Hello and What About That F-14B Tomcat

:raised_hand:
Although some months after the US premiere, since it had to be translated to swedish.
I was 14 years old.
And then my older sister went to Lebanon as a UNIFIL Hospital Nurse. She managed to get me a VHS copy of Top Gun and sent it to me, way before it was available in Sweden.

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Me too. I was 15 at the time. For all it’s cheesiness, it was quite motivating for this pilot wannabe.

As a side note, when I was flying the King Air, I flew Tony Scott to a location for what turned out to be his final movie (Unstoppable).

He was a very gracious guy.

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He was hired by Simpson & Bruckheimer, because he had experience with filming aircraft…

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That would have worked a whole lot better with the sleeker, smaller Gripen than with the big brutal Viggen. I think a Draken would have worked better too.
But then, that Viggen is hella cool :sunglasses:

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https://youtu.be/ZxvqLfI0ukM

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Ah yes…back when the Viggen was (fairly) new and all was right with the world. :hugs:

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That is very cool. I am not sure I could have let him get in his limo without first unloading all of my fanboy nonsense on him. You most likely exercised some proper decorum. Another friend of mine also met him for the first incarnation of Top Gun 2. He was angling to be one of the F-18 pilots slash/consultants. Great guy and down to earth. He said the same about Tom Cruise. Both were totally at home around the squadron.

No, I made a point of telling him how much I enjoyed his movies over the years. I figured I would not get the chance to cross paths with him again. His response was something like ‘that’s so awfully kind of you to say so, thanks very much’… I shook his hand and off he went with his film crew.

I think you can usually tell if a high profile passenger wants to talk with you or if they just want to be left alone. If in doubt, stay well out of the way.

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My dad took me to see it in theater. I was only 6 years old but remember it perfectly. After seeing Top Gun and a few air shows later, I was officially a wannabe fighter pilot. :laughing:

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I not only saw it in the theater, I think I saw Final Countdown as well. I also saw Days of Thunder aka NASCAR Top Gun. :slight_smile:

I’m pretty sure I did NOT see Iron Eagle (any of them) in the theater.

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I also saw Final Countdown in the theater…and many years later saw Executive Decision in the theater, thus completing the “Tomcat Film Trifecta” - the top 3 films featuring the greatest fighter / interceptor ever built, the F-14.

I have met / worked, respectively, for the pilots who flew one of the Tomcats intercepting the 747 in Executive Decision (“Snort” Snodgrass; at the controls for the bellow photo taken during a flight demonstration rehearsal) and the “Mig-28” pilot in the black helmet in Top Gun (“Rat” Willard).

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I didn’t even remember the F-14s in ExecD. All I can remember is that ridiculous F-117 with a C-2 interior! :confused:

I did see that one in the theater, too, as I’d say more than half the films I’ve seen in my life were during the 90s when the wife and I were dating and then first married. In the 80s I was too busy with school (and needing transportation) and by the 21st I had a home theater and we started renting DVDs from Blockbuster (and later Netflix) in lieu of seeing all but the biggest releases of the year.

A compilation of the F-14 footage from Executive Decision…great stuff! I especially like how the Tomcats approach the target in a Diamond Four formation–aka the “Diamond of Death”. Please take special notice that the cartrier is in fact the “Big John”…the USS JOHN C STENNIS CVN-74, which 7 years later would be my home away from home…the finest ship in the USN (and in DCS for that matter), in my biased opinion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38grTs0ZTAg

… and then this…

…I can assure you that everything from the “taillights” on the 747’s horizontal stab tips to Navy pilots using morse code was completely accurate.

Say…isn’t that Frank Regan’s father from Blue Bloods? When was he President?

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Once the HB Tomcat is released, we should hold a contest. Participants “film” (screen video) their favorite scene(s) from one of the Tomcat Film Trifecta using DCS and the new F-14.

The winner to get 25 Mudspike Points! :grin:

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I think the cultural exchange maneouvre is part of the training syllabus. Everybody will do that :sunglasses:

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I’ve been talking to the Admins of the Aerobatics Server and possibly the day the day that the Tomcat releases they will have a map with ONLY tomcat slots. Maybe get some F-5 slots in there for some topgun training :wink::wink::wink:

Yeah I know a guy who gets a kick out of flying straight&level. Weird guy that :wink:

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Yes he is :laughing:

So question for you lads, should I get Oculus Rift, or a Thrustmaster Warthog? I already have a flight stick that works fine, btw.

Rift .