submitted by the Empire State Aeroscience Museum via Torsten Anft
as published in the Daily Gazette, Wednesday, November 26 1997

Tomcat zooms into resting place
Aerosciences Museum receives Grumman F-14 A under full power
By LYNN BREZOSKY
Gazette Reporter

Photos by BRUCE SQUIERS,
Gazette Photographer

IIts variable-wing geometry swept back for speed, a Navy F-14A Tomcat passes low over the Schenectady County Airport Tuesday just before landing at its new permanent home at the Empire State Aerosciences Museum. Pilot, Lt. Cmdr Tom Mills, gives the plane a final inspection before turning it over to the museum. About 40 spectators came out to see the jet land.

GLENVILLE - After 20 years and some 5,000 hours of flight time a Grumman F-14A Tomcat zoomed gracefully to rest in its state of birth Tuesday. The Tomcat is probably best known as the high-tech wonder flown by Tom Cruise in the 1986 movie "Top Gun". In real life, the fighter planes have maneuvered over such hostile places as Bosnia, Somalia and Iraq. In the Persian Gulf War, the sleek two-seaters downed Iraqi aircraft. After a fresh coat of steel gray paint, the plane now joins 50 years of vintage, made-in-New-York aircraft showcased at the Empire State Aeroscience Museum on Route 50. Designed and built in 1972 by Grumman on Long Island, the model also has the proud distinction of being the first plane to actually fly into the museum's airfield. After a 380-mile, 43 minute flight from Oceana, Virginia, this plane didn't just fly to its final landing. It turned, sliced and arched in low circles over some 40 spectators gathered by the runway gate. Other aircraft parked there were toted, lifted and dragged -sometimes piecemeal - then lovingly restored by the crew of about 150 plane buffs volunteering at the museum. Also unlike the other planes at th museum, which have their engines removed, the Tomcat's engines will remain intact. Hopping out of the plane and stripping off their outer flight gear, Lt. Cmdr. Tommy Mills, the pilot, and Lt. John McFadden, the radio intercept operator, seemed undaunted by their frigid northern landing. Noting the enthusiastic crowd gathered around with questions - and recollections from their own cockpit days - McFadden said "this is certainly better than sendin it to a boneyard". Among those at the Air Museum Tuesday was 82-year-old Col. Augustus Russell Agneta, who flew B-17s during World War II and helped design the F-14 at Grumman in 1970. Agneta and his wife sponsored the plane's arrival at the museum. Then, Agneta said, the aircraft cost $10 million to build; now they cost about $30 million. The F-14's capabilities include acceleration of 0-to-150mph in 3 seconds, altitudes of 50,000 feet in 10 to 12 minutes, and a range of 2,000 miles without refuelling. Agneta said "It still does what it was designed to do better than any other aircraft in the world".

related items on this site:
Newsletter story, VF-14 Aircraft History, F-14, VF-14 Roster