Hobby Master 1/72 HA5212 Grumman F-14A Tomcat 1662692, VF-84 "Jolly Rogers" Operation Desert Storm, Jan 1981 to June 1991

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.

In December 1990, VF-84 deployed on board USS Theodore Roosevelt to take part in Operation Desert Shield which soon became Operation Desert Storm. VF-84 flew 468 combat sorties and F-14A Tomcat 162692 “Cat Snatch Fever” was assigned to the VF-84 CO. After Desert Storm VF-84 flew 111 more sorties in support of Operation Provide Comfort before USS Forrestal relieved the USS Theodore Roosevelt in June 1991. This aircraft was flown by several squadrons over its life which ended at AMARC on August 3, 2005.