Happy Tomcat 'Turkey' Day!

Operation Iraqi Freedom is the multi-national coalition effort to liberate the Iraqi people, eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, and end the regime of Saddam Hussein. — The Arabian Gulf (Mar. 22, 2003) -- An F-14A Tomcat fighter aircraft launches from one of four steam powered catapults aboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63). Kitty Hawk was deployed with coalition forces in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom at the time. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Todd Frantom. (RELEASED)

As many of us in the U.S. settle in to enjoy Thanksgiving with our family and friends, we thought what better way to help celebrate “Turkey Day” than with a slideshow of gorgeous images featuring an altogether different kind of turkey, the beloved and much-missed Grumman F-14 Tomcat. While the moniker ‘turkey’ is often synonymous with ‘failure’ when it comes to aircraft, this was anything but true for the F-14 which has enjoyed a remarkable career spanning four decades of military service in the USA, and still continues to fly elsewhere… The Tomcat apparently received the nickname ‘turkey’ because it mimicked the awkwardness of a turkey in flight when coming in to land aboard a carrier – waddling in the air with its wings spread, and flaps and undercarriage splayed out in uncomfortable inelegance. But of course, that all changed as soon as the Tomcat transitioned to fly with its wings tucked back for speed…

Here’s to the spirit of a remarkable aircraft and all those who served with them… HAPPY TURKEY DAY!