
Taking the US by storm in the late 80s, the movie Top Gun thrust the F-14 Tomcat into theaters and then living rooms across the country.
In a lot of ways it represented the technology that allowed the US to, literally in this theatrical instance, flip the bird to the Soviets. Americans’ love of the iconic fighter jet continues on to this day for several reasons, not just its star role in the hit film. But for the Naval Aviators who actually flew this incredible plane, there are so many more reasons to love it. Below we’ll explore what made the F-14 Tomcat truly a badass fighter.