On August 19th, 1981 'Fast Eagle 102' (BuNo 160403) flown by the Commanding Officer of VF-41, Commander Henry 'Hank' Kleemann and his RIO LT David 'DJ' Venlet launched from the USS Nimitz for a dawn combat air patrol over the Gulf of Sidra together with 'Fast Eagle 107' (BuNo 160390). During the CAP both Tomcats were intercepted, and shot at by two Libyan Air Force Sukhoi Su-22M2K Fitters. In the dogfight that followed - the US Navy's first air-to-air engagement since the Vietnam War - each Tomcat destroyed one Fitter. These were the first air-to-air victories for the F-14 Tomcat.

Photographer: Fred Guthrie.

A Sukhoi killer at NAS Oceana. This VF-41 "Black Aces" Tomcat (at that time coded AJ-102) shot down a Libyan Su-22 over the Gulf of Sidra, off the coast of Libya, on 19 August 1981. This engagement marked the first USA versus Libya air-to-air engagement. 160403 flew that combat mission together with 160390 (AJ-107) when two Libyan Su-22 Fitters fired upon the Tomcats. The two F-14s subsequently shot down both Su-22s. 160403 received a kill-marking that was still visible six years later. The Tomcat is now preserved at Midland-Odessa (TX).

Photographed in the restoration yard at the CAF Museum at MAF so soon she will be looking at her best again.

Photographed in the restoration yard at the CAF Museum at MAF so, hopefully, soon this old combat veteran will be looking at her best again.