1989.08.19e12a
A "Top Gun" Navy Aggressor Squadron F-5E 'Tiger' on display at the ND Centennial Air Show. Saturday 8/19/1989, at the old Hector Airport terminal.
The United States Navy Fighter Weapons School was established on March 3, 1969, at NAS Miramar, California. Its objective was to develop, refine and teach aerial dogfight tactics and techniques to selected fleet air crews, using the concept of Dissimilar Air Combat Training, DACT. DACT uses stand-in aircraft to realistically replicate expected enemy aircraft. Topgun initially operated the A-4 Skyhawk and borrowed USAF T-38 Talons to simulate the flying characteristics of the MiG-17 and MiG-21. Later, the T-38 was replaced by the F-5E and F-5F Tiger II. -wiki