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The squadrons provided F-14s for filming aerial sequences in the movie Top Gun. The Grumman F-14 Tomcat was central to the 1986 film Top Gun. [227] [228] [229] The aviation-themed film was such a success in creating interest in naval aviation that the US Navy, which assisted with the film, set up recruitment desks outside some theaters. [230]
Snodgrass was the "highest time Tomcat pilot," after having accumulated more than 4,800 hours in the F-14 and more than 1200 arrested carrier landings, both more than any other pilot. [ 3 ] He was called "The Real Top Gun" [ 3 ] or the real "Maverick" [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 4 ] in reference to Tom Cruise 's character in the movie, Top Gun .
VF-213 Emblem from Top Gun. A version of the squadron patch and insignia (with the fictional squadron designation "VF-213") was featured prominently in the movie Top Gun, worn by the character "Ice Man" portrayed by Val Kilmer. In reality, VFA-25 never operated the F-14 Tomcat, instead flying the F/A-18 Hornet during that period. [4] [5]
The squadron returned to NAS Miramar in April 1977 and began transitioning to the F-14A Tomcat, which was operated by the squadron for 16 years and had the longest tenure of any aircraft type operated by the Sundowners. [14] By October 1978, both VF-51 and VF-111 had fully transitioned to the Block 100 model F-14A.
F-14 Tomcat. The Grumman F-14 Tomcat was central to the 1986 film Top Gun. [37] [346] [347] The U.S. Navy provided F-14s at $7,600 per flight hour for a total bill of $886,000 ($2,463,000 today [348]). [349] [338] The aviation-themed film created such interest in naval aviation that the Navy set up recruitment desks outside some theaters. [350]
Combat Zones features other aircraft besides the F-14. In 2006, another game simply titled Top Gun was released for the Nintendo DS. A 2010 game, also titled Top Gun, retells the film's story. At E3 2011, a new game was announced, Top Gun: Hard Lock, which was released in March 2012 for Xbox 360, PC, and PlayStation 3.
VF-213 was paired up with VF-31 for the 2005–2006 final F-14 Tomcat cruise on board USS Theodore Roosevelt. During the cruise, VF-213 and VF-31 received ROVER upgrades to their aircraft, enabling them to transmit real-time images from their LANTIRN sensor to ground operators.
In February 2020, toy manufacturer Matchbox (owned by Mattel) announced that it was releasing a series of Top Gun die-cast models and products, including the F-14 Tomcat, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, and the P-51 Mustang, as well as role-play items. They were scheduled for public release on June 1, 2020, despite the delayed theatrical release. [122]