About the Book
The F-14 Tomcat is a supersonic, twin-engine, variable sweep wing, two-place strike fighter manufactured by Grumman Aircraft Corporation. It's primary missions include precision strike against ground targets, air superiority, and fleet air defense. Those are the facts. But, behind the facts are the reality of thirty-five years of active naval service as the foremost air superiority fighter of the cold war with continuing service as a fighter-bomber in the Gulf Wars. It is this service and the over two hundred thousand sailors, officers and enlisted men, pilots and "ground" crew, who served in F-14 squadrons with the Tomcat over the years. Now, as the Tomcat files off into its sunset and the scrapyard-no flyable F-14s will be allowed to survive for fear that Iran, the other operator of the aircraft, might be able to obtain spare parts for their Tomcat fleet - "Grumman F-14 Tomcat: Anytime Baby...!" is a fitting tribute to this still potent old man of the sky.
About the Author :
Dave "Hey Joe" Parsons is a long-time tomcat aviator who is currently a top executive of the Titan Corp in Virginia. For many years he was the editor of the Navy's Approach Magazine, and he has authored some 20 books on military aviation. George Hall is America's foremost aviation photographer and has 30 books to his credit, including the first non-fiction title published on Topgun. An authority on the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, he lives in California. Bob
Review :
"IPMS Journal, September 2006""This book is nothing less than a love story told in pictures and a few, well chosen words. Large, glamorous images of the Turkey taken by many of today's foremost aviation photographers are accompanied by short quotes from those who flew, wrenched, and in a few cases, punched out of this beloved big dawg of a fighter. The text is added in such a way that each recollection appears poetic, although describing how two NFO's jumped from the cockpit of a Tomcat under tow, as the combination of a tight carrier turn and a rogue wave launched Tomcat and tractor over the side, probably doesn't qualify as poetic...The images are simply stunning. Ranging from silhouette-lit sunset profiles to close-ups taken during the filming of Top Gun, you'll see Grumman's last Cat from every conceivable vantage point (including a few that will leave you wondering how that picture was possibly taken)...Highly recommended, particularly if "call the ball" fits anywhere in your vernacular."" ""Virginian-Pilot, " August 20, 2006"There is little danger, even after looking at page after page of the giant jets, of one's ever getting bored...The vignettes from the air crews and mechanics are priceless, some even newsworthy."
"Naval Aviations News, " Sept./Oct. 2006"There are labors of love, and then there's this book, put together by three experienced, highly motives individuals, each bringing his own special skills to the project. [Grumman F-14 Tomcat] provides some fabulous photography and wonderful memories, all for a very reasonable price. This is not a history of the Tomcat, although going through all the quotations you certainly gain a sense of the F-14's story and contribution...The concept is elegant in its simplicity: a magnificent collection of color pictures from professional photographers as well as the people who flew or maintained, and clearly loved, the Tomcat...The photos are juxtaposed with poetic memories, short and long, but all highly readable...Tomcat Bye-Bye...! is a terrific requiem for one of the modern era's greatest jet fighters. It will bring several hours of pleasant browsing and reminiscence to operator and enthusiast alike. Great job, baby!"" ""Proceedings/U.S. Naval Institute, " September 2006"In Grumman F-14 Tomcat, professional photographers and authors David Parsons, George Hall, and Bob Lawson have assembled a memorable collection of stunning photographs and graphic, first-hand accounts of the Tomcat to document the successful 35-year service life of the Navy's premier fighter...The heart of this book is a collection of riveting one-page anecdotes and quotes from flight and ground cres, each told in the vernacular of the ready room and the back bar, replete with acronyms, jargon, and colorful 'pilot speak' that are essential to the story. The tales are complemented by the finest, most comprehensive collection of Tomcat photographs ever assembled in one book. From the front cover to the last colorful page, each image in this oversized, coffee-table book is a work of art."
"WINGS, " October 2006"Every once in awhile, a new book comes along that literally takes your breath away with page after page of never-before-seen photographs punctuated by pithy, no-hold-barred text taken straight from conversations overheard at Happy Hour at the O'Club. Grumman F-14 Tomcat is just such a book...Authors and photographers Dave "Hey Joe" Parsons, George Hall, and Bob Lawson have created nothing less than the ultimate celebration of the foremost air superiority fighter of the Cold War, and one of the most potent fighter bombers of the Gulf Wars as well. From the runway at Miramar to the flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson, this book takes you where the action is."" ""Pacific Flyer, " August 2006"This is the coffee table book to end all coffee table books, especially if you've ever flown, sean, or heard of a Tomcat. The book weighs almost four and a half pounds, is 13 3/4" x 10 1/2" and filled with 200 glossy pages of some of the most breath-taking color photos you've ever seen. Equally great is the commentary of the pilots who flew the big cats themselves. Alongside each picture is a short commentary by a 'Cat driver, some hilarious, always insightful...I could think of no higher calling than to be an F-14 pilot, and this book celebrates the men and the planes they flew."
