Of my 41 years in the Marine corp and flying many different aircraft, the F-14 will always be number one. I was an F-18 I.P and use to tell my students that the real fighter aircraft are no longer . Col. Max Geoffroy VFMA-531 Greyghosts Retired.
Maximus Geoffroy . thank you for your service! You did what Ive dreamed of doing. Ive have had dogfights in my sleep in that tomcat. I could only imagine what it's like inside and the adrenaline rush. Im happy I can watch!
If you want to bring memories back, install DCS WORLD Simulator and you can buy many full fidelity Modules like the F-14 A/B. I fly the F-14B in DCS and i can tell, that is a beast jet. I simply love this masterpiece. HeatBlur are the devs. and they did a perfect job. Nowhere you can find such quality, forget the MFS20 F-14/18 addons, they fly like a cessna.
Spelled “Corps” incorrectly, which is unlikely for a former Marine officer. The F-14 was a navy fighter, not USMC. 41 years in the Service would be on the far end of time, even for a flag officer. I smell bs.
was at the show the previous day. should have stayed for this!! either way they tore it up. Blue Angel crew helping as a show of respect made it more special!!!
My heart weeps knowing I will never see this aircraft perform an airshow. I never knew one could feel so much love for a mechanical object, made of metal and rubber and plastic. The F14 truly had a spirit of her own, a ghost in the shell. She was magnificent.
I remember on the Flight deck of the Kittyhawk, in Navy Pilot fashion, did a sneak pass going supersonic. F14 broke the sound barrier over us on a low pass...scared the crap out of me. The jet vanished so fast like it never happened. Never forget that ever.
My God ! How can mere men create such a thing of beauty. Never before or since has something so sleek ever graced the clouds. A Ferrari of the Sky with Teeth and Claws. Loving it since 1974 and I'm now 65.
I so miss the F-14. I remember NAS Miramar, not MCAS Miramar. I remember VF-124, the home of the Topgun birds.... Ahhh, to be an airdale during the Reagan years was to rule the world. We could not be beat and the Kremlin knew it.
If you can find video of any air shows from Iran, they have the Tomcats flying multiple times in every single air show that I have seen!!!! Search for videos and watch how the Iranian F-14 pilots talk about them and the crazy stories they have to tell about flying The Tomcat in combat! They ABSOLUTELY love them as much as we do! They call it the Golden eagle :) They've upgraded the engines and the weapons systems and the radar systems! They developed and manufacture the parts and technology to advance their old F-14A Tomcats to at least A+, not quite the level of F-14B that we had, but they are STILL flying them! Says a LOT about how well designed and durable the design is if it is maintained properly :)
I was at this show. I was in VA Beach for my cousin's wedding. His father, a retired USN Captain got us passes for the officers' tent out on the tarmac. Best air show experience I have EVER had. I was honored to see the final flight of a legend in US air power. Seeing the Tomcats, the Hornets, the Phantoms, and the Intruders in one show was just amazing. The Blue Angels didn't fail to impress and a JATO takeoff and reverse-thrust landing by Fat Albert was simply mind-blowing. And that rocket truck... yikes. Days like that one make you proud to be a part of the greatest and mightiest nation on earth.
Hell I am from north of the border, and for a lot o fyears I would drive down to Virginia Beach to my sister's just to see them at the airshow. Also my girlfriend and I would go to Lynn Haven Mall, and while she was shopping I would sit out in the parking lot watching them do their touch and goes. Made my co workers jealous when I would show them the videos I shot.
@@9johnpaul Bravo Canada!! Appreciate that you came all that way just to admire our birds!! And visit your sister...mustn't forget the sister 😊 Some day soon I'm coming your way to see the Mounties. I've been dying to see the RCMP Musical Ride every since I found out about it! I admire your RCMP so much and love their relationship with their horses. I won't make it this year, but hopefully, I will be able to in 2025.
If anyone is curious of the fate of this particular F-14 (164601), it is on static display at the former Castle AFB air museum just outside of Atwater, California. I live within 25 miles of the former base and feel fortunate to see it up close. It's an amazing museum worth an afternoon!
Look at those lines! Listen to that brute power! This is what dreams were made of. There is only ever gonna be ONE cat and that's tom's cat baby fuck yeah!!
This was a very wonderfully created airplane. The F-14 Tomcat pretty much did it all. It's like poetry in motion, while plying the skies. It puts on such a beautiful show. The most beautiful fighter jet ever built. I just can't say enough of how fascinating this airplane really was. I really miss it just like millions of other people do.
