Hobby Master Archive

F-14A 161296 was delivered to VF-1 on March 6, 1982. Over the years 161296 flew with VF-21, 114, 2, 124, 32, 41 and finally VF-154 “Black Knights”. In 2003 the USS Kitty Hawk with VF-154 deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Five VF-154 F-14s were stationed at the Al Udeid AB Qatar with the rest operating from the Kitty Hawk. The five land-based Black Knights’ flew more than 300 combat hours dropping over 50,000 pounds of ordnance. F-14A 161296 dropped 32 LGBs and was the only one to use its cannon.