Half Century Baby! Fifty Years of the Grumman F-14 Tomcat takes flight in new bookazine format!

Mortons Books proudly presents Half Century Baby! Fifty Years of the Grumman F-14 Tomcat in an exciting new bookazine format. This special edition once again commemorates the 50th anniversary of the first two Grumman F-14A fleet squadrons receiving their Tomcats in the summer of 1973.

Over the course of 50 years, the Grumman F-14 Tomcat has served as a deterrent against Soviet forces during the cold war, been featured in a movie that helped boost US Navy recruitment numbers and partook in the Gulf of Sidira incident.

The divisive aircraft was borne out of the controversy surrounding the US Department of Defense spending in the 70’s, becoming the most expensive high-end fighter produced at that time. Much of that complexity stemmed from the need to outfit it with six Phoenix Missiles and to integrate the AWG-9 Fire Control Radar. This gave the Tomcat the crucial capacity to deter the increasing threat of Soviet launched cruise missiles to US carriers.

In 1984, the Grumman F-14 Tomcat achieved a new status when it was heavily featured in the iconic aviation movie Top Gun. So influential was the movie that the US Navy set up recruitment booths outside theatres. However, for a jet so closely associated with American aviation, the Tomcat arguably saw the most action in Iran. The first Tomcat delivery to Iran were made in 1973 under the guise of the western-aligned leader Mohammed Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran. After his ouster, the aircraft were deployed by the newly minted government of the Islamic Republic of Iran during the Iran-Iraq war. Though Iranian forces claimed to have shot down 160 Iraqi aircraft with their F-14s, only 55 were ever definitely confirmed.

There is no doubt that the Tomcat remains one of the most instantly recognisable aircraft, even to those with a passing interest in aviation. In Half Century, Baby! authors David Parsons and Mads Bangsø explore the history of the F-14, from its early beginnings to its sunset of service.

Half Century Baby! Fifty Years of the Grumman F-14 Tomcat in bookazine format is now available to pre-order now for £9.99 from www.mortonsbooks.co.uk.

By Alex Bestwick | September 27th, 2024

About the Author: Alex Bestwick

Alex Bestwick is a Digital Content Editor with a degree in Publishing and Creative Writing from York St John. When he’s not at work, he is usually reading, watching horror movies, or exploring the countryside.