The film “F-14A Tomcat Progress Report 7- The Tomcat Deployed” was produced by Grumman Aerospace Corporation in 1974 to tout the Navy’s newest fleet defense interceptor- the Grumman F-14A Tomcat. During the making of the film Fighter Squadron ONE (VF-1) Wolf Pack and VF-2 Bounty Hunters were preparing for their first deployment with Carrier Air Wing ONE FOUR (CVW-14) aboard the carrier USS Enterprise (CVNA-65). The film was uploaded to YouTube by sdasmarchives.
[youtube id=”ukUXUgUrQ1s” width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”]
The Tomcat first flew on 21 December 1970. The twin-engine, two-seat, variable-sweep wing fighter was developed to meet the Navy’s Experimental (VFX) program after the ill-fated F-111B program was dropped. Developed using the experiences of fighter crews fighting MiGs in the skies over Vietnam, the F-14A reversed the no-gun mindset that produced the Navy versions of the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. Of course the Tomcat went on to serve for 32 years as the ultimate fleet defender, reconnaissance platform, and later as a highly effective ground attack platform when adapted to do the job. Tomcats compiled a 5-1 composite win/loss ratio in US Navy use (Navy 4 Libya 0). The only other country to operate the F-14A, Iran, claims a composite win/loss ratio of 130-8.
During their WestPac deployment aboard the Big E for Operation Frequent Wind (from 17 September 1974 to 20 May 1975) CVW-14 consisted of VF-1 Wolf Pack and VF-2 Bounty Hunters flying the Tomcat, VA-27 Royal Maces and VA-97 Warhawks flying the Vought A-7E Corsair II, VA-196 Main Battery flying the Grumman A-6A and KA-6D Intruder, VAQ-137 Rooks flying the Grumman EA-6B Prowler, VAW-113 Black Eagles flying the Grumman E-2B Hawkeye, RVAH-12 Speartips flying the North American RA-5C Vigilante, Detachment 65 from VQ-1 World Watchers flying the Douglas EA-3B Skywarrior, HS-2 Golden Falcons flying the Sikorsky SH-3D Sea King, and a Detachment from HC-7 Sea Devils flying the Sikorsky HH-3A and SH-3G Sea King.
Glad I found this info on VF1&2. I was on the Enterprise when they first deployed. During Operation F/W one of the Tomcats from VF1 Wolfpack came back to the ship with more AAA holes in him that he left with. I was in V-2Division Arresting gear. I operated #3 engine (target wire) and The Tomcats were set to trap on the wire @ 52,000lb
Great times and Great people. Russ Gammon. ABE3