F-14A Tomcat BU#160684 (NL-211) — Pima Air And Space Museum
Written By Dan Rivera
Walk around video of the Pima Air Museum F-14 Tomcat (Above)
Video Courtesy Of Marc0 Antonio Avila MarktownUSA and Fans Of the Pima Air and Space Museum Admin
Photos of BU#160684 (NL-211) Operational:
F-14 Tomcat History
It was 1960, additionally, the Soviets were developing a family of long-range formidable cruise missiles that may be launched from ships, submarines, and aircraft. These missiles flew quickly and at low altitudes which made them ideal for targeting US Navy carriers. A sufficiently sizable amount of these missiles could overwhelm the foremost of any advanced air defenses of that time. The US Navy also lacked a Long-range fighter with a sufficient weapon load and range to intercept and destroy these Soviet missiles and aircraft before they got too close to the carrier group. This made them realize the need for a fighter that can fly long-range mission necessary from the carrier and intercept Soviet bombers and missiles before enemy aircraft could engage the battle group.
In 1962, the present long F-111 of the USAF was re-designated because the F-111B was evaluated to be a newly armed fighter to fulfill this role thanks to its long-range and serious weapons load. However, it had been simply too heavy and its deck multiple too large at over 85,000 pounds to be a Naval fighter. It had been too clumsy as a fighter and it had development issues in this arena resulting is pilot losses during testing It was canceled in 1968 and therefore the US Navy proceeded to (research) for a specifically designed new fighter for Fleet-Air Defense and Carrier Operations. Thus in 1968, Grumman was awarded the contract to be the vender to make a next-generation air superiority fighter for the U.S. Navy. It had to fly at speeds faster than Mach 2.2, have a wonderful lightness, and be able to perform secondary strike roles. It would deploy the AIM-54 Phoenix ultra-long-range Air to Air missile in conjunction with the long range AWG-9 radar.
Grumman engineers examined wind tunnel models in diverse configurations and eventually the version which became selected had a swing-wing design to manage a range of flight envelopes and dual high-bypass turbojet engines. The specific characteristic of those engines was that they developed close to 40,000 pounds of thrust on an airframe which weighed 42,000 pounds dry yet were economical (for a fighter). This proved to be an excellent format as the area between the engines below the fuselage allowed for carrying the larger AIM-54 Phoenix missile or multiple bombs. This layout required a very tall vertical stabilizer (tail) which could abate adverse yaw motion and provide stability. But hanger height would restrict tail height so Grumman opted for a lower dual tail configuration which complimented the use also of full tail horizontal stabilizers. Roll rate was augmented by spoiler banks on the upper wings. Unlike the Side-By -Side through seating utilized by the pilot and the radar intercept officer in the F-111, the F-14 featured tandem seating for its 2 pilot team which led to additional streamlining of the F-14. The final design selected turned into the Design 303E
Present Day
“Top Gun,” was the Movie that made the F-14 Tomcat famous. The last of the Grumman’s “Cat” collection of Naval Aircraft, which started with the F4F Wildcat in the 1930s The Tomcats entered Service with the U.S Navy aboard the USS Enterprise (with VF-1 & VF-2) in 1974 which started flying a number of the final American combat missions over Vietnam while supplying air cover over Saigon throughout the American evacuation in April 1975. (In this same time-frame, the Shaw of Iran also purchased 78 F-14’s from Grumman via the U.S State Department; these aircraft being delivered by U.S. aircrews to Iran; and Iranian pilots being trained by the same aircrews in the U.S. at NAS Miramar with VF-124. These F-14’s were all delivered slightly before the Shaw of Iran was disposed during the Iranian Revolution.) The Tomcat was retired from U.S. Navy in 2006 because of the growing expenses of operation. The Iranian Air Force has retained their Tomcats in service long beyond their retirement in the United States.
The Pima Air and Space Museum has been instrumental in preserving one of these F-14 Tomcats (BU#160684). This Aircraft is one of the centerpieces of the Museum's collection. The Tomcat that the Pima Air and Space acquired has a a real unique history. However there has also been some speculation about certain facts about this aircraft. Since the Movie Top Gun Made the Tomcat a household name, this aircraft (BU#160684) has been rumored to have appeared in scenes of the movie.
