USAF V-507 F-14A - 318th FIS - Green Dragons

By 1975, the Convair F-106 Delta Dart was showing its age and the USAF began looking for a replacement. USAF General Daniel "Chappie" James, Jr. had just become first African American to reach the rank of four-star general, and assumed his position as commander in chief of North American Air Defense Command/Continental Air Defense Command. As the new head of NORAD, Gen. James flew a few test flights in an LTV F-14A Vagabond and loved it. LTV was offering the baseline V-507 with a few Air Force-specific modifications such as boom refueling receptacle and USAF compatible radios, and Gen. James convinced the USAF to buy some as soon as possible. Special funds were allocated for their acquisition and NORAD's new interceptors became the last aircraft purchased during FY 75.

After passing the service's flight testing, the first aircraft were assigned to the 318th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at McChord AFB, Washington to complete the follow-on operational test and evaluation program. The new F-14As soon received the iconic compass rose on the tail to match the squadron's F-106s they replaced. The impressive endurance, radar performance, and Phoenix missile range was appreciated by NORAD and the new aircraft began to attract a lot of attention—not all of it positive.