The F-14 Tomcat was not only one of the most iconic fighters of the Cold War, it is part of popular culture thanks to Top Gun. What few know is that in full flight over Iowa, a Navy pilot lived a scene worthy of Hollywood: the air controllers asked him to “buzz the tower,” that is, to roar past the tower so they could see it with their own eyes! Something iconic! The result was an improvised show that left everyone present speechless and that, decades later, is still remembered as one of the most curious anecdotes of military aviation!!
The Tomcat: pride of the Navy
It was designed in the sixties to replace the F-111B, the F-14 Tomcat made its first flight in 1970. It was capable of firing up to six Phoenix missiles against six different targets thanks to its AWG-9 radar, something incredible for the time, it was the most advanced. Its silhouette with wings and its presence on aircraft carriers made it a symbol of air power! Nobody dared against the F-14!!
A machine ahead of its time
Its ability to adapt to each mission thanks to the movement of its wings made it a versatile aircraft, both for long-distance combat and for tight maneuvers.
The connection with Top Gun
The Tomcat rose to worldwide fame in 1986 with Top Gun. The scene in which Maverick and Goose “buzz” the tower became a movie classic. What seemed like fiction, years later was repeated in real life when a veteran pilot received a similar request, not from a superior, but from the controllers themselves.
And in fact, what on the big screen was a prank of Maverick, in real life became a unique moment for those who were in that tower in Iowa!
Iowa, 500 feet above the ground
John Chesire, former F-14 pilot, was flying to an airshow in Cedar Rapids when, passing near Waterloo, the air controllers could not believe what they saw on their radar: they had under their control a Tomcat flying at only 500 feet altitude.
Surprised, the controllers asked the pilot to return and make a pass near the tower. Chesire agreed. He not only flew low and slow, but also swept the wings back to 68 degrees and briefly lit the afterburners, giving them a show of fire and roar that absolutely nobody could forget!
Applause from the tower
The controllers ran outside to witness the scene. Between wings changing position and flames coming out of the engines, the F-14 gave them a unique memory.
The legacy of the F-14 Tomcat
Although it was retired in 2006, the F-14 Tomcat is still remembered as one of the most spectacular fighters of its time. Beyond technology, it left a mark on popular culture and in stories like this one, where a simple gesture became legend.
It was not just a war machine. It was and is a symbol. It represented innovation, power and spectacle. And in episodes like the one in Iowa, it also showed that it could thrill anyone who saw it in action, even those who worked day to day in the control towers.
The story of John Chesire and that improvised “buzz the tower” in Iowa shows how the F-14 Tomcat was much more than a military aircraft. It was an icon capable of uniting technical precision with human emotion. Its roar, its folding wings and its lit afterburners remain part of a collective memory that is not forgotten.