TOP GUN tower flyby filming

[@ebok98]

I like that the actual pilot isn’t cocky or arrogant. Classy guy.

[@varunb82]

Most cocky arrogant pilots die in air crashes by age 40

[@2011Natey]

I just cackled when Tom said “sorry, they dont call me Bozo for nothing” 🤣

[@RRRIBEYE]

I'm a proud son of a Marine Aviator. My dad was a pilot of the Douglas A-4E Skyhawk. He was commissioned in 1955 and my grandparents lived on a farm north of Des Moines and he was flying home for the weekend and told his dad he would be flying over on the way into DSM. So my grandparents got some cool drinks and went out to sit in the yard and waited for him to fly over. My grandpa described it as hearing a low thunderous rumble way off in the distance, coming closer and closer and WHOOOOOOOOSH!!!!! Literally right over the tops of the trees and he did this awesome wing-waving climb. A few minutes later, my dad phones my grandpa asking, "Hey Dad! Did you SEE ME?!" lol. My grandpa told him that he thought there were 'rules' that prohibited him from being so low and my dad told him, "Dad, I was flying at the minimum of 500' AGL over a non-populated area!" My grandpa told him, "BULLCRAP! You weren't FIFTY FEET!" My dad laughed and said, "Dad, I was flying at 500'. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!" My dad eventually became a flight instructor at Pensacola NAS and we lived in Meridian, MS where I was born at the Anderson Infirmary there. Sadly, my dad was killed while flying his A-4 while doing some training runs in Subic Bay, P.I. That was in '66. Things were just getting heated up in 'Nam. I was the youngest of 4 boys at 3-1/2 when he was killed. As I grew older, I was the only 1 of us 4 that took up flying and one day, before taking off from the airfield 15 miles from our farm (I now lived at that same farm with my grandparents) I told my grandpa to go outside as I would be flying over in about 15 minutes and wanted to take some fall color photos with them both outside. I approached about 100' and took many pictures and out of them all, one was the dream shot! My grandparents standing out in the yard with my grandpa waving up to me and my grandma standing behind him, also looking up - and the trees were all in full, fall color. It's a shot I still cherish today! Now they're both gone and I'm now nearly 60 and they're the ones, all looking down on me now. Here's a link to that awesome pic!: *EDIT* Here's a OneDrive link to my pic: 1drv.ms/u/s!AjT1OohqWM3LjWrD7CWbZxLL1nFg

[@funckycole21]

THATS FREAKING AWESOME!

[@gtgt8564]

Great Story Mike, sorry about your dad.

[@RRRIBEYE]

@Grim Reaper Thank you Very Much! :-)

[@Stephen2846]

Ah, you were at 500 AGL; that's you and your dad's story. Stick to it. Like father, like son. Great story, good memories.

[@dangarrison3503]

My father in law just passed a few months ago. USMC LTCOL James L Lumsden, Wake Island Avengers( " DuckHawk" ) he recieved the DFC in Vietnam, flew his A4-E Skyhawk with no ordinance to draw fire from the NVA , he was cover for a rescue team of a downed chopper. He said his plane looked like swiss cheese from all the rounds it took. R . I. P Dad..

[@F15ElectricEagle]

Tom Cruise was the main character of Top Gun, but the star of the movie was the F-14 Tomcat.

[@2ZZGE100]

Could not be more true!

[@thunderroad7289]

Loved watching the Tomcat take off and land aboard the carrier I was on back in the mid 80s .it will always be my favorite fighter jet....

[@bountythequickerpickeruppe7504]

Naw it was Goose

[@Kerry0101]

Agreed!!!!!!!

[@afranca1825]

Aye aye!

[@sparklight5317]

Joined the Nav cause of this damn film. 21yrs old in the Med staring at the stars at 1AM sitting in the cockpit of one these planes. Thought I was king shit at that moment. Supercool aircraft, broke alot. I can say 20+ years later I made alot of F14s fly. Got your six shipmate.

[@TempeSoldier123]

I was a Plane Captain for VFA 137 (Hornets). We did the final med cruise on the Forrestal in ‘91. Nothing like being in the flight deck with 18’s, 14’s, and 6’s banging the flight deck. Damn, I missed the Navy and smelling that JP5.

[@jamesgorman5871]

Thank you for your service. This film is the reason I wanted to start flying as well, although I didn’t choose the military route.

[@Bobby3OOO]

My old man worked on A6s in Vietnam. He took me to see the film when I was about 8, and we had the best time ever. He never would let me join the USMC like him though, haha

[@dougboone9080]

Reminds me of the old Pauly Shore comedy routine where he said Top Gun got all these young kids to join the Navy to be fighter pilots. They all get out of boot camp and end up swabbing the deck on some ship while asking "where's Kelly McGillis?". Wish I could find that clip somewhere.

[@benjamindover3361]

The Tomcat was the greatest air to air platform of its generation, I DONT care what the AF says about the F-15!

[@ronstowell8646]

Worked on the 14 late 90's Pt. Mugu doing the LANTRIN upgrades to the D's best, and most memorable times of my aviation career. Tomcat was and still is the best all around fighter built.

[@joejackson4202]

You want to understand what it means to have true integrity, look at how this man makes a point to say that any fighter pilot could do the same thing. Always thinking of others first.

[@williammitchell8247]

I think you mean truly being humble.

[@imnew2nm324]

Now that's funny! Flying mach 2 in an F-14 uias easy?

