Photo by Lt. Cmdr. Shannon Coulter
The Cradle of Aviation Museum will be host a special evening on Thursday, April 21, to salute one of the finest fighter aircraft built on Long Island, the F-14 Tomcat. More than 45 years ago the F-14 made its maiden flight and since that time has been lauded as one of the most effective military aircraft ever built. The aircraft served valiantly during Operation Desert Storm 25 years ago and was featured in the Hollywood blockbuster film, Top Gun, starring Tom Cruise.
The evening will serve as a salute to the not just aircraft but also the men and women of Grumman who worked to create one of the finest programs in Grumman’s history. The F-14 (No. 3) is a proud part of the museum’s collection.
The evening will include a panel discussion by some of the individuals who played a role in the plane’s success. Appearing on the panel will be Vice Admiral Ted Carter, superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy; Winston Scott, NASA astronaut and former F-14 pilot; Michael Ciminera, vice president, Northrop Grumman and former assistant to the vice president of the F-14 Program; Hank Janiesch, former vice president of the F-14 Program; Michael Rabens, former Top Gun test pilot and Northrop Grumman director of test flight and Dennis Romano, former Northrop Grumman vice president and F-14 RIO.
The evening begins with a reunion of former F-14 workers at 4 p.m. and the dinner and panel discussion begins at 6 p.m. The event is open to the general public and reservations are required. Tickets are $100 per person, $85 for Cradle Museum members. Reserve your seat by calling 516-572-4066, Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Cradle of Aviation Museum is home to one of the largest collections of air and spacecraft in the world arranged in eight galleries that take you through more than 100 years of air and space history. The Cradle is located on Charles Lindbergh Blvd. on Museum Row in East Garden City. For reservations and information visit www.cradleofaviation.org or call 516-572-4066.
