(September 22, 2006)—There was one final flight for the Tomcat Friday.
The Navy officially retired its F-14 fighter jet Friday at Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia.
But first, two fliers gave a final salute and a final thumbs-up and then roared into the sky for a ceremonial last flight.
About 3,000 invited guests were on hand, mainly former pilots, mechanics, suppliers and builders.
The Cold War-era fighter jet with moveable, swept-back wings was glamorized in the 1986 Tom Cruise movie "Top Gun."
The FA-18 Super Hornet attack fighter is replacing it.
The F-14 joined the Navy fleet in 1972.
The last 22 Tomcats returned home to Oceana in March after a support mission in Iraq.
The last F-14s will go to museums such as the Virginia Aviation Museum in Richmond, which received one last week.
