2005 Chevrolet Corvette C6 vs. F-18 Hornet

We clear security at the base and head to the tower for a better view. The range over which pilots fly their exercises (known variously as "hops," "rides," or "events") covers 13,000 square miles inhabited by just 800 residents. Spot points out an older control tower used in the movie for Maverick's illegal fly-by. In the calm environment of the TOPGUN office building, a poster reads: "Truly superior pilots are those who use their superior judgment to avoid those situations where they might have to use their superior skills."

Students have to be ready to fly at 5 a.m., and most instructors fly at least once a day. "We all work 14 or 16 hours because we're having a blast," says instructor Lt. Rob "Shooter" Simone. And no, TOPGUN pilots don't relax by stripping to the waist and playing oily volleyball as they did in the film. Most prefer skiing or golf. The majority of instructors are in their early 30s, and some have been around long enough to have flown the F-14 Tomcat--the plane "flown" by Cruise and Kilmer. Unlike the modern fly-by-wire jets, the F-14 is largely mechanical and a beast to fly. "It's the musclecar," recalls Shooter. "It was great feeling that jet talk to you. The F-18s and F-16s are more refined and agile, more like a Porsche or Ferrari--the F-18 in particular is more forgiving."

Shooter drives a Ford Bronco and can take cars or leave them. But there are car freaks on the team. Dave "Poof" Harris, who describes his call sign as "not being ideal, especially when talking to my British or Australian colleagues," races a Birkin 7 (like the British-built Caterham sports car). He, too, once flew the F-14 and liked the feel of the controls. "There's no real feedback on the F-16 or F-18," Poof says. "It's like comparing a Caterham Super 7 to a Corvette." But can a car ever live up to a fast jet? According to Poof, it can. "The speed is relative," he explains. "After dogfighting a jet for 45 seconds, you're sweating, your arms feel tired, and you feel like you've been for a three-mile run. But when flying at high altitude, there's very little sensation of speed."

TOPGUN's skipper is Commander Tom "Trim" Downing, a veteran fighter pilot who got his wings in 1986, "when the earth was still cooling and my junior officers were in grade school." Downing looks spookily like his on-screen counterpart, Mike "Viper" Metcalf (played by Tom Skerritt), but he's a lot more fun, with a personality that fills the room. "TOPGUN was formed in 1969," he explains, "because the kill ratio in Vietnam had been so poor, and, frankly, we were getting our asses kicked. My job is to inject some wisdom into the proceedings. If you were to give that SRT-10 outside to a 17-year-old, he'd likely get hurt, and it's a similar thing with jets. I'm here to channel all the talent, passion, and aggression so young fighter pilots can do great things without killing themselves."