Out with the old… in with the new…
Much as it pains me to post this picture, it’s a must I suppose. Here we see two Red Rippers CAG jets; one a Bravo Turkey from VF-11 and the other a Foxtrot Super Bug from… I can hardly bring myself to type it… VFA-11.
I’m as big a fan of the F-8 as of the F-14 but I really feel that the 'ole saying “When you’re outta F-8s, you’re outta fighters…” really does apply to the Tomcat. With the passing from service of the last of these jets will also pass the ‘VF’ designator. There will be no more pure fighter squadrons in the US Navy and that’s even sadder than no more F-14s.
I still say these new Hornets look like freakin’ toys…
Image source/credit: VF-11 Red Rippers via Alert 5
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Wow - that’s a great pic - excellent lighting, extremely sharp - great detail for weathering on the 'cat.
Thanks.
Wonderful pic. The contrast between the weathered TomCat & squeaky clean Hornet is really interesting.
Regards, Rick
Yeah, it is a nice comparison isn’t it? Give it time though… those Bugs’ll start to look like real Navy birds…
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Oh shush… [;)]
Besides, it’s probably not your emotions… 'tis probably all the rain we’ve had… [:P]
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Excellent photograph of the 14 and 18. Thanks for sharing it. Once they get out on a cruise in the real world of salt air and operational evironment, even the Bug and Super Bug start to look pretty ragged. Yes, tis a sad day to see the last Tomcat put out to pasture and the passing into the history book of the VF designation. The F-14 has truly earned it’s place in the “Hallowed Aircraft Hall of Fame.”
Darwin, O.F. [alien]