Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
Simi Valley, California

Grumman Black Aces VF-41
Tomcats
Painted to depict the F-14A Bu No 160403
(F-14A Bu No 162592)

VF-41 Black Aces

Base:NAS Oceana

Tailcode:'AJ'

Callsign:'Fast Eagle'

Variant:F-14A

Bill Stevens

DRESSING HER UP
F-14A Bu No 162592, painted to depict the F-14A (Bu No 160403) flown by CDR Henry 'Hank' Kleemann / LT David 'DJ' Venlet on display at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. After being transported OTR from NAS Point Mugu to the RRPL and placed on display next to the Air Force ONE pavilion, it became obvious that the Tomcat needed to be dressed up a bit for her new display mission. The RRPL staff was able to obtain the necessary "toys" from various military and corporate sources to properly dress-up the girl. A group of dedicated volunteers donated many man hours to properly outfit the lady on-site in Simi Valley.

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library F-14A preparation for positioning, Sunday, August 21, 2005. The aircraft had been towed from NAS Pt. Mugu up to the RRPL the previous Saturday evening. On the foggy Sunday morning the 6 man VX-30 prep crew off loaded the aircraft from the GAC transport trailer and installed the vertical stabilizers and re-attached the radome, both of which had been removed for obstacle clearance during the tow from Pt. Mugu. Once the aircraft was reassembled a test lift of the crane's ability to lift and move the aircraft in a controlled manner was conducted. A Navy tow tug from Pt. Mugu was placed over the RRPL colonnade and positioned for the next day's ceremony.

Gulf of Sidra Incident, 19 August 1981, F-14 Bu No 162592, painted by volunteer VFA-2 maintenance personnel from NAS Lemoore, to depict the F-14 Bu No 160403, Fast Eagle 102 flown by CDR Henry 'Hank' Kleemann & LT David 'DJ' Venlet, now on display at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. BuNo 162592 was flown from NAWC NAS Fallon to NAS Pt. Mugu for painting and storage while awaiting completion of the RRPL. VX-30 maintenance personnel prepped the aircraft for transport from Pt. Mugu to the RRPL using the F-14 Transport Trailer manufactured by GAC.. This Saturday, 6 August 2005 photo series shows the aircraft as it was loaded on to the trailer and moved off base to await CHP escort out to US-101 south to Simi Valley and up to the RRPL. The radome is always removed due to its' swing out obstruction when the trailer turns. The wings are usually removed for extensive OTR routes which was not the case here; the entire trip took less than 3 hours. The stabs didn't have to be removed because of the short move, but they did have to be bolted level so that the trailing edges would not contact roadside guard rails. The vertical stabs are always removed for travel through roadway underpasses.

Back to main page