US Navy Fighter Pilot Reacts To Top Gun

[@IGN]

Massive thank you to Alex Bowman for all his Top Gun and Fighter Pilot expertise! What other films or games should Alex react to? Let us know! And for more from Alex, make sure to check out his socials with his KZbin channel (kzbin.info_Ventures) and his Instagram (@atbowman)! - Jesse

[@AlexBowman_Ventures]

Thanks for the opportunity! It was fun reminiscing about my time in the cockpit. Cheers!

[@Jarhead1086]

@@AlexBowman_Ventures did u noticed when he "hits the brakes" , his throttle hand went forward? He either went into blower or to full mil power if he wasnt already.

[@brady281]

Nice work Tinder 🇺🇸

[@legendarycollins538]

Nice serve a killstreaks champ

[@AlexBowman_Ventures]

@@brady281 thanks brother! Hope you’re well!

[@CLdriver1960]

One thing to note: they didn’t make the movie Top Gun for fighter pilots, they made it for the general public. There’s a lot of ‘poetic license’ in every aviation film.

[@jacobkeyes5188]

Here’s less of a note and more of a question. Do pilots still paint their helmets?

[@Nghilifa]

@@jacobkeyes5188 Short answer, yes. In the USA, it was more common amongst naval aviatiors though. Back in the day they used paint, but nowadays (probably since the 80s) they use reflective tape, so that in the case of them ejecting (over sea especially) it's easier for search & rescue to spot them. Recently, the USAF allowed its pilots to put tape on their pilot's helmets too.. In real life though, the name of the pilot, or the callsign goes on the back, not the front.

[@mike18699-e]

Well said. And of course that doesn't just apply to movies about military aviation, but movies about any 'niche' activity. The director's first job is to entertain the majority of the audience, and to make it seem believable to _them_ - and to do that you often have to piss off those 'in the know'.

[@lilywhitefi]

@@mike18699-e that includes historical films - Elizabeth and Mary Queen of Scots NEVER met and that is well known but stick it in for the dramatic moment.

[@worldcitizeng6507]

Without the dialogs during flight, we the audience will just a bunch of jets in the skyline. We need the dialogs to make it cool 😎

[@88Opportunist]

Usually I'm not a fan of these Expert Reacts vids since it's pretty obvious how much is just showbiz but this one was pretty cool. Nicely done IGN. Looking forward to the one on Maverick.

[@yodaisgod2]

The fastest rescue helicopter in the world is the one that rescued Hollywood and Wolfman and managed to get them back to the boat on time to celebrate the victory.

[@pflaffik]

Yes, the Warp 9 chopper

[@hazemfive]

🤣

[@kennethkarl9235]

It’s a movie people, lighten up.

[@yodaisgod2]

@@kennethkarl9235 Thank you Captain Obvious.

[@kingtigertheheavy2708]

@@kennethkarl9235 it's a joke dude, lighten up

[@imranbecks]

Would love to see him react to the sequel. Great movie.

[@cpruns4501]

This guy is cooler than all of us combined

[@Adriana-eu6ty]

Let’s be honest. We are all total losers in comparison to this guy 😂

[@DarthRelkew]

How dare you call me out for something that is totally true!

[@Blackirish__]

The pilot seemed level headed and no ego. They are the ones that they look for when employing. Here in Australia the high school mark out of 500 they were looking for was about 380. Not too smart and not dumb

[@arnowisp6244]

Not too smart and not dumb. Sounds like the ideal soldier.

[@testtube1842]

@@arnowisp6244 Yea.."not too smart" for flying fighter jets??? Australia.....LOL

[@Blackirish__]

@@JohnDoe-ex8gf exactly same as fighter pilots

[@pflaffik]

Most of us can drive, lets react to every Need for speed movie. They never run out of gears, going at top speed the hero can simply make a slide and stop instantly - with still perfect hair despite driving a convertible. Legit.

[@Chadius_Thundercock]

@@testtube1842 Australia isn’t very smart judging by their Covid response

[@hotredtiger316]

Historically, the tower buzzing scenes were done with special permission from the Navy and DoD. Beyond that, an officer’s recruiter, who was a Naval Aviator back in the day, mentioned that very thing during a poolee meeting at a Marine Corps Reserve Base.

