TopGun Aircraft

[Micro]

Fellas,

I was talking to an old buddy of mine about TopGun back in the day when it was still at Miramar. He told me when he went there he took one of his squadron's line aircraft because the school itself didn't have specific jets for the students to fly. Was this standard practice or a fluke occurrence? All he could tell me was his experience - and that was in 1989. TIA

[phantom]

From what I have read back in the 80s and 90s that would be the case. Normally 2 jets for the 2 crews and sometimes a spare. Have the old Miramar base book which showed a bunch of colourful Atlantic coast Tomcats in that situation. How its done today, I have no idea.

[niki4703]

I know to have read of similar and when you think of it, it sort of makes sense: the students came there to improve the way they fought in their own plane (that is the type they were current on). Given the multitude of types in service at one time or another it would have been a bit too expensive for a single unit (say Topgun here) to operate that many airplanes so whoever came by could 'borrow' the type he flew in his own outfit.

The only planes owned by 'the school' would be those flown by the instructors against their students.

Edited December 26, 2015 by niki4703

[Scooby]

That's pretty much the story for any training exercise, participants bring their own aircraft. The way we determine what aircraft we send is based on hours remaining to major inspections. We like to send aircraft that will make it through the training syllabus.

[Grey Ghost 531]

I was there with the maintenance detachment three times. We brought two jets, two crews, about 20 maintenance types with one officer, one S-4 guy (supply) and a few ops guys. I was at El Toro and Top Gun was still at Mirimar so if we needed anything else it was only 90 miles north.

[Scooby]

I was there with the maintenance detachment three times. We brought two jets, two crews, about 20 maintenance types with one officer, one S-4 guy (supply) and a few ops guys. I was at El Toro and Top Gun was still at Mirimar so if we needed anything else it was only 90 miles north.

I did a three week TD with my Canadian Hornet Squadron in Mirimar, we also split some time at North Island. It was a blast. We only moved to North Island for a weekend as it was the Marine Corps birthday and our pilots wanted to keep flying (no fuel). We went through the hassle of moving our equipment only to find the US Navy doesn't work weekends, we couldn't fuel our jets.

[Murph]

The Air Force Weapons School uses their own jets, in part because they often supplement the test units (Edwards and the 422) testing new hardware and software mods before they hit the regular fleet.

Regards,

Murph

[vvac201]

They go to Hertz Rent a Plane!

[GreyGhost]

They go to Hertz Rent a Plane!

I thought they went to "Enterprise" ...

-Gregg

[Neeko]

I did a Top Gun det back in the day, and as was written above, it is indeed the case that the students take aircraft from fleet squadrons to use in their training. NSAWC aircraft are used as aggressors. Squadrons get tapped by theit respective East/West Coast Type Commander (wing) to pony up aircraft to support the class. Normally, squadrons that have pilots going through the training syllabus provide aircraft, but there are times when completely unrelated squadrons get tapped to provide aircraft to fill the holes. Maintenance support personnel also are sent to augment the class.

[Neeko]

Forgot to mention that when I was there, we had every flavor of USN/USMC Hornet except a "B". (The Growler didn't exist in fleet squadrons yet at the time)

The TOPGUN Super Hornet line in Fallon from my det:

[Darren Roberts]

I did a Top Gun det back in the day, and as was written above, it is indeed the case that the students take aircraft from fleet squadrons to use in their training. NSAWC aircraft are used as aggressors. Squadrons get tapped by theit respective East/West Coast Type Commander (wing) to pony up aircraft to support the class. Normally, squadrons that have pilots going through the training syllabus provide aircraft, but there are times when completely unrelated squadrons get tapped to provide aircraft to fill the holes. Maintenance support personnel also are sent to augment the class.

Bite your tongue! They aren't aggressors, they are Adversary. You've just offended the sensibilities of every Naval Aviator by calling those distinguished pilots what they call them in the Air Force. :lol:

[Neeko]

Bite your tongue! They aren't aggressors, they are Adversary. You've just offended the sensibilities of every Naval Aviator by calling those distinguished pilots what they call them in the Air Force. :lol:/>/>

Pfffft... we always referred to them as "Red Air".

If I offended any Naval Aviator's fragile sensibilities with my choice of terms to get my message across, then they have no business sitting in the seat. They put their pants on the same way as the rest of us.

Edited December 27, 2015 by Neeko

[Waco]

The rather pedantic need to differentiate between the two has largely disappeared. I've worked with folks from both sides who use the terms interchangeably, and with the rise of Raptor T-38 Adversary Dets and Navy Contract Aggressors, it's pretty meaningless. It also doesn't account for the USMC Snipers. In the end, they're all doing the same thing, and they are all--as stated above--red air.

[Darren Roberts]

The rather pedantic need to differentiate between the two has largely disappeared. I've worked with folks from both sides who use the terms interchangeably, and with the rise of Raptor T-38 Adversary Dets and Navy Contract Aggressors, it's pretty meaningless. It also doesn't account for the USMC Snipers. In the end, they're all doing the same thing, and they are all--as stated above--red air.

The Marines don't count. I figured the terms don't mean much anymore. I was just havin' some fun.

[Rex]

"the Marines don't count"

*glares at silly man near the NAS that didn't have any ocean nearby*