Photo by C.J. van Gent

Photographer unknown

photographer unknown

Vietnam War veteran of VF-74 "Be-devilers" on display at AAM Duxford. VF-74 was first to deploy aboard USS Forrestal in 1962, earning the sobriquet "First in Phantoms". It lost men and aircraft on Yankee Station in the 1967 fire. Wearing tailcode 'AJ' of CVW-8 aboard USS America on its second Vietnam cruise from June 1972 to March 1973, VF-74 lost no aircraft to enemy action. This Phantom was operated by the RAF as ZE359 with No. 74 Sqn "Tigers" till retired in 1991. It was restored in VF-74 markings.

CAG Tomcat of VF-74 "Bedevilers"based at CV-60 USS Saratoga

Wearing VF-74 "Bedevilers" markings over CV-60 USS Saratoga.

In 1992 the Olympic Games were celebrated at Barcelona (Spain) and VF-74 "Bedevilers" decored this Tomcat with Olympic rings when they was in a MED cruise onboard USS Saratoga at the same time.

This F-4J was later converted to F-4S and written off in September 1982.

This F-4J was later upgraded to F-4S.

This photo was taken on board USS Nimitz in an unknown Mediterranean port when VF-74, still carrying USS Forrestal titles, was detached to the USS Nimitz in its maiden cruise.

Deployed on USS Saratoga, arriving on Thursday for Air Tournament International '92.

This Tomcat was new-built as F-14B-145-GR and ordered by the US Navy in Fiscal Year 1986. The aircraft flew with Fighter Squadrons as VF-74, VF-101, VF-102 and VF-11 before it was stored at AMARC as 1K0180. The Tomcat was scrapped at the Davis Monthan depot in July 2007.

VF-74 "Be-Devilers" F-14B seen late afternoon and participating in the WTI course. Photo was taken less than a month before the squadron was dis-established. Noteworthy is the aggressor style scheme as VF-74 was then part of Fighter Wing Atlantic and were not to deploy since they were not TARPS equipped. The Navy had decided to go with only one Tomcat squadron aboard Saratoga so VF-74 was left in this role before their demise.

Fighter Squadron (VF) 74 "Be-Devilers" was established on 16 April 1944 (as VBF-20) and disestablished 50 years later on 30 April 1994. It started to operate with the F4U Corsair, and these were followed by the F6F Hellcat, F8F Bearcat, F9F-8 Cougar, F4D-1 Skyray, F-4B Phantom II, F-4J, F-4S before transitioning in 1983 to the F-14A Tomcat and, from August 1988 this F-14B. With the Tomcat, the squadron was heavily involved in combat operations in Operation El Dorado Canyon (Libya, 1986), Operation Desert Shield (Iraq, 1990) and subsequently Operation Desert Storm (Iraq, 1991).

At the American Air Museum.