[@punchline43]

+imnew2nm Yeah, especially in a 4g inverted dive with a mig 28...at a range of about two meters.

[@laughingalien]

Keeping up foreign relations...

[@swatstar98]

Sean's Myth You mean F-5E tiger II ? XD

[@Infection3d]

"They don't call me bozo for nothing." 😂😂😂

[@danasmith9481]

An excuse for everything!😂🤣😂🤣😁

[@kishascape]

I wish they did do the stunt at Mach 2 and blew out the top of the tower and kept it in the movie hahaha

[@ioanekirarahu951]

I went through Air Force pilot training. Just before I got there, a graduating student pilot on his last solo flight decided to buzz the base. They didn't permit him to graduate, and he was OUT. They do inculcate into you a tiny bit of "Maverik," as in Top Gun, but any pilot who would really behave like him would be out on his ear in a second. Pilot training is fun, but it is ten times more hard work than "fun."

[@Bridging_the_Political_Divide]

RIP Tim Deiro. Tim was a friend and one of the few enlisted guys assigned to support the production on board the carrier, and is credited in the ending credits. RIP.

[@dennisammann9104]

Fair winds & following seas shipmate Tim... 🙏😔🇺🇸

[@mrbakerhi]

My high school classmate, Lloyd Abel, was the pilot that did the stunts. A Great guy.

[@yj10guy]

So awesome! Such a cool story.

[@john-rodgerclaycountychron7071]

Wow I am impressed and nothing impresses me I’ve seen it all I’ve been there but that impresses me

[@bottomleyamith3664]

Hello Please I have something to tell you about you

[@john-rodgerclaycountychron7071]

Bottomley Amith who?

[@donreed]

@@john-rodgerclaycountychron7071 A Smith who can't spell "Smith."

[@ozzy7763]

The Tomcat is the sexiest baddest aircraft ever to fly from a US Navy carrier .

[@Ahmed-vw3iw]

Brian Mattingly yeah...Iran still flies it today...but USA retired them because they have more advanced planes

[@polibard]

They still have a small fleet ready to be returned to service just in case. They have lost some of the tools to make crucial F22 parts and they won't restart the build program because of it. I live in hope. Gorgeous aircraft and well ahead of it's time.

[@Ahmed-vw3iw]

PoliBard Trump and his goons believe that a strong military strike will defeat Iran, technically yes they will rule the skies and devastate 70% of Iranian military hardware...But remember Iran is a nation of 80 million determined Army ready to die and they have strong presence in Iraq and Syria . In Iraq they will cause huge casualties on Americans by guerialla warfare and their missile force, while from Syria they will launch thousands of misilles on Israel which will devastate Israeli economy...To avenge the Gulf kingdom allies they will close the oil shipping in Persian gulf with heavy missile barrage. Iran processes short range missiles of 200-300km above 40,000, 400-500km range around 5000-10,000, 700-1000 kms around 1000, and 1000-2000kms around 500. That's enough to cause potential damage to the whole region. Besides they now have S-400 which could even shoot down the most advanced Us plane as cited by American general

[@966Mako]

Imad 77 what in the world are you going on about. Do you feel better now!

[@scottevers3114]

Iran does not have Air Superiority over the US. We can knock them out of the sky like the pests that they have become. Consider this...The USA spends more on R&D and Military Weaponry than the rest of the world combined...not a proud fact, but a fact none the less. Sorry Iran

[@homefront3162]

My Dad was an F-4 Pilot and he buzzed our family station wagon at China Lake Ca... Awesome! Years later I was driving south on 395 at Owens lake and I was watching a B1 flying towards me, he banked out over the lake, I thought it was cool.... but.... he turned around and lined up with the road behind me at about 100 ft and buzzed my car, tipping his wing as he pulled up in front of me!! I was BLOWN AWAY!!! My Dad went on to work at Grumman as an Engineer for the F-14.... When he got Cancer and had to stop working the base Commander at Pt Mugu arraigned a ride in the back seat of an F-14... He died shortly after.

[@7pines77]

Sounds like your Dad was a truely Awesome dude

[@thomream1888]

Cool story, hats off to your dad. I appreciate his service.

[@amyjordan7090]

I bet your dad had the time of his life one last time up in the sky. God bless you and your family and we thank your dad for his service to our country. So sorry for your last and I’m so glad that they allowed your dad to do that before he died. That would be so cool.

[@stevefowler2112]

So sorry to hear about your father dying of cancer...that's a tough way to go. My Dad was an Engineer with GE Aerospace (Retired with Lockheed Martin) from '57 until 2002...he passed 2 years ago at age 85.

[@stdwproductions5090]

Homefront may he Rest In Peace like a bad ass

[@dixievfd55]

And because of that scene, everyone does a low pass on the tower in every flight simulator.

[@chpman2013]

I do it all the time in my combat flight simulation games...

[@gordonmcmillan5556]

I suppose you think simulated coffee spill is funny too?

[@F5Storm1]

I do it Russian fighters lol

[@Panzer-Geomancer]

@@F5Storm1 Inverted?

[@Panzer-Geomancer]

@Nicholas Ovel Taking Polaroid pictures? :))

[@TechnicianBobDetroit]

I loved this movie too... and a small note, my cousin's step-father's office on the Ranger CV-61 was used for the discipline scene with Stinger, Maverick, and Goose. His first father was in Vietnam flying a Crusader... to ALL service personnel, thank you for your service to our country.

