'Top Gun' jets return from final combat

Seattle Post-Intelligencer ^ | March 10, 2006 | SONJA BARISIC

[neverdem]

ASSOCIATED PRESS

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- There will be no more dogfights for the Tomcat. The last two squadrons of the sleek, Cold War fighter jet returned home from their final deployment Friday, two decades after the warplanes were glamorized in the 1986 Tom Cruise movie "Top Gun."

All 22 Tomcats of fighter squadrons VF-213 and VF-31 arrived in style, flying together in a wedge formation over Oceana Naval Air Station as hundreds of sailors and their family and friends cheered. Some wore T-shirts reading "Tomcats Forever" and a banner proclaimed, "Last Fly-In, Baby!"

"We're putting the premier fighter to sleep," said pilot Lt. Jon Jeck, 32, as he held his 3-year-old son Collin. "It's a staple of Americana."

The Navy plans to replace the F-14, a two-seat fighter with moveable swept-back wings, with the F/A-18 Super Hornets.

The F-14 entered service in the early 1970s to defend aircraft carriers from Soviet bombers carrying long-range cruise missiles.

"If you want to think about airplanes that have defined the air age, this would have to be on the short list," military analyst John Pike said.

After the Cold War, the Navy became less concerned about defending carrier groups and transformed the F-14 into a bomb-dropping fighter jet, said Pike, director of GlobalSecurity.org, an Alexandria research center on security issues.

"But it was not designed as a bomb hauler," Pike said. "They would rather have a new plane ... than try to teach an old cat new tricks."

The F-14 squadrons that returned Friday were from the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, which has been on a six-month deployment for the Iraq war. The Roosevelt was to return Saturday to nearby Norfolk Naval Station.

On the Net:

F-14 information: http://www.anft.net/f-14

Oceana Naval Air Station: http://www.nasoceana.navy.mil/

[neverdem]

In this handout photo released by the U.S. Navy, Friday, March 10, 2006, an F-14D Tomcat assigned to the "Tomcatters" of Fighter Squadron Three One (VF-31) taxis into launch position on the flight deck aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) in the Atlantic Ocean.The last two squadrons of the sleek, Cold War fighter jet returned home from their final deployment Friday, two decades after the warplanes were glamorized in the 1986 Tom Cruise movie "Top Gun." The Navy plans to replace the F-14, a two-seat fighter with moveable swept-back wings, with the F/A-18 Super Hornets. (AP Photo/U.S. Navy, Michael Cole)

[Cecily]

[CIDKauf]

Jet Noise..."The sound of Freedom"!!!!!

[de Buillion]

"Jet Noise..."The sound of Freedom"!!!!! "

Just think- there's entire generations out there that have never heard a sonic boom!

[CIDKauf]

Colorado Springs (where the pilots are)... they scream 18s up and down the front range at Air Force Football ... a friend of mine that is a Captain at Cheyene Mountain Air Station wears a t-shirt "Jet Noise...the sound of freedom" on top of an F-15 Eagle...

[USNBandit]

Just think- there's entire generations out there that have never heard a sonic boom!

And with Super Hornets replacing Tomcats there are future generations that won't hear a sonic boom.:)

[A.A. Cunningham]

They're not through yet. VF-31 will keep flying the F-14 until September and they've got one more cruise to take to the UK in April.

"But it was not designed as a bomb hauler," Pike said. "They would rather have a new plane ... than try to teach an old cat new tricks."

John Pike ain't the sharpest knife in the drawer. Tomcats were designed to haul iron from the beginning.

F-14A prototype with 14 Mk 82 500lb bombs. The aircraft is most likely number 4, 5 or 6 (BuNos:-157983, 157984 or 157985).
Image Courtesy of Mike Kern

060310-N-4287G-008 Virginia Beach, Va. (March 10, 2006) – F-14D Tomcats from Fighter Squadron Two One Three (VF-213) and VF-31 conduct a flyover of Naval Air Station Oceana airfield. VF-213 and VF-31 are completing their final deployment flying the F-14 Tomcat. For the past 30 years, the F-14 Tomcat has assured U.S. air superiority, playing a key role in ensuring victory and preserving peace around the world. The F-14 Tomcat will be removed from service and officially stricken from the inventory in September of 2006. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd class Christopher J. Garcia (RELEASED)

