Thread by @CharlesLindberg

Our (almost) Top Gun journey. I'll start a thread about our trip from MiGs and Drakens to flying Hornets over California. I saw the first Top Gun in a movie theater in Finland. At that time I was a MiG-21bis pilot just through IP course. (MiGs photo Ned Dawson) #avgeek #TopGun

Later I became a MiG demo pilot and flew my last demo in Kubinka AB, Russia on 16 Aug 1991. I never imagined that some 3,5 years later I would be flying US Navy F/A-18 Hornets over California and the Pacific. Now I'll tell how that happened. (Photo Ned Dawson) #avgeek #TopGun

Our team traveled to DLI ELC, Lackland AFB in San Antonio, TX in January 1995. We had to go through 9 weeks of Specialized Aviation English Training. While there, we visited NAS Kingsville to se how the Navy prepares their aviators with the T-45 to fly Hornets. #avgeek #TopGun

In late March 1995 we flew to NAS Lemoore, CA for US Navy F/A-18 Hornet training. We were CATII class 5-95 at VFA-125 Rough Raiders, Strike Fighter Wing Pacific. First we had to go through the Navy water survival training. It's pass or fail. #avgeek #TopGun

During Hornet ground school we had to do aviation physiology training meaning ejection seat and then hypoxia training in the pressure chamber. Sorry for the low-res images. These were scanned from my original slides and posted to Fighter Squadron 21 site in 1997. #avgeek #TopGun

Just before we had finished the VFA-125 Hornet ground school there was a big airshow at NAS Lemoore. Somebody thought that it would be a good idea to get the Finn 5-95 class in the same photo with the Blue Angels so that's what we did. #avgeek #TopGun

Having finished VFA-125 Hornet ground school, Kim Jäämeri was the first of the team to solo in a Hornet in early May 1995. Later on Markku Jaatinen joined the solo Hornet pilots. #avgeek #TopGun

I was the second to solo. The Navy let us use the Hornets on cross-country flights during the weekends. Every 3rd flight had to get an x in the syllabus. This is from my x-country pit stop at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH on our way to Boston. Is that a MiG-28? #avgeek #TopGun

The Navy had had the AIM-120 for some 1,5 years before our training. They were initially a bit cautious in showing us all the best BVR tactics, but we had already figured them out. I had to prove this to RADM Jack Snyder in St Louis during the 5 Jun 1995 ceremony. #avgeek #TopGun

By the summer of 1995 the Finnish contingency in the California San Joaquin valley had grown significantly. There were more than 60 maintainers on several Hornet type courses. Capt Ismo Aaltonen was running the Finnish Liaison Office (FINLO) at NAS Lemoore. #avgeek #TopGun

After initial type training we proceeded to the Strike Detachment at NAS Fallon, NV. I made a decision to skip USN refueling and carrier training and half of the strike det in order to get 2 more IPs to the US. SrLtn Heikki Kumpulainen is checking the bombs. #avgeek #TopGun

On Monday 18 Sept 1995 I flew with Lt "Wags" Wagoner two Hornets from NAS Lemoore to NAS Miramar. There RADM Dennis McGinn, Commander Carrier Group 1 flew Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP) to qualify for the carrier next day. #avgeek #TopGun

"Wags"grades the admiral's FCLP landings at NAS Miramar. Then we fly our jet to NAS North Island to debrief the admiral. The final approach to North Island passes the Del Coronado hotel where the 1959 Some Like it Hot movie starring Marilyn Monroe was filmed. #avgeek #TopGun

19 Sept 1995 takeoff from NAS North Island. My pilot is CDR "Reef" Pokorny, CO VFA-125, who had been to the Super Hornet roll-out in St Louis the previous day. "Wags" is on the backseat in the admiral's jet. We´re on our way to USS Kitty Hawk CV-63. #avgeek #TopGun

We found Kitty Hawk some 100 Mi west of San Diego. We did 8 traps and cat shots and then flew back to North Island, hot refueled the jets. I flew the admiral's jet and the CO 125 the other back to Lemoore. Sunset, we kept the jets on min burner dashing over California. #TopGun

Fighter Weapons Detachment at NAS Fallon, NV in Oct 1995. We got also the US Navy Instructor Pilot Upgrade Training (IUT). Together with the USAF exchange officer Capt Keith "Squirt" Seaman we figured out a new syllabus that went beyond the standard USN training. #avgeek #TopGun

We fought the VFA-127 Desert Bogeys aggressors daily. The pilots were Top Gun graduates and we debriefed all the missions with TACTS in the NSAWC building - just like in the Top Gun movie. The debriefings were really good and some of the VFA-125 IPs phenomenal. #avgeek #TopGun

After fighting the VFA-127 aggressors we are returning to NAS Fallon. We also wanted to fight as the underdogs with just min burner. Ismo Aaltonen took this photo of me flying close formation in the 317 jet. Ismo has a video to go with this image. #avgeek #TopGun

My final US Navy Hornet flight. Together with USAF Capt Keith Seaman we are flying two jets from NAS Fallon, NV back to NAS Lemoore, CA cruising over the mountains and Yosemite. My feelings - I didn't screw up! What a relief after all the demanding missions. #avgeek #TopGun

So why this thread now? #TopGun was the best ever fighter combat movie for me in 1986 flying MiGs. I never thought that I would get to see the real thing, but with this Finnish fighter pilot team I did and it was the best ever fighter flying experience for me. Thanks guys!

Launching jets from the Kitty Hawk during VFA-125 Carrier Det. Later as a CO FtrSqn 21 in 1996 I made a joke to the Finnish CNO VADM Esko Illi about buying a used carrier for the navy and parking it off the coast of Mallorca during winter times. He didn't laugh. #avgeek #TopGun