Summary and Key Points: The F-14 Tomcat, made famous by the "Top Gun" films, was a formidable air-to-air combat aircraft. Originally designed in the 1970s to defend U.S. Navy carrier battle groups ...

Manufacturer Northrop Grumman was ultimately awarded the contract to produce its F-14 prototype, a twin-engine, air-to-air fighter that could reach a top speed of Mach 2.2. The first Tomcat took ...