Air & Space Museum

Grumman F-14A Tomcat

Grumman F-14A Tomcat

The F-14 Tomcat played a leading role in the 1986 movie “Top Gun.” The Navy needed an airplane to protect its surface fleets from hostile aircraft and anti-ship missiles at long range. After a naval version of the Air Force’s F-111 fighter bomber proved was unsuitable for aircraft carrier operations, its radar and long-range AIM-54 Phoenix air intercept missile systems were transferred to an entirely new design, the F-14.

Grumman designed a twin-engine fighter with variable-sweep wings to enable it to fly at high speeds for interceptions, yet slow enough for carrier landings. The F-14’s advanced radar system could track 24 targets at once, and launch missiles at six of them. The Phoenix missile allowed the Tomcat to hit targets well over 100 miles away. The F-14 also carried short-range Sparrow and Sidewinder missiles, as well as a 20mm rotary cannon for close-in dogfights.

The US Navy retired the Tomcats from service in 2006 after they served in the first Gulf War and Operation Iraqi Freedom, where they served as bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. A handful of F-14s still fly with the Iranian Islamic Republic Air Force, which obtained them during the reign of Shah Mohammed Raza Pahlavi. Iranian F-14s shot down more than 55 Iraqi aircraft during the Iran-Iraq War.

This F-14A served most of its career with Navy test and evaluation squadrons before becoming a maintenance trainer with VF-211. It is on loan from the National Naval Aviation Museum.

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Lowry - Denver

Air & Space Museum

Upcoming Events

Saturday Jun 28
10:00AM TO 2:00PM
Exploration of Flight (Centennial Airport)

Warbird Invasion

Warbird Invasion
Saturday, Jun 28, 2025 | 10:00AM to 2:00PM

The invasion is about to begin! Join us to see various types of warbirds on static display at Wings Over the Rockies™ Exploration of Flight. Featured aircraft will include a USAF O2-A, Boeing Stearman, 1943 Beechcraft 18 UC-45J/SNB-5 “Sonoran Beauty”, Yakovlev Yak-52 and more!* Get up close to these incredible machines, meet the pilots who fly them, and enjoy games, activities and live music by Bianca and the Flyboys.

Don’t miss special guest speaker, Bill Scott, author of the biography “Earthquake: Brigadier General Robert F. Titus”. He will give a short presentation about the book followed by a Q&A and book signing.**

Get Tickets!

Schedule:
10:00 a.m.: Doors open
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Music by Bianca and the Flyboys
12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Presentation by Bill Scott on Hangar Floor
12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.: Q&A and Book Signing by Bill Scott in Classroom

Food Trucks: Q’s Quisine & Pozzetti Gelato & Coffee
Food is not included with admission.

Photo (above) courtesy of Barbara Hoversten.
*Featured aircraft is subject to change.
**Books will be available for purchase. Bill will only be signing his book at this event and no other items. 

Saturday Jul 12
9:30AM TO 12:30PM
Exploration of Flight (Centennial Airport)

Breakfast Fly-In

Breakfast Fly-In
Saturday, Jul 12, 2025 | 9:30AM to 12:30PM

Join Wings Over the Rockies Exploration of Flight for monthly fly-ins featuring planes, pilots, speakers and breakfast*!

On the second Saturday of every month, enjoy breakfast from a local food truck, watch aircraft fly in and explore interactive exhibits and simulators. Plus, this month check out sleek cars on display from the Rolls-Royce Owners’ Club.

Pre-Purchase Tickets

*Weather permitting. Aircraft on display are subject to change. Food is not included with admission.

Saturday Jul 12
10:00AM TO 2:00PM
Air & Space Museum

Cockpit Demo Day

Cockpit Demo Day
Saturday, Jul 12, 2025 | 10:00AM to 2:00PM

Get an up close look inside select aircraft at the museum and learn all about the history of the aircraft, instruments and controls!

Featured Aircraft in July*:

  • Velocity
  • North American F-100D Super Sabre
  • Bell UH-1M Iroquois “Huey” (Wheelchair accessible)
  • Apollo Boilerplate
  • Vought A-7D Corsair II

Pre-Purchase Tickets

*Featured aircraft are subject to change. 

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