raptor22 Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Enough to make me cry... One of the final F-14B Tomcats to launch from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) receives an impromptu send-off from Sailors assigned to VF-32. A squadron final checker holds his position while giving a thumbs up signal as one of the last F-14B Tomcats launches from the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Four F-14B Tomcats, assigned to the "Swordsmen" of Fighter Squadron Three Two (VF-32), perform a diamond formation fly-by at the conclusion of Carrier Air Wing Three (CVW-3) fly-off aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). The current underway-period marks the final time the F-14 Tomcat will take part in flight operations while embarked aboard Truman. VF-32 will shortly begin the process of transitioning to the newer F/A-18F Super Hornet. Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Sad to see .... OKay ... enough sulking ... Oh Well, Bring on THE RHINO !!! Gregg Link to post Share on other sites
g0_command0 Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 its not over for VF-32 yet, i think they are gonna be around till Sept or even longer. IF there was to be a demo at oceana it would of been with VF-32 Link to post Share on other sites
yardbird78 Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 A point of pride for Tomcat folks. My adopted son is a Marine Major who normally flies HH-53E helicopters. He just completed a tour in Iraq as an ALO, Air Liaison Officer with a Marine Force Recon company in extreme western Iraq. He spent a good portion of each day calling in air strikes on the bad guys and his number one preference for speed, accuracy and general "get the job done right" was ALWAYS the F-14D Bomb Cat drivers. They were better than USAF Strike Eagles, Vipers and Warthogs, better than Marine CAS with Hornets or Harriers and far superior to USA Apaches, who rarely do CAS. Darwin Link to post Share on other sites
TomcatFanatic123 Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Gone...but NEVER forgotten. Tomcats FOREVER!!!!!!!!! <_< Link to post Share on other sites
Skull Leader Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 A sad thing to see... I look forward to seeing these guys in Oceana though (on the ground if not in the air) Link to post Share on other sites
flynavy Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 ya, it broke my heart to write those captions and post them on the navy website! but then again, when was the last time we had that many Tomcat pics posted on the navys website, made me feel good for once <_< sick of those hornets hehe Link to post Share on other sites
I.Illes Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 <_< So that´s it I will never ever see an operational Tomcat in my life. You guys can´t imagine what it is like to love that aircraft and not having the chance to see one. István Link to post Share on other sites
Skull Leader Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 (edited) <_< So that´s it I will never ever see an operational Tomcat in my life. You guys can´t imagine what it is like to love that aircraft and not having the chance to see one. István Come vist us here in Wichita, Kansas... Istvan! I'll drive you down to Tulsa and you can see the one in our air museum! (can even sit inside it if you'd like!) or We can go up to Topeka and see Darren's Edited July 22, 2005 by Skull Leader Link to post Share on other sites
I.Illes Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Thanks for the offer, I´ll see what I can do to make his happen! When I visit the USA, I will have to travel a lot: friends in Chicago, Family in Tennessee, New Jersey, Oregon, North Dakota, would like to see some folks in California-> this is going to be expensive and will sure take me 3 months and another 3 to regenerate <_< István Link to post Share on other sites
spike7451 Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Sad to see! I suppose Tom Cruise will have to requal on the Rhino!! Merv Link to post Share on other sites
I.Illes Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 (edited) Sad to see! I suppose Tom Cruise will have to requal on the Rhino!!Merv Actually, Tom Cruise is 2 inches too small to be a fighter pilot István Edited July 22, 2005 by I.Illes Link to post Share on other sites
TexasBlues Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 So that´s it I will never ever see an operational Tomcat in my life. You guys can´t imagine what it is like to love that aircraft and not having the chance to see one. István i've seen them, smelled them, tasted them (they leak alot) and been physically hurt by them... they are like the most wonderfully sexy and dangerous woman you have ever seen... i guess theyre kinda like Angelina Jolie (or YOUR personal favorite female) when shes all pi$$ed off and $ex sweaty all at the same time... hard to explain... they just 'are'... my most favorite aircraft in all the world Link to post Share on other sites
Skull Leader Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 yep. That's one big, sexy fighter... Link to post Share on other sites
jai5w4 Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Sad to see! I suppose Tom Cruise will have to requal on the Rhino!!Merv He never took a ride. Everyone else from "Top Gun" that was offered a ride in a Tomcat took it. He, however, did not. Heard from a guy that was there that he was a total jerk. John :huh: Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Tom Cruise took many flights while filming TOP GUN, Val Kilmer didn't take any flights ... Gregg Link to post Share on other sites
Skull Leader Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Sad to see! I suppose Tom Cruise will have to requal on the Rhino!!Merv He never took a ride. Everyone else from "Top Gun" that was offered a ride in a Tomcat took it. He, however, did not. Heard from a guy that was there that he was a total jerk. John :huh: yeah, I think you have your wires crossed. It was Val Kilmer who was too scared to take an actual hop. There is footage on the new Top Gun DVD of Tom Cruise actually in the RIOs seat up in the air. Link to post Share on other sites
spike7451 Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Here's one of my favorite fighters,(great aerodynamics too!!) Merv :D Link to post Share on other sites
Guest mr. tomcat Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 VF-32 will play host to their 60TH anniversary/reunion during this year's Oceana Air Show. You better believe there will be at least one Swordsman Tomcat left. Most likely painted in a special scheme too. SUPER RHINOS WILL RULE THE SKY ONLY AFTER THE LAST TOMCAT LANDS AT THE BONEYARD TO DIE! Link to post Share on other sites
BlackWolf3945 Posted July 22, 2005 Share Posted July 22, 2005 Here's one of my favorite fighters,(great aerodynamics too!!)Merv :D NOW 'yer talkin'... Not sure if I like that shiny sh...stuff she's wearing, though... Fade to Black... Link to post Share on other sites
Guest mr. tomcat Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 (edited) I know they're not fighters but they are aerodynamic and there is an airplane in the background. Edited July 23, 2005 by mr. tomcat Link to post Share on other sites
Randy Wise Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 It's a sad day to see the venerable 'Cat going out to pasture. The Rhino can't hold a candle to the F-14 - no how, no way. Think of this too, this ends a long tradition of Grumman build fighters in front line service with the navy. Except for that slight interuption back in the 60's with that thing call, er, uh a "Phantom" its been Grumman products since the 1930's. How's does that old saying go... "The name Grumman on an aircraft is like the name Sterling on silver." They really don't come any finer. And there's really nothing "Grumman-like" in the pipe for the Navy any time soon. Randy Link to post Share on other sites
Jay Chladek Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 Well, there is one way to still see Tomcats in operational service, but you have to go to Iran to do it (kind of difficult to do). Its rather ironic that the final operator of the Tomcat will be a country that we regretted selling them to after the Shah government fell in the late 1970s. The Iraqis also regretted that we sold the Iranians those cats as well because they got their butts whipped by the Ali Cats in combat. The political leaders of Iran may be not so nice, but at least their military got their money's worth out of Grumman's big cat. Link to post Share on other sites
Skull Leader Posted July 23, 2005 Share Posted July 23, 2005 No signs of retiring them either. Link to post Share on other sites
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