[@mr.not.so.perfect.666]

At 8:00 when the Expert mentions about the slowdown that Maverick does in order to make the trailing aircraft fly by well in some Jets it was actually a thing, the old Harrier G4 could do something called "VIFFing" (vector in forward flight) where the engines were changed from Horizontal to Vertical and create upwards thrust which actually caused a very similar thing to happen, Some claim that it was actually used by some RAF pilots in the Falklands war against the Faster Argentinian Mirage jets, but there are no real accounts of it ever being used and if it was it would be a last resort sort of thing anyway.

[@ojonasar]

The Argentinians called the Harrier ‘la muerta negra’ - Black Death.

[@samuraigundam0079]

Alex “Tinder” Bowman looks like a cross between Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer:) Seriously, thank you for your service.

[@mdc734]

😂😂😂😂😂😂 "cross". 😂😂😂

[@hockey365]

This is one of the best "Expert" reactions I've seen. Nice work 👍🏻

[@vinyltapelover]

If you haven't checked his channel out already, Carroll Ward. a former Tom Cat RIO. One of his most interesting videos was his interview with his dad who was a fighter pilot back in the day.

[@pogo1140]

The F-14A (the one in the original movie) does not have a g meter on the HUD, the F-14's AIM-9 can be slaved to the F-14's radar, this is the normal mode. Normally the RIO operates the radar but under 5 miles the pilot can command the radar to lock on to the aircraft in front of him, the button is on the throttle. Goose's death was from an incident with a Pax River F-14, the original movie script had their F-14 colliding with another aircraft and Goose dying from the collision. The Navy adviser refused as that would have killed both Maverick and Goose and even if he survived the collision, Maverick would never fly again. So he and the other F-14 drivers involved came up with the ejection instead since they all knew of the incident.

[@2ksnakenoodles]

The RIO killed was also called "Goose"

[@AlexBowman_Ventures]

That's correct, Pogo! All modern fighters "slave" their IR weapon, in this case the AIM-9, to the radar. In some cases, such as a faulty radar or high track crossing rates, we have to "unslave" the AIM-9 to gain acquisition. This is also done from the throttle. The movie correlates a "lock up" with "tone" which was the point of discussion. A "lock" is the term used for a radar lock whereas "tone" is for IR acquisition. Most times we endeavor to obtain a radar lock and then acquire tone once we are within an appropriate range for the IR weapon to pick up the heat signature. The discussion of RIOs vs. WSOs in the interview was highlighting that RIOs played a much larger role in operating the radar in an F-14 than WSOs do today in the F-18.

[@sundhaug92]

Also worth noting the F-14A did have an issue with engines shutting down in a jetwash, and flat-spins causing insufficient canopy detachment rate

[@pogo1140]

@@AlexBowman_Ventures aim-9 uncage- the button is on the right throttle left of the pilot lock mode button.

[@NathanNeilsen]

This pilot seems like a legend 😃 Thank you for your service.

[@Shadow-bs1iu]

Top Gun is a great film, and watching the new one has made me appreciate it even more

[@humbleken2266]

Sincere thanks for your service and discussion. 🦅 🇺🇸 😊!

[@Murph_gaming]

That's hilarious that the Navy will fine its pilots for quoting Top Gun.

[@guts-141]

Even when jokingly?

[@jayd2655]

The movie is glamorized (as you know) while real life (or death) is sobering and humbling. I'm sure those pilots want to have fun, but when they're on duty, it's probably the last thing on their minds.

[@LSF000]

Except you know the Navy isn't fining its pilots $5 for quoting a movie, right? He's just talking about the equivalent to an office swear jar.

[@r1f13man-sierra3]

_More pocket money_

[@unitedstatesofamerica9948]

$5 on the spot, no exceptions.

[@johnwestbrook2485]

F-14 A's didn't have spikes above the pilot & rio heads. The later models F-14 B & D's had spikes on the ejections seats. Newer jets have the spikes as well.

[@johnwestbrook2485]

The F-14A's had P & W engines, which would stall out. Once both engines stalled out, because the F-14 was so big it would go into a flat spin. This would cause the canopy to hover over the jet, like topgun. Then on the F-14 B & D models they went to G D which were bigger engines. A lot more thrust, no more flat spins.

