A tribute to Nick "Goose" Bradshaw & the movies

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People become pilots for many reasons.  Some have a career in mind, some want to emulate famous aviators like Lindbergh, Yeager, and Hoover.  But the depiction of pilots in entertainment media sometimes inspires fledgling pilots.  From Clark Gable in "Test Pilot," to "Sky King" on '50s TV, to Jan-Michael Vincent flying a high-tech helicopter in "Air Wolf," the novels, movies, comic books, and TV shows have gotten many a young aviator's heart pumping.

Then there's a little film from the '80s called "Top Gun"....

A tale about “Maverick,” a hotshot Navy F-14 fighter pilot (played by Tom Cruise), it became the highest-grossing picture for 1986.  A mix of ground hijinks and aerial derring-do, it harkened back to the flying movies of the ’30 and ‘40s, with hot pilots, steamy romance, and a knock-down drag-out dogfight for the finale. It generated a ton of interest in Naval aviation (it was jokingly accused of being a Navy recruiting film), and even today, replicas of the leather flying jackets worn by the characters (complete with patches) are popular.

Aspects from the movie have become embedded in modern aviation lore.  “Danger Zone,” the title song from the movie, has been used in countless amateur flying videos.  For millions of aviators, the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feeling” brings memories of a bar scene in the movie.  Say to a group of pilots, “I feel the need….”, and a goodly number of them will respond, “the need…for SPEED.” Or they just utter a simple, “Talk to me, Goose” when looking for information.

Which brings us back to the mural with its depiction of Maverick’s loyal Radio Intercept Officer, Lieutenant JG Nick "Goose" Bradshaw, played by Anthony Edwards.  Goose is there to caution Maverick when his antics get a little too wild, and to shrug and back up his friend if he goes ahead anyway.  Goose’s death in a flying accident sobers Maverick; he still has the skills and the killer instinct necessary for a fighter pilot, but has been tempered by the cool logic imparted by his friend.

But why a mural memorializing a dead character from a movie?

Basically, it’s an “in-joke.” Pilots or not, those steeped in aviation lore will “get it.”  The sponsor of this mural (it was not paid for out of airport funds) has produced an image which will make those who love aviation, and are steeped in its lore, crack a little smile when they taxi by.

Besides, it gave artist Myron Curry the opportunity to paint a life-sized F-14 Tomcat on the end of the hangar.  Nothing wrong with that!

By  Ron Wanttaja  (2024)