F-14 Miss Molly

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Wed Jul 11, 2007 5:57 pm

It would have been nice to get a call back at least. And for the record, Rick is right. if you want something from any of the museums, YOU are going to pay for it.

Shay · **Posted:** Wed Jul 11, 2007 6:31 pm

Here's my favorite Sundowner bird, or F-14 for that matter. But I'm a little biased.

This is BuNo. 160666. Currently with the Western Aerospace Museum in Oakland, CA. My Uncle has seat time in this Tomcat when he was C.O. of the VF-111. He was in command of the Sundowners on their first cruise with the Tomcat aboard the USS Kitty Hawk CV-63. From 79 to 81.

As luck would have it, she was saved for preservation and is now currently under restoration. Once restored she'll wear the markings from that first cruise.

Maybe one day i'll get out to see her.

Shay
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Semper Fortis

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Wed Jul 11, 2007 6:38 pm

Sweet looking bird.

jamesintucson · **Joined:** Sat Jan 29, 2005 1:42 am **Posts:** 546

Shay wrote:

Here's my favorite Sundowner bird, or F-14 for that matter. But I'm a little biased.

This is BuNo. 160666. Currently with the Western Aerospace Museum in Oakland, CA. My Uncle has seat time in this Tomcat when he was C.O. of the VF-111. He was in command of the Sundowners on their first cruise with the Tomcat aboard the USS Kitty Hawk CV-63. From 79 to 81.

As luck would have if she was saved for preservation and now currently under restoration. Once restored she'll wear the markings from that first cruise.

Maybe one day i'll get out to see her.

Shay
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We just finished repainting our Tomcat in VF-111 markings here at Pima. It was on the Sundowner's first F-14 cruise off the Kitty Hawk too.

James

Shay · **Posted:** Wed Jul 11, 2007 10:01 pm

James

Very sharp looking Turkey.

Yet again another Tomcat that my Uncle more than likely has seat time in (I'll have to check his log books) and it's on the other coast. Go figure :roll:

Thanks for taking care of her. They are becoming rarer and rarer as the days go by.

A little while back i found a list of VF-111 BuNo.s from that cruise. I have to find it and see what if any other sundowners are still around.

If you have them I'd love to see more pictures of 160684

Shay
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Semper Fortis

Shay · **Posted:** Thu Jul 12, 2007 7:25 am

With the scrapping of the F-14 fleet underway. Obscure airframes like this wrecked one at Fentrss airfield will be all that's available. Who wants to bet as damage as it is, it'll end up on display?

Scott Shea wrote:

reported in 2006, “The F-14D had a nose landing gear failure. The nose landing gear failed to extend.

I heard it actually had the issue at NAS Oceana, which it was then told to land at Fentress for unknown reasons.

It landed & skidded down the runway on its nose; pilot & WSO uninjured.

It was removed from the runway & the squadron could be seen robbing/removing/cannibalizing it for parts on weekends.”

What a sad end for such a mighty Mach 2 fighter.

Perhaps not if the accident set the stage for it to be saved at a later date. How many warbirds are around today because of mishaps that sidelined them? Lots

Shay
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Semper Fortis

Owen Miller · **Joined:** Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:28 pm **Posts:** 614

The AMARC datebase is still a learning experience for me.
I'm not very familar with it and I still struggle with it at times.
However, if I read it right this time BU161621 is still there.
See the link below......

http://www.amarcexperience.com/AMARCDB. ... lue=161621

Shay · **Posted:** Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:11 am

Owen Miller wrote:

The AMARC datebase is still a learning experience for me.
I'm not very familar with it and I still struggle with it at times.
However, if I read it right this time BU161621 is still there.
See the link below......

http://www.amarcexperience.com/AMARCDB. ... lue=161621

I saw that too, but you can't really trust what it says in light of recent events.

Shay
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Semper Fortis

Shay · **Posted:** Thu Jul 12, 2007 11:22 am

Here's more on the Turkey at Fentress:

F-14A-85-GR

BuNo. 159591

VF-101, AD225

TARPS capable

a/c crash landed at the Naval Auxiliary Landing Field Fentress in Chesapeake on 10 April 2001.

Hey mustangdriver, if possible, feel like mounting recue effort to save this Tomcat before the Iranians or the Government get to it?

Shay
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Semper Fortis

jamesintucson · **Joined:** Sat Jan 29, 2005 1:42 am **Posts:** 546

Shay wrote:

James

Very sharp looking Turkey.

Yet again another Tomcat that my Uncle more than likely has seat time in (I'll have to check his log books) and it's on the other coast. Go figure :roll:

Thanks for taking care of her. They are becoming rarer and rarer as the days go by.

A little while back i found a list of VF-111 BuNo.s from that cruise. I have to find it and see what if any other sundowners are still around.

If you have them I'd love to see more pictures of 160684

Shay
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Semper Fortis

Shay,

Here are a few more shots of it that one of my co-workers here at the museum shot. They lost a lot of quality in being resized to post, sorry.

James

Shay · **Posted:** Thu Jul 12, 2007 11:44 am

James

A very beautiful Tomcat you have there. I hope to one day make it out your way to see it. Any idea who the Pilot and RIO names were on 684 for the cruise? I have the cruise book with all of the names and pictures but not as per which aircraft.

Thanks for the pictures.

Shay
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Semper Fortis

jamesintucson · **Joined:** Sat Jan 29, 2005 1:42 am **Posts:** 546

Shay wrote:

James

A very beautiful Tomcat you have there. I hope one make it out your way to see it. Any idea who the Pilot and RIO names were on 684 for the cruise were? I have the cruise book with all of the names and pictures but not as per which aircraft.

Thanks for the pictures.

Shay
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Semper Fortis

Shay,

The photo we have doesn't show any names on the plane. I suppose they hadn't been painted on yet when it was taken. If we could figure it out I'd love to paint the right ones on though.

James

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Sat Jul 14, 2007 11:46 am

I actually got some feed back from the NMNA. They have are a first rate bunch. I didnot realize that they operate with a very small group compared to some of the other museums. They take care of all of that, plus maintain the beautiful museum in Pensacola.

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