Tagged: F-14

Aviation History / military / tribute / U.S. Navy

November 7, 2021

Grumman’s F-14 Tomcat Scrapbook

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 the skies over Vietnam. One...

Aircraft carrier / military / U.S. Navy

February 16, 2020

Grumman F-14 Tomcat History Part 2

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 three years later! If you...

Airshow / space

April 18, 2014

Buzz Aldrin at Sun N Fun 2014

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 out I had Bronchitis, which...

fighters / military / navy

January 3, 2014

Topgun in the Mid-1980s: Building on the Legacy – Part Five

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 community and provide additional information...

fighters / military / navy

December 20, 2013

Topgun in the Mid-1980s: Building on the Legacy – Part Four

(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 and decades after I left,...

fighters / military / navy

November 27, 2013

Topgun in the Mid-1980s: Building on the Legacy – Part Three

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.

air force / demo teams / fighters

April 13, 2013

Draken International

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 any mission that military aircraft...

assignments / bombers / demo teams / fighters / friends / Marines / military / museums / warbirds

July 31, 2011

A Visit to Valiant Air Command

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 and airfields in the area...