The F-14 BuNo. 159600, better known among Tomcat lovers as Christine, is getting some bling at Forth Worth Aviation Museum.

“We are doing a basic repaint of the same livery she was in when we acquired her 10 years ago,” said Jim Hodgson, the museum Executive Director, to The Aviation Geek Club.

This F-14 was originally a Grumman F-14A-85-GR Tomcat and was manufactured by Grumman Aerospace in Calverton, New York. She would be delivered to the US Navy on Jul. 16, 1975.

This was the longest serving F-14 Tomcat in the U.S. Navy.

Much of her early career would be spent training nugget Tomcat crews in both the east and west coast Fleet Readiness Squadrons; VF-124 Gunfighters at Naval Air Staion (NAS) Miramar, VF-101 Grim Reapers at NAS Oceana.

In the 1983-84 timeframe, the aircraft arrived at VF-14 Tophatters (as “AE 104”) who operated the aircraft until 1988. The Tomcat then joined VF-142 Ghostriders (“AG 206”).

In 1990 the aircraft arrived at the now closed Naval Aviation Depot (NADEP) Norfolk, Virginia, for conversion into an F-14D (serial number DR-5).

Emerging in 1994 as the fifth remanufactured D model Tomcat, 159600 would rejoin the fleet in 1994 with VF-2 Bounty Hunters (as “NE 115”) at NAS Miramar. Noteworthy during this tour, NAS Miramar transferred to the Marine Corps and VF-2 relocated to NAS Oceana.

By 1994, the aircraft was flying with VF-2 Bounty Hunters (as “NE 115”) at NAS Miramar. During this tour, NAS Miramar transferred to the Marine Corps and VF-2 relocated to NAS Oceana.

In 2003, she would return to her roots and once again serve in Fleet Readiness Squadron VF-101 Grim Reapers. In 2004, the aircraft returned to VF-2 (as “NE 100”) before being assigned again to VF-101 (which operated the aircraft as “AD-160”).

The following year, 159600 would be assigned to VF-31 Tomcatters where she would remain until the Tomcat’s retirement in September 2006.

While participating in the Tomcat’s final cruise from September 2005 to March 2006, 159600 would suffer a structural failure. During routine maintenance a bulkhead would blow out and she would spend most of the next few months in the hangar, earning her the nickname “Christine” after the Stephen King thriller.

Through a dedicated and determined maintenance effort, 159600 would be repaired. Once returned to flight status 159600 would become a squadron workhorse for the remainder of the deployment, a testament to both her Grumman “Ironworks” legacy and the fine men and women who have maintained the F-14 Tomcat.

The aircraft then arrived in Fort Worth aboard a Lockheed C-5A Galaxy on Mar. 3, 2007.

After more than 30 years of service, F-14D(R) 159600 would finish her career with the singular distinction of being the longest serving F-14 Tomcat in the U.S. Navy’s inventory, and proudly earn the right to claim “Anytime, Baby”!

This first appeared in Aviation Geek Club here.