[@RonWylie-gk5lc]

Tom Cruise is a real old fashioned movie star, he gets better with age. Fantastic to see and hear the real pilot, he was just so calm and you get the feeling nothing would phase him, great stuff

[@stevec6455]

My dad agreed to be our jump pilot for one weekend back in the day (1970). After flying skydivers all day, many of whom should have been in jail, he got into his Beech Musketeer and on departure did a barrel roll about 100 feet off the deck. I thought, wow, I have one cool dad. And indeed I did.

[@brumph7256]

TOP GUN is the greatest movie ever made!! It also had the first love scene I can remember watching. I miss the 80s.

[@lesliehorwinkle]

The shower scene?

[@RG-hf4et]

Top Gun is one of my all time favorite movies so I was delighted to find this gem all these years later. I love seeing behind the scenes footage. Loved hearing the pilot speak about the fly by with the air tower-classic scene! Thank you so much for posting this. Loved every second of this video!☆☆☆☆☆

[@ivory-roseashwell5862]

One of the greatest movie ever made. Thanks for uploading this.

[@bentackett6299]

I watched this while wearing my CPAP mask in bed. It felt like I was flying

[@tryithere]

May just be your oxygen being low.

[@slowpoke96Z28]

The pressure demand mask is kind of the same principle. Damn near costs as much too lol.

[@tigerstripes3926]

I neeeeeeeeeed one

[@vinyltapelover]

You have to have your" CPAP mask " AND your headphones on, watching the movie for a more immersive experience and keep a plastic bag handy just in case, lol, lol.

[@swrennie]

Call sign: "Wheezy". "Phlegm Thrower". "Pappy".

[@AGENTARMES]

I grew up in San Diego during the filming of TG. One of the greatest times ever

[@ScaniaVabis580]

Back in the days of REAL filming...

[@sethvicious]

back in the days of real everything...

[@ashokiimc]

M E stop copying others comments.

[@frankthespank]

Oh, you don’t like LAZY and CHEAP studios making everything look like a video game? Come on, those pixels look like real images in the world, right? LOL

[@frankthespank]

Dan The Man - Generation X

[@proaudiohd]

The film makers understand how important real is! It's just f'n expensive. Top Gun 2 is supposed to be heavy on real flying.

[@DragonPilot]

I was a US Army Vietnam era Cobra pilot on my way to Vietnam in '68. On leave in San Diego to visit family. Navy friend of mine flew backseat in F-4 Phantoms arranged for me to take a hop at Miramar. I had the exact same experience as Cruise...sweating with full air conditioner going, barfing in the bag, combat maneuvers out over El Centro. Will never, ever forget that experience!

[@4Gentry4]

I know they are resting in peace, but I would love to see the F14 in air shows, just to hear the afterburners again......

[@Texas240]

Resting in pieces...we cut them all up except for the few stripped museum pieces...just "to keep Iran from getting spare parts," so sad.

[@Q8_BoRashed]

You still can, in Iran.

[@clintgirdler38]

We didn’t have the F14 here in Aus, but we did have the mighty F111 (also known as “The Pig” or Triple One), and seeing it do a dump and burn was really exhilarating. Seeing the massive flame coming from the afterburner was amazing. There are some cool clips on YT of this. Check them out. Not taking away from the awesomeness that was the Tomcat of course. It was an amazing aircraft. I also love the Super Hornet. That thing has some serious balls. And great sounds. 👍

[@rogerweber5355]

They stiff fly them in Iran to this day around 40 of them left with upgrade to modernize them.

[@truthh8322]

Thats actually good idea if it's possible

[@damon6852]

Thank you, Tony Scott...your masterpiece lives on...rest well, we miss you!!

[@rkwjunior2298]

Such a great movie. Always stop to watch if i find it on. I was 10yrs old when it came out and saw it in the movie theater. That music brings me back everytime. Absolutely one of the best movies ever made.

[@BenjaminGib]

The good old days before CG overload when they actually filmed stuff for real, and the audience can so tell and the stories come through with power! Such better cinema in the 80s than the computer-game movies of the last 15 years.

[@Bluenose352]

BenjaminGib I agree. But, some movies in the '80s, and '90s did have a good mixture. Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. The Abyss. Jurassic Park. Twister. But, you're right. It seemed 2001 was the year things changed.

[@BenjaminGib]

Amen, I agree on all those movies too, those are definitely in my favorites list. Jurassic Park really started the total CG mega leap, total game-changing realistic CG. I remember then seeing TWister in the theater on the biggest screen ever made, and at the end credits, I leaned over to my brother and said, "they can do anything now." But after those movies, things quickly went downhill. :(

[@BenjaminGib]

And the original Iron Man did an incredible CG job. I'm just saying they can never make another Top Gun with that cinema production caliber in these modern times, it literally could not be done. I bet the artists and budget are just not there to get the same feel and effect. :(

[@Avean]

Jurassic Park 1 used animatronics for the animals. So they were actual real models that looked completely real. Thats why 1 was so damn scary and still the best. The newest Jurassic Park uses CGI for the dinosaurs which you can immediately tell and makes the movie just bad. Same with the old Predator and alien movies as well, compare them vs todays and the movies from the 80s will win. They used real stuff and very little CGI. It works 100x more.

[@BenjaminGib]

Avean Truth. Real movie making studs. They did use a good portion of CG tho I thought also. Like anything that was running. But great mix of it all to be pure genius.

