Our love affair with the mighty Grumman Iron Works F-14 Tomcat unapologetically continues, fueled by gems such as this one. This clip features a pair of A-model Turkeys from VF-202 Superheats bringing some super heat and noise to Fort Chaffee, Arkansas in 1993. Complete with flares, some Vulcan cannon action, and of course incredibly low passes by the range tower – we could watch this Big Fighter awesomeness all day.
The Superheats were established in 1970 as a Naval reserve squadron attached to Reserve Carrier Air Wing 20 (CVWR-20 – now known as the Tactical Support Wing) that called NAS Dallas home. Unfortunately both squadron and base – and sadly our beloved swing wing fighter – are no longer active in the US Navy. VF-202 was disestablished in late 1994, only a year after this video was taken.
NAS Dallas lasted until 1998 before being decommissioned as an active Naval Air Station and the Navy’s activities in the Dallas/Fort Worth area were moved to their current location at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, former known simply as Carswell AFB (that’s much easier to say).
So turn up your speakers, and enjoy some jet noise courtesy of the Superheats!