Navy Fighter Weapons School

Photograph Album


BuNo 149656, #2, parked on the ramp in a tan/brown/green camouflage scheme Oct. 1970.
Gary Verver Collection.

24 Oct 1970 TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 149990, #4, parked on the ramp.
Gary Verver Collection

TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 149990, #4, and BuNo 150090 as #5 in-flight.
Provided by Pawel Mankowski

TOP GUN/Fighter Weapons School Aggressor A-4E Skyhawks BuNo 149656 (#2) and BuNo 149990 (#4).
Don't have a date for the photo, but looks early 70's.
TOP GUN paint schemes don't appear to be color fast as enough has washed off of #2 to expose the star & bars underneath.
BuNo.149656 is currently on display in the entrance of the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola.
Gary Verver Collection.

TOP GUN Aggressor Skyhawk BuNo.149656 parked on the ramp at an open house.
Gary Verver Collection.

TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 149964, #1, parked on the ramp, early 70s. Gary Verver Collection.

Circa 1970: TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 149971 , #3, assigned to LT Gary "Spieder" Cadwell parked on the ramp.
Unknown Photographer via W. Mutza

BuNo.149990 Aug 1971.
Gary Verver Collection.

Oct 1972 TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 149656, #2, assigned to LCDR Jerry "Ski" Sawatzky parked on the ramp.
Photo by T.R. Waddington, Gary Verver Collection.

MARINE A-4E SKYHAWK BuNo. 150023 WITH NFWS
A-4E BuNo. 150023 side number 56, while it was deployed to Naval Fighter Weapons School (TOP GUN) on the ramp at Naval Air Station Miramar, near San Diego, California. On the other side of the hanger in the background, is where VF-126 parked its Skyhawks. Naval Fighter Weapons School (NFWS) handled the graduate courses for Navy pilots, while VF-126 was more of a "day to day" adversary unit, supporting the F-4's & F-14's at Miramar.
The reason #56 is lettered for the USMC, is that TOP GUN often had USMC, and even the occasional USAF pilot as course instructors, and this was their way of acknowledging the USMC pilots contribution. In this shot of #56, there's a tan & brown F-5E in the background. Its #45, and like #56, was lettered for the USMC from the early stages.
From a photograph by Fred Krause.

NFWS A-4E SKYHAWK
BuNO.150073, NWFS A-4E side number 31, bears an adversary camouflage scheme of alternating bands of dark green and desert sand.
Picture from Harry S. Gann.

14 Oct 1973 TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 149971, #633, assigned to LT Gary Crowell parked on the ramp.
Gary Verver Collection.

18 OCT 2002: TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 154204, #52, parked on the ramp.
W. Munzenmaier

BuNo 150009, #24, parked on the ramp in a brown/tan/green camouflage scheme Oct. 1974.
Gary Verver Collection.

TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 150009, #24, assigned to CAPT Richard parked on the ramp painted in a tan/brown/green camouflage scheme.
W. Munzenmaier

05 OCT 1974: TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 150009, #24, assigned to CAPT Reitsch parked on the ramp and painted in a tan/brown/green camouflage scheme.
Dave Steinbacker

05 Oct 1975 TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 150009, #24, assigned to CAPT Richard parked on the ramp.
Gary Verver Collection

24 Sep 1977 TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 149656, #2, assigned to LCDR Jerry "Ski" Sawatzky parked on the ramp.
Photo from G.B. Rhodes.

24 Sep 1977 TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 149656, #554, assigned to LT "Preacher" Pace parked on the ramp.
Photo from G.B. Rhodes.

15 oct 1977 TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 150023, #556, assigned to LT Hundell parked on the ramp.
Gary Verver Collection

"TOP GUN" (NFWS) A-4E BuNo 149656, #54, dated October 1978. Photo by P. Huston, G. Verver collection.

8-Nov-1979 China Lake Skyhawk BuNo 152101, TOP GUN BuNo 150044, #555, China Lake BuNo 154172 & China Lake BuNo 153677 parked on the Hot Line.
Navy Photo from Gary Verver.

TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 155000, #50, parked on the flightline.
Rob Mignard

AUG 1980: TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 149656, #554, assigned to LT "Woody" Foerster parked on the ramp painted in a blue/gray camouflage scheme.
Rob Mignard

04 Oct 1980 BuNo 149656, #554, parked on the ramp.
Gary Verver Collection

"TOP GUN" (NFWS) A-4E BuNo 149969, #53, USNFWS Nellis, dated 7 January 1981.
Photo by K. Svendsen, G. Verver collection.

15 August 1982 heavy fog covers the flight line as Navy Fighter Weapons School Skyhawk BuNo 150023, #56, is prepared for an early morning mission.
US Navy Photo by JOC K. Harrison.

