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April 17, 2006
A Bittersweet Note From Last Thursday
Last F-14 Tomcat fighter to fly a combat mission arrives at NAS Pensacola
The last F-14 Tomcat fighter to fly a combat mission arrived aboard Naval Air Station Pensacola Thursday, April 13 at 11:45 a.m. Lt.Cmdr. Mark Stufflebeem and Lt.(j.g.) James Cunningham, pilots from VF-213, had the honor of flying the aircraft to the air station. The F-14D aircraft, Bureau Number 161159, that served with the Navy's Fighter Squadron 213 (VF-213), the Black Lions, as part of Carrier Air Wing Eight, embarked in USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), will become a display aircraft at the National Museum of Naval Aviation. The F-14 is being replaced by the latest version of the Boeing F/A-18, the F/A-18F Super Hornet.
At least it'll be safe and loved here. The museum is a fabulous, reverent last call for warbirds.
Posted by tree hugging sister at April 17, 2006 09:17 AM
Comments
grumble...grumble...grumble...Cheney...grumble...grumble...grumble...
First the Sea Harrier FA2, now the F-14. Shame.
Posted by: Crusader at April 17, 2006 11:38 AM
I remember when the last west coast Marine A-6 taxied off for its final flight away from El Toro, THS and I jumped in my jeep and drove to the end of the runway to watch it fly over.
It was an outburst of emotion I wasn't expecting from her then, and I've always remembered it as a special day, made more special by her reaction.
That's a picture of the plane being readied for its last flight as a Marine.
Posted by: Mike Rentner at April 17, 2006 12:12 PM
Aw jeez, Mike. Made me sniffle, you sneaky dog. For being one of the all-time ugliest planes ever designed, I thought they were beautiful.
I'm pretty sure I could find the pic of you posing by it before it fired up for the last time. Remember how everyone signed the drop tanks? That was so cool. What a memory.
Posted by: tree hugging sister at April 17, 2006 12:18 PM
(PS ~ I fixed the link live for you, so EVERYBODY can gaze upon our beauteous bird.)
Posted by: tree hugging sister at April 17, 2006 12:23 PM
Oh, she's got lots of emotional outbursts, don't you worry Mike...
Posted by: Mr. Bingley at April 17, 2006 12:45 PM
Oh yeah, I forgot about signing the droptank!
As much as I didn't like seeing them go, and concerned that real all weather capability was being eliminated, I knew that the F/A-18 was a much better aircraft and could easily be upgraded through electronics to do anything the A-6 could do, except match its payload and range. It certainly was a lot less work to keep it flying. It made my job boring.
Skyler and his first Hornet Picture
I wonder if I linked this right.
Posted by: Mike Rentner at April 17, 2006 01:26 PM
So I guess this means we have gone from having a 100% Grumman Carrier Air Wing to a 0% Grumman Carrier Air Wing.
Posted by: Mike Rentner at April 17, 2006 01:48 PM
Yes, you did! Nice pic :)
Posted by: Mr. Bingley at April 17, 2006 01:48 PM
And how sorry is that? (Piss off, Bingley!) Thank God I still have the Grumman jacket Joe Rossi the rep gave me JUST before he was hauled oof base by the Hitler Youth.
Posted by: tree hugging sister at April 17, 2006 02:20 PM
Here's something Grumman for ya, Sis. Could be a job opportunity that would fit your psychological profile...
Posted by: Mr. Bingley at April 17, 2006 03:01 PM
Joe Rossi was hauled off base by Hitler youths? I don't remember that one.
Posted by: Mike Rentner at April 17, 2006 03:05 PM
I also thought it was funny that when Grumman Flxible buses cracked they got sued, though I don't recall anyone dying. But when Grumman wings fall off in flight, no one got sued.
Posted by: Mike Rentner at April 17, 2006 03:09 PM
I still like the "How to extend the range of an F-18" posters that some of the Grumman reps had, showing an A-6 with an F-18 slung under each wing. Never have liked either the Hornet or the Sewer Hornet. Jack of all trades, master of none.
Posted by: Crusader at April 17, 2006 03:09 PM
I hated driving those Flxibles; horrible turning radius and rough transmission.
Posted by: Mr. Bingley at April 17, 2006 03:26 PM
Unrelated, but cool nontheless, have you seen this article about the new Raptor?
Posted by: Cullen at April 17, 2006 03:47 PM
Wow, neat Cullen. Good to see something coming of my tax dollars!
Posted by: Mr. Bingley at April 17, 2006 04:08 PM
Problem for the Raptor is that it is very reliant on BVR missiles hitting what they are fired at, which is still a less-than perfect science. Awesome plane, tho. To bad the NATF got cancelled.
Posted by: Crusader at April 17, 2006 04:08 PM
Well, of course it got cancelled, Crusader: they can't just get all that money to flush down the toilet on the Osprey from nowhere, now can they? ;-)
Posted by: Dave J at April 17, 2006 11:12 PM
R.I.P. Grumman F-14. I hear you are going to be stuffed and put on display for the admiring public.
Posted by: getalifeagain at April 18, 2006 12:27 AM