I remember seeing this plane on the ramp at NAS Oceana when I as a controller there in the 90's. I thought it was the coolest looking plane ever. There will never be another one like it, especially in these sad, politically correct times.....

 

Wow what a paint job.

 

It's got ears!

 

Yeah, they should've made a few movies with them doing some REAL battles. All I can think of are TopGun and Final Countdown.

 

Final Countdown was a good movie. What timeframe was that, around 1980?

 

Yeah, 1980. I loved that movie when I was a kid. It use to on tv a lot, but then faded away.

 

What kind of a jet is that?

 

F14 Tomcat

 

Sadly retired now.... in the boneyard

 

Sadly, this will be a view of the Fighter squadrons of the near future if politicans continue to tell our warriors how to fight.
Soon ALL piloted fighter aircraft will join the Tomcat.

 

Yep really sad, best EDIT Naval Plane in modern times, seen a couple up close and loved 'em. I have a cuple models of the F-14 but they have the jolly rogers insigna on the rudders.

 

Back when I was in, the Jolly Rogers were VF-84. They were at NAS Oceana as well. On my breaks, I used to go out to the end of the runway and sit right at the sideline, watching them do touch and go's. It was sooooooooo loud when they would go to full military power after hitting the deck. Used to love that. Truck shaking and all...

 

I know what you mean I was a kid when we lived at NAS Lamore (spl) the 125th came callin the first Hornet squadren there. They did a lot of the touch and goes. Got to see them fly by the tower when they first came, Tower chief was not happy.. Really good show theo. I got to go up n an A-4 Skyhawk trainer once, coolest thing ever........

 

I worked the catapults on the USS Abe Lincoln ( CVN-72) and the Tomcats were my favorite birds to launch off the cat. They were safer than most to be under and the afterburners were HUGE !!! I guess they had to be since that particular plane weighs 70,000lbs+...

(See avatar)

 

F-4 Phantom is my second favorite bird. LOVED watching them fly. Didn't get much airtime while I was in though. Most of them were retired or in the process when I came in.