Moving a Big Cat - A Tomcat, that is

[moose135]

Back in October 2006, the final Navy F-14 flight arrived at Republic Airport on Long Island to be retired. After spending the 18 months on display at the American Airpower Museum at the airport, it was ready to be moved to the Northrop-Grumman plant in Bethpage for permanent display.

Monday night (actually early Tuesday morning) the Tomcat began her final journey. Monday afternoon they lifted the Tomcat over the fence at the museum into the parking lot. Tuesday morning, around 2 am, they began the move, towing it on an 8-mile route to Bethpage, arriving at the plant a little after 4 am.

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/290317298_F2D2W-L.jpg

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/290316808_tp8qu-L-1.jpg

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/290312545_YgXnd-L-1.jpg

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/290310968_Gbtsk-L-1.jpg

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/290309405_qEkdm-L-1.jpg

Turn signals for a Tomcat!
http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/290319965_LDxHA-L-1.jpg

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/290319794_Xgcbn-L-1.jpg

And the big move...
Cutting down the last of fence.
http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/290796437_Rw5FP-L.jpg

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/290797776_iUXJQ-L.jpg

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/290798373_2AtNa-L.jpg

Crossing Long Island Rail Road
http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/290801186_67Xx5-L.jpg

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/290799488_YqM4G-L.jpg

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/290800825_BeorW-L.jpg

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/290801525_dn8Eu-L.jpg

This is my friend Fred (also a SmugMugger) - he's the guy who always talks me into these crazy ideas - taking one of the 3,400 shots he took during the day and night :huh
http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/290802345_E4thv-L.jpg

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/290802595_5JSjE-L.jpg

[eL eSs Vee]

That is an awesome series of an incredible once-in-a-lifetime event! :clap

I wish I could have been there, but I'm on the other end of the country! :D

[evoryware]

My favorite fighter. I thought they dropped it over the fence onto a runway so it could fly to Bethpage. :wink
I go to Briarcliffe College right beside Grumman will definitely check it out.

Kind of off topic, but you have pics of an F-18 landing at Laguardia? I go over there a lot to let the planes fly over my head.

[Art Scott]

WHOOOOOOOOOAAAAA!!! :bow:bow:bow:thumb:thumb:thumb Really great shots:clap :clap:clap .......all we have left here are KC135s.......not much to photo after having had the B-1 [never got a good pic of it...I could not hold a steady cam if the dang thing were running or flyin] .....now all gone......:cry:cry

[saurora]

Some amazing shots! You documented that unusual moving event very well!!! :thumb

[moose135]

Thanks! It was a long night, but one I wouldn't have missed for anything. And Art, there's nothing wrong with KC-135s, I'm an old tanker pilot!

Kind of off topic, but you have pics of an F-18 landing at Laguardia? I go over there a lot to let the planes fly over my head.
I shot these (and a few others) last summer - I think they did a fly over at one of the stadiums. I was at the Worlds Fair Marina lot. These are actually from the same squadron that the final Tomcat was out of.
http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/185328190_V4pyN-L.jpg

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/185328390_wgcGu-L.jpg

[Vycor]

Ohh don't tell me they moved this the other day son of a... nobody bothered to tell me, i live down the road in lindenhurst from this

[DaddyO]

Why was I thinking big furry cat when I opened this thread? :scratch :D

I've really enjoyed being able to see your images here.
Nice work. :thumb:thumb:thumb

[evoryware]

Thanks! It was a long night, but one I wouldn't have missed for anything. And Art, there's nothing wrong with KC-135s, I'm an old tanker pilot!


I shot these (and a few others) last summer - I think they did a fly over at one of the stadiums. I was at the Worlds Fair Marina lot. These are actually from the same squadron that the final Tomcat was out of.


Ahh yeah they had F-18 flyover's at a couple Yankee games I was at. One was the Cleveland vs Yankees game in the playoffs and the other was I believe Military Day at Yankee Stadium.
Well I wouldn't be surprised if I ran into you at one of these airports. Happy spotting to you!
:thumb

[Dogdots]

WOW....my hubby will have to take a peek at these :thumb

[summerz]

Pretty darn neat, thanks!:thumb

[tobers]

Wow! I really want one of those in my garden. Thanks for letting is in on this.

[Skippy]

Back in October 2006, the final Navy F-14 flight arrived at Republic Airport on Long Island to be retired. After spending the 18 months on display at the American Airpower Museum at the airport, it was ready to be moved to the Northrop-Grumman plant in Bethpage for permanent display.

Monday night (actually early Tuesday morning) the Tomcat began her final journey. Monday afternoon they lifted the Tomcat over the fence at the museum into the parking lot. Tuesday morning, around 2 am, they began the move, towing it on an 8-mile route to Bethpage, arriving at the plant a little after 4 am.

Turn signals for a Tomcat!
And the big move...
Cutting down the last of fence.
Crossing Long Island Rail Road
This is my friend Fred (also a SmugMugger) - he's the guy who always talks me into these crazy ideas - taking one of the 3,400 shots he took during the day and night :huh



Okay who else opened this thread thinking they were about to see a very FAT CAT :rolleyes hands up ... awwww come on I couldn't possibly be the only person that didn't have a clue :rofl

This is quite an extraudinary series of images Moose135 :clap
It's taken quite a crew to move the Plane, glad you got to shoot the scene as it was happening.

Man you got yourself some excellent shots, and a piece of history all in one day ....... Well Done :thumb .... Skippy :D
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