[@jonathanbrisby990]

2018 and I still say "Negative ghost rider, the pattern is full..."

[@RedLegBlazer]

I still say, "To close for rockets. Switching to guns." in traffic.

[@50shadesofcerakote]

theres to many good lines from this movie haha

[@Infection3d]

"They don't call me bozo for nothing." 😂😂😂

[@edwardwaldron7813]

Exit Humanity whenever someone has trouble saying something I always say talk to me goose

[@glrasshopper]

Most people don't realize how scary that line is. That means that the airport is BUSY... and you have an idiot flying low and fast past the tower

[@bigmaxy07]

Michael Ironside is just the coolest.

[@sidefx996]

Badass name too

[@BS-ql9zm]

Edward Warwick what does any of that have to do with Michael Ironside?

[@imadrifter]

"So I was looking down at an F-14 with my deep-ass, Michael Ironside voice, I told the pilots to 'Get your butts above the hard-deck and return to base IMMEDIATELY' and Tony Scott was standing next to me and he said ' We're gunna put that in the Fuckin movie, Michael' and I was like ' No fucking way, bruh, that's totally tubular' which was the cool thing to say back then". - Michael "Ironsides" Ironside

[@davidhaystacks4153]

QW ER haha

[@laughingalien]

I've been a fan of Mr Ironside since scanners. First Scanner: Now I'd like you to think of something specific. Something that will not breach the security of your organization and that you will not object to having disclosed to this group. Something personal, perhaps. Darryl Revok: All right. Yes, I have something. Do I have to close my eyes? First Scanner: It doesn't matter. Darryl Revok: All right, I have something, yes...

[@davidshields5838]

Really cool that they actually filmed the actors while in actual flight. I never knew this is how they did it. Just thought it was smoke and mirrors! So awesome and really takes the movie to another level and can’t wait to watch it again!

[@showdown2006]

Well yes and no. All the dialogue cockpit scenes were still filmed in a studio. The behind the scenes extras on the blu ray show this in great detail if you haven't seen it. Definitely worth a watch.

[@JaxRwld]

The production ended up using rear projection.

[@davidsoom6383]

Not a green screen, it was back projection filmed action. Only a few seconds on any actor was released in the movie that was taken in the back seat for real.

[@DIYBFF123]

Like they did it in the old days!

[@Texas240]

While it's true that they couldn't use most of the flight footage because the quality was poor (think: mid 80s go-pro), the fact remains that fuel was one of the biggest parts of the film's budget. They US Navy didn't realize the film would end up being their "greatest recruiting ad ever" so the production company had to pay for the jet fuel.

[@snakedike]

Back in the 70's my father was based out of Alameda Naval Air Station before it was decommissioned. We knew about what time he'd fly over and my mother would escort us out side to wave by swinging towels over our heads. One day he dipped down to just give us a little buzz, nothing real close or aggressive. He almost had his wings pulled as a result when a neighbor called in. He continued flying with the naval reserves after active duty and flew international for Pan Am and later with United. When he retired, he had over 36,000 hours logged.

[@iroczo6627]

This is what I call a classic scene that we never forget.

[@stormykeep9213]

By the 4th time, Tom would've been flying it himself, before jumping out to perform a HALO and landing on a motorcycle.

[@andrewt.5567]

That would be fast and furious 12.

[@neillbickerstaff8003]

Why is nobody giving Steve Stevens credit for the top gun anthem?! That guy can shred!

[@arizonadroner5164]

I was stationed at Miramar in the early 90's and it was cool to all of a sudden realize that you are in a location that different parts of that movie were filmed at. My hanger for VF-1 squadron at the time was the meeting in the hanger seen and the barracks where the volleyball seen was played (but never seen an actual volleyball court there). The seen after Goose was killed was at the Recruit training command base etc etc etc.. Nice to see the interview with the actual pilot who filmed that iconic seen what a great memory he gets to share !! Go Navy !!

[@shellyth5700]

How many of you Miramar guys/gals went down to Kansas City Barbecue in San Diego and tried to recreate a bar scene? I saw all those framed pictures from the film scenes in there on their walls. I grew up down there. Loved attending those air shows while it was still NAS Miramar. Seeing Top Gun painted on the building on base was awesome!!

[@totalrobot]

I commented on a video earlier this morning with a "Negative, Ghostrider" and 30 minutes later I get this in my recomendations.

[@v1rotait23]

The evil "Google Overlord" algorithm is watching our every word typed!

[@incubrian]

you can see it at the end, Tom loves flight, and loves this jet. Tom is really an ambassador for the love of flying, the love of jets, the love of the Navy... the guy is just such a treasure.

[@heavenstomurgatroyd7033]

incubrian - he's just the greatest, I really like how he cured cancer.......

[@incubrian]

​@@heavenstomurgatroyd7033 yeah! since curing cancer has ANYTHING to do with this video at all. no wait, youre just a fucking idiot. ok boomer, that almost was funny. since it has nothing to do with anything; but, you tried.

[@sampride2030]

Like movie he turned n2 a weirdo

[@jfrockon]

I lived in San Diego at the time, the air show that year was amazing. Ah the 80s. Forever the best time of my life.

[@wtfdan817]

I was stationed at NAS Oceana when this movie came out (GEMD, black shoe country, ACLS tech) and has been one of my favorite movies ever since. First DVD I ever bought and watch at least once a year.

