Jay,

Does *anyone* on a piloting newsgroup NOT like "Top Gun" -- undoubtedly the
best flying movie of all time?

I assume you are asking that question heavily tongue-in-cheek g. I
admire the movie, largely because one of my aviation heroes, Art
Scholl, was killed filming it. It's a wonderful propaganda and
recruiting piece and I know of several current pilots who decided to
become pilots after watching it. The acting is weak and the technical
work is awful.

If you want a good flying movie, go find a copy of "633 Squadron",
which is technically the most accurate flying movie ever made (plot is
a little shakey, although it's based on fact), the uniforms, vehicles
and aircraft are 100% accurate (according to folks who know that sort
of thing) and the scenes of the Merlin powered D.H. Mosquitoes flying
are excellent. The only downside is that they destroyed a Mossie
filming the movie. Another flying movie that is better than "Top Gun"
is "Battle of Britain" which has some extraordinary flight sequences
using WWII aircraft (even though all the German airplanes have Merlin
engines by the time they filmed it, about 1968).

Warmest regards,
Rick