Hobby Master Archive

In an effort to improve the poor performance of USN aircrews in Vietnam the USN Fighter Weapons School was established in 1969 at NAS Miramar, California. The first aircraft used by the school to teach the F-4 pilots better tactics were the A-4 Skyhawk and the F-5 Freedom Fighters. A-4E Bu.No. 151095 s/n 55 c/n 13265 was flown by Lt. “Mick” Michell (not Mitchell) at the Top Gun School and this same aircraft was used as “Jester’s” (Michael Ironside) aircraft in the 1986 movie “Top Gun” with Tom Cruise. This aircraft was also on loan to Japan for static display and is painted as “8” of the USN “Blue Angels” even though the BA’s never flew the E variant of the A-4.