[@StormLaker]

Negative Ghostrider, the pattern is full......... 30 years later I still chuckle at the ramifications of that line in itself, haha.

[@MeesterVegas]

No joke. In real life they would have found the darkest, dampest jail cell and thrown his ass in it!

[@japnjim9684]

I agree completely. Don't forget flying Rubber Dog Shit out of Hong Kong, what a line. LOL

[@oldfrend]

*I WANT SOME BUTTS!!*

[@japnjim9684]

That is funny as hell. This whole movie is laced with one liners.

[@Ahmed-vw3iw]

The Character of Pete Mitchell looking for trouble with Flybys and another Plane Manuever during dogfights is itself made it him more interesting.

[@personale-mail1393]

Too cool. Glad I stumbled across this one. Thank you for sharing. 😎

[@shellyth5700]

I grew up in San Diego, and have always loved military aircraft, especially fighter jets. I went to NAS Miramar many time for air shows, before it becomes MCAS Miramar. Best part of the show was a solo F-14 flight performance, led off with a flyby over the runway in front of the spectators, with "Proud to be an American "blaring over the PA system. My favorite jet is the F-16, but the F-14 was the toughest SOB around. Miss that bird!!!

[@shellyth5700]

@OAT351 It was the song they always chose to play for the initial fly-by

[@waynerafferty1048]

For me the F14 tomcat is the greatest fighter jet America ever had. It blew me away as kid, watching top gun and reading books and stories about it. No other fighter jet grabbed my imagination.

[@mciguy56]

"They don't call me Bozo for nothing." lol

[@npxmnpxm]

This is great, I get a kick out of it every time I watch it.

[@SkyFireDrone2022]

Was that a humble Tom Cruise? 😏 Still the best military film of all time. It felt real, and pride in your country was the social norm.

[@0623kaboom]

yes that is tom cruise as he is ... notice how he expected to go super sonic .. then double checked just to e positive ... he didnt care if it was mac 1.0001 or mac 2 .... he was going faster than sound and enjoyed every fraction of a second to the fullest ...

[@darthsoros787]

CyberJay1226 it still is the social norm, just not if you believe social media and mainstream media lies

[@play030]

"it felt real". Dumb ass America means different things to different people. Can't we just appreciate a great movie without adding politics to it.

[@UAPJedi]

I would still argue saving Private Ryan as the best.

[@ChicagoHOG27]

@@UAPJedi Agreed, but Top Gun did far more for Navy recruitment than any movie has ever done for any branch of service.

[@DavidJones-vb6ct]

I was a US Marine F-4 (RF-4B) Plane Captain in the 80's. This was our movie! Back then, we got to fly with our pilots. It was a great time.

[@mcrume]

I'm guessing you were in VMFP-3....too.

[@pbdye1607]

So Bozo was flying Iceman's jet while wearing Merlin's helmet. *MY CONTINUITY!!!*

[@oldfrend]

eh, at least he was dangerous. *BUT WAIT THAT WAS MAVERICK WHAT EVEN IS FILM*

[@dougdrvr]

When it comes to low passes, you can never beat the record, you can only tie it :)

[@tryithere]

Or die it.

[@slowpoke96Z28]

Well, there are some dry lake beds actually lower than sea level.

[@tryithere]

@@slowpoke96Z28 Depends on whether you go by altitude above sea level or altitude above land level. You can't really go by sea level. It'd be impossible to have low fly by in Colorado.

[@jasonkoster3102]

I pissed myself laughing at that. Thanks for the laugh, I needed it

[@peterlee6745]

Tom Does And Still Does .HIS OWN STUNTS What a Great Guy And He Can Act as Well

[@mjlejer3241]

We, as pilots, wouldn't be caught flying with TC for any reason, after he related what he did to a couple of passengers, cutting off their oxygen, and jumping up and down like an idiot on Oprah's couch while telling it, we lost ALL respect for TC from that minute on! And we haven't changed our opinion of him! At barely 5' 7" even if he takes a deep breath and stands tall as he can, he's a short little egoist shrimp who believes he's ten feet tall!

[@thomasfinarelli9137]

Serving with the first Marines in Vietnam took some shrapnel in my arm and leg and was Med- evac’d to Naval air support field hospital in Danang, overlooking the air field. Most every night during my stay I would watch outside the Quonset hut mash unit young pilots returning from bombing missions up north and - if successful- would do aerobatics- if they lost someone , they would just land. Really cool ! These pilots looked younger than me- I was 19 at the time.

[@christopherfleming5409]

Thanks for sharing that. As a fellow vet I never know what to say when someone says “thank you for your service” but I can’t help it...thank you.

[@GeneralG1810]

I think Tom was just stoked he got to work with someone who's actually shorter than him XD

[@wilee.coyote5298]

Short dudes make the best pilots.

[@helenhighwater5313]

@@wilee.coyote5298 Much easier for them in close quarters. There is a height and weight limit. Dad hated being short, until he was accepted into Navy flight training.

[@wilee.coyote5298]

@@helenhighwater5313 Your Dad ROCKS!

[@lanho3856]

Tall pilots won’t last long in jets, not good for their back with all the G’s force. We had one tall pilot and he had to lowered his seat all the way down. His helmet was still almost touched the cockpit. He didn’t last long because of back problem. Poor guy.

[@GeneralG1810]

@@lanho3856 That's a valid point but there's short and then there's Tom Cruise short

[@oibal60]

The honesty here is refreshing. Badge of honor indeed.

