The F-14 Tomcat Joins the Fleet

What was it like to fly the F-14A Tomcat in the early days when everything was new and different?

Retired U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Marty "Streak" Chanik and Captain “Ler” Brad Poeltler, members of the VF-1 “Wolfpack” for the F-14 second operational deployment (1976-77), share vivid memories and exciting flying stories from how they were initially admitted into the competitive F-14 program to what it was like flying the Navy’s sizzling hot new fighter. They talk about some of the Tomcat’s amazing new capabilities as well as flaws that had yet to be repaired, which led to Ler watching his wingman eject on one particular training mission.

When asked which systems worked and which didn’t, Streak and Ler's replies were somewhat surprising, which can also be said about some of their missions and training. But they agreed the Tomcat was one “amazing” aircraft.