By Stefano Sernagiotto

-Who is Dave Baranek?

He’s a guy who was fortunate to discern his dreams and then to live them… mostly. Let me switch to the first person; I have to say that I put in the effort and overcame some challenges, and everything didn’t go exactly as I’d imagined, but looking back I feel very fortunate. Now I try to inform, entertain, and inspire people pursuing their dreams.

-Tell us about your involvement in the filming of the famous movie TOP GUN.

My involvement started in the Spring of 1985, eight months after I became a Topgun instructor. A group of people from Paramount Pictures came to our base, Naval Air Station Miramar in San Diego, to plan the movie. Producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer had been inspired by a magazine article in 1983 and had spent two years getting Navy approval and preparing. Soon we were discussing the movie at the squadron: certain elements of the plot, how to film specific scenes, things like that. Because this was our business, the producers asked for our assistance with many details. The Topgun squadron identified a liaison officer, but all instructors contributed in various ways, such as suggesting ideas and actually flying our aircraft to film scenes. One small way that I contributed was showing actors the correct way to climb into an F-14; even though Topgun itself didn’t fly F-14s at that time, I had been a RIO for four years, so I knew how to get in. When filming was done, F-14 pilot John Semcken and I went to Hollywood for two days to help assemble the flying scenes in ways that made sense and provide dialogue for all flying scenes. It was a fascinating trip into the heart of Paramount and an unforgettable experience to work closely with legendary director Tony Scott. Tony was respectful of us, a couple of lieutenants, because he brought us there for our input. I had several small “confrontations” with him, for lack of a better word, ​ over technical issues and his reply was, “We’re not making a f***ing documentary!” Other Topgun instructors had had similar confrontations with him… and received similar replies. John and I created the dialogue they needed, but then we were worried if a civilian audience would understand it. A writer told me, “Don’t worry, when I get through with it, they’ll get it.” To return to an earlier point: regrettably, I didn’t take my camera on this trip to Paramount! Other pilots and RIOs also contributed in many ways. When we saw the completed movie, we found the names of Topgun instructors and F-14 pilots and RIOs in the credits, which was a nice tribute. Here’s the 1983 article that inspired the movie: https://www.topgunbio.com/top-guns-by-ehud-yonay/. A friend could not find the article anywhere online, so we worked together and recreated it on my own website.

-You were an F-14 Tomcat radar intercept officer (RIO), like Goose was in the movie TOP GUN. What were your duties in the airplane cockpit?

One thing that people are surprised to hear is that the RIO could not fly the plane; there were no flight controls in the rear cockpit. My assigned responsibilities were navigation, communication, and operating the weapon system (radar). In addition, I coordinated with the pilot to complete checklists, such as before every takeoff and landing, and to deal with any problems with the aircraft. The US Navy was smart to require that pilots and RIOs take the exact same tests regarding knowledge of aircraft systems. RIOs were fully functioning members of the aircrew. In a tactical situation (air-to-air or air-to-ground, training or combat), the RIO was expected to take the lead in directing the aircraft during early stages of the mission, when he would likely have better situational awareness via the radar and other sensors. As the mission progressed, the pilot and RIO worked together to accomplish their objectives. The Navy gave RIOs most of the career opportunities it gave pilots: tactical leadership, squadron command, and more.

-How did your passion for photography begin? How often did you bring your camera on board?

I credit my father with sparking my passion for photography and nurturing it. He was an amateur photographer with simple equipment but learned many of the basics and passed much of that on to me. I received a mid-range 35 mm camera as a Christmas present when I was 12 and took some creative photos such as time exposures, forced perspective, and others. By the time I joined a Navy F-14 squadron, I considered myself a serious amateur. In my experience, most squadrons had a few pilots and RIOs who were amateur photographers, and we discussed ideas and tips. The Navy had a few rules about carrying personal cameras in aircraft, but fortunately it was allowed. I carried my camera on almost every flight, although there were a few notable exceptions, such as when I went through Topgun as a student I didn’t want any distractions from the training, so I did not take my camera in the jet with me. Also, my squadron participated in a training program that​ was highly classified, and we were warned not to take cameras on these flights. (The program involved dogfighting against Soviet MiG aircraft flown in Nevada and has since been declassified.) In the end, I’m happy that I captured some good photos. I use some of my favorite pictures to illustrate my books.

-How did you become a Topgun instructor?

