F-14 Tomcat Blue AngelsGrumman F 14 Tomcat Blue Angels airplane model. After a series of accidents and maintenance problems with their McDonnell Douglas F 4J Phantom IIs in the 1973 air show season, the Blue Angels stood down for an overview of the program by the Secretary of the Navy, John Warner. Ken Wallace, the 1954 55 slot pilot and 1961 63 team leader, was called upon to guide the team through rough waters. The F 14 Tomcat was considered as a replacement for the F 4