Special NOTAM
from
RADM Bad Fred Lewis, USN (Ret)
President, F-14 Tomcat Monument Association

I'm sending you this email to keep you up to speed with what's going on with the Association that you have so generously supported. First, the Board of Directors of the F-14 Tomcat Monument Association is pleased to announce a change in corporate governance effective 1 June 2021.

As you know, we've had two successful monument installations - one in the Naval Aviation Monument Park at the boardwalk on Virginia Beach, VA, and the second at the National Naval Aviation Museum aboard NAS Pensacola, FL. The next focus is an installation in a San Diego location, where the iconic aircraft began it's long and historic naval service.

The Virginia Beach and Pensacola sites were both fairly easy to identify and to construct. However, the long pole in the tent for the San Diego Monument has been selection of an appropriate site. Several potential locations have been examined with their own pro's and con's, but it has been challenging for us to work long distance through the various governing bodies in that region. After long deliberations, we decided that the F-14 Tomcat Monument Association would best be served by passing leadership to those who reside in San Diego. We wanted to make sure the project would be in the hands of highly capable and motivated Tomcat guys who have more knowledge of the local regulatory and political landscape.

I'm happy to say that incoming Chairman RADM James 'JJ' Quinn, USN Ret. has selected several other retired F-14 personnel with strong links to the West Coast area, including CAPT Jim 'Guido' DiMatteo and CDR Mark 'Viz' Vizcarra, to continue fundraising and planning for the West Coast monument.

Second, due to Virginia Beach COVID restrictions, we unfortunately have had to again re-schedule the Dedication Ceremony for the Virginia Beach monument. We're working with the City to finalize a date in mid-September 2021, hopefully to coincide with the NAS Oceana Airshow, and will keep you informed.
Thanks again for your support for this noble endeavor honoring the thousands of personnel involved in the design, operation, and maintenance of the Tomcat, and memorializing those F-14 aviators who lost their lives serving our country.

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.

Fine print:

1. The 50% discount applies only to Tomcat prints (they have many aircraft types available, but the discount is only for the F-14).
2. Discount is only valid on Monday, December 21st, 2020 (all time zones).
3. 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.

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.  

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 50^th 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

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).   

Be a part of it...

Here is your chance to be part of F-14 Tomcat history!   The F-14 Tomcat Monument Association is leading the effort to construct a monument to the greatest fighter that ever flew.   Please check-out their website and make a contribution.   Any donation is appreciated!  There are also donation levels that will get your name inscribed on the memorial - a great way to forever mark your support and love of the Tomcat.   This is also a unique gift opportunity!

Please go to the F-14 Tomcat Monument site (below) for more information!   Always, Baby...!

 http://tomcatmonument.org