The F-14 is such a gorgeous brute!! When the wings sweep back and the pilot turns to show that profile...my heart just leaps with joy!! I loved this jet long before Top Gun came along and would marry one if I could! ❤❤❤
As soon as I heard there was gonna be a sequel, I immediately thought that a superb plot would be that one way or another all modern fighter jets became grounded or destroyed, leaving no air defence... until someone mentioned there was a stash of F 14’s hidden away somewhere and they had to save the day... maybe far fetched/impossible but how epic would that be to see them in the new movie saving the day ?
Awesome aircraft! Too bad they didn't make a next generation air superiority fighter to replace it. Surprisingly maneuverable even with the wing swept back.
@@MeMyselfI_69 They had an amazing concept with AST-21, but Dick Cheney and his Hornet mafia wanted the money to be routed to the far less capable Super Hornet with the promise of it being much cheaper. However, Super Hornet as it turns out, ended up costing $5+ billion in development. The Tomcats especially B/D variants ran circles around the Rhino when it came out. One pilot who transitioned from Tomcat to Rhino said, it was like going from a super fast Porsche to a Beetle. Grumman pegged AST-21 at far less cost because the airframe already was so ahead of its time on the Tomcat, that minimal changes were needed for the design,
I remember my first evening spent on deck of USS Nimitz walking across the fantail and seeing my first image of an F-14 parked on fantail, six tie down chains securing it and the sun setting directly behind it with an orange glow leaving it in a dark brown shadow. The wings set to stow position giving this appearance of a fly watching me as I walk by. And I was able to spend the next 3 years with my name painted on the nose wheel well door. The best 3 years of my life...I'm 64 now and every day I think of how fortunate I was to be a part of the best plane ever created..... machinist mate 3rd class/ plane Capt. VF-41 USS Nimitz. 78-81...
i was there that day...on the last pass i sheaded a tear. from when i was very young to this day the f14 is still my favorite....BADDEST multi-role fighter ever made. i was soo upset when they retired it
@@juanmora9148 The F-14 was an absolutely magnificent machine, but had some rather problematic issues: high maintenance requirements, relatively poor low-speed maneuverability compared even contemporary fighters, and oh, yeah, a rather unnerving tendency to explode due to the failure of 1st stage combustion fans and subsequent failure of the containment belt in that area. Tbh, all two of those things could be addressed in general overhauls (Super Tomcat-21's), but the third one has to do with the fact it wasn't designed to dogfight, it was designed primarily as an interceptor, but later morphed in to a "multi-role" fighter. However, the thing that primarily killed it was Dick Cheney's absolutely hatred of Grumman. There are F-14's still flying today, but ya'd have to be Iranian to see them. Hell, we may just get a chance to see them in a dogfight if "someone" manages to finagle his way back in to office...
I was there working the Airshow that day. It was sad to see the last demo. I got out in July of 06. I saw the last Tomcat leave Oceana in April of 2006. It was a sight to see. I was on Night-check. And was working in the Fuel-pits. And 11 F-14’s rolled past the pits and all the pilots waved goodbye. Everyone inside the hangers were outside waiting to see them take off. 10 of the 11 were airborne. The last one was flown by the CO of that squadron. I believe it was VF-101. All 10 were circling around then as he got airborne he went straight up and then met up with the rest of them and rode off into the sunset. I can still see it. And now my 8yr old son is so into the new Topgun movie. And he thinks he’s gonna fly one. It’s hard to explain t him that they are not around in the USA. They are no longer air worthy. The only air worthy F-14s are located in Iran according to a article I read online.
I remember one night back in the late 90s, we were wrapping up football practice at the park which is right beside MCAS Cherry Point and 4 F-14s took off one after another with full afterburner and they just lit up the sky! I will never forget that for as long as I live.
They say all good things come to an end and this sweet sweet bird has been off duty for nearly ten years now! Can you believe that?! We still dream. All is not lost, Iran still run a fleet of these (purchased from uncle Samsonite of course) and they are loving them and you know it!
In the 1980's I was working for United Technologies who owned Pratt & Whitney, it was Patt's 60th anniversary and they put on an airshow at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, CT. It was a display of the many aircraft that had used P&W engines along with many other legacy birds. But the real treat was the honor to see Dale Snodgrass do his flight demo of the F-14, he really knew how to get everything out of that plane. I can still remember that he came in the evening before the airshow and a lot of us hung around to watch, we spotted him on approach and he was configured for landing (wings out, gear down, landing lights on), all of a sudden the gear came up and he lit up the afterburners, pulled it into a climb then he banked to the west and pulled the wings back for high speed, I don't know what his speed or altitude was but after his pass over the airfield all of the car alarms were going off. It was awesome!
