douglas F-10 Skynight (U.S. Navy F3D)
Grumman F-11 Tiger (U.S. Navy F11F)
Lockheed YF-12
F-13 (not assigned - from obvious reasons)
Grumman F-14 Tomcat

Answer 2

More than likely it is because several prototypes (y is always used for prototypes) like YF-6 through YF-13 numbers may have been used for designs that were never produced by other manufacturers. Some never left the drawing board.

Example:The YF22 became the F22 but the YF23 built by Northrup lost out in the competition. These numbers are there for the use of the military. To avoid confusion YF23 would not be used again. Another is the YF-20 Tiger shark. Nobody wanted it.

Answer 3

I think the designation is US Air Force for their fighters not McDonnell Douglas. See Northrop/Grumman et al.

Answer 4

Originally the us air force used the designation P for its fighter planes which stood for pursuit i.e. p51 mustang, this was changed after worls war two to F for fighter, the designation is not restricted to one manufacturer i.e. Mc donnell Douglas, and the phantom was designated the F4 not the F5

i.e. F102 Delta Dagger = convair
The F5 is the Northop export fighter that was used in the film Top Gun to simulate Migs from the former red air force

Answer 5

it all boils down to politics.