I went through the Topgun class with a very capable and dedicated pilot, and we worked well together. We did well in the class and several instructors felt that I had the potential to become one of them, so they mentioned that to me. The prospect appealed to me so I discussed it with the commanding officer and other instructors, and they encouraged me to pursue it through the assignment process. I guess it sounds like a dance. Once I completed my tour in an F-14 squadron, I transferred to Topgun and began the very challenging process of becoming a qualified instructor. The school (it was also a squadron) had an excellent program to train new instructors. They had clear performance standards for everything, from delivering lectures to leading complex training flights. They didn’t lower the standards for anyone, but other instructors would expend significant effort to help a new instructor meet the standards. The pilot I went through the class with also became an instructor. Over the years Topgun has refined the way it selects instructors, but its commitment to the highest standards remains unchanged. By the way, I’ll use the convention of writing Topgun as one word when talking about the squadron, and as two words when talking about the movie.

-Would you ever have thought that the movie TOP GUN would have been such a success that still lasts after all these years?

This is a great question, because I clearly remember thinking, “If this movie gets made, it’s not going to be a big deal.” So the answer is a resounding no. But TOP GUN’s enduring appeal can be credited to several things. The vision of the producers, Simpson and Bruckheimer, who had to fight to get the movie made. When I saw the talented crew at work — cinematographers, sound people, transportation planners, everyone — I was impressed with their skill and commitment. A great book about making the movie is Top Gun Memos by Meredith Jordan. Another contributor to the movie’s success was Paramount’s use of Navy personnel when they needed technical advice: they requested our input and used it as much as possible.

-We have to ask: can we spot you in the movie?

The short answer is not really. The movie people invited actual pilots, RIOs, and other personnel to be in some scenes, and quite a few are in the movie. But in most case they wanted you to be at the set all day, or for two days, and we Topgun instructors were having a class so we were busy. I also have to reiterate, I personally didn’t think it would be a big deal so I didn’t worry about being in it. Remember I said we flew scenes for the movie? Well, for those scenes we wore black flight suits and black helmets, and they told us to keep our oxygen masks on – all measures designed to make individuals unrecognizable, and any flying scenes interchangeable. Once I rolled up my sleeves to make myself stand out, but someone in the Learjet camera plane noticed and made a radio call, “The RIO in the F-5F roll your sleeves down.” ​ But I am pretty sure I’m the back-seater in the scene where Maverick is inverted above the “MiG-28,” which was actually a Topgun F-5. High above the Pacific Ocean, we flew into a tight formation on the Lear’s right side, and I saw the large glass window on the side of the fuselage. One high-quality camera sat behind the window, others were mounted on the top and belly of the Lear. Tony Scott said over the radio, “A little forward. That’s good. When I count to three, both of you look up as quickly as you can. Remember, you’re startled. One, two, three!” I looked up. It was hard to act startled in all my flight gear and oxygen mask. No feedback, just, “Okay, let’s do it again. Remember, you are startled that there is an F-14 above you. One, two, three!” They filmed that scene several times, but looking at the final scene I think it’s me. And the inverted F-14 was added later. My book Topgun Days has more on the movie, as well as the F-14 Tomcat and the Topgun school.

-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with the cinema?

That would have to go back to a movie I truly enjoyed as a youngster, 2001: A Space Odyssey. I saw it when I was nine years old and was in awe of its grandeur, technical details, and spectacular scenes, from the prehistoric landscape to the detailed spacecraft that acted like real spacecraft, not the comic book-type spaceships seen in most movies to that point. I can’t say that I understood the movie back then, but it sure made an impression.

-Do you think the cinema can bring a change in the society?

Oh yes, it definitely can. But the change may not always be good, so it is up to everyone in society to evaluate the product and how to respond. This would be a good topic for a long interview with an expert on cinema. Let’s look at one example of how cinema can affect society: TOP GUN. Before the movie came out (1986), few people had heard of the Topgun school, but afterwards it was very popular in American society and the term “top gun” was used in advertising for all kinds of businesses. Clothing and hairstyles from the movie became common. The US Navy saw a large increase in recruiting for aviation and all types of service; in fact, US Air Force recruiters said they also experienced increased interest. Some may think that the movie glorified war, but I don’t think it did, and if it contributed to stronger defense than this means more stability – the opposite of war.

-We saw your name in the Italian Top Gun school documentary “DECI Decimomannu Air Force Base” awarded in our festivals, how did it happen?

I met the director of DECI, Stefano Sernagiotto, on social media. We started out chatting about aircraft and Topgun, as well as activities at the Decimomannu base. He’s a creative gentleman who is interested in many things, and as you can tell I have some interest in photography and the cinema, so we formed a friendship. I ​ was happy and honored to assist in a small way with DECI. Now I look forward to meeting Stefano in person one day! I have enjoyed this interview and also learning about The Wild Filmmaker. I wish you much success.

Photos by Dave Baranek