{"product_id":"1-72-f14a-sukhoi-killer-160403-vf41-uss-nimitz-august-1981","title":"1\/72 F-14A \"Sukhoi Killer\" 160403 VF-41 USS Nimitz August 1981","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn August of 1981, President Ronald Reagan deployed a large naval force to conduct \"Freedom of Navigation\" operations off the coast of Libya. Libya responded by deploying fighter-bombers and interceptors, resulting in a tense standoff that peaked when two VF-41 F-14A Tomcats from the USS Nimitz - \"Fast Eagle 102\" and \"Fast Eagle 107\" - were ordered to intercept a pair of Libyan Su-22 Fitters. One of the Su-22s fired upon the F-14s and missed, and when the Su-22s tried to escape the Tomcats returned fire. Fast Eagle 102 shot down the first Su-22 and 107 shot down the second. The incident was over quickly, but history repeated itself in 1989 when two F-14s shot down a pair of MiG-23s in the same region.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Navy Fighter Squadron 41 (VF-41) Black Aces was commissioned on June 1st, 1945 flying the F4U Corsair. The squadron transitioned through the F2H Banshee, F3H Demon and F-4 Phantom II before upgrading to the F-14 Tomcat in 1976. The Black Aces deployed several times on the USS Nimitz, often sharing the deck with F-14s from VF-84 Jolly Rogers. It was during one of these cruises, on August 19th, 1981, that Black Aces Tomcats shot-down two Libyan Su-22 Fitters over the Gulf of Sidra. This was the first ever combat incident involving US Tomcats. The squadron's final cruise with the F-14 took place in 2001 aboard the USS Enterprise. Upon return, VF-41 transitioned to the F\/A-18F Super Hornet.\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.flyingmule.com\/powersearch\/?Search=CAT_TYP_JET_FTR_F014\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDesigned to carry the formidable long range AIM-54 Phoenix missile, the Grumman F-14 Tomcat was first flown on December 21st, 1970. Made famous by the Hollywood film Top Gun, the F-14 replaced the F-4 Phantom II as the US Navy's primary maritime air superiority fighter. Its design includes a variable geometry wing that can sweep back for high speed supersonic intercepts and forward for improved positioning in air to air dogfights. Nicknamed \"Bombcat,\" the F-14 spent much of its late career in an air-to-ground role, carrying the Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) system.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiecast metal construction with some plastic components.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRealistic panel lines, antennas, access panels and surface details.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePad printed markings and placards that won't fade or peel like decals.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOpening canopies, revealing detailed cockpit interiors.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInterchangeable extended\/retracted landing gear.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAuthentic detachable ordnance loads complete with placards.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAccurately detailed underside with concealed screwheads.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Hobby Master","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44307467075740,"sku":"HA5256","price":254.99,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0585\/9095\/3628\/files\/HA5256.jpg?v=1724112743","url":"https:\/\/www.harveynorman.lol\/products\/1-72-f14a-sukhoi-killer-160403-vf41-uss-nimitz-august-1981","provider":"Hobbyco","version":"1.0","type":"link"}