VFA-102
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Strike Fighter Squadron 102 is a United States Navy Strike Fighter squadron based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni. Their call sign is Diamond, with the tail code NF, and they fly the F/A-18F Super
VF-102 F2H-4 Banshee in 1956
VF-102 F4D-1s in 1960
An F-4 Phantom from VF-102 intercepting an Egyptian Air Force Tupolev TU-16 Badger over the Mediterranean Sea on 12 January 1971.
VF-102 F-4J Phantom II circa 1977
Grumman F-14 Tomcat
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The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American carrier-capable supersonic, twin-engine, tandem two-seat, twin-tail, all-weather-capable variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the U
VFA-102
…the squadron flew their last Phantom during an Indian Ocean cruise aboard USS Independence. During the summer of 1981, the squadron transitioned to the F-14A Tomcat. With the new aircraft, the squadron also received a new mission in addition to their traditional fighter role—photo reconnaissance using the TARPS…
A U.S. Navy F-14D conducts a mission over the Persian Gulf region in 2005
The F-111B was designed to fulfill the carrier-based interceptor role, but had weight and performance problems, and was not suited to the types of aerial combat that were predominant over Vietnam.
Grumman's VFX entry was designed around the TF30 engine, AWG-9 radar and AIM-54 missile intended for the F-111B; this eventually became the F-14A.
VFA-143 "Pukin Dogs" F-14B (in the foreground) and F/A-18E Super Hornet in 2005