Hobby Master Archive

VF-74 “Be-Devilers” Grumman F-14A Tomcat 162707 c/n 553 AA101 assigned to the USS Saratoga was on a NATO training exercise over the Mediterranean on April 30, 1987. During the exercise 162707 detected a target, USAF RF-4C 69-0381, supposedly an enemy aggressor. The F-14 pilot heard the ok to fire, checked with his RIO who said “Yeah, go ahead and shoot him”, thinking the pilot would make an exercise shot call instead he fired a live Sidewinder downing the RF-4C. Miraculously everyone survived but 162707 crashed in 1993.