Airplane Model*Hobby Master HA1421 1:72 A-4E Skyhawk “Top Gun” – Miniature Marvels: Airplane Models & Painted Dice

In an effort to improve the poor performance of USN aircrews in Vietnam the USN Fighter
Weapons School was established in 1969 at NAS Miramar, California. The first aircraft
used by the school to teach the F-4 pilots better tactics were the A-4 Skyhawk and the F-
5 Freedom Fighters. A-4E Bu.No. 151095 s/n 55 c/n 13265 was flown by Lt. Mick
Michell (not Mitchell) at the Top Gun School and this same aircraft was used as Jester
s (Michael Ironside) aircraft in the 1986 movie Top Gun with Tom Cruise. This aircraft
was also on loan to Japan for static display and is painted as 8 of the USN Blue
Angels even though the BAs never flew the E variant of the A-4.