US Navy Fighter Squadron 103 (VF-103) was activated in 1952. Three US Navy squadrons have used the name and insignia of the Jolly Roger: VF-61 (originally VF-17), VF-84, and VFA-103. While these are distinctly different squadrons that have no lineal linkage, they all share the same Jolly Rogers name, the skull and crossbones insignia and traditions. VF-103 began life as an F4U Corsair squadron and after progressing through the F9F Cougar, F-8 Crusader and F-4 Phantom II, it was among the last fighter squadrons to transition to the F-14A Tomcat. In 1989, they upgraded to a more powerful breed of Tomcat, the F-14B. When VF-84 was disestablished in 1995, VF-103 abandoned its "Sluggers" nickname and adopted the famous "Jolly Rogers" name and insignia for itself. After several deployments to the Perisan Gulf, VF-103 deployed with the F-14B for the final time in 2004 aboard the USS John F. Kennedy before transitioning to the F/A-18F Super Hornets it operates today. Grumman F-14B TomcatDesigned to carry the formidable long range AIM-54 Phoenix missile, the Grumman F-14 Tomcat was first flown on December 21st, 1970. Made famous by the Hollywood film Top Gun, the F-14 replaced the F-4 Phantom II as the US Navy's primary maritime air superiority fighter. Its design includes a variable geometry wing that can sweep back for high speed supersonic intercepts and forward for improved positioning in air to air dogfights. Nicknamed "Bombcat," the F-14 spent much of its late career in an air-to-ground role, carrying the Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) system.© Copyright 2003-2018 The Flying Mule, Inc. Postage Stamp PlanesThe "Postage Stamp Planes" range presents affordable, ready-made diecast models of military and civilian aircraft."Postage Stamp Planes" diecast airplanes feature:
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