The F-14 Tomcat isn’t just an aircraft—it’s an American icon. From its debut at Naval Air Station Miramar here in San Diego in 1974, to its starring role in the blockbuster films Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick (in which the Museum’s Tomcat was featured), the Tomcat has captured the imagination of millions and represented the very best of aviation technology.

The F-14 Tomcat isn’t just an aircraft—it’s an American icon. From its debut at Naval Air Station Miramar here in San Diego in 1974, to its starring role in Top Gun, the Tomcat captured the imagination of millions and represented the very best of aviation technology. With its variable-sweep wings, powerful twin engines, and unmatched air-to-air capabilities, the Tomcat protected our nation for more than three decades and became a symbol of innovation, strength, and pride.

With a theme of “Tomcat 2026” for the completion of this amazing community project, the Museum recently completed a site survey using drones to map out placement of a support base platform for the Tomcat in front of our location in Balboa Park. The Museum also met with the demolition company that will be returning the current site to original condition after the Sea Dart is removed from its stand and taken to our Gillespie field annex for restoration. And several proposed night lighting of the Tomcat scenarios are being evaluated.

Now, the San Diego Air & Space Museum has the extraordinary opportunity to preserve this piece of history for future generations. But we can’t do it alone.

Your gift today will help us restore, display, and share the story of the Tomcat—ensuring that children, families, and aviation enthusiasts alike can stand in awe of this remarkable aircraft for years to come.

Join us in honoring the legacy of the Tomcat. Together, we can keep its story alive.

Click here to donate today!