Such a pity the F14 has gone to the bone yard, fantastic aircraft. She was the best jet powered carrier borne aircraft ever built and I personally think that the United States Navy would have kept them if it was viable to achieve, obviously the Tomcat had reached its finite fatigue life and would have cost a fortune in upgrades and maintenance cost, and that’s assuming that the airframe was still viable to extend its life, its truly saddening to see such an iconic aircraft disappear from the sky. Thanks for sharing this excellent and entertaining video, much appreciated 😀👍🇬🇧🏴
Incredible aircraft. I think most likely the most beautful fighter plane ever built. We always respected the Tomcat. It did not bleed speed like the F16/F18 and F15 high low speed high Gs turns, so it could get its weapons on you real quick. That’s what the variable wings gave you. That adaptability at high low altitude engagements. With the NGAD, there will be mission parameters that are more aligned to the F111 and F14 over what we are running now.
The life i might have had in 1987 i was set to go to the Navy and with my excellent math grades a possible early seat at the Academy but my eyesight degenerated really bad six months before finishing High School. Every time I see an F-14 all i get is these mixed emotions but mostly sadness because ever since my first Tomcat toy when I was 6yrs old till this day all i ever wanted to do was fly even for just one day the holy grail "F-14 Tomcat".
Amazing bird! You can see the airframe shape when it's on the ground then see it flex when the wings are forward in a banking turn. Super engineering!!!
I remember seeing F14s and A6s flying low over Sandbridge Beach all the time back in the the day. Heading to and from NAS Oceana Virginia Beach, VA. Hell of a sight.
The US Navy taught me How Airplanes Fly and I was sent to AMH A-Technical Training School in Millington, Tennessee: Airframes / Structures / Hydraulics/ Pneumatics Flight Controls Systems Mechanic: I spent 7 Yearn and 9 months total [1977 - 1985] in the US NAVY, went onboard 3 Aircraft Carriers and Shore Stations, as well as Air Force Bases around the World - i got out with AMH-2 RANK. To advance, we take written examinations and have to pass - we had to study the Flight Controls Systems of the F-14 Tomcat - it was a requirement and it was included in the AMH2-AMH1 Study Training Manual at the time.
Ex Navy Buddy was a F14 Certified Electronics Tech at Miramar 89-93 I was visiting that Base back in 92 on a Friday afternoon on the flight line parked F14s Rows and Rows of them. The Hangers are FN Massive with F14s inside and being worked on some with Jet Engines removed, Never forget driving in from Phoenix with my Mint Blk/Blk 78 455 Trans-Am driving bye Miramar on I-15 late am and the boys Flying F14s over me doing touch and goes Bad Ass Plane!
I would not doubt it was aged but it could probably still defeat 90% of what is out there and I am being cautious saying that number . This thing was a flat out beast. F14D was rediculous.
Because of this plane alot of conflicts were avoided from the 70s until retirement. Even though there were incidents and a couple of engagements. Things never truly escalated .
You know how kids had childhood heroes such as comic book characters? Well, my childhood hero was the Navy's Tomcat all the way. I'm a proud Navy brat since birth.
I never got a chance to see this plane fly in real life. Just a static display at one air show. Never seen it fly. Super sad about that. But I lived Near Mconnel AFB so I always heard seen and felt the B-1B's landing and taking off full after burners. I felt privileged to be there. As i kid eating dinner with the family then everything starts rumbling like windows and dishes. I would run outside and see four torches with wings flying through the skies.
A dirty double immelmann turn from a touch and go. What a show of power and agility from the Tomcat. I've been to many airshows, that was something special.
I built the house for the pilot that shot down one of the Libyans back in 1984...the F-14 Tomcats flew over the Lynnhaven Mall in VA BCH every day landing at Oceana !!! man oh man, I miss the F-14's !!!
I remember the last time I saw an F-14 fly. I was still in high school going to VoTech not far from NAS Oceana, when the retirement formation I guess you could call it flew overhead. I remember thinking 'That this is the last time I will ever see or hear one of those fly ever again.' I actually stopped what I was doing much to my teacher's dismay to watch them until they left my line of sight. I just simply said that "Sometimes a dream is just a dream, and I wanted to see that one one last time." She shook her head and let it go. I miss seeing these birds fly.
I have been an aircraft sheet metal mechanic for over 45 years. I still work to this day and fabricate jet engine parts both for new engines and spare parts for existing aircraft engines. The Gurman F-14 Tomcat is my favorite plane of all time. Sad they retired them but the F-14 is still the prettiest girl of all time!!!
That may be the case, but the F-18 was also designed as a ground attack aircraft, hence the A designation. The F-18 is capable in both roles but the F-14 was always designed to be a fighter, and it's such a shame that it got the axe, but there's always a reason. I only wish I had the opportunity to go to America and see the Tomcat flying, it's beautiful.
