F-14A Tomcat – BuNo 161296

F-14A Tomcat – BuNo 161296Wolfpack to Black Knights Combat Veteran The F 14 Tomcat is an iconic U. S. Navy fleet air defender, famous for its variable sweep wings, two person crew, and legendary long range intercept capability. Introduced in the 1970s, the Tomcat combined advanced radar and air to air missiles with high speed, carrier operable performance, becoming the symbol of naval air superiority through the Cold War and beyond. Later in its career, the F 14 evolved into a

“Wolfpack to Black Knights – Combat Veteran”

The F-14 Tomcat is an iconic U.S. Navy fleet air defender, famous for its variable-sweep wings, two-person crew, and legendary long-range intercept capability. Introduced in the 1970s, the Tomcat combined advanced radar and air-to-air missiles with high-speed, carrier-operable performance, becoming the symbol of naval air superiority through the Cold War and beyond. Later in its career, the F-14 evolved into a potent air-to-ground platform with the TARP pod.

Our F-14A Tomcat, Bureau Number 161296, carries a remarkable combat history:

•  Initially served with VF-1 Wolfpack, where it is famously pictured making a barrier/net catch landing on the USS Kitty Hawk on June 30, 1984.

•  Later flew with VF-154 Black Knights.

•  Deployed to Al Udeid AB, Qatar during Operation Iraqi Freedom, where it operated as one of only five ground-based Tomcats in the war.

•  Delivered 32 laser-guided bombs while using the TARP pod.

•  It was the only F-14 in its unit to employ its 20mm Vulcan cannon in combat.

After a distinguished career, Buno 161296 was retired on October 21, 2003. It was later stripped and scrapped for parts. In 2025 we acquired original panels from this historic aircraft through a spare parts supplier, and in 2026 we transformed them into our limited-edition TransportTags — giving you a genuine piece of combat-veteran Tomcat history you can carry with you every day.

(Please note that Transport Tags LLC is not an authorized or licensed distributor of Northrop Grumman, or the United States Navy. We use aircraft names, designations, markings, and historical references for identification and educational purposes only, in accordance with the Lanham Act).