By Kathryn (KT) Budde-Jones
The USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) arrived in Pearl Harbor on June 27, 2008 with a full flight deck parade.
Hundreds of sailors in their summer white uniforms manned the rails as the carrier solemnly sailed past the Arizona Memorial in honor of the men who died and remain beneath her decks. Standing sentinel on the foredeck was one lone F-14 Tomcat.
The San Diego-based amphibious assault ship, commanded by Capt. Neil Parrott, came into port in Hawaii to participate in the biennial RIMPAC 2008 Exercise. She also brought with her the Pacific Aviation Museum s newest exhibit.
The star of the 1986 movie Top Gun was the F-14 supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat fighter aircraft. Its unique variable geometry wing and twin tail that makes it so distinctive was designed for air combat in Vietnam against the Russian MiG aircraft.
It was the U.S. Navy s primary maritime air superiority fighter, fleet defense interceptor and tactical reconnaissance platform from 1974 to 2006 playing not only a big role in the Hollywood movie but aviation history as well.
The F-14 Bureau Number 163904 was loaded aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard in mid June at San Diego where it has been since being flown in there after the final flight ceremonies in Oceana, in the fall of 2005. It remained there and was even on display in Coronado for their speed festival in the fall of 2006.
This was the last public static display of an F-14.
Bu Nu 163904 rolled off of the famous Grumman Iron Works production line on Long Island in April 1991. It was one of the 37 built as a production model F-14D and not converted from an F-14A.
Its first assignment was to NAS Miramar and was part of VF-11 Red Rippers. It finished its career with VF-31 Tomcatters based out of NAS Oceana and took part in the final flight of the Tomcat. The Pacific Aviation Museum s F-14 is one of the last two Tomcats to ever fly.
The Hawaii based F-14 will be on display at the Pacific Aviation Museum which also has on display the F-14 s grandparent, the F4F-3 Wildcat that courageously held its own against the Japanese Zero during the desperate first year of WW II.
The arrival of the F-14 Tomcat signals the beginning of Pacific Aviation Museum s Phase II Capital Campaign for the restoration of two additional historic hangars and the landmark red and white iconic Control Tower. Restoration of these historic structures will house the increasing aircraft collection, which will soon include an Air Force F-15 Screaming Eagle along with this last Navy F-14 Tomcat.
The Pacific Aviation Museum is located on Historic Ford Island and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit www.PacificAviationMuseum.org for more information on the museum, exhibits and upcoming events.
Pacific Aviation Museum is located at 319 Lexington Boulevard in Hangar 37 on Ford Island at Pearl Harbor next to the other Pearl Harbor Historic Sites: The USS Arizona Memorial, USS Oklahoma Memorial, USS Missouri and the Bowfin Submarine Park and Memorial.
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