Now available is “Topgun Days,” by Dave “Bio” Baranek, a Naval Aviator who was an instructor at Topgun, the Navy’s elite Fighter Weapons School who assisted in the making of the Tom Cruise movie, “Top Gun.”
Bio’s book describes his experiences as a regular guy thrown into the crazy world of fame and movies, and the daring, hot-shot moves that got him into Topgun in the first place. Bio’s book includes:
- Perseverance — how he overcame airsickness during dynamic maneuvering in flight training.
- Faceoffs in the air at 700 mph
- The Cold War — aerial missions to neutralize Soviet bomber threats to the U.S. Navy.
- How Topgun students receive their call-signs — “Bio” is short for bionic, which rhymes with Baranek, Dave’s last name.
- Reality check — Bio’s mom’s reaction when he received his first personal jet with his name printed on it: she complained that it said “Dave” instead of “David”
- The first few takes of some of the scenes in Top Gun that had to be completely redone because they were inaccurate or improbable.
- Dozens of color photos of Bio’s planes, flights in action, Tom Cruise on set, and Hollywood parties
- A glossary of flight terms and important Topgun information.
Price: $16.95
For more information: Topgunbio.com
