Photos: USAF C-17 Globemaster III, USN F-14D Tomcat

[FlyingJets]

A USAF C-17 Globemaster III releases flares while over the Atlantic Ocean (near Charleston, South Carolina) and flies off. The rest of the story is in the photo snapped by military photographer USAF Tech. Sgt. Russell E. Cooley IV:
http://chamorrobible.org/gpw/gpw-20060808.htm (medium-sized image) ,
http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/060516-F-9712C-956.JPG (large image sourced from http://www.af.mil/weekinphotos/wipgallery.asp?week=169 )

Photos of the USN F-14 Tomcat's last scheduled official launch, landing, and flyby that took place in the Atlantic Ocean on July 28, 2006: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1679090/posts

 

[IFollowRoads]

No more Tomcats. Just doesn't seem right

 

[AerroMatt]

Here, Kitty Kitty Kitty...

End of an era. Hats off to those who designed and built her, to those who flew and fought in her, and to those who launched, landed, handled and maintained her at sea and ashore during her illustrious career! :beer:

The F14... I'll never forget seeing her in flight for as long as I live. What a gorgeous, lovely, deadly flying machine she was.

A Navy Veteran

 

[TWheat61]

I saw one doing an overhead today at Oceana NAS. I must say, whenever I see one, it makes my day!

 

[Captain Oveur]

I was a maintainer (AT) with VF-1 at the start of the F-14's reign....
A fine airplane, I wish I could have flown it!

 

[Trogdor]

What an awesome aircraft. My uncle worked on designing the radar systems for her.

 

[flyinlow67]

How many Super Hornet squadrons are there now? Doesn't seem like enough to replace all the Tomcat squadrons being retired.

 

[torchred]

Brazo Zulu to the Grumann Tomcat and to all those Naval Aviators who flew them and to the Mech's who maintained them over the past 32 years.