USS Lexington

damaged beyond repair in 1993 and relegated to ground instruction duties. The airframe has been seen at NAS Cecil Field and NAS Oceana. So NAS Cecil Field needs confirmation. Photographer unknown

in use for light transport to and from guantanamo Bay. Later concerted to TC-12B. Photo by R.E.Kling

This Viking of VS-21, Fighting Redtails, is basking in the very early morning sunshine.

This Satan's Kittens Cat was assigned to CVW-10. The squadron was established on 1 December 1986 and already disestablished on 30 April 1988. The Cat was written off with VF-114 in a crash on 17 May 1990.

Fighter Squadron (VF) 194 "Red Lightnings" was a short-lived Tomcat unit. It was re-established on 1 Dec'86 and disestablished on 30 Apr'88. VF-194 was planned together with VF-191 for a cruise on the USS Independence as part of CVW-10, but before the cruise could take place the squadron and wing ceased to exist. The squadron lineage runs back to 1952 as it was originally established as VF-91 on 26 Mar'52, redesignated VF-194 on 1 Aug'63 and disestablished on 1 Mar'78. This 161297 was delivered to the USN on 2 Mar'82, retired to AMARC on 13 Sep'04 and left for HVF West for scrap on 22 Jul'09.

to AMARG 9H0093 and sold as N107WK in 2011

Perhaps the last place you'd expect to find a maritime patrol bird from the Cold War is rural central Ohio, and yet here she is. Preserved at VFW Post 3761 just outside of Baltimore is this beauty, seen here basking in the autumn morning light. Came to this location from what was then Lockbourne AFB, where she had been utilized as a crash rescue trainer.

This aircraft was originally built as a F9F-8 Cougar. The link between this type and South Korea is that early in the Korean war (on 3 July 1950), a USN F9F-3 from VF-51, operating from USS Valley Forge, downed a North Korean Yak-9P. I assume that is why this aircraft sits in a South Korean aviation museum.

Practising approaches runway 31.

Delivered to the US Navy on 28 October 1978 and retired to AMARC on 13 March 1995. In between it served VF-111, VF-2, VF-51, VF-21 (as pictured), VF-111 and VF-101. The Tomcat was scrapped by HVF West, Tucson (AZ) from 16 June 2008.

A Mentor of the PAcific Fleet Tomcat FRS. The type was used as a pilot proficiency trainer. It arrived with the Gunfighters mid-1992 and departed the squadron some two years later for the Strike Fighter Weapons School 'Tomcat Strike', Later it returned as a training with Training Wing FIVE. It was eventually retired on 29 May 2014 and stored at AMARG.

A Gunfighters Super Tomcat on the flightline of NAS Miramar (CA). 163418 was delivered to the US Navy on 18 October 1990. It was the first Super Tomcat for VF-124, the Pacific Fleet Replacement/Replenishment squadron. 163418 took part in the first F-14D Carrier Qualifications that took place on board the US Nimitz (CVN-68). After a following career with VF-11, VF-101 and VF-2, the Tomcat was retired to AMARC on 12 June 2003. It was moved to HVF West, Tucson (AZ) on 22 July 2009 and was sadly scrapped.

A very clean and brand-new Fiscal Year 1990 F-14D Super Tomcat. The beauty was accepted by the US Navy on 22 August 1991, and this picture was made only 5 days earlier! It was first assigned to VF-124, followed in August 1992 by VF-11. Later it moved to VF-31 and VF-101, then varying several times between VF-213 and VF-31. It was part of the final Tomcat cruise. 164341 was moved to AMARG for storage on 20 September 2006. It received inventory code AN1K0200. It was stricken on 29 November 2006. Pity as this Super Tomcat was at that time much newer, with less flight hours than many US fighters!