Markings of VF-111, USS Kitty Hawk, 1979

This F-14A was delivered to the US Navy on 21 December 1983 and was directly assigned to VF-21. It served the Freelancers up to late 1990 when it was transferred to the PMTC, followed by VF-111 Sundowners (as pictured), then VF-213 Blacklions, VF-154 Black Knights and eventually VF-101 Grim Reapers. The Cat was stricken on 29 September 2003 and scrapped on 13 October 2003.

This F-14A was delivered to the US Navy on 21 December 1983 and was directly assigned to VF-21. It served the Freelancers up to late 1990 when it was transferred to the PMTC, followed by VF-111 Sundowners (as pictured), then VF-213 Blacklions, VF-154 Black Knights and eventually VF-101 Grim Reapers. The Cat was stricken on 29 September 2003 and scrapped on 13 October 2003.

Delivered to the US Navy in Dec. 1978. On 26 September 1994 was transferred to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center (AMARC) with inventory number 1K0069. Loaned to Pima Museum, on 9 September 2011 was restored and received markings of Fighter Squadron 111 (VF-111), USS Kitty Hawk, in 1979.

On final for 24R at NAS Miramar SUNDOWNER 211

Delivered to the US Navy in January 1986, this weathered looking F-14A was pictured at the Miramar flightline when serving VF-111 Sundowners. The aircraft was written off on 3 October 2002 in Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Key West (FL). Both crewmembers ejected safely. Funny thing is, that this was the airframe of which the right part of the tail was found by civilians at Long Strand near Cork, Ireland (!) on 5 May 2006.

In 1972 and 1973, VF-111 did two cruises with its F-4Bs on the USS Coral Sea. This picture was probably taken between the two cruises. This F-4B was converted to F-4N later and lost on board USS Coral Sea when operated by VMFA-323 on 19 February 1980.

Fighter Squadron 111 (VF-111), USS Kitty Hawk, 1979. Made famous by the movie "Top Gun," the F-14 Tomcat is the last of Grumman's "Cat" series of Naval fighters which began with the F4F Wildcat in the 1930s. Tomcats entered service on the USS Enterprise in 1974, and flew some of the last American combat missions over Vietnam while providing air cover over Saigon during the American evacuation in April 1975. The Tomcat was retired from service in the U.S. Navy in 2006.