[@carolynclaire5241]

Thanks Alex Bowman aka Tinder! Finally a fighter pilot who points out what’s wrong, why and how it is supposed to happen! He also broke it down in small bites for this old civilian. Thanks :-)

[@joshuatift4640]

Isn't Alex Bowman also a NASCAR driver look it up I'm pretty sure he is

[@Aiden.H1]

basically, top gun isn't the only thing that motivates you to join the navy. Its the Blue Angels. They're aerobatic maneuvers make it interesting for the audience to see, and when they get in the navy, they actually sometimes fly in that formation and do the same maneuvers that the blue angels do! I'm not a navy pilot but the blue angels actually made me at a young age, want to be a fighter pilot!

[@dragonuv65]

Can't wait to see an expert talk about Top Gun Maverick, that movie is amazing.

[@twolak1972]

KEY WORD, MOVIE, NOT REAL LIFE, YOU CAN DO ANYTHING IN A MOVIE.

[@colbygrant3504]

Thank You Alex…that was really informative and helpful…Great Commentary there!

[@MrCody6925]

Maverick should have lost his wings like 52 times in this movie apparently. 😂

[@georgejoseph4164]

The Goose accident comes from an actual incident that occurred.

[@yxeaviationphotog]

Fun fact.....Tinder appears to have flown with VFA-41, The Black Aces.....which Phoenix flies for in the new movie.

[@ccwalker050]

Awesome analysis! Love hearing these types of analysis from experts. Great job and thanks for this.

[@bradcarpenter1881]

Totally makes sense his call sign is Tinder 😂

[@crimsonfyre67]

cool. ive always wondered about the scene where cougar is coming in so floppy if they wouldnt wave him off. its dangerous

[@wilcoxtam810]

This guy is a hit with the ladies if his name is Tinder

[@JeanBatiste5158]

He probably he's no time because he has a wife and 2 daughters

[@andrewmaddox6702]

You have no idea…

[@batman_diaries]

Nope. Guys hookup with girls through him.

[@kimt4512]

🤣

[@StephSancia]

would absolutely love to see Alex Bowman fly in action on training maneuvers with others as a REAL LIFE Top Gun, he seems to be a really cool level headed guy .. fabulous video with a triple C pilot, Cool, Calm and Collected !

[@BenKlassen1]

Very interesting. Thank you for your service to the country and for this commentary.

[@SynthRockViking]

The ball or meatball, is a group of lights that tell you if you're lined up right😌☝

[@e4d578]

I'd love to reverse the roles. Have actors react to real-life scenarios and tell the pros what they are doing wrong.

[@beachem1]

Great reaction. Really appreciate the professional review. Thanks much for your service 🫡

[@daveg5857]

Biggest cinema sin was no flares! Still a great movie.

[@guts-141]

Glad Top Gun 2 did what Top Gun 1 failed to do

[@sarahphyllis5782]

@@guts-141 because it was directed by Tom Cruise not Tony Scott

[@mike18699-e]

@@sarahphyllis5782 actually it was directed by Joseph Kosinski.

[@byever1]

@@mike18699-e joe Rogan was an assistant director

[@msh104utube]

At least his call sign isn't "Grindr".

[@donsulit9930]

💀

[@Coolbreeze0988]

Damn Alex Bowman: Fighter pilot on weekdays. Nascar driver on weekends

[@terrylogginss]

Tom Cruise as a kid dude...I wanted to be a Bartender and a Pilot!!!😆

[@Mrsmifff]

Don't forget pool champ

[@yungtwiz]

Saw the name “Alex Bowman” and thought my favorite race car driver was a veteran for a second

[@dabzprincess92]

But right before retirement wouldn't it be so worth buzzing the tower?

[@sarahphyllis5782]

😂😂😂😂😂👍

[@Teefs69]

Crashing on the tower will cement your name forever!

[@dabzprincess92]

@@Teefs69 but thay would hurt and kill to many for a permanent wings suspension. Not worth it.

[@riptydeco]

Not if it led to a dishonorable discharge and loss of retirement benefits

[@cupofjoen]

@@Teefs69 War Hero 🤣

[@stealthtomcat4739]

You forgot to tell that in the last scene there wouldn't be a dogfight but all BVR. Dogfighting enemy jets is only done to make movie look more cooler.

[@mandyfox9376]

I'm sure this pilot was in PBS Carrier Documentary back in the day with VFA 41 Black Aces

[@renosummers7910]

He was in sometime offer 06

[@ChrisRatto-s9y]

Great video, thank you for your service Alex!

