The moisture in the air around a U.S. Navy Grumman F-14A Tomcat from fighter squadron VF-102 Diamondbacks condenses into water vapor as the aircraft breaks the sound barrier while passing the aircraft carrier USS America (CV-66) on 1 March 1991.
In the foreground are a McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C-24-MC Hornet (BuNo 163461) from strike fighter squadron VFA-86 Sidewinders, left, and a VF-102 F-14A-110-GR (BuNo 161155).
The America with assigned Carrier Air Wing 1 (CVW-1) was on station in the Red Sea following the 1991 Gulf War.
The FA-18C 163461 crashed into sea 100 km west of Key West, Florida (USA), on 14 October 2005, while in service with VFA-106.
The pilot was rescued. Photo: LCdr. Neubauer, USN