060310-N-6410T-001 Atlantic Ocean (March 10, 2006) – F-14D Tomcats are staged in launch position for their departure from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) to their home port of Naval Air Station Oceana. VF-213 and VF-31 are completing their final deployment flying the F-14 Tomcat. For the past 30 years, the F-14 Tomcat has assured U.S. air superiority, playing a key role in ensuring victory and preserving peace around the world. The F-14 Tomcat will be removed from service and officially stricken from the inventory in September of 2006. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Chris Thamann (RELEASED)

[CIDKauf]

or F-22A Raptor
http://www.f22-raptor.com/#

[darbymcgill]

there are future generations that won't hear a sonic boom.:)

Ah yes... sonic booms. When I cas a kid we lived on Laughlin in S. Texas... we got to here them almost daily... It was awesome... Some people don't know what they're missing...

[darbymcgill]

ooopss.. here = hear

[A.A. Cunningham]

Cruise gives thumbs up that the number of phone books that have been placed on the seat is just right.

[Cecily]

Now, now, don't be disrespecting "Maverick." :)

[JanetteS]

I grew up between MacDill AFB and Kennedy Space Center. I miss the sonic booms of the jets and the shuttles.

[sully777]

Our local Air National Guard have been known to thunder. I know the USA is ramping up for war when there are more squadrons in the air and they sometimes are in a hurry.

9-11 onward, all air traffic was silent except the F-16s booming like bats out of hell. I tell you that sound made me realize we were going to bringing it on their heads.

[de Buillion]

"I grew up between MacDill AFB and Kennedy Space Center. I miss the sonic booms of the jets and the shuttles. "

I was remembering the sonic booms from the B-58 Hustlers. That aircraft didn't last very long. Now that I think about, that was exactly concurrent with the Ford Edsal...

[enigma825]

I guess carrier air groups don't care that their defensive perimeter has shrunk by 50% by retiring the only airframe that carried the longest range air-to air missile in any country's arsenal.

[JanetteS]

LOL! I guess both of us are showing our age.

I haven't heard the sonic boom from a jet since 9/11 and just after when all civilian traffic was grounded. The booms made me feel safe then just like they did when I was a kid.

As for the shuttle boom...well let's just say I really miss that. Being from the area I was bred to be a "shuttle hugger".

I have had the pleasure of seeing a B-58 Hustler. MacDill AFB puts on a great air show every year.

[cva66snipe]

I guess carrier air groups don't care that their defensive perimeter has shrunk by 50% by retiring the only airframe that carried the longest range air-to air missile in any country's arsenal.

Oh they care but this wasn't a decision that was made by the Navy or even the JCOS. Ending the F-14 program was an all time blunder of blunders in defense cuts. Rather than design a new airframe the money should had gone into on-board systems upgrades. The airframe was about as close to perfect as you can get for the job and get the results in performance it gave.

[A.A. Cunningham]

060310-N-6410T-016 Atlantic Ocean (March 10, 2006) – Lt. Ken Hockycko and Lt. Roy Emanuel, F-14D Tomcat pilots assigned to the "Black Lions" of Fighter Squadron Two One Three (VF-213), launch from the flight deck of USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) in aircraft number 201. This marks the final launch of F-14 on deployment. VF-213 and VF-31 are completing their final deployment flying the F-14 Tomcat. For the past 30 years, the F-14 Tomcat has assured U.S. air superiority, playing a key role in ensuring victory and preserving peace around the world. The F-14 Tomcat will be removed from service and officially stricken from the inventory in September of 2006. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Chris Thamann (RELEASED)

060310-N-6410T-019 Atlantic Ocean (March 10, 2006) – F-14D Tomcats from the "Tomcatters" of Fighter Squadron Three One (VF-31) and the "Blacklions" of VF-213 perform a fly-by in formation over USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) after departing for their home port of Naval Air Station Oceana. VF-213 and VF-31 are completing their final deployment flying the F-14 Tomcat. For the past 30 years, the F-14 Tomcat has assured U.S. air superiority, playing a key role in ensuring victory and preserving peace around the world. The F-14 Tomcat will be removed from service and officially stricken from the inventory in September of 2006. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Chris Thamann (RELEASED)

[Icelander]