F-14 Tomcat of VF-32 Sq USN USS John F.Kennedy. 14/09/1976. NW of Orkney.
Patches
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Affectionately known as the `Tomcat` the F-14 was the pride and joy of the US Navy during the 70s,80s and 90s, and it became something of a legend after the type appeared in the box office smash `Top Gun`.
Commissioned on 7th Sept 1968 the USS John F Kennedy (CV-67) was the World`s largest conventionally powered aircraft carrier, with a displacement of 82,655 tons fully loaded, and a compliment of approx 3,300 Officers and men, not counting aircrew, she was practically a floating city. She also had a capacity for 80 F-14 `Tomcat` and S-3 `Viking` aircraft.
Commissioned on 7th Sept 1968 the USS John F Kennedy (CV-67) was the World`s largest conventionally powered aircraft carrier, with a displacement of 82,655 tons fully loaded, and a compliment of approx 3,300 Officers and men, not counting aircrew, she was practically a floating city. She also had a capacity for 80 F-14 `Tomcat` and S-3 `Viking` aircraft.
USS John F Kennedy (CV-67)
It was whilst on a routine exercise on 14th September 1976 North of Orkney, that the JFK as to lose one of its F-14s in a freak take-off accident. Bu 159588 with 2 experienced Naval Aviators Pilot Lt John L `Lew` Kosich and NFO Lt (jg) Louis E. `Les` Seymour, had taxied out and were positioned for take off when a fault with the throttle computer sent it hurtling towards other aircraft on the carrier deck, lightning action by the pilot averted a major disaster when he managed to steer the aircraft clear of the deck, before calling for ejection, on that command the two airmen shot into the air just seconds before their aircraft went over the port side, armed with a Phoenix missile, and sank in around 2,000ft of water, both men fortunately landed on the carrier deck, but Les Seymour suffered a fractured knee and was sent to Edinburgh Hospital where his leg was put in plaster for nigh on two weeks.
Newspapers
Birmingham Daily Post - Thursday 16 September 1976
Black day for U.S. aircraft carrier.
An advanced U.S. fighter aircraft has been lost overboard from the carrier, John F. Kennedy, during Nato exercises in the Atlantic 100 miles north of Scotland, it was disclosed last night.
The Grumman F-14. believed to be the the only fighter capable of challenging the Russian MG 25 Foxbat. went over the carriers side into the sea during launching preparations Its crew of two ejected safely on to the deck.
The F-14 Tom Cats cost £10 million each. The loss happened on 'Tuesday. a black day for the ship.
After the aircraft was lost, the carrier collided with the U.S. destroyer. Borrdelon. during refueling, the U S Navy announced.
No one was killed but six of the crew were hurt. two seriously. Last November, the carrier was involved in a collision In the Mediterranean when eight men died and 48 others were injured.
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Daily Express - Friday 22 October 1976
New York: The United States has located the F-14 Tomcat fighter which fell from an aircraft carrier off the coast of Scotland last month.
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Leicester Daily Mercury - Thursday 23 September 1976
NAVY POISED TO RECOVER SECRET JET
ATTEMPTS to recover a U.S. F-14 Tomcat jet that fell off the aircraft carrier John F Kennedy north of Scotland got under way today and the US Navy expects the operation to be a success.
Navy salvage chief Captain Hubert Moss said in Washington the operation was relatively routine and should be accomplished soon.
The sophisticated Tomcat packed with top-secret electronic gear fell overboard from the air- craft carrier during Nato exercises last week. It is Lying in 1890 feet of water75 miles northwest of Scotland.
Captain Moss that the Navy had been successful in eight similar recovery attempts this year five of them involving aircraft.
Robot
The operation will cost about 100,000 dollars (£58000) Tom-cats cost about 22 million dollars (£12800000) each and the lost plane also contained the still-classified Phoenix missile system. Captain Moss said the search be conducted by U.S Navy tug Shakori which will use side-scanning sonar to locate plane.
When it was found, a television equipped robot vehicle would be used. This would operate from an American commercial oil barge now berthed in Aberdeen. A line or net will be attached to the F-14 Captain Moss thinks it will be found in one piece. He also expects the seas in the area would be calm enough for the search to begin today.
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Daily Express - Friday 12 November 1976
Jet salvaged
The top secret American Tomcat interceptor jet lost overboard from an aircraft carrier during a NATO, exercise was salvaged off the Orkneys yesterday.
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Kent Evening Post - Friday 26 November 1976
Desmond helped to catch a Tomcat.
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A MAN based in Chatham Dockyard has told the Post of his part in salvaging the Americen Tomecat aircraft from seas off the Scottish coast. . The Tomcat, an Fil4 aircraft, was lost off the side of the American carrier John F. Kennedy. The US Navy spent two months trying to locate it, then called in two British salvaging experts.
Complete. One was Mr Desmond Bloy, 53, (photo) , the area, mooring and salvage officer for the south coast of England, based in Chatham. He and Mr David Morrice, the chief British salvaging officer, hired the German ship Taurus, and British vessel Boston Halifax. Within 48 hours of Joining the eight man American team, they had located the Tomcat 120 miles west of the Orkney Isles. - Mr Bloy, who started his Job this April, said: “The aircraft won’t fly again, but it was complete. ‘“The Americans could not leave it where it was since it had to be guarded from the Russians, it has equipment in it not known to them’’. Mr Bloy, of Middle Deal Road, Deal, has had a busy time since taking over his new job. He has been involved in the recovery of the HMS Fittleton and HMS Reward, as well as more minor salvaging jobs. |
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Above: The German Salvage vessel `Taurus` pulls the stricken F-14 from the watery depths. Photos: US Archives.
The multi million dollar jet, eagerly watched by a Russian trawler, still had the missile which at that time was a revolutionary weapon still on the secret list, so it had to be recovered at all cost.
It was an epic operation costing $1.5.The The German salvage ship `Taurus` towed the F-14 to shallow water between Egilsay and Shapinsay and both the aircraft and the missile over a period of nearly two months were recovered. Though the F-14 was more or less undamaged when it reached the seabed, it had been battered to pieces during the salvage and was a total wreck.
It was an epic operation costing $1.5.The The German salvage ship `Taurus` towed the F-14 to shallow water between Egilsay and Shapinsay and both the aircraft and the missile over a period of nearly two months were recovered. Though the F-14 was more or less undamaged when it reached the seabed, it had been battered to pieces during the salvage and was a total wreck.
Phoenix Missile
Video of the accident
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All rights reserved. Due to the immense amount of research that enabled us to build this site we would like to point out that all material on this website is owned by A.R.G.O.S though photos are credited to their respective owners. Anyone wishing to use material for their own website or any other purpose are requested to contact us first expressing their wishes. Permission will usually be granted to none profit making ventures, i.e. websites for educational and/or historical purposes, though a link to this website and acknowledgement to the original owners of any photographs will usually be requested.