[@stevenaubin74]

Thank you very much for your service. From Canada.

[@E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-E-]

Surprised he didn't mention the "bird" engagement scene.

[@rickykurniawann]

10:20 cool callsigns are Air Force thing. Silly callsigns are Navy thing!

[@F34RTEHR34PER]

Nicely done with the react. Loved it. Also, thanks for your service Tinder.

[@cincin2u]

Best Top Gun review. Best context. A+++

[@stevewatson4150]

thank you for your service!

[@profitabundance70707]

Tinder, haha. Thats a great friggin callsign.

[@AllegedGamer]

Can we do this for the new maverick as well?

[@MikkoRantalainen]

I'm looking forward for similar episode about "Top Gun: Maverick" movie.

[@curiousmind616]

Legend has it Tom cruise shot down 15 migs during filming

[@PepperBuddyRosie12]

Thank you for your service 🇺🇸 🙏 ❤

[@chrisemptage1366]

Alton roles are a lot of fun though.

[@xTheNameisEthan]

Oof Tinder is a pretty brutal callsign lol

[@Birdfarmer862]

On my ship, CV-61, the TV station used to classify movies by genre (comedy, romcom, adventure, horror, war,, etc.). When TG One came out it was so unreal that it was immediately classified and shown on “comedy night”!

[@ChildishGambeaner]

Corny

[@DeltaFoxtrotWhiskey3]

No mention of Maverick still being up there, also low on gas, after Cougar's landing? Cougar lands, brings his plane to a complete stop...and then shuts down the engines. In the middle of the flight deck. Thanks for the foul deck! LOL

[@dasalsakid]

11:10 theres the charisma of a Top Gun! where's his analysis of the bar scenes?

[@terryhobbs1920]

Cool video. Thanks for making it.

[@Keji839]

This is so cool. Gonna go watch top gun

[@AlexCruz-zo5sp]

Thank you for your service

[@vagabond197979]

Man the new movie jumps the shark about 10x more than the original. It's a little bit hard to take seriously.

[@captainclute6889]

Not sure the need for expert reactions when it was created by experts including those at Top Gun. Tom Cruise put countless time hours and dollars to make this movie what it was. Obviously tweaks are made to transition from reality to the big screen.

[@worldcitizeng6507]

Ww needed thr dialogs to help non pilots to understand the scene and it looks 😎

[@niallreid7664]

Its a bit of fun. Don't stress out about it.

[@vincentbednar1696]

We sailors are encouraged to quote lines from "Captain Ron" while we're sitting around any marina anywhere in the world.

[@SPAMsammiches]

"...and not just do... an aileron roll..." LOL

[@BogeyTheBear]

13:59 Can you really call it an 'aileron roll' when the plane in question doesn't have any ailerons? At low speed, the F-14 uses spoilers for roll authority. At high speed it's all stab action.

[@o0bananaman0o]

pretty sure they are called elevons in delta configuration

[@cassiespencer6134]

There's rarely a need to announce what maneuver you're going to perform. And as far as preventing an over-shoot that's where out of plane maneuvers, for example a high yo-yo, are useful.

[@Romans8-9]

aileron roll is the common name for the maneuvre, not to mention he prob never flew in tomcat since they retired in 2006.

[@jordancourse5102]

Thank you for your service.

[@DD-tz1cz]

Very cool pilot!

[@Oyvind88]

Awsome, thanks for you service😎🇳🇴❤

[@dbmooo]

Thanks for your service

[@grahamthebaronhesketh.]

633 squadron springs to mind

[@toddgreenwell9568]

Awesome breakdown of how things should be done

[@matty2176]

🎵 DangerZone! 🎵

[@axelstone3131]

You can be my wing man anytime!

[@richardthornhill4630]

Interesting comments from a pilot's perspective.

[@mr.dalton9507]

Great video! Thanks!

[@scottwallbank4794]

Clearly quite the player with that callsign.

[@tylersmith4856]

Love your react, but there was a goose type death, they then changed some in the ejection sequence..

[@Blue-tk8le]

Nice review and thank you for your service.

[@dmonsef]

I'm just curious, the scene when Maverick maneuvers the F-14 upside down above the MIG, is that really possible or was that just done with Hollywood editing?