[@richrossi3787]

We have a military airshow every year in my city. Sometimes it's the Blue Angels, sometimes the Thunderbirds... When those aircraft turn near your house you know it because the ground shakes. It's impressive!

[@FerrariDMC]

About 20 years ago I was at an Air Show at Fairchild AFB in Spokane WA when 2 visiting Phantoms flew about 150 feet over the city bus we were on. It is a flat and empty area so all of us could see them coming right at us from the side, and then all we felt and heard was BOOM. Everyone in the bus including me felt like the air around us was gone, and our ears were popping. We all mentioned we could see the windows and walls of the bus shake but we couldn't hear that part at all. I could tell it was the two Phantoms because of the distinct shape of the wings, and I remember thinking everyone was going to be upset, but they all had smiles on their faces, and all of us had something to go home with that day.

[@shellyth5700]

In the movie "Iron Eagle", they have F-4s playing the part of Soviet MiGs. Cool experience you had back then! I recently saw the USAF Thunderbirds perform up at Fairchild. Sadly air shows there are not a regular annual thing now.

[@gfx2943]

Loved Michael Ironside in this movie, he was a true bad ass that I'd fly with any day

[@1981troublemaker]

CGI does not exist in the ’80’s? Now that’s real true flying!!!

[@sharonbraselton4302]

yes it waß

[@michellegiampaoli40]

I live watching the flyby at the tower. Very funny but clever.

[@leanneblake4248]

God this makes me feel old . But I this Movie. That Guy with this Coffee. Makes me Smile.

[@chriscall3425]

Thank you for your service Bozo!

[@beaunhead]

I was on a barracks watch and saw an F-14 fly over REALLY LOW!!! I remember thinking... Some body is gonna be in trouble... I didn't know they were making a movie.

[@sharonbraselton4302]

ueß yiur in movié

[@ThStg]

I simply just loved that scene when he was,l told not to fly by the tower & Tom Cruise ( Maverick) BLATANTLY REFUSED!!! it & presumably flew past the tower & the coffee goes everywhere, 👏🏻👏🏻👍👍👍👍👍👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻😁😀😃😄

[@raynic1173]

Sort of related- I saw what I believe to be, one of the first Harrier/AV-8 demonstrations stateside, totally amazing. We also had F-16 doing touch and goes regularly, very cool.

[@ecoboostrules9795]

One of the best movies of all time!!!

[@sensibledriver933]

Saw an SR71 do a low high speed pass at Mildenhall, fuckin awesome!

[@jamesfisher1827]

sensible driver I was also at the mildenhall air show that year, truly awe inspiring and deafening!

[@jeffreymcfadden9403]

i was at dayton,ohio, when they brought in the sr71 for the museum. 3 low speed fly bys. with after burners.

[@jamesfisher1827]

Fred Garvin, I hope you aren’t levelling that comment at me! kzbin.info/www/bejne/aF7Kfp1_id2jnqc. Here’s the proof, one of the SR-71’s was based at Mildenhall, hence they brought it out of the hanger for the air show.

[@jamesfisher1827]

Fred Garvin, my understanding is most were taken out of service in 1990 when the government thought the program was too expensive. They later changed their mind with a few being reactivated in 1995 and then grounded in 1998 with the final end of the program. The last one in flight was being used by NASA and stopped flying in 1999. So you are right that almost 20 years ago now the SR-71 flew for the last time.

[@nautifella]

When I was a kid during Viet Nam, we lived in Japan @ Yokota AFB. One summer day I was going home from the pool and I heard a noise and looked up to see four USMC F-4Ds circling the base for landing.... when they came around they buzzed the main drag of the base from end to end just above the power lines. well below 100ft. It was the coolest thing I have ever seen. They came around, landed and taxied to the hangers by our house. I saw my dad over there so I went too. The base commander - a lieutenant general (3-stars) - refused to let them out of their planes. He made them fuel up and go back to the carrier. I can only assume their reception was rather frosty.

[@williamc.1198]

Yeah, the zoomies don't have much of a sense of humor most times! Fly Navy!

[@Blahde]

Brilliant. Appreciate the posting, never seen this one before 👍✝

[@FriendlyFlier]

I love this being explained from a pilot's perspective!

[@diverbob8]

That was fun...my favorite movie ever!

[@patrickmcdonald3427]

Ditto!...and the 1st movie I watched on my new OLED tv.

[@gcxred4kat9]

I was at Miramar in VF-124 just after they filmed the movie. Most incredible thing I ever experienced was being on the bow of a carrier in the catwalk 12' away from a Tomcat while it was being held back before a catapault launch going full afterburner in the dark with the 20' flame shooting out the back hitting the jet blast deflector (JBD) being deflected straight up, feeling like your guts are being vibrted loose from the noise! Then the plane takes off, the heat from the flame is hot as hell for the split second it's in front of you, then the plane is a dot on the horizon in no time cuz it's going so fast. 2nd coolest thing was it flying just off the deck of the carrier as it breaks the sound barrier. Loud as hell!

[@roaldsq5803]

I was TAD'd to Top Gun during filming of the movie, my assignment was west gate guard at hangar 1. I used to check the vehicles of the film crews for FOD as they come thru the gate. I also worked in the VF-1 line shack as a PC trainee when they shoot the classroom scene of Kelly McGillis & the fighter pilots at the VF-1 side of the hangar. At the time, I never imagined the movie would become a big hit. One time on WestPac, we watched the movie and had a great time at the P/P shop pointing out the bloopers. Aahh, those were the days, great memories!

