According to the Museum website:
The F-14 ‘Tomcat’ is a supersonic, twin-engine, twin tail, variable sweep wing, two- place fighter flown by the Navy as a carrier or land-based multirole fighter. It was the first of the fighters designed to incorporate air combat experience from Vietnam against Soviet Union MiG aircraft. It entered service in 1972 where it continued until replaced by the F/A-18 ‘Hornet’ in 2006.
Grumman was selected to build the Navy’s new carrier-based fighter in January 1969, with first flight of the F-14 ‘Tomcat’ prototype taking place on December 21, 1970. Initial deployment with the fleet began in October 1972. Continued development and improvements of its capabilities made it an effective deterrent to any hostile threats to U.S. Navy carrier groups for over 30 years.
As the world’s premier air defense fighter, it could simultaneously track up to 24 targets with its advanced weapons control system, while attacking six at once with Phoenix AIM-54A missiles. The ‘Tomcat’ is well known for its prominent role in “Top Gun”, the 1986 movie about naval aviators. The success of the film spurred a game show franchise and a surge in U.S. Navy Flight Training recruiting.
The museum’s Tomcat was initially assigned to VF-124, the F-14 Pacific Fleet crew training squadron. After two years as a trainer, our ‘Tomcat’ went to the fleet for the remainder of its 14 years of operational service. Assignments included the famous VF-2 ‘Bounty Hunters’, while its final squadron was the ‘Black Lions’ of VF-213, part of Carrier Air Wing Eight (CVW-8), assigned to the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71). Its final combat sortie was February 7, 2006. Following launch from the USS Roosevelt at 1600, ‘Black Lion’ AJ-210 flew to Northern Iraq for overhead protection of U.S. and Iraq forces. After its mission, our ‘Tomcat’ ‘trapped’ aboard its carrier at 2233 hours, completing a 6.5-hour mission.
Returning to the U.S. in March 2006, the F-14Ds were unloaded for the last time and retired. Our aircraft, BuNo 163897, was flown to McClellan shortly thereafter and joined the collection.
