The Grumman F-14 Tomcat was the successor of the ill-fated General Dynamics F-111B aircraft carrier-based fighter. The first prototype flew on December 21, 1970, and was introduced operationally in 1974, just missing combat in...
Service The US Navy put the F-14A Tomcat into service in 1974 with VF-1 and VF-2. The F-14 took off on its maiden flight in December 1970 and was introduced to the group just...
It’s just another day here at Sun N Fun, in the nicest weather we’ve had for years. Of course to offset it I’m the sickest I’ve been in my life, can’t breathe, no sleep, turns...
PART 5: Supplemental Notes Further Reading: Donald E. Auten’s Roger Ball! The Odyssey of John Monroe “Hawk” Smith, Navy Fighter Pilot, tells the story of an influential figure in Topgun and the Navy fighter...
(Sporty F-5E joins on his flight lead seconds after takeoff from NAS Miramar.) PART 4: The Only Constant Is Change All organizations either evolve or expire, and NFWS is no exception. In the years...
PART 3: Critical Decisions and Events of the Mid-1980s. I was an F-14 RIO who joined my first Fleet fighter squadron in 1981. In 1982 I attended the Topgun class as a student (by then it was five weeks), and in 1984 I was selected to return as an instructor. The following events and decisions occurred during my time as an instructor and contributed to Topgun’s evolution and continued validity.
Draken International is a company on the rise. They provide contract air services for military use and are based at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport in Lakeland Florida. In simple terms, they can perform...
Vacations are to unwind and relax; nothing can relax me more than being in the company of great people and historic aircraft. This is why I always perform an online search for any museums...
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