F-14 "Tomcat" development.
The initial prototype F-14A performed its first flight on 21 December 1970, with company test pilots William "Bob" Miller and Robert Smythe in the cockpit. It was a short hop with the wings left in the forward position. The second flight was on 30 December 1970, when the prototype suffered a catastrophic hydraulic systems failure. Both Miller and Smythe ejected safely from just above the treetops, but of course the aircraft was completely destroyed. The tenth prototype was lost on 29 June 1973 in a crash that killed Bob Miller, who had been fortunately flying with no back-seater. link: www.faqs.org
