Vincent Devino was the head of cockpit design and avionics installation for the F-14 at the time Grumman proposed ... Large image: Profile drawing of an early Tomcat concept.

With the launch of "The Other First Man," we introduced a new series titled Flight Test Files, focused on the fascinating legacy of aeronautical advancements pioneered by NACA and later by NASA.

Specifically, the Navy employed a bubble canopy for its two-seat cockpit, which helped the crew in air-to-air combat situations. The F-14 Tomcat is likely the best Navy warplane ever designed.

When the Grumman F-14 Tomcat first flew in 1970 ... namely its avionics. The Tomcat was the first aircraft to use a microprocessor-driven flight system, as well as the first microprocessor ...