Europe has the Eurofighter, Typhoon and other random Euro giz... but this is the 1000hp Vintage Monster in the neighbours garage that you would fear pulling up next to on the street! This jet is pure badass!
I saw both the Tomcat and Falcon. The F16 is like a knife, sharp and precise in its action while the F14 is like a hammer. Glad to have seen the Harrier, Tomcat, Lancer, F22, F18. There's two that I wish to see but will never get to, the Avro Vulcan and F4 Phantom
My best friend Rudy was on the USS Kennedy before he finished off on the USS Forrestal and worked on the F14. He was on the Kennedy when it was stationed off the coast of Lebanon in 1983.
This aircraft was phenomenal and will NEVER BE FORGOTTEN. The Mighty TomCat.
And won't be replaced either
@@charlesedney1802 Drones soon
Thanks to the brave pilot ❤ ( I wonder who is the pilot inside that Tomcat ...!!! he must to be the best on Fly boys...!!! ) 😮
@@Kurio71 Drones can never live up to the magnificence of the Tomcat.
fuck drones !@@Kurio71
Of my 41 years in the Marine corp and flying many different aircraft, the F-14 will always be number one. I was an F-18 I.P and use to tell my students that the real fighter aircraft are no longer . Col. Max Geoffroy VFMA-531 Greyghosts Retired.
Maximus Geoffroy . thank you for your service! You did what Ive dreamed of doing. Ive have had dogfights in my sleep in that tomcat. I could only imagine what it's like inside and the adrenaline rush. Im happy I can watch!
Thank you Sir for your service. I know it must have been a thrill beyond belief to have had that privilege of flying.
If you want to bring memories back, install DCS WORLD Simulator and you can buy many full fidelity Modules like the F-14 A/B. I fly the F-14B in DCS and i can tell, that is a beast jet. I simply love this masterpiece. HeatBlur are the devs. and they did a perfect job. Nowhere you can find such quality, forget the MFS20 F-14/18 addons, they fly like a cessna.
Semper Fi Colonel.
Spelled “Corps” incorrectly, which is unlikely for a former Marine officer. The F-14 was a navy fighter, not USMC. 41 years in the Service would be on the far end of time, even for a flag officer. I smell bs.
This jet will forever be remembered in the history of aviation! The greatest fighter jet in the world
9:41 The worlds saddest sound, the sound of a Tomcats engines shutting down for the last time. 😢😢😢
was at the show the previous day. should have stayed for this!! either way they tore it up. Blue Angel crew helping as a show of respect made it more special!!!
My heart weeps knowing I will never see this aircraft perform an airshow. I never knew one could feel so much love for a mechanical object, made of metal and rubber and plastic. The F14 truly had a spirit of her own, a ghost in the shell. She was magnificent.
100%
She was not . She was , is and will be magnificent
Why was it abandoned? Why was sr71 abandoned too
@@ridwanhusainishraq probably because of its expensive cost, but then again, any fighter jet is expensive.
I was less than 10 when I felt the ground shake from this beast flying over at airshows. Holy crap I just got chills from 30+ years ago! Thanks!!!!
I remember on the Flight deck of the Kittyhawk, in Navy Pilot fashion, did a sneak pass going supersonic. F14 broke the sound barrier over us on a low pass...scared the crap out of me. The jet vanished so fast like it never happened. Never forget that ever.
My God ! How can mere men create such a thing of beauty. Never before or since has something so sleek ever graced the clouds. A Ferrari of the Sky with Teeth and Claws. Loving it since 1974 and I'm now 65.
I was never lucky enough to see one fly, but I remember seeing one up close in a museum.. I couldn't believe how large that thing was !!
Erm…Spitfire.
Ditto my guy! Incredibly BEAUTIFUL sleek. Most definitely a Ferrari of the sky!
I always say it’s the harpy Eagle . The apex predator of the sky like dale snodgrass called the tomcat .
Mere men use lots of math.
I so miss the F-14. I remember NAS Miramar, not MCAS Miramar. I remember VF-124, the home of the Topgun birds.... Ahhh, to be an airdale during the Reagan years was to rule the world. We could not be beat and the Kremlin knew it.
I lived just north of NAS Miramar from 1993 to 1996. Tomcats above everyday............