"IPMS Journal, September 2006" "This book is nothing less than a love story told in pictures and a few, well chosen words. Large, glamorous images of the Turkey taken by many of today's foremost aviation photographers are accompanied by short quotes from those who flew, wrenched, and in a few cases, punched out of this beloved big dawg of a fighter. The text is added in such a way that each recollection appears poetic, although describing how two NFO's jumped from the cockpit of a Tomcat under tow, as the combination of a tight carrier turn and a rogue wave launched Tomcat and tractor over the side, probably doesn't qualify as poetic...The images are simply stunning. Ranging from silhouette-lit sunset profiles to close-ups taken during the filming of Top Gun, you'll see Grumman's last Cat from every conceivable vantage point (including a few that will leave you wondering how that picture was possibly taken)...Highly recommended, particularly if "call the ball" fits anywhere in your vernacular."" " "Virginian-Pilot," August 20, 2006 "There is little danger, even after looking at page after page of the giant jets, of one's ever getting bored...The vignettes from the air crews and mechanics are priceless, some even newsworthy."
"Naval Aviations News," Sept./Oct. 2006 "There are labors of love, and then there's this book, put together by three experienced, highly motives individuals, each bringing his own special skills to the project. ÝGrumman F-14 Tomcat¨ provides some fabulous photography and wonderful memories, all for a very reasonable price. This is not a history of the Tomcat, although going through all the quotations you certainly gain a sense of the F-14's story and contribution...The concept is elegant in its simplicity: a magnificent collection of color pictures from professional photographers as well as the people who flew or maintained, and clearly loved, the Tomcat...The photos are juxtaposed with poetic memories, short and long, but all highly readable...Tomcat Bye-Bye...! is a terrific requiem for one of the modern era's greatest jet fighters. It will bring several hours of pleasant browsing and reminiscence to operator and enthusiast alike. Great job, baby!"" " "Proceedings/U.S. Naval Institute," September 2006 "In Grumman F-14 Tomcat, professional photographers and authors David Parsons, George Hall, and Bob Lawson have assembled a memorable collection of stunning photographs and graphic, first-hand accounts of the Tomcat to document the successful 35-year service life of the Navy's premier fighter...The heart of this book is a collection of riveting one-page anecdotes and quotes from flight and ground cres, each told in the vernacular of the ready room and the back bar, replete with acronyms, jargon, and colorful 'pilot speak' that are essential to the story. The tales are complemented by the finest, most comprehensive collection of Tomcat photographs ever assembled in one book. From thefront cover to the last colorful page, each image in this oversized, coffee-table book is a work of art."
"WINGS," October 2006 "Every once in awhile, a new book comes along that literally takes your breath away with page after page of never-before-seen photographs punctuated by pith, no-hold-barred text taken straight from conversations overheard at Happy Hour at the O'Club. Grumman F-14 Tomcat is just such a book...Authors and photographers Dave "Hey Joe" Parsons, George Hall, and Bob Lawson have created nothing less than the ultimate celebration of the foremost air superiority fighter of the Cold War, and one of the most potent fighter bombers of the Gulf Wars as well. From the runway at Miramar to the flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson, this book takes you where the action is."" " "Pacific Flyer," August 2006 "This is the coffee table book to end all coffee table books, especially if you've ever flown, sean, or heard of a Tomcat. The book weighs almost four and a half pounds, is 13 3/4" x 10 1/2" and filled with 200 glossy pages of some of the most breath-taking color photos you've ever seen. Equally great is the commentary of the pilots who flew the big cats themselves. Alongside each picture is a short commentary by a 'Cat driver, some hilarious, always insightful...I could think of no higher calling than to be an F-14 pilot, and this book celebrates the men and the planes they flew."
IPMS Journal, "September 2006
"This book is nothing less than a love story told in pictures and a few, well chosen words. Large, glamorous images of the Turkey taken by many of today's foremost aviation photographers are accompanied by short quotes from those who flew, wrenched, and in a few cases, punched out of this beloved big dawg of a fighter. The text is added in such a way that each recollection appears poetic...The images are simply stunning. Ranging from silhouette-lit sunset profiles to close-ups taken during the filming of Top Gun, you'll see Grumman's last Cat from every conceivable vantage point (including a few that will leave you wondering how that picture was possibly taken)...Highly recommended, particularly if 'call the ball' fits anywhere in your vernacular."
Pacific Flyer, "August 2006"
"This is the coffee table book to end all coffee table books, especially if you've ever flown, sean, or heard of a Tomcat. The book weighs almost four and a half pounds, is 13 3/4" x 10 1/2" and filled with 200 glossy pages of some of the most breath-taking color photos you've ever seen. Equally great is the commentary of the pilots who flew the big cats themselves. Alongside each picture is a short commentary by a 'Cat driver, some hilarious, always insightful...I could think of no higher calling than to be an F-14 pilot, and this book celebrates the men and the planes they flew."
