Show Notes
Operation Desert Storm, which started in January 1991, was a landmark event in modern warfare and the F-14 Tomcat made some important contributions.
On this episode, former F-14 pilot “Fuzzy” Matheson and RIO “Woodie” Wood, who flew combat missions with VF-84 aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt, discuss taking the big fighter into combat.
Fuzzy and Woodie share fascinating stories about last-minute training, chaotic early missions, and learning some hard lessons of combat … plus how Desert Storm influenced TOPGUN and other Naval Aviation training. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More from F-14 Tomcast
This is the 26th and final episode of the F-14 Tomcast season 1.
It is said that all good things come to an end, and so it was with the Tomcat’s service.
Coalition combat returned to Iraq in 2003 with Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Among US Navy forces were the Bounty Hunters of VF-2, which brought F-14D Tomcats to the fight. This episode goes into detail on the big fighter’s performance in a challenging threat environment.
In response to the 9/11 terror attacks, American and coalition forces commenced combat operations in Afghanistan with conventional operations commencing 7 October 2001. It was an incredible period in history, and our guest was a key participant.
The AIM-54 Phoenix air-to-air missile was a major part of the F-14 program: it affected the Tomcat’s design and was the weapon that gave the Tomcat its unique and most impressive capabilities.