@Pedro Ivan Sanchez i wish iran would just show theres off more
@@TacticalKeyboardOperator agreed, they have such a beautiful toy and they don’t even show it off like we did
If you can find video of any air shows from Iran, they have the Tomcats flying multiple times in every single air show that I have seen!!!! Search for videos and watch how the Iranian F-14 pilots talk about them and the crazy stories they have to tell about flying The Tomcat in combat! They ABSOLUTELY love them as much as we do! They call it the Golden eagle :) They've upgraded the engines and the weapons systems and the radar systems! They developed and manufacture the parts and technology to advance their old F-14A Tomcats to at least A+, not quite the level of F-14B that we had, but they are STILL flying them! Says a LOT about how well designed and durable the design is if it is maintained properly :)
ruclips.net/video/Augh0sXJqoY/видео.html
I was at this show. I was in VA Beach for my cousin's wedding. His father, a retired USN Captain got us passes for the officers' tent out on the tarmac. Best air show experience I have EVER had. I was honored to see the final flight of a legend in US air power. Seeing the Tomcats, the Hornets, the Phantoms, and the Intruders in one show was just amazing. The Blue Angels didn't fail to impress and a JATO takeoff and reverse-thrust landing by Fat Albert was simply mind-blowing. And that rocket truck... yikes. Days like that one make you proud to be a part of the greatest and mightiest nation on earth.
Hell I am from north of the border, and for a lot o fyears I would drive down to Virginia Beach to my sister's just to see them at the airshow. Also my girlfriend and I would go to Lynn Haven Mall, and while she was shopping I would sit out in the parking lot watching them do their touch and goes. Made my co workers jealous when I would show them the videos I shot.
You were lucky to be at that show, sounds like a phenomenal experience
@@paullukasik8698my dad flying that plane. He was in the front seat. Also his last air show along with the plane
@@9johnpaul Bravo Canada!! Appreciate that you came all that way just to admire our birds!! And visit your sister...mustn't forget the sister 😊
Some day soon I'm coming your way to see the Mounties. I've been dying to see the RCMP Musical Ride every since I found out about it! I admire your RCMP so much and love their relationship with their horses. I won't make it this year, but hopefully, I will be able to in 2025.
If anyone is curious of the fate of this particular F-14 (164601), it is on static display at the former Castle AFB air museum just outside of Atwater, California. I live within 25 miles of the former base and feel fortunate to see it up close. It's an amazing museum worth an afternoon!
Look at those lines! Listen to that brute power! This is what dreams were made of. There is only ever gonna be ONE cat and that's tom's cat baby fuck yeah!!
This was a very wonderfully created airplane. The F-14 Tomcat pretty much did it all. It's like poetry in motion, while plying the skies. It puts on such a beautiful show. The most beautiful fighter jet ever built. I just can't say enough of how fascinating this airplane really was. I really miss it just like millions of other people do.
Check out the ME262. Looks like a shark.
The F-14 is such a gorgeous brute!! When the wings sweep back and the pilot turns to show that profile...my heart just leaps with joy!! I loved this jet long before Top Gun came along and would marry one if I could! ❤❤❤
As soon as I heard there was gonna be a sequel, I immediately thought that a superb plot would be that one way or another all modern fighter jets became grounded or destroyed, leaving no air defence... until someone mentioned there was a stash of F 14’s hidden away somewhere and they had to save the day... maybe far fetched/impossible but how epic would that be to see them in the new movie saving the day ?
Bro are you psychic
how...
yo how much for the time machine
Damn dude, we’re you part of the set????
You’re a wizard, Harry
My most favorite Fighter Jet of them all !!! So sad to see it go !!!
Awesome aircraft! Too bad they didn't make a next generation air superiority fighter to replace it. Surprisingly maneuverable even with the wing swept back.
@@MeMyselfI_69 They had an amazing concept with AST-21, but Dick Cheney and his Hornet mafia wanted the money to be routed to the far less capable Super Hornet with the promise of it being much cheaper. However, Super Hornet as it turns out, ended up costing $5+ billion in development. The Tomcats especially B/D variants ran circles around the Rhino when it came out. One pilot who transitioned from Tomcat to Rhino said, it was like going from a super fast Porsche to a Beetle. Grumman pegged AST-21 at far less cost because the airframe already was so ahead of its time on the Tomcat, that minimal changes were needed for the design,
Me to T-T
@@2ZZGE100 Exactly !
I’m sad this great aircraft made legendary in “ TOP GUN” is gone 😭
I remember my first evening spent on deck of USS Nimitz walking across the fantail and seeing my first image of an F-14 parked on fantail, six tie down chains securing it and the sun setting directly behind it with an orange glow leaving it in a dark brown shadow. The wings set to stow position giving this appearance of a fly watching me as I walk by. And I was able to spend the next 3 years with my name painted on the nose wheel well door. The best 3 years of my life...I'm 64 now and every day I think of how fortunate I was to be a part of the best plane ever created..... machinist mate 3rd class/ plane Capt. VF-41 USS Nimitz. 78-81...
A 30 ton aircraft making those turns, can you imagine the stress on that wingbox? Amazing.
