Great Planes — Season 1, Episode 3: Grumman F-14 Tomcat

Episode synopsis

Defending the U.S. Navy's Aircraft Carriers the F-14 Tomcat has become as well-known for its production deadlines as for the skill of its pilots, whose mettle was tested at the Gulf of Sidra and celebrated in the film "Top Gun".

About Great Planes

In 1903, not only did the Wright brothers ’plane soar, but a young man named William Boeing stepped out of the Yale University gates. 13 years later, using wood, canvas and wire, the first "Boeing model", the B&W, was born. Boeing has since grown into a huge company and developed countless models, including the 1957-92 passenger jet, the 707. Later, we learn about the Constellation designed by Lockheed in the early 1940s. The fuselage of the machine evokes the graceful form of a dolphin, no wonder that with its beauty it also won the title of "Queen of Heaven". The C-69 was the first model to cross non-stop America, covering the Los Angeles-Washington DC distance in record time of 7 hours and 3 minutes. Connies were used for both military and civilian purposes until the early 1960s. This and many more stories are recounted here in Great Planes.

More episodes from Season 1

• E1Boeing B-29 Superfortress
• E2General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark
• E4Convair B-36 Peacemaker
• E5North American XB-70 Valkyrie
• E6General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon
• E7Consolidated B-24 Liberator
• E8Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
• E9Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
• E10Lockheed P-38 Lightning
• E11Douglas DC-3/C-47 Dakota
• E12North American F-86 Sabre
• E13British Aerospace/McDonnell Douglas Harrier