VF-2 "Bounty Hunters" jet positioned for launch. Taken on a mid-80s cruise by Dave "Bio" Baranek.
Sidebar
Mission: To Preserve the History of the Greatest Fighter Jet the United States Navy Has Ever Flown.
The F-14 Tomcat Association
Our primary purpose is to maintain contact among the members of the Tomcat community, keep members informed of developments in Naval Aviation, provide support to museums where F-14s are on display, and sponsor annual reunions of the F-14 family. Membership is open to anyone who has flown, worked on, or just plain love the F-14 aircraft.
This website is dedicated to the aircrews who risked their lives fighting for our freedom, the maintainers in the hangars and shops who kept these jets flying, the managers and support personnel who continually found the funds and supplies needed to hold it all together, and finally, the engineers, scientists, technicians and artisans who designed and built the F-14 and who through the years came up with the improvements to keep it in the air for 36 years.
ALWAYS, BABY ...!
50th Anniversary Celebration!
December 21st marks the 50th Anniversary of the F-14 Tomcat's first flight! We have a number of activities to commorate the day, but the 50th will be celebrated all year long with monthly installments (more details to come).
Be sure to join us on Monday, Dec 21st, as we join our friends at thehangardeck.com for the first in a series of Tomcat videos. An early preview will be available on Sunday, Dec 20, as well. All of the details can be found at THEHANGERDECK.COM.
As part of our virtual event commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Tomcat's First Flight, our friends at http://www.aircraftprofileprints.com/ are extending an incredible offer - 50% off Tomcat prints! This is a one-time only promotion and is good ONLY on Monday, December 21st. They will never do another 50% off promotion like this! It is a great way to score some great Tomcat prints or add to your collection.
Fine print:
- The 50% discount applies only to Tomcat prints (they have many aircraft types available, but the discount is only for the F-14).
- Discount is only valid on Monday, December 21st, 2020 (all time zones).
- These make great holiday presents for the Tomcat fanatic in your life, but given the late date of the event (Dec 21), there is no way prints will be delivered by Dec 25th.
It's going to be a great year of Tomcat celebrations! Start now by browsing http://www.aircraftprofileprints.com/ for your favorite prints, then come back on Monday to purchase.
The coveted 50th Anniversary patches are now available for purchase! Visit our partners at AV8RSTUFF.COM to pick-up this limited issue patch. A portion of the proceeds from each patch comes back to help fund F-14 Tomcat Association activities. We appreciate your support!
Get yours at our F-14 Tomcat Association Country Store: https://av8rstuff.com/TApatches.html
Thanks to Whitey at AV8RSTUFF.COM for working to get these patches available! The 50th logo was designed by Bill Barto, our Association Historian.
First Flight Virtual Event and 2021 Reunion!
Check back for more info on our virtual event celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the F-14's first flight. The event will take place on Dec 21, 2020. More details to come!
Registration is now open! Please visit https://www.acompletereunion.com/f-14-tomcat to download the brochure and reserve your spot today. We have an amazing agenda planned - be sure to read more about it in the brochure.
Presidents Message - Special Update - Spring/Summer 2020
Dear Tomcat Community,
I hope you are well during our journey to the new COVID-19 normal. Please read the entire message, but I’ll get straight to the most important topic – Reunion 2020. Your board of directors has decided to delay the reunion and celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first flight of the Tomcat until April or May of 2021. We want to have a first class event that everyone can enjoy, and travel to the Long Island area in August simply wasn’t going to allow as many people to participate as this noteworthy milestone deserves. I can promise you that we are working hard to re-create an event that you will want to participate in next spring.
What Is Happening With The F-14 Monument
The Tomcat Monument will be installed in the Naval Aviation Monument Park on the Virginia Beach Boardwalk during the day on TUES 30 June.
They have tentatively rescheduled the official Dedication Ceremony for Wednesday, 30 September 2020 with the Happy Hour on Tuesday, 29 September 2020, dependent on future travel restrictions in place. Information on both events will be posted as soon as possible to aid in travel plans.
Interesting Tomcat Web Sites
F-14 Monument Association -- https://tomcatmonument.org/
Home of M.A.T.S. by Torsten Anft -- http://www.anft.net/f-14/index.htm
F-14 Facebook Page -- https://www.facebook.com/groups/f14association/
What Is Happening With The Board Of Directors
Marc Arnold has joined the Board as the Central Maintainer Representative position. Marc was an AE2 with VF-1 from 1978 - 1980 and participated in the squadron’s ‘78 WestPac cruise aboard Enterprise and their ‘80-81 cruise aboard Ranger. After active duty, he was employed with Northrop Grumman and retired from a long and productive career in aerospace. Please join me in welcoming Marc to the Board.
We are actively seeking candidates for the role of President and Vice President. If interested, please reach out to me at either:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The current Board of Directors is:
Captain Mike "Rabies" Rabens (USN Ret.) - President
Captain Mark "Beaver" Swaney (USN Ret.) - Vice President
Don Bowsher - Secretary
Captain Rob "Udog" Underwood (USNR) - Treasurer
Captain Jim "Crunch" Hineline (USN) - Fleet Representative
Dave "Hey Joe" Parsons - East Coast Representative
Commander Bryan "Spot" Kust (USN Ret.) - West Coast Representative
AMS2 Mike O'Brien - Maintainer Representative, West
AMS2 Tim Daugherty - Maintainer Representative, East
AE2 Marc Arnold - Maintainer Representative, Central
Historian – William “Bill” Barto, Grumman
Summary
There you have it. Please send us ideas, feedback, and articles for publication on the Association web page: http://www.f-14association.com/. And please consider volunteering for a position on the Board – we are looking for officers and creative people to help with communications, event planning and execution, outreach, etc. Bottom line -- we need you to keep the Association moving forward and growing. Many thanks.
Respectfully,
Mike “Rabies” Rabens
President, F-14 Tomcat Association
Always, Baby
Tomcat News - Spring/Summer 2020 Special
Please check-out this special update release of Tomcat News! Members of the F-14 Tomcat Association can access the newsletter from the Newsletter link (under the "Members Only" menu).