Finished school in 1994. Got to work avionics of Tomcats for a living. Always will have a place in my heart. 🤟
What a beautiful aircraft, too bad they required a ridiculous amount of maintenance to keep them in the air.
yeah but I still think they're worth it
That is true but those of us who did all the hard work loved the old Tomcat and didn't mind one bit.
F14 seemed like a bridge between the old and the newer aircraft. I still think it was retired too soon An absolute icon and is missed.
i was there that day...on the last pass i sheaded a tear. from when i was very young to this day the f14 is still my favorite....BADDEST multi-role fighter ever made. i was soo upset when they retired it
The feeling is mutual. It's strange how we all can form a bond with this plane. But I know we all understand why.
My dad also cried. Partly because he was in the front seat of that plane
Such a shame they had to stop flying this beaut. Hope one day, just maybe, we could get a possible comeback for the Tomcat.
Im with ya dude i wish the f14s can comeback in service
@@juanmora9148 The F-14 was an absolutely magnificent machine, but had some rather problematic issues: high maintenance requirements, relatively poor low-speed maneuverability compared even contemporary fighters, and oh, yeah, a rather unnerving tendency to explode due to the failure of 1st stage combustion fans and subsequent failure of the containment belt in that area. Tbh, all two of those things could be addressed in general overhauls (Super Tomcat-21's), but the third one has to do with the fact it wasn't designed to dogfight, it was designed primarily as an interceptor, but later morphed in to a "multi-role" fighter. However, the thing that primarily killed it was Dick Cheney's absolutely hatred of Grumman.
There are F-14's still flying today, but ya'd have to be Iranian to see them. Hell, we may just get a chance to see them in a dogfight if "someone" manages to finagle his way back in to office...
@@EvocatorumMaybe even more likely is "someone" doesn't finagle his way in that we'll see it fighting a global war with Russia 😂
@@Evocatorumyeah because he got us into so many wars when he was in office right, chooch?
Easily one of the most beautiful jet aircraft ever to fly.
And I never knew that the F-14 was so responsive, that roll at 2:20 is a bit insane...
You should see it do a 4G inverted dive... A meter and a half above a миг-28!
@@dotancohen I also was surprised
@@dotancohen While "communicating" 🤣
I was there working the Airshow that day. It was sad to see the last demo. I got out in July of 06. I saw the last Tomcat leave Oceana in April of 2006. It was a sight to see. I was on Night-check. And was working in the Fuel-pits. And 11 F-14’s rolled past the pits and all the pilots waved goodbye. Everyone inside the hangers were outside waiting to see them take off. 10 of the 11 were airborne. The last one was flown by the CO of that squadron. I believe it was VF-101. All 10 were circling around then as he got airborne he went straight up and then met up with the rest of them and rode off into the sunset. I can still see it. And now my 8yr old son is so into the new Topgun movie. And he thinks he’s gonna fly one. It’s hard to explain t him that they are not around in the USA. They are no longer air worthy. The only air worthy F-14s are located in Iran according to a article I read online.
Yes, and sadly the US had to dismantle the F-14s even after they retired, people people were stripping parts off to sell to Iran's Air Force as well.
Spectacular takeoff and demo! Really miss the F-14- retired too early in my opinion. Love the Super Hornet, but we needed updated/new F-14's too.
I remember one night back in the late 90s, we were wrapping up football practice at the park which is right beside MCAS Cherry Point and 4 F-14s took off one after another with full afterburner and they just lit up the sky! I will never forget that for as long as I live.
This jet was in my time of the year 2000, I dearly miss it soo much
They say all good things come to an end and this sweet sweet bird has been off duty for nearly ten years now! Can you believe that?! We still dream. All is not lost, Iran still run a fleet of these (purchased from uncle Samsonite of course) and they are loving them and you know it!
F14 with the wings swept back is the sexiest plane ever designed
that is SOOOOOOOO true
The Arrowhead of God.
The RIO on this flight did an interview, about this event and others, on Jalopnik that was an interesting read.
This beautiful aircraft definitely deserved its own film.
From the Wright brothers to these machines, what an astonishing century.
F-15's always been my favourite, but can't stop loving the cat!!
this made me kinda sad, especially since the tomcat is my favourite fighter jet :(
My old squadron so sad to see them retire that great bird. We flew them in Beruit after the bombing.
In the 1980's I was working for United Technologies who owned Pratt & Whitney, it was Patt's 60th anniversary and they put on an airshow at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, CT. It was a display of the many aircraft that had used P&W engines along with many other legacy birds. But the real treat was the honor to see Dale Snodgrass do his flight demo of the F-14, he really knew how to get everything out of that plane. I can still remember that he came in the evening before the airshow and a lot of us hung around to watch, we spotted him on approach and he was configured for landing (wings out, gear down, landing lights on), all of a sudden the gear came up and he lit up the afterburners, pulled it into a climb then he banked to the west and pulled the wings back for high speed, I don't know what his speed or altitude was but after his pass over the airfield all of the car alarms were going off. It was awesome!
