Wings Over Miami

Wings Over Miami Air Museum was selected by the US Navy to receive the last flying F-14 D Tomcat, Aircraft 100. This aircraft was the squadron commanders aircraft from the storied VF-31, "The Tomcatters". The VF-31 Tomcatters now are a U.S. Navy strike fighter squadron stationed at NAS Oceana. Flying the F-14D Super Tomcat and scheduled to transition to the F/A-18E Super Hornet in September 2006. VF-31 is the second oldest active US Navy squadron. VF-31 was originally established as VF-1B Shooting Stars on July 1, 1935 flying the Boeing F4B. Two years later the unit switched designation to VF-6 as well as aircraft and began flying the Grumman F3F. Between the years 1937 and 1943 VF-6 flew the F3F-2 and two variants of the Grumman F4F and ended with the F4F-4. In July 1943 VF-6 swapped designations with VF-3, The Felix Cat Squadron, and began flying the F6F Hellcat. Both squadrons claimed the Felix mascot and callsign after the switch, which caused controversy for the coming three years. Finally in 1946 VF-3 became VF-3A, flying the F8F Bearcat, while VF-6 was decommissioned. The Chief of Naval Operations approved the adoption of the Felix the Cat name and callsign for VF-3As use. Through the years the Tomcatters and their predecessors have served on many of the Navy's aircraft carriers, including the first, the USS Langley; the second, USS Langley; and the sixth, USS Enterprise. They were aboard USS Enterprise during the bombing of Pearl Harbor as well as the battles of Wake Island, Marcus Island, Midway, Guadalcanal, and the Eastern Solomon Islands. In 1980, VF-31 and USS Saratoga concluded a 24-year period of continuous service together, the longest in naval history.
Wings Over Miami
14710 SW 128 Street
Miami, FL 33196  Map
305-233-5197
www.WingsOverMiami.com

Hours of Operation
Thursday - Sunday: 10:00 AM - 5:30 PM