{"id":7723,"date":"2023-03-20T12:00:30","date_gmt":"2023-03-20T11:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/?p=7723"},"modified":"2023-03-17T21:23:55","modified_gmt":"2023-03-17T20:23:55","slug":"jester-scooter-13265-from-top-gun-aggressor-to-hollywood-star","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/jester-scooter-13265-from-top-gun-aggressor-to-hollywood-star\/","title":{"rendered":"Skyhawks Illustrated #13265<\/b>: Jester’s Scooter in Top Gun"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our story’s main character was manufactured at the Douglas Aircraft Company plant in Long Beach (California) and was delivered to the United States Navy<\/strong> on 06\/01\/1964 bearing Bureau of Aeronautics Number 151095<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In nearly three decades of operational service, it logged a long and intense activity in both training and combat duties ranging from the Vietnam War to the Naval Fighter Weapons School (NFWS) “Top Gun”.<\/p>\n

\"Miramar\"<\/a>
At the apron of NAS Miramar (photo: Public domain).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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But its starring moment came in the mid-1980s, when it became known worldwide by participating in Top Gun 1986<\/strong>, the movie released on 05\/16\/1986 where it was one of the planes that simulated enemy MiG fighters challenging F-14 Tomcat crews to hone their best air-to-air fighting tactics.<\/p>\n

Flown by instructor pilot, Major Rick “Jester” Heatherly<\/strong> (played by Canadian actor Michael Ironside), it made Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise), Nick “Goose” Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards) and their classmates feel “the need for speed”…<\/p>\n

\"Michael<\/a>
Canadian actor, Michael Ironside, who personified Major Rick \u201cJester\u201d Heatherly in Top Gun, with #13265 on the background (photo via Cin\u00e9filos Rebeldes).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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At times during the filming of Top Gun in 1986, Ironside admitted that he felt insecure about his performance as a military character: He thought that he was not doing well and that his acting felt very forced.<\/p>\n

One day, a junior officer who was running past him, stopped short and saluted Ironside (who was dressed as his character) because the young man thought that he was facing an actual, higher ranking, Navy officer.<\/p>\n

\"Top<\/a>
An iconic scene from the 1986 movie Top Gun showing #13265 on the background (video capture).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Ironside chided him, saying “slow down”, to which the young lieutenant replied “sorry! Yes sir!”… then the actor felt comfortable and more relaxed about his characterization.<\/p>\n

Born in the sixties<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Skyhawk #13265 started its operational career with VA-81 “Sunliners”<\/strong>, deploying to the Mediterranean Sea aboard aircraft carrier USS Forrestal<\/strong> from 06\/01\/1964 to 12\/15\/1967.<\/p>\n

\"VMA-322<\/a>
Coded “QR-61” with VMA-322 at Westover AFB (photo: Angelo Romano collection via Gary Verver, 11\/19\/1977).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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On 05\/01\/1966 it moved to NAS Cecil Field<\/strong>, Florida, returning to the Mediterranean Sea aboard aircraft carrier USS Shangri-La<\/strong> between 09\/29\/1966 to 05\/20\/1967.<\/p>\n

In 12\/1968, it was deployed to fight in Vietnam with the U.S. Marine Corps<\/strong>, being based at Chu Lai (South Vietnam) with VMA-223<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"VMA-211<\/a>
Coded “CF-5” with VMA-211 “Wake Island Avengers” on approach to NAS Atsugi in Japan (photo: Takafumi Hiroe, 12\/04\/1975).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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On 01\/29\/1973, as a member of VMA-311<\/strong>, it left Vietnam after carrying out a total of 54,625 combat sorties and dropping 105,000 tons of artillery during the conflict.<\/p>\n

At the beginning of the 1980s, it was reassigned to the NFWS<\/b>, which was originally established as a “school” within VF-121<\/strong>, a Replacement Air Group (RAG) with F-4 at NAS Miramar<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"Jester's<\/a>
Major Rick \u201cJester\u201d Heatherly’s #55 (photo: Lt. Col. Keith \u201cSven\u201d Svendsen, USAF, retired).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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NFWS was tasked with providing post-graduate level air combat maneuver (ACM) training and used the resources of VF-126<\/strong> with their A-4s in the aggressor role, its first class beginning on 03\/03\/1969.<\/p>\n

The school evolved in 01\/1972 into a detachment from VF-121 and continued to use Skyhawks and maintenance support personnel from VF-126.<\/p>\n

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