Did the engine stall a compressor and blow up?
Man that big girl could really move ❤
F-14 pilots described it as, "for a fat girl, she can dance".😅
Such a great place to see them, especially fully swept back. Spectacular.
I like to think of her as my favorite car - the Chevelle. She has beautiful lines like that car. Loved her since she first flew.
That vertical climb at the beginning is so badass
no matter how old... this will forever be the baddest ass plane - other than the blackbird.... that ever existed.
Such a pity the F14 has gone to the bone yard, fantastic aircraft. She was the best jet powered carrier borne aircraft ever built and I personally think that the United States Navy would have kept them if it was viable to achieve, obviously the Tomcat had reached its finite fatigue life and would have cost a fortune in upgrades and maintenance cost, and that’s assuming that the airframe was still viable to extend its life, its truly saddening to see such an iconic aircraft disappear from the sky. Thanks for sharing this excellent and entertaining video, much appreciated 😀👍🇬🇧🏴
I remember being at this show
Incredible aircraft. I think most likely the most beautful fighter plane ever built. We always respected the Tomcat. It did not bleed speed like the F16/F18 and F15 high low speed high Gs turns, so it could get its weapons on you real quick. That’s what the variable wings gave you. That adaptability at high low altitude engagements. With the NGAD, there will be mission parameters that are more aligned to the F111 and F14 over what we are running now.
The life i might have had in 1987 i was set to go to the Navy and with my excellent math grades a possible early seat at the Academy but my eyesight degenerated really bad six months before finishing High School. Every time I see an F-14 all i get is these mixed emotions but mostly sadness because ever since my first Tomcat toy when I was 6yrs old till this day all i ever wanted to do was fly even for just one day the holy grail "F-14 Tomcat".
Amazing bird! You can see the airframe shape when it's on the ground then see it flex when the wings are forward in a banking turn. Super engineering!!!
It looks so badass with the wings fully retracted.
I remember seeing F14s and A6s flying low over Sandbridge Beach all the time back in the the day. Heading to and from NAS Oceana Virginia Beach, VA. Hell of a sight.
The US Navy taught me How Airplanes Fly and I was sent to AMH A-Technical Training School in Millington, Tennessee: Airframes / Structures / Hydraulics/ Pneumatics Flight Controls Systems Mechanic: I spent 7 Yearn and 9 months total [1977 - 1985] in the US NAVY, went onboard 3 Aircraft Carriers and Shore Stations, as well as Air Force Bases around the World - i got out with AMH-2 RANK.
To advance, we take written examinations and have to pass - we had to study the Flight Controls Systems of the F-14 Tomcat - it was a requirement and it was included in the AMH2-AMH1 Study Training Manual at the time.
Ex Navy Buddy was a F14 Certified Electronics Tech at Miramar 89-93 I was visiting that Base back in 92 on a Friday afternoon on the flight line parked F14s Rows and Rows of them. The Hangers are FN Massive with F14s inside and being worked on some with Jet Engines removed, Never forget driving in from Phoenix with my Mint Blk/Blk 78 455 Trans-Am driving bye Miramar on I-15 late am and the boys Flying F14s over me doing touch and goes Bad Ass Plane!
I would not doubt it was aged but it could probably still defeat 90% of what is out there and I am being cautious saying that number . This thing was a flat out beast. F14D was rediculous.
She was 1 of kind, never to be replaced.
My dad used to build parts for this plane at Grunman Aerospace., Simply Beautiful every time
I was there for that! It was very hot that day. Tomcats forever in our hearts!
i'll be looking to see this airplane in the aviation museum. F-14 tomcat was probably my favorite of all time.one of the best airplanes in history.
Because of this plane alot of conflicts were avoided from the 70s until retirement. Even though there were incidents and a couple of engagements. Things never truly escalated .
You know how kids had childhood heroes such as comic book characters? Well, my childhood hero was the Navy's Tomcat all the way. I'm a proud Navy brat since birth.
I was at that airshow when I drove down from texas to Damneck,VA for my Navy C School..One hell of a show...I miss the f-14😢
One of my favorite things about the F-14 is how much it looks like a bird with the wings out. especially the top view
I can feel the heat from those afterburners!
Crazy to me that the Eagle is still the back none of the air force while this got retired while it was still in its prime.
I remember when I read on Christmas holidays, 2005 an article from an aviation magazine about the Tomcat’s retirement that was supposed to be on 2010.
