'Top Gun Month' kicks off in earnest with this exhaustive look at the Navy Fighter Weapons School with Brad Elward, author of TOPGUN: The Legacy: The Complete History of TOPGUN and its Impact on Tactical Aviation. A former attorney and college professor, Mr. Elward spent a decade interviewing more than 400 TOPGUN graduates and instructors for this authoritative book.

On this episode, Mr. Elward explains the background leading up to the formation of TOPGUN in the late 1960's, then the institution's first decade developing tactics and instructing students.

Episode artwork by Janek Krause. Top Gun anthem covered by Jaime Lopez / announcement by Clint Bell.

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