1983: TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 149969 , #553, assigned to LT "Sundance" Davis parked on the ramp.
Unknown Photographer via W. Mutza

A-4F (Super Fox) BuNo. 152101 - September 1984
A-4F (Super Fox) BuNo. 152101, side number 53, from Naval Fighter Weapons School (TOP GUN) on NFWS' ramp at Naval Air Station Miramar, near San Diego, California, in September 1984.
BuNo.152102 is the A-4E that was pulled off the assembly line and converted to the first A-4F.
From a photograph by Mike Shapiro.

TA-4J BuNo. 154327 - September 1984
TA-4J BuNo. 154327 from VF-45, while it was deployed to Naval Fighter Weapons School (TOP GUN) on the ramp at Naval Air Station Miramar, near San Diego, California, in September 1984.
From a photograph by Mike Shapiro.

TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo.151033, #52, on the flight line.
U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Baranek.

10 OCT 1987: TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 149656, #554, parked on the ramp painted in a green/brown camouflage scheme.
Jim Burridge

JUN 1988: Top Gun Skyhawk BuNo 152081, #57, and BuNo 150023, #556, parked on the ramp.
Dr. C.A. "Sketch" Eddy

JUL 1989: TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 149656, #554, parked on the ramp painted in an all dark green scheme. Rob Mignard

JUL 1989: Top Gun Skyhawk BuNo 154209, #51, parked on the ramp and painted in a tan/brown/green camouflage scheme.
Rob Mignard

01 Mar 1990 BuNo 149656, #554, still in TOP GUN markings on display at the United States Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola.
U.S. Navy photo by Jim Bryant.

01 January 1991 four TOP GUN adversary aircraft from NAS Miramar, CA. Shown (L-R) is a USMC Skyhawk BuNo 155027, #52, a USN Skyhawk BuNo 155000, #50, a USN F-16N Fighting Falcon, and a USMC F-16N Fighting Falcon.
U.S. Navy Photo

VF-126 TOP GUN A-4F BuNo 155000, #50, 15 June 1991, Miramar.
Photo by Scott VanAken.

TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 151059, #32, in two tone brown camouflage with gray slats - Oct. 1991.
Gary Verver Collection.

21 APR 1992: TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 152080, #62, painted a mottled green/brown camouflage scheme.
W. Munzenmaier

21 APR 1992: TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 154172, #54, assigned to LT Bill "Hack" McMasters parked on the line and painted in a green/gray camouflage scheme.
W. Munzenmaie

21 APR 1992: TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 154173, #53, assigned to LT Dave "Shooter" Vanderschoot. Plane Captain is AN Campbell.
W. Munzenmaier

21 APR 1992: TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 154209, #56, assigned to LT Tom "Trim" Downing parked on the ramp.
W. Munzenmaier

21 APR 1992: TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 154970, #55, assigned to LT John "Rooster" Clagett parked on the ramp. Plane Captain is AEAN Shaw.
W. Munzenmaier

21 APR 1992: TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 155000, #50, assigned to LT Dave "Shooter" Vanderschoot parked on the ramp and painted in a tan/brown camouflage scheme. Plane Captain is ANSAN Garcia.
W. Munzenmaier

21 APR 1992: TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 155027, #52, as the gear comes up after take-off. Assigned pilot is LT "Willie" Williams. Plane Captain is LCPL Harman.
W. Munzenmaier

VF-126 TOP GUN A-4F BuNo 154209, #56, 02 May 1992, Miramar.
Photo by Scott VanAken.

VF-126 TOP GUN A-4F BuNo 155000, #50, 02 May 1992, Miramar.
Photo by Scott VanAken.

01 MAY 1992: TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 155000, #50, parked on the ramp in a brown/tan camouflage scheme.
U.S. Navy photo by LCDR Dave Parsons

01 MAY 1992: TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 155000, #50, parked on the ramp in a brown/tan camouflage scheme.
U.S. Navy photo by LCDR Dave Parsons

27 Aug 1992 TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 160045 in formation with a TOP GUN F-16 Falcon.
Ted Paskowski, G. Verver collection.

A-4M BuNo 158171 TOP GUN #51, NAS Miramar, December 5, 1992.
Photo by Scott VanAken.

BuNo.150023 Nov 1994.
Official U.S. Navy by LT Baranek.

BuNo 149656, #554, on the ramp in a blue/gray camouflage scheme.
Gary Verver Collection.

BuNo 149656, #554, on the ramp in a blue/gray camouflage scheme.
Gary Verver Collection.

BuNo 150023, #556, parked on the ramp in a brown/tan camouflage scheme.
Gary Verver Collection.

BuNo 150044, #555, parked on the ramp in a mottled green camouflage scheme.
Gary Verver Collection.

TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 160045, #50, on final for touchdown.
J.D. Stewart

18 OCT 2002: TOP GUN Skyhawk BuNo 154204, #52, parked on the ramp.
W. Munzenmaier


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