[@RX93akhrouk]

TomCat is my favorite craft of all time! when I saw her flying low , huge sound and unusual in Japan, gooooood memories!!

[@saadslaoui]

I used to dream about becoming a jetfighter pilote until I realized how much small the cabine is. So It is exciting to watch ... from outside ...

[@sharonbraselton4302]

yeß but they dó have bgercàirfat mútéér stuff chef hss fy7bg hitel might wàbt fky thse

[@tinkertime577]

Driving an RV on a highway from So Cal to Idaho with my son in the passenger seat, wife was resting, when out of nowhere a jet shot from right to left super low and hauling so low we could see the pilots face if if he wasn't going so fast! Our son and I both said holy shit at the same time, he was nine and there was no way I could justify giving him grief for cussing! The year was 1989.

[@Orca19904]

"They don't call me Bozo for nothing" LMAO! XD

[@teknikgroup7597]

Remember when I saw the movie first time at school In year 4. Was and still is awesome.

[@cat-lw6kq]

I experience this standing bridge watch, this scene you can't feel the vibration, good thing our captain wasn't holding a cup of coffee a the time. anyway I looked across at our DO and he wasn't bothered by it, this was an F-4 and it was protecting us, we were on the gun line in Vietnam.

[@fooman2108]

My dad was a career naval aviator, he has never had a problem with air sickness AS LONG AS HE IS THE ONE DRIVING THE PLANE! When he learned to fly the A-4 Skyhawk he flew the two seater version. Since he was not in a flying job he would get his hours when he could on weekends. His instructor was a USMC Maj. who was the same way as dad (if he was driving nothing would bother him). So the routine for a normal weekend was to flip a coin (to see who would drive which hop) fill the airplane with gas, then see who could turn the other guy more green, then come down, refuel and the other guy would try. Many is the day that I can remember literally seeing one or the other the same color as the OD flight suit after crawling out of that seat! LOL

[@usn83001]

fooman2108 Great story from the days. USN8300, 30 years and out. Son of a USN8300/9580, also 30 yeas and out.

[@deandyer5072]

fooman2108 i can bet you are not a pilot like daddy .. You fly planes not drive them hehehehehe..:)

[@fooman2108]

Dean Dyer Never WANTED to be a pilot, did just fine as a tin can sailor for four cruises in the USN. As for driving... have you ever seen a carrier landing? That is a slightly crazy person driving a perfectly good airplane into 95K tons of steel! Legend has it that USN fighters (till the Hornet) have two seats so that the guy in the backseat can do laps around his rosary, praying for the guy in the front seat to be able to get it aboard. P.S. Talked to dad he only has done this OVER 6k times aboard ship.

[@ticoman90]

Dean Dyer it's a figure of speech among pilots/aviators. ie: f14 driver, just a funny way to say you fly the f14 for people in the know ;)

[@taroman7100]

so cool

[@ThaKinOfDk]

God damn, that SOB :-D best line in a movie EVER :-D

[@joseivanbeau]

I remember back in the 80s to see the F14 fly over Roosevelt Roads, they were really majestic.

[@mjames2117]

Saw a F104 Starfighter take off and insane climb in the 80s.. they were a fast aircraft

[@CatsAreGods]

That was a jet that looked like a jet should look!

[@Icepacalapse]

Saw that the other day as well as a near mach1 flyby. There are 7 or 8 flyable in one hangar currently at the shuttle landing facility. Have a video of the hangar.........search "F104s operational"

[@jim374]

Oshkosh '96...wow!

[@xpavar]

'The missile with the man in it'.

[@11LK]

Michael Ironside is so intimitading.

[@2ZZGE100]

I have seen F-18 and F-14 in real life. Once you see F-14 in real life, nothing simply compares to it. It is hard to describe. It is one of those rare experiences where one experiences brute power, pulse pounding and sheer exhilaration, stunning beauty and rumbling in every part of your body all at the same time. Even when you are watching it from far away, you can feel its brute power and very unique immense thundering noise. When the F-14 came screaming with wings swept back just below Mach 1, water vapors off the wings and suddenly banks hard towards the crowd, the crowd used to go absolutely insane as it blew over their head!

[@dennisammann9104]

It's F/A-18 not F-18, duel roll, fighter & attack... Nice description of the F-14 back in the day, you're so right in your use of adjectives! :-)

[@2ZZGE100]

@@dennisammann9104 Yeah, I know about F/A-18 being the name since it was a multi-role from the ground-up, but F-18 is the name it is commonly referred by. :)

[@mdoyle1981]

Aerobatic pilot Art Scholl died during the filming of the flat spin sequence for Top Gun. His aircraft impacted the ocean about 5 miles off the coast and they never recovered his body or the aircraft. RIP Mr. Scholl, you were an amazing talent.

[@davidsoom6383]

The last day of the National Champion Air Races at Reno, Nevada I saw Art Scholl do his last public aerobatic performance. The next day he was back at work filming TOPGUN and crashed. I had seen him fly in Reno many years and loved his dog who never actually flew with him, At least not during his aerobatic routine. RIP Art.

[@ptanyuh]

Super sad :( He was indeed an incredible pilot.

[@1compaqedr8]

Mike Doyle damn they really made them flat spin? There's military footage of f-14 flat spins being unrecoverable from the 1970s. Wonder why they even tried.

