24. The F-14 Tomcat in Operation Iraqi Freedom

Coalition combat returned to Iraq in 2003 with Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Among US Navy forces were the Bounty Hunters of VF-2, which brought F-14D Tomcats to the fight. This episode goes into detail on the big fighter’s performance in a challenging threat environment. Our guests are former Tomcat pilot “Grumpy” Kimberly and RIO “Boog” Denneny, who flew demanding missions in OIF and share riveting tales of their experiences. Their opening comments also provide excellent background of the F-14 community in the 1990s and early 2000s.