Show Notes
US Navy aircraft carrier operations are complex and challenging for the aircrew and shipboard personnel. A back-up exists for almost everything, and the ultimate backup for landing is a barricade recovery.
We talk to a pilot and RIO about their night barricade recovery while flying with VF-2 aboard the USS Ranger in 1989. Pager and Rico describe how they got into the situation, how they prepared when starting this unusual approach, and what it was like flying into a giant net at 150 mph! 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.