Book Review of
Pacific Tomcat
A Pictorial History of the F-14 Tomcat in the Pacific Fleet
Author: James Geer
Scrambles 4 Productions
ISBN 979-8-9857997-0-5
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2022
MSRP: $34.99
ISBN 979-8-9857997-0-5
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2022
MSRP: $34.99
One of the key combat aircraft during the Cold War and beyond, the Grumman F-14 Tomcat was a U.S. Navy fleet air defense interceptor designed to defend carrier battle groups from long range enemy bombers and defeat enemy fighters at close range. Although it was built as a pure fighter , the F-14 evolved into a potent strike fighter late in its career.
The first F-14 Tomcat arrived for operational service with the Pacific Fleet in 1974 and eventually replaced the F-4 Phantom as the premier fighter for the Navy. During the three decades of service in the Pacific Fleet the Tomcat patrolled international waters, intercepted enemy aircraft, participated in Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and struck targets in support of Iraqi Freedom.
Pacific Tomcat is a stunning pictorial record. The book holds 184 color photos of the F-14 in flight, airfields or carrier decks. You will see a trove of exceptional photographs depicting all F-14 squadrons that flew in the Pacific Fleet. Most of the photos were taken from private collections and association archives.
Pacific Tomcat also provides detailed carrier air wing and squadron summaries. Meticulously researched, the narrative includes a chronological summary of every major F-14 Pacific Fleet deployment. This volume is a true indispensable reference for veterans, enthusiasts, historians, and model builders alike.
This book is hardbound, with a loose paper cover that has flaps that hold it tight to the book. The cover art shows two F-14’s in flight, that were with VF-51 and that carried seven combat deployments during the Vietnam War. They are overall white with black rudders that have a small white no. 3 at the tip of one of their rudders and 12 at the tip of the other aircraft’s rudder. They both have NL outlined in white over three narrow red horizontal bars and a vertical white leading edge to their rudders.
The book contains 148 pages in 10 ¾” x 8 ½” page format (4 pages are blank).
There are 17 color illustrations of squadron badges shown in the book.One photo shows an F-14 escorting a Soviet Tu-96 Bear from Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam.
The book contains 12 chapters:
VF-1 & VF-2 / Air Wing 14
VF-1 & VF-2 / Air Wing Two
VF-24 & VF-211 / Air Wing Nine
VF-114 & VF-213 / Air Wing Eleven
VF-51 & VF-111 / Air Wing Fifteen
VF-21 & VF-154 / Air Wing Fourteen
VF=21 & VF-154 / Air Wing Five
VF-191 & VF-194 / Air Wing Ten
VF-11 & VF-31 / Air Wing Fourteen
VF-124 Commander Fighter Airborne Early Warning Wing, Pacific Fleet
VF-301 & VF-302 / Reserve Air Wing Thirty
Acknowledgements
About the author:
James Geer is a U.S. based aviation photographer and historian. He has been photographing military aircraft and collecting images for nearly 40 years. Pacific Tomcat is his second book.
About the publisher:
Scramble 4 Productions was established in 2022 to honor and celebrate U.S. military aviation. This is the first of a series of books that will be produced of the highest quality to showcase our military aviation history and heritage.
I wish to sincerely thank James Geer and Scramble 4 Productions for this review sample. Scramble 4 can be reached on their website at:
The first F-14 Tomcat arrived for operational service with the Pacific Fleet in 1974 and eventually replaced the F-4 Phantom as the premier fighter for the Navy. During the three decades of service in the Pacific Fleet the Tomcat patrolled international waters, intercepted enemy aircraft, participated in Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and struck targets in support of Iraqi Freedom.
Pacific Tomcat is a stunning pictorial record. The book holds 184 color photos of the F-14 in flight, airfields or carrier decks. You will see a trove of exceptional photographs depicting all F-14 squadrons that flew in the Pacific Fleet. Most of the photos were taken from private collections and association archives.
Pacific Tomcat also provides detailed carrier air wing and squadron summaries. Meticulously researched, the narrative includes a chronological summary of every major F-14 Pacific Fleet deployment. This volume is a true indispensable reference for veterans, enthusiasts, historians, and model builders alike.
This book is hardbound, with a loose paper cover that has flaps that hold it tight to the book. The cover art shows two F-14’s in flight, that were with VF-51 and that carried seven combat deployments during the Vietnam War. They are overall white with black rudders that have a small white no. 3 at the tip of one of their rudders and 12 at the tip of the other aircraft’s rudder. They both have NL outlined in white over three narrow red horizontal bars and a vertical white leading edge to their rudders.
The book contains 148 pages in 10 ¾” x 8 ½” page format (4 pages are blank).
There are 17 color illustrations of squadron badges shown in the book.One photo shows an F-14 escorting a Soviet Tu-96 Bear from Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam.
The book contains 12 chapters:
VF-1 & VF-2 / Air Wing 14
VF-1 & VF-2 / Air Wing Two
VF-24 & VF-211 / Air Wing Nine
VF-114 & VF-213 / Air Wing Eleven
VF-51 & VF-111 / Air Wing Fifteen
VF-21 & VF-154 / Air Wing Fourteen
VF=21 & VF-154 / Air Wing Five
VF-191 & VF-194 / Air Wing Ten
VF-11 & VF-31 / Air Wing Fourteen
VF-124 Commander Fighter Airborne Early Warning Wing, Pacific Fleet
VF-301 & VF-302 / Reserve Air Wing Thirty
Acknowledgements
About the author:
James Geer is a U.S. based aviation photographer and historian. He has been photographing military aircraft and collecting images for nearly 40 years. Pacific Tomcat is his second book.
About the publisher:
Scramble 4 Productions was established in 2022 to honor and celebrate U.S. military aviation. This is the first of a series of books that will be produced of the highest quality to showcase our military aviation history and heritage.
I wish to sincerely thank James Geer and Scramble 4 Productions for this review sample. Scramble 4 can be reached on their website at:
Highly recommended.