Zenith Press
STRIKE - Beyond Top Gun
by  Rick Llinares
Reviewed By  Anthony King, IPMS# 37981
[book cover image]
MSRP: $34.95
ISBN: 0760325251
Format: Hardbound, 192 pages and 200 Color Photographs
Available from Zenith Press (www.zenithpress.com).

"With unparalleled access, veteran aviation photographer and author Rick Llinares puts readers into the cockpit with the nation's top pilots … Including riveting and informative first person accounts from the instructors, fleet air crews, and commanders, Strike provides the first profile of the U.S. military's latest pilot training facility and procedures, including unprecedented access to the latest in warfare techniques and technology."
    quoted from Pacific Flyer

First let me stress this book is not a tome on "Top Gun" the movie! In fact STRIKE-Beyond Top Gun refers to the history of TOP GUN and the new era of integrated Carrier Air Wing strike training at the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center in Nevada. The book starts off with a very detailed overview of Naval Carrier operations. The first part feels more like an orientation manual for a new sailor reporting for duty aboard "The Boat." Everything and anything that makes a carrier function is explained in detail.

However, do not be fooled into thinking that the book was titled in error, it wasn't. What Rick Llinares has crafted is a book that puts you in the cockpit with our nation's top pilots as they undergo air to air, air to ground, search and rescue, and intelligence training. NSAWC was established to encompass all facets of Naval Aviation, not just on aerial dog fighting. With the end of the cold war, the Navy was suddenly cash strapped with deep budget cuts. So the Navy basically reinvented and rewrote the book on Naval Aviation warfare training. After gathering all their eggs, the Navy moved their separate training commands to NAS Fallon in Nevada in the early 90's. Fallon provides near perfect flying conditions and tons of room to play without interference and prying eyes. The added space provides more time, realism, larger number of aircraft, various terrain, and safety. With all the team players from fighters to intelligence training together means better communication and coordination of naval assets in combat. When everyone knows how each operate and support one another, means bad news for the bad guys.

The book also provides, for the first time, an in depth look at the US's premier pilot training facility and procedures which includes personal first hand accounts from past and present air crews, instructors, and commanders. STRIKE also showcases some of the best photographs ever published of naval aircraft. There are plenty of action shots of just about every aircraft the US Navy operated in the 80's to the present, including the F-14 Tomcat for you fans out there. It should be noted that the book was complied just prior to the Tomcat's retirement and this alone makes for a good reason to have this book in your collection. While the text is rich and full of details, the pictures alone are worth their weight in gold. For the modeler I highly recommend this book for the great reference it provides visually. Thank you to Zenith Press and IPMS for the opportunity to review this book.

About the Reviewer: Anthony King is the Former President, and now current Newsletter Editor and alternate IPMS Contact for Manatee Scale Modelers in Bradenton, FL.

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