Tomcat’s First Ride

Mid-September 1974 would see yet another WESTPAC combat deployment for the already-battle hardened USS Enterprise (CVAN-65), the first nuclear-powered aircraft … Continue reading Tomcat’s First Ride

In History

Tigers, Dives and 20 mm Cannons

On Friday the 21st, 1956, one of Grumman’s in-house test pilots, Thomas W. Attridge Jr. climed into a borrowed Navy … Continue reading Tigers, Dives and 20 mm Cannons

In History

Spinning Tomcats

Early F-14 Tomcats had serious issues with maneuverability, especially during close-in engagements or dogfights. When the aircraft was positioned at … Continue reading Spinning Tomcats

The Hangar, The Ready Room

303B

This is a post from a while ago that somehow never made it onto the website for our FoldingWing Friday theme, which is … Continue reading 303B

In History, The Ready Room

The Vought V-507

I recently came across a number of pictures of a “Vought Vagabond”, an aircraft bearing a striking resemblance to the … Continue reading The Vought V-507

Vultures Row

TOPGUN

Top Gun has been enshrined in the military aviation community as the official movie of fighter pilots. The film, pretty … Continue reading TOPGUN