I never got a chance to see this plane fly in real life. Just a static display at one air show. Never seen it fly. Super sad about that. But I lived Near Mconnel AFB so I always heard seen and felt the B-1B's landing and taking off full after burners. I felt privileged to be there. As i kid eating dinner with the family then everything starts rumbling like windows and dishes. I would run outside and see four torches with wings flying through the skies.
Wish they would keep just one in service for airshows. Being that this plane has such a following and is loved by everyone.
A dirty double immelmann turn from a touch and go. What a show of power and agility from the Tomcat. I've been to many airshows, that was something special.
What a beast! My favorite aircraft of all time.
Most beautiful aircraft ever built. Bet it still could be putting in work today with a couple upgrades
A legend in her own time ! ❤️😾
I was fortunate enough to see a Tomcat demo, so thankful! 🔥
Absolutely breathtaking! 🇺🇸
Me too! My favorite fighter jet! I sure miss them. What a beautiful piece of machinery and weaponry.
I built the house for the pilot that shot down one of the Libyans back in 1984...the F-14 Tomcats flew over the Lynnhaven Mall in VA BCH every day landing at Oceana !!! man oh man, I miss the F-14's !!!
I remember the last time I saw an F-14 fly. I was still in high school going to VoTech not far from NAS Oceana, when the retirement formation I guess you could call it flew overhead. I remember thinking 'That this is the last time I will ever see or hear one of those fly ever again.' I actually stopped what I was doing much to my teacher's dismay to watch them until they left my line of sight. I just simply said that "Sometimes a dream is just a dream, and I wanted to see that one one last time." She shook her head and let it go. I miss seeing these birds fly.
Look at its airframe. What a beautiful aircraft.
I have been an aircraft sheet metal mechanic for over 45 years. I still work to this day and fabricate jet engine parts both for new engines and spare parts for existing aircraft engines. The Gurman F-14 Tomcat is my favorite plane of all time. Sad they retired them but the F-14 is still the prettiest girl of all time!!!
I was lucky enough to see them at NAF Atsugi, before they left in 03. RIP VF-154.
When is Grumman going to come out with another Cat to protect the fleet?!
That may be the case, but the F-18 was also designed as a ground attack aircraft, hence the A designation. The F-18 is capable in both roles but the F-14 was always designed to be a fighter, and it's such a shame that it got the axe, but there's always a reason. I only wish I had the opportunity to go to America and see the Tomcat flying, it's beautiful.
Would have been good to see a F1 11 and F 14 to fly together with their wings at different angles
Love the sound of its ENGINES !!!!!!!!! 7:32 -7:40
i grew up off London Bridge Road. i would listen to jets at Oceana all night. The touch and go's!!!
I had an apartment over at Linkhorn Bay, not far from the end of the runway. It made for interesting days.
Europe has the Eurofighter, Typhoon and other random Euro giz... but this is the 1000hp Vintage Monster in the neighbours garage that you would fear pulling up next to on the street! This jet is pure badass!
Love the F-14, was sorry to see it go.
An incredible aircraft & in 2024 still flying in military service. 👏👏
Love this awesome fighter from Italy! The Tomcat Will never die
"Anytime....baby!" Developed at Grumman Iron Works while the Lunar Module was being built.
My grandfather was a U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander TBM Avenger torpedo bomber pilot in the Uninvited squadron on the USS Wasp in World War II.
If you flew the Tomcat, I wanna hang out with you for a day!
A lot of great memories of the planes and guys I worked with.
Army is not my thing, but god! What a pure beauty the F14 is! So elegant and impressive!😍
I saw both the Tomcat and Falcon. The F16 is like a knife, sharp and precise in its action while the F14 is like a hammer. Glad to have seen the Harrier, Tomcat, Lancer, F22, F18. There's two that I wish to see but will never get to, the Avro Vulcan and F4 Phantom
I was there that day!!!! too bad they can't use them for 40 more years
They were just way too high maintenance and expensive to maintain and had a troubled history with the F-14A.
Navy still regrets retiring her. There is no other aircraft that can fill that platform.
I love the F14 Tomcat so much that I have a replica diecast model for decoration in my living room.
I've always been impressed with the Tomcat.
Im bringing him in closer Merlin.. YOU'RE GUNNA DO WHAT!?
The sad last flight of this plane before retired on a grass field at Castle Air Museum in Atwater California called F-14's Last Flight here on RUclips
My best friend Rudy was on the USS Kennedy before he finished off on the USS Forrestal and worked on the F14. He was on the Kennedy when it was stationed off the coast of Lebanon in 1983.
Still bitter about trading the 14 for the 18
That was beautiful, and it broke my heart too!