[@biasedsherman]

They actually did it

[@Nr15121]

@@biasedsherman no they didn’t lmao it would be physically impossible you’d have a tail strike

[@camthompson119]

Love his Chicks Oyster Bar shirt. Can definitely tell he’s spent some time in Virginia Beach!

[@jisa98]

What is he flying now? Airlines? Great interview, thanks!

[@rblanpro]

Great presentation. For the F14 aircraft aspects, look for Ward Carroll's u-tubes

[@kathymoulton9202]

Thank you for your service "Tinder"

[@jcjc9155]

Must have been one heck of a weekend.

[@skyboys9814]

It's been said, all the Rock stars who lost their lives in plane crashes, would still be alive today if they just hired Navy Pilots.

[@cm1133]

Or of they didn’t fly in Beechcraft Bonanzas.

[@shelleythompson-brock6412]

Yeah, because Rock stars fly in military craft. smh You realize that you must be trained in each and every plane you fly? An F18 pilot wouldn't know the first thing about flying a 747, and vice versa.

[@skyboys9814]

@@shelleythompson-brock6412 Hahahah a 747 is easy to fly, and its a lot slower, so there's plenty of time to figure it out

[@monolithgeometry3221]

@@shelleythompson-brock6412 Shake your head all you want . He didn't say Military Aircraft, he said a NAVY PILOT. They also fly OTHER THINGS !!!???

[@kylenielsen5341]

@@skyboys9814 True, though rock stars aren't usually flying on 747s.

[@DaveTaste]

If you hit 88mph in a Delorian you don't go back in time.

[@danielbarker9647]

Were you ever an instructor at FWS or did you ever get sent to the school?

[@Cochegrz]

Is that a VF-41 Black Aces helmet in the background? If so, as an airedaile, that was my old navy squadron back in1964-1966. We did a tour of Viet Nam,back in '65, after which in later years,Top GUn school was established. Going to see the new Top Gun movie.

[@felipemisch4466]

true man,part of it is never use in the navy,but its a movie to enjoy, and attract more applicant to join in to be a navy pilot,yah?lets them enjoy it,I was there too,was in the sevice 1982 to 90 but got dischard,medical.

[@jaystryker5217]

its a movie relax, the only thing that really matters is unlike other movies everything done in this movie is valid .

[@rockzs74r]

Get this man to react to Top Gun Maverick when it's possible to do that because now the actor is stiing inside the jets instead of simulation. That would be nice to know how the real pilots react

[@AngR12]

Desde que tengo memoria que quería ser piloto de combate, lamentablemente por temas económicos y burocráticos de mi país no pude ya a mi edad no podré, pero al menos puedo intentar ser piloto en aviación general, en fin si lo logro juro y si tengo los medios ayudaré a algún joven con los mismos sueños pero con pocos recursos. la aviación es algo que se lleva en el ADN y es imposible no dejar de sentir las ganas de volar y lo de jets quizás para otra vida saludos y bendiciones para todos los pilotos que tengan felices vuelos. ✈️ en cuanto a la película si bien no está echa para pilotos reales creo que sí llenó listas de postulaciones en aquellos años…

[@bradenzink9951]

Would love to see you do the same for TG: Maverick!

[@ThomasPurcell]

This guy is "Bob"

[@cheetahobx]

$5.00.....really....I would walk up to the jar....BEFORE.....and put in $500....and say...."That should cover me for a while!".....how's that for a cocky pilot.....😮

[@pflaffik]

US Navy Fighter Pilot Reacts To Hot Shots! - "its all 100% legit"

[@charlieabbot3649]

Well done!

[@rembo183]

The movie reminded me of the numerous scenes in Star Wars showing the pilots go through canyons at low altitudes! Fun to watch stuff but not original at all. The latest Star Wars effects.

[@BaddiesBroadcast]

*WHO ELSE WAS AROUND WHEN THE ORIGINAL WAS RELEASED...👀*

[@wilcoxtam810]

They’re too old for the internet

[@sussybaka6951]

No

[@bodidley5015]

@@wilcoxtam810 so us guys who grew up in the 70s & 80s are just old geezers now huh?

[@ThePthinker]

@@wilcoxtam810 we created the internet youngster…How were those seatbelts when you were a kids; kinda made ya soft huh;).