During the visit for the Tomcat’s last ops. from an aircraft carrier Everything looks normal. Pilot and RIO of F-14 Tomcat no. 112 of Fighter Squadron VF-31 “Tomcatters” make the final control checks on catapult no 3 on the waist of the nuclear aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, at 4:42 pm of the 28th of July 06. It is not. Tension is in the air. The plane and crew are about to do their last catapult launch aboard an F-14 ever, for it will be relieved from service. They surely feel nostalgic after flying that powerful and beautiful plane. Seven shooters instead of one move stylishly, giving the catapult operator the signal to release the plane, as a way of saluting the aircraft goodbye. In three seconds it is shot and in the air. This favorite plane of many is being retired after 33 years of service because the cost/time of maintenance is four times higher than the F-18 Hornet’s. The F-14 crews will move on to fly this plane. Its last combat operation was in February with VF-213 “Blacklions” and VF-31 “Tomcatters” in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Today, the last squadron remaining on a carrier, the distinguished VF-31 flies to NAS Oceana until its retirement in September. For years I dreamt of watching the Tomcat in service and today I am here to witness its last operations on a carrier! The Tomcat was made for the cold war and yet it could well continue to serve. It has the most powerful radar ever used by a fighter, the long range Phoenix missile, only usable with this …
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