Brownshoes in action comix: "the kind real aviators like" - Classic - Brief Article

Approach, Jan, 2003 by Ward Carroll

This Month in Film History

July, 1984--The Presidential Committee on Film Themes is tasked with writing the original screenplay for the movie "TOP GUN." Because the committee members are on their way to the Cannes Film Festival, they delegate the project, via the Navy Office of Information, to several randomly picked commands. The actual writing falls to a group of officers who are TAD to various FUNCWINGS throughout the fleet.

The story begins with Maverick raffling off a motorcycle for Navy Relief, which he, coincidently, wins. The squadron attains 110 percent of their monetary goal for the drive and, also coincidently, Maverick is selected for TOP GUN.

Goose meets the same tragic end. (It is later revealed there were no 1320s involved with the script).

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"Ice Man" makes big points toward winning the TOP GUN trophy by volunteering to give a lecture at the safety standdown ...

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During the subsequent mishap investigation, the board discovers Maverick has a propensity for cursory briefs and a limited recall of boldface items ...

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As the story comes to an exciting conclusion, a tie for the TOP GUN Trophy between "Ice Man" and "Wolf Man" is broken by a best-of-three FCLP hops competition.

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