For thirty-five years of active naval service, the Grumman F-14 Tomcat was the foremost air superiority fighter of the Cold War, with continuing service as a fighter-bomber in the Gulf Wars. Two hundred thousand sailors, both pilots and "ground" crew, served in F-14 squadrons with the Tomcat over its decades of flight.This book is a grand remembrance of this great aircraft by those who flew it. Hundreds of pilots have included their favorite stories of the missions and planes that brought them home. Two hundred exceptional color photographs show the F-14 on the deck, in the air, and over the sea.
For the past two years, while the sun was setting on the iconic F-14 Tomcat, aviation photographer and author Erik Hildebrandt has been capturing the final defining moments of the few remaining F-14 squadrons in the US Navy Fighter community. Anytime, Baby! is an unforgettable collection of final-phase Tomcat milestones captured and preserved forever in some of the most detailed and dynamic photographic compositions Hildebrandt has ever attempted. From riding along with VF-211, the last squadron to ever fly the F-14A, to flying with VF-32 on the last deployment of the F-14B in the Arabian Gulf in 2005, Hildebrandt has been witness to the end of an era. Anytime, Baby! is an important historic record as much as it is an artistic and beautiful tribute to the most popular American fighter in history. A true "must-have" addition for the aviation enthusiasts as well as former and current Navy and Marine Corp service personnel.
The legendary F-14 Tomcat was the weapon of choice to strike against the enemies of the United States in the wake of the September 11 attacks, with F-14s flying thousands of bombing missions on al-Qaeda and Taliban positions. Written by aviation expert Tony Holmes, this book explores the F-14 pilots and aircraft involved in Operation Enduring Freedom, with insights into the tactical approach and strategic aims provided by officers. Exclusive access to mission reports, combat diaries, fullcolour artwork and photographs from the author's collection reveal the battle experiences of the most famous modern fast jet.
From Topgun to Squadron Command You’re in the cockpit of the legendary F-14 Tomcat fighter, blazing along at twice the speed of sound seven miles above the ocean and the carrier that hurled you off its deck. You’re practicing dogfighting with “aggressors,” guys on your side flying F-16s. You’re patrolling the tense skies above Iraq, and with the push of a button you can launch the 100-mile Phoenix missile that can blow a foe to scrap before you even see him. You are an expert in fighter tactics and aircraft carrier operations, and it all leads to your command of an F-14 fighter squadron of more than three hundred people. Sounds like a week’s worth of daydreams, but it’s all real-life in the career of Dave “Bio” Baranek, and he shares it with you in the exciting, superbly crafted new book, Tomcat Rio. Dave – callsign “Bio” – pulled his readers into the exciting world of the F-14 and the Navy’s TOPGUN program with his popular books Topgun Days and Before Topgun Days. Now he’s back with the rest of the story, as he reaches the top level of expertise and proves it, not just in graded competitions but also where it counts, where you shoot at them and they shoot at you. Dave also shares the challenges he faced. A deadly foe called complacency. Learning a whole new mission late in his career. The unexpected trials that come with leading a squadron in the dynamic environment of Naval Aviation. This third volume is full of adventures, lessons, and inspiration. If you are a casual reader, you’ll turn the last page as a dedicated Tomcat fan. To make it all even more real, Tomcat Rio includes dozens of Bio’s best and most acclaimed photos. Photographer George Hall hailed one shot as “one of the best Tomcat photos ever taken.” In words and pictures, Bio immerses you in rich detail. He pipes you aboard as a member of an F-14 squadron. You share the camaraderie of Type A personalities. You plan risky missions, going toe-to-toe against America’s most volatile foes. You can almost smell the pungent jet exhaust, almost feel the gut-wrenching G’s of a dogfight, as Tomcat Rio pitches you into the thick of it as only Bio can tell it. Strap in! You’re going for one fantastic ride.
Probably best-known for its starring role in the Hollywood blockbuster Top Gun, the US Navy’s Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, variable geometry, two-seat, carrier-based, air superiority fighter. The Tomcat was developed for the US Navy’s Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program following the collapse of the F-111B project. The Grumman F-14 Tomcat Owners' Workshop Manual covers operating and maintaining this aircraft, and is filled with first-person insights into flying the Tomcat.
So formidable an opponent did the Iraqi airforce consider the F-14 that during the Iran-Iraq war, they ordered their pilots not to engage F-14s and the presence of one in an area was usually enough to empty it of Iraqi aircraft. Officially losses where tiny; only one F-14 was lost in aerial combat (to a MiG-21), one to a control problem and one downed by a ground-to-air missile. This book looks at the F-14's Iranian combat history and includes first hand accounts from the pilots themselves. It will consider key engagements and the central figures involved, illustrating the realities, successes and failures of the Iranian air campaign.
Designed as the ultimate long range fleet defence fighter interceptor for the US Navy, the Tomcat entered frontline service in 1973 as a replacement for the legendary F-4 Phantom II. The F-14 achieved its first aerial victories, against the Libyan Arab Republic Air Force, in August 1981, and went on to see action in Operations Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Deliberate Force, Enduring Freedom and, finally, Iraqi Freedom. Employed primarily as a precision bomber with the US Navy from the late 1990s until its retirement in 2006, the F-14 remains in service today with the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force --Book Jacket.
Features: Full colour throughout; Details of the F-14A, F-14B and F-14D Bombcat variants; In-depth views of the Tomcats flown by the US Navy and Iranian Air Force; Walkarounds, weapons and warfare; Flying the Tomcat -- 'From the Cockpit' commentary; 32 Colour side-views; Modelling The Tomcat in popular scales; A guide to available kits, decals and accessories; Scale plans.