[@bertvdlast]

C J. Art Scholl died when he was doing a flat spin in a Pitts S-2 camera plane, not in a Tom Cat.

[@RG-hf4et]

Mike Doyle Omg, I never knew there was an accident and a pilot passed away during the filming of Top Gun. Very sad to hear this........

[@philipbyrnes7501]

As an added aside to a great video, I am currently reading a book called “Top Gun Days” by Dave “Bio” Baranek which I got on Amazon. Bio was a RIO (Radar Intercept Officer aka back seater, crewmen just as amazingly skilled as the pilots that sat up front) at Top Gun and he also tells some great stories bout the filming of the movie and it really is a great read for a deep insight into what these amazing pilots and RIO’s live through. Truly inspiring stuff and the Audiobook version is also very worth while getting.

[@philipbyrnes7501]

@Peter Evans what an idiotic and insulting comment. You have no idea who I am, what I’ve achieved nor why I’ve done what I have but I guess that you think that you are superior because you can use a keyboard and write crap. I don’t remember seeing you at my flight school nor at any of the helipads I’ve flown off over the last thirty years so keep your moronic thoughts to yourself kid

[@philipbyrnes7501]

@Peter Evans and neither are the cartoons that you watch. Wake up to yourself and go away oh great hero in your own lunchtime

[@philipbyrnes7501]

@Peter Evans ignorant

[@davecrupel2817]

100 feet??? Thats it?!?!? DAMN! That *IS* close!

[@HeAndSheRV]

Daniel Cannata, yeah, 100 feet is super close when the wingspan on an F-14 is only 64 feet. :)

[@jwells3315]

I was stationed at Miramar during filming. I ran the HOT FUEL TOWER. V-4 Division. I remember this.

[@triciabyrne7761]

Bottomline -- flying is an amazing experience. One of the best. Tom loved it too. Who wouldn't. 💚💛🧡

[@wesbervig1272]

I've never served a day in the military, but I have the strangest feeling that if I buzzed a control tower in a fighter jet I was flying like in this movie I'd be facing a military court martial.

[@TheRedRaven_]

Wes Bervig you would be grounded immediately and probably have to answer to the base Commander right on the spot. Now a court martial, that depends on the Commander and his level of tolerance. For sure the airman would get demoted, lose his rank and wings, get reassignment and crosstrained into admin or something.

[@mmorrissey9899]

Years ago at an air show at San Diego, a F-14 went trans-sonic on approach to the field (you could see the vapor cone formed just aft of the cockpit) and he busted a bunch of civilian windows. Lost his wings shortly after and luckily allowed to resign for the good of the service as opposed to other circumstances. Most of the public don’t understand the full ramifications of having been bestowed a “Commission” in the military.

[@Zoomer30]

Sadly, they had to reshoot all of the plane footage on a stage in a gimbal rig with a plane cockpit. For one, you could tell that Cruise was not in the front seat. Another issue was the heat caused the actors to sweat so bad that they didn't look great. And the air sickness made them a little green in the gills.

[@rickeys]

You're talking about the plane interiors, of course.

[@Sojourning_]

You are an exceptional person MR Cruise,

[@williamc.1198]

I flew as a crewman in EA-3B Whales; but one time when home on leave, my brother and I went deer hunting near Tilden in McMillan county Texas. I was sitting in the deer stand, kinda' dozing off when I heard a roar and looked out to see an A-6 Intruder fly by at about the same height as my deer stand. Guess the boys were having a bit of fun that day. It really was pretty cool, though! Naval Air - Gotta Love It!

[@wheelmanstan]

that experience changed tom cruise, now everything he does is about speed..and his need for it

[@davecrupel2817]

I agree with the man about authenticity. The more literal you can make the scenes, the more authentic you can make everything, the better everything is! 😃 Also, "They don't call me Bozo for nothing" Ahahahaha 😂😂😂

[@vadikturgenev5175]

So many good memories of the F14, Tomcat took care of business! GBA!

[@manns101101]

that looks SOOOOOOOOOOOO amazing, must have been a great feeling

[@Disco58]

I was in VF-24 at Miramar when this was shot. The tower sits between hangars 3 and 4, we were in hangar 4. It was one of those, "No f-ing way he just did that"! moments

[@RG-hf4et]

Wow, you saw this, really?

[@0623kaboom]

i bet those who were looking down on the plane were having one hell of an orgasm .... and a major attack of envy and jealousy ... but loving every second of it all at the same time

[@christianmayhew2617]

I was in VF-124 same time, AE3

[@kilhattrick]

Was it not VF-124? That is what my patch says anyway.

[@christianmayhew2617]

Well, both VF-24 and VF-124 were at Miramar when I was there....84-88. VF-124 was in hangar #3, while VF-24 was in hangar #2. Either way, thanks for your service Shipmate. I spent most of the time on the line as a Plane captain then Troubleshooter.

[@indyjones1173]

WHAT?! Tom Cruise didn't take F-14 lessons to try and do this stunt himself? something's wrong here

[@Icza]

@Lloyd Bonafide That comment totally buzzed your tower WOOSH

[@Icza]

@Lloyd Bonafide OP was being sarcastic. Tom Cruise is known for trying to do most of his own stunts.

[@SuikodenGR]

That pilot was SO LUCKY!

[@AerobaticsPilot]

Tom cruise owns a P51 and flies. He's a good pilot today. At first he didn't want to make the movie the got a ride in a F14 and said I'm in