From Boneyard to Airshow? Former Tomcat Aircrewmen Discuss the Future of the F-14 Tomcat and the Maverick Act

During a recent episode of Ward Carroll’s popular YouTube channel, filmed at the U.S. Naval Institute on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Academy, the former F-14 Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) sat down with retired Rear Admiral Mike “Nasty” Manazir to discuss one of the most talked-about developments in the warbird world: the “Maverick Act,” legislation that could eventually return a U.S. Navy F-14 Tomcat to flying status. Their wide-ranging conversation offered perhaps the most detailed public examination yet of what it would actually take to bring the legendary swing-wing fighter back to life.

Earlier this month, Vintage Aviation News reported on the Senate’s passage of the so-called “Maverick Act,” legislation that authorizes the transfer of several surviving F-14s from AMARG storage at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Commission in Huntsville, Alabama. (vintageaviationnews.com) The bill also permits the transfer of spare parts and technical documentation, potentially enabling one aircraft to be restored to flyable condition.

Carroll and Manazir—both former Tomcat aircrewmen with decades of operational experience—used the discussion to break down the realities behind the headlines. According to the legislation, the aircraft involved are BuNos 164341, 164602, and 159437. However, Manazir noted that one of those aircraft, 159437, was incorrectly identified as an F-14D. In reality, it remained an F-14A throughout its service life and later participated in the famous 1989 Gulf of Sidra incident as part of VF-32’s MiG-23 shootdown.

That leaves the two actual F-14Ds as the most likely candidates for restoration. Both aircraft remain preserved at Davis-Monthan, where they escaped the scrapping process that destroyed most retired Tomcats after concerns arose over spare parts reaching Iran, the type’s only remaining operator. A central figure behind the effort is reportedly Jared Isaacman, the aviation entrepreneur, founder of Draken International, and current NASA administrator. Carroll described Isaacman as the driving force behind the initiative, citing both his passion for tactical aviation and his considerable experience flying high-performance military aircraft. According to the discussion, restoration work would likely take place near Tucson, Arizona, rather than in Huntsville itself.

The two former naval aviators explained that restoring an F-14 would require far more than simply making the aircraft airworthy. Manazir described the process as a complete “radome to burner cans” rebuild, comparable to full depot-level remanufacturing. Every major system—hydraulics, fuel, electrical, flight controls, and structural components—would need to be inspected, rebuilt, or replaced. At the same time, both men stressed that the Tomcat’s defining aerodynamic characteristics must remain intact. The aircraft’s variable-sweep wings, spoiler-based roll control system, hydraulic flight controls, and high-alpha handling qualities are fundamental to the Tomcat experience and cannot simply be simplified away.

Where modernization could occur, however, is inside the cockpit. Carroll and Manazir suggested replacing the original combat avionics with modern glass displays, updated communications systems, weather radar, and civilian IFR navigation equipment. Since the restored aircraft would not carry weapons or radar-guided combat systems, much of the original mission equipment could be removed while preserving the aircraft’s handling and appearance. One particularly interesting part of the conversation centered on the Tomcat’s iconic two-seat crew concept. Both Carroll and Manazir strongly argued that a flying Tomcat should retain both a pilot and a RIO. Even if the rear cockpit no longer manages weapons systems, the RIO would still play important safety and systems-monitoring roles during demonstrations while preserving the heritage and identity of the aircraft.

The discussion also highlighted the importance of the General Electric F110 engines used in the F-14B and F-14D. Manazir described the engines as transformational compared to the earlier TF30s fitted to the F-14A. With a lightweight airshow configuration and modernized systems, the pair envisioned a Tomcat capable of dramatic demonstration maneuvers including vertical climbs, high-alpha passes, and the thunderous afterburner performance that made the aircraft legendary on the airshow circuit decades ago. Carrier-specific systems such as the tailhook, launch bar, and kneeling nose gear would also likely remain operational. Though no longer necessary for carrier operations, both men emphasized that these features are inseparable from the Tomcat’s naval aviation heritage.

Perhaps most remarkably, Manazir believes the timeline is achievable. Assuming the legislation clears the House and receives presidential approval, he estimated that a restored F-14 could potentially debut on the airshow circuit as early as the 2028 season. For naval aviation enthusiasts, the prospect remains almost surreal. Yet after hearing two former Tomcat veterans discuss the project in detail, the possibility of once again seeing—and hearing—an F-14 Tomcat in flight no longer feels impossible. To follow Ward Carroll’s popular YouTube channel, click HERE.