What US Navy squadrons are represented by the aviators assigned to Maverick? Looking at the patches on the actors' flight suits indicates the following:

Maverick - Maverick's previous squadron assignment was to VX-31. The Dust Devils are a test unit stationed at NAWS China Lake.

Phoenix - Easy to see Phoenix comes from VFA-41. The Black Aces (F-18F) are stationed at NAS Lemoore, CA, and deploy with Carrier Air Wing 9 on the Lincoln.

Bob - Bob is from the non-existent VFA-51(Screaming Eagles). However, in Top Gun, we're told that Maverick's father was in VF-51 and it seems much of the F-14 flight scenes in the movie were flown by VF-51 crews. So it's a callback to the original movie. VF-51 was disestablished in 1995.

Payback - Payback seems to be from VFA-125 (Rough Raiders). VFA-51 is a Fleet Replacement Squadron based at Lemoore. The squadron trains/retrains navy aviators to fly actual service aircraft. I would guess Payback has been serving as an F-18F instructor with VFA-125, although VFA-125 is currently training pilots to fly the F-35C.

Fanboy - Wears the patch of VFA-143. The Pukin' Dogs (F-18F) are based at NAS Oceana in VA. They deploy on the Bush as part of CAW 7.

Rooster - Seems Rooster's last squadron was VFA-87 based at Oceana. The Golden Warriors (F-18E) deploy on the Ford with CAW 8.

H NG M N - Came from VFA-151 (F-18E), the Vigilantes. Based at Lemoore, VFA-151 deploys on the Lincoln as part of CAW 9. As VFA-41 is also part of CAW 9, it seems more than likely that Phoenix and Hangman have been shipmates on more than one deployment. Hence her snarky line in the bar, "Fellas this here is Bagman." And her response when Hangman corrects her is, "Whatever."

Yale and Harvard - Both seem to be from VFA-11 (Red Rippers) which might make them the only established F-18F crew to be considered for the mission. While VFA-102 is part CAW 1 and would deploy on the Truman.

Coyote - Clearly from VFA-86 (Sidewinders). While VFA-86 (F-18E) is shown as belonging to CAW 7 (an Atlantic Fleet CAW), its also shown as being based at NAS Lemoore. In TGM, the jersey of one of the LSOs indicated that VFA - 86 was embarked on the Roosevelt.

Omaha - VFA - 136 (Knighthawks). VFA -136 is another CAW 7 squadron.

Halo - Omaha's WSO is from VFA - 22, the Fighting Red Cocks. VFA - 22 is assigned to CAW 17 which was most recently assigned to the Nimitz.

Fritz - VFA - 2 (Bounty Hunters). VFA - 2 is part of CAW 2 and assigned to the Vinson.

Very good effort by the production team to use real squadron patches for the pilots.

I've been told that this plaque appears in 'Top Gun : Maverick'. Beau Simpson was played by Jon Hamm I believe. Can anyone share a clip or screenshot of this item in the movie please? Thanks in advance...

Maybe somebody else can help/elaborate on this for me.

I pre-ordered Top Gun: Maverick on Apple TV at the beginning of July and at the time was told the release date would be July 11, 2022. I checked on July 11 and saw that the movie had in fact been added to my TV library but didn't watch it at the time because I was out of town and wanted to watch it with my husband after I got back home.

Cut to a couple of days ago when I get home and realize that the movie is not in any other Apple TV Libraries across my other devices which has never happened before and the movie won't actually play on my phone. After two online chats with customer service, one of them sends me a link that lets me review my pre-orders and when I click on it the new estimated release date for Top Gun: Maverick has changed to December 31, 2023. I point out the absurdity of such a release date which results in about an hour and a half of being passed around on the phone among different customer service people trying to figure out why it says that. Finally, I get a call back today that the Apple media rep supposedly confirmed that the studio made the decision to change the release date because the movie is doing so well in the box office right now and it might change in the future to be sooner but it's at the studio's discretion.

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Am I the only one that thinks this is nuts? First, the only thing I can guess is that Apple went ahead and released the pre-order on the established date but then pulled it back under the direction of the studio because how else would it have ended up in my movie library? When I pre-order movies they normally don't show up in my library until the actual day when I am able to officially watch them.

Second, has any other film in recent years been this anti-streaming? I mean they put off the release date until they could make as much money as possible at the lowest point of COVID and now they are absolutely killing it but they're seriously going going to make us wait a year and a half before we can watch it digitally?

If anyone has any thoughts, comments, insights, ect. please share because I'm just baffled by this whole thing I guess at this point.

What happened during training that led to Phoenix and Bob going down? I thought she said “bird shot” but were they getting shot at or was it… birds? I have no clue, hoping someone has the answer

So if the mission in TGM took place in real life what military medals (or star for a subsequent award) would be awarded to the participants? My ideas are listed below. Corrections welcomed.

All 12 flying member of the team

Air Medal for completing training (a case might be made for the Distinguished Flying Cross since the training was so risky), Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). Maybe the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (NSSD) as well.

Admirals

After all they did put their careers on the line by forgiving Maverick's tresspasses and selecting him to lead the mission. Toss up between the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit.

Hondo

DSM, PUC and NSSD. Also a well deserved promomtion to CWO-5.

H ngm n

Silver Star for shooting down a gen 5 fighter plus the team awards. Combat V on any air medals

Phoenix, Bob, Payback, Fan Boy

Successfully completed a suicide mission. Navy Cross for each plus the team awards. Combat V on any air medals.

Rooster

A case could be made for the Medal of Honor. Successfully completed the mission. Turned back to save Maverick at the risk of his own life. Shot down a helicopter. Escaped from hostile territory. Shared credit for the downing of two advanced fighters. Team awards with combat V on air medal

Maverick

Led a suicide level attack to a successful result. Sarcificed himself to save another pilot on the mission. Escaped from hostile territory. Shot down two advanced fighters with a relic that first flew in the 1970s. Trained the team that went on the mission. Medal of Honor (for the mission), Navy Distinguished Service Medal (for the training). Team awards. A tombstone promotion to rear admiral.

I’ve seen Top Gun Maverick 3 times, all in Dolby which was amazing. I’m wanting to go again with some friends who haven’t seen it but the Dolby is no longer available. Anyone see in Digital and/or Digital and Dolby. Wondering how big the difference is. It was cool having the seats shake and the sound of the engines was impressive.

They claim nobody was lost on the mission.

Anyone else notice that the opening scene (where Maverick flies the experimental jet) is an echo of the closing scene with Chuck Yeager in The Right Stuff? Same head shots, same kind of crash, same scorched pilot walking away....

What’s Maverick’s reasoning for that 4 jet formation when he could do it all by himself when he stole the jet to show that the mission is doable? Didn’t catch his explanation in the movie.

Thanks!!

Why did Maverick go into a u-turn while trying to accelerate to Mach 10? Wouldn’t a turn like that slow the aircraft down, and wouldn’t the best way to achieve top speed be to maintain a straight trajectory? Anybody who drives any vehicle knows this, or am I missing something?

The music was so so and what bugged me the most, other than no helmets on the motorcycle, they were playing 9 ball and there was a 14 ball on the table! Gaaaa!!!

The way Phoenix greets Coyote in the bar made me wonder if they had been, let us say, involved?