F-14 Tomcat Display Team?

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Fri Dec 18, 2009 9:01 am

As you guys know I am helping get the Wings Over Elkhart Airshow together. We have put our request in for military support, and this morning I talked to the U.S. navy. The gentleman I talked to said that they navy is considering getting a few F-14's out of the desert to tour events for a year or two. Has anyone else heard anythign about this? This is news to me.

Shay · **Posted:** Fri Dec 18, 2009 9:45 am

CH2Tdriver · **Posted:** Fri Dec 18, 2009 10:44 am

mustangdriver wrote:

As you guys know I am helping get the Wings Over Elkhart Airshow together. We have put our request in for military support, and this morning I talked to the U.S. navy. The gentleman I talked to said that they navy is considering getting a few F-14's out of the desert to tour events for a year or two. Has anyone else heard anythign about this? This is news to me.

Are you sure he didn't mean the Iranian Desert? :twisted:

Seriously though that would be awesome! The VF-31 Felix birds were the last to be retired in 2006. The last Tomcat flight was into my home field of FRG Republic in October of that year. In June two of them paid a visit for Grumman employees.

Pete

kalamazookid · **Posted:** Fri Dec 18, 2009 11:57 am

I'll believe it when I see it, but that would be really cool.

I would love to see a couple on the airshow circuit in some late-1970s "retro" markings. The VF-143 "Pukin' Dogs" schemes from the late-70s come to mind, or maybe an early VF-41 "Black Aces" scheme would be really cool to see.

Maybe the Navy will set up some sort of drone program like the USAF did with the F-4 and fly a few on the airshow circuit for awhile. I won't be holding my breath, but you never know...

Owen Miller · **Joined:** Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:28 pm **Posts:** 614

My memory of it was that VF-213 was the last to stand down.
Regardless, it would be tremendous. I'd sure love to see the
big ole' honking F-14s flying again. With two wars going on and
a lot of sailors to feed I can't see it happening. We can always
hope.....

Shay · **Posted:** Fri Dec 18, 2009 12:49 pm

Owen Miller wrote:

With two wars going on and
a lot of sailors to feed I can't see it happening. We can always
hope.....

Different pots of money, most would be surprised what is spent on "Recruiting Tools".

Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Fri Dec 18, 2009 12:52 pm

I hope it happens, but we will see. I said that if they do that, we want them!

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Fri Dec 18, 2009 3:04 pm

I've seen lots of F-14 demos up close and personal.
The price of admission was a bit steep through :shock:

M.P. · **Posted:** Fri Dec 18, 2009 5:30 pm

Some years ago a story was told that Dale Snodgrass will get some 16 Tomcats:
http://www.f-16.net/f-16_forum_viewtopi ... art-0.html

CH2Tdriver · **Posted:** Fri Dec 18, 2009 6:01 pm

M.P. wrote:

Some years ago a story was told that Dale Snodgrass will get some 16 Tomcats:
http://www.f-16.net/f-16_forum_viewtopi ... art-0.html

I asked Dale about that last summer at Geneseo. He said they had a major corporate sponsor lined up and it was very close to happening, but then someone on the Navy side got cold feet and it all came to an end.

Pete

viking73 · **Posted:** Fri Dec 18, 2009 6:23 pm

Are there even any left in one piece at AMARC? I thought "they" wanted the F-14 extinct...

-Derek

warbird1 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:25 pm **Posts:** 2760

Though it would be very cool, I can think of one thousand other ways to spend the money better, starting with Number 1 - Douglas TBD Devastator recovery.

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