Tomcats Used in the Movie:
The Tower Flyby Scene And the Real Story of Pima Air Museum's F-14 Tomcat
Lloyd Abel aka "Bozo" was one of the actual pilots of this particular Tomcat. He logged 18 flights in this aircraft when attached to VF-111. For those that do not know who Bozo is he is the Tomcat pilot who flew the tower scene where Maverick and Goose Buzz the Tower spilling coffee on the CAG in the Tower. He is the authority on this aircraft and stated that the paint scheme on Pima's Tomcat is authentic and correct. This Aircraft was however at NAS Miramar during the filming of the movie and was not an aircraft used. Bozo, From March 1979 to June 1980, was attached to VF-111 and flew this aircraft as well as the other 16 aircraft in the squadron. He made the USS Kitty Hawk Cruise from June 1979 to March 1980. During Sept 1979 Bozo had punched out of BU# 160672 due to a dual engine failure off the catapult on the 8th of September 1979. After Bozo left the squadron, Pima's F-14 Tomcat would have been at NAS Miramar for Many Years Later.
Nose for (BU#160665) and was painted with the fist and Lightning Bolts on the tail. and 114 (BU#160694) was painted with the diving Falcon on the tail for the entire filming.
Aircraft 104 (BU#160665) was the NAS Miramar Tower Flyby Aircraft, Flown By Lloyd Abel aka "Bozo” (The Tower Flyby With the Coffee Spilling on the Air Boss.), was also the Aircraft us for the carrier Operation scenes from the USS Enterprise. This aircraft also served as the Camera bird which filmed some of the actors and Bozo in actual flight. It also was the aircraft that he flew and filmed Tom Cruise (and 6 other actors) in the cockpit.
Aircraft 114 BUNO#160694 (flown by Ben Schneider) made the scary approach to the boat; the inverted flight; and was used (like 104) when single filming was done for Maverick or Iceman using only one aircraft, which was about 60% of the filming. Ben and Lloyd flew as Iceman (104) and Maverick (114), respectively, when section (2 aircraft) shots were called for about 30% of the filming; some at NAS Miramar off the coast with Clay Lacy and his camera Lear jet; and a large chunk at NAS Fallon. There were several calls for four aircraft about 10% of the filming during the NAS Fallon filming where Bozo brought up two more aircraft (BUNO#160679 & BUNO#160675) from NAS Miramar with pilots Denny Broska & Scott Altman. RIO aircrew were Chuck Lewis, TC Skeels, Rick Moe, and Ken Smith and were often interchanged among the various sorties flown. (Additionally, BUNO#'s 160657 and 160663 were also used on various occasions to cover filming requirements when primary aircraft were unavailable during NAS Miramar shooting.) See photo taken at NAS Fallon during filming.
L-R Back row: Lcdr Lloyd Abel, Lt Rick Moe, Lt Chuck Lewis, Lt T.C. Skeels, and Lt Scott Altman.
L-R Front Row: Lt Denny Broska, Lt Ben Schneider, and Lt Ken Smith.
Photo taken at NAS Fallon during the filming of Top Gun
History of F-14A BU#160684
The F-14 Tomcat was there for the filming of the movie but did not participate in any scenes , and as per Pima's information below:
Built by Grumman Aircraft, Bethpage, New York and delivered to the U.S. Navy on December 8, 1978. December 1978 To Fighter Squadron 111, (VF-111), Naval Air Station Miramar, California. April 1979
Deployed aboard USS Kitty Hawk. February 1980 Returned to Naval Air Station Miramar, California. February 1981
Deployed aboard USS Kitty Hawk. January 1982 Returned to Naval Air Station Miramar, California. April 1982 Unit moved to Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia. November 1982
To Fighter Squadron 124 (VF-124), Naval Air Station Miramar, California. December 1985 To Fighter Squadron 51 (VF-51), Naval Air Station Miramar, California. March 1986
Deployed aboard USS Carl Vinson. February 1987 Returned to Naval Air Station North Island, California with VF-51.
After 1987 To Fighter Squadron 124 (VF-124), Naval Air Station Miramar, California. September 1994
Loaned to Pima Air and Space Museum by the National Naval Aviation Museum.
Special Thanks
I would Like to acknowledge the following people and groups who assisted in helping me research this important article:
The Pima Air and Space Museum for displaying such an awesome significant aircraft in their collection and keeping her in tip top condition and to their restoration team for the same. Please visit them at their website.
Michael Sheriff and the Top Gun Fans Page, where I would not have been able to start my research. This group is dedicated to Top Gun and the fans that grew up on this movie in the 1980's. Please visit their group here.
CJ "Heater" Heatley, author of "The Cutting Edge" book and an actual Top Gun Instructor, for becoming my friend and for putting me in contact with Lloyd " Bozo" Abel. Heater Also Flew With Lloyd "Bozo" Abel In the Back seat Armed wit ha large Panaflex camera to film some of the over water scenes
Lloyd "Bozo" Abel, pilot for the Tower Flyby scene as well as many other scenes in the movie; but specifically as the F-14 Aerial coordinator and for giving me this valuable information on the Museum's F-14 Tomcat.
Matthew Lawlor whose direction and knowledge and history was very invaluable getting the information I needed to research the history of this beautiful aircraft.
Thank You!
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