Hobby Master 1/72 HA5202 Grumman F-14D Tomcat BuNo 159600 Final Cruise Christine March 2006
Hobby Master 1/72nd scale diecast Grumman F-14D BuNo 159600, Final Cruise "Christine", March 2006
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a twin-engine, variable sweep wings capable of supersonic flight. The aircraft is crewed by a Pilot and a Radar Intercept Officer who share the tasks of navigation, target acquisition, ECM and weapons usage. The Tomcat was operated by the United States Navy and the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force only. The name “Tomcat” is said to come from the call-sign used by Vice Admiral Thomas Connolly which conformed to the USN tradition of giving Grumman aircraft feline names.
Grumman F-14A Tomcat BuNo 159600 was delivered on July 16, 1975 and assigned to VF-124 Gunfighters and then VF-101 Grim Reapers to train Tomcat crews. In 1987 it transferred to VF-142 Ghostriders, VF-14 Tophatters and back to VF-142. In 1994 159600 was remanufactured to a D model and joined VF-2 Bounty Hunters. In 2003 VF-101 Grim Reapers took possession until 2004 when it made its final home with VF-31 Tomcatters. In 2006 on the Tomcat’s final cruise the aircraft was named Christine and became the longest serving USN F-14.