dogfight Quotes

Rafe: J, L, M, K, P, O, E, T, X. Eyes like an eagle, ma'am.
Evelyn: Slow down, flyboy. And instead of the bottom, read the very top. Both eyes.
Rafe: Yeah. C. Sorry, J.
[Clears throat]
Rafe: C, W, uh, Q, uh, Q
Evelyn: [Smiles] Read the bottom line again, please, but read it right

to left and every other letter.
Rafe: E, X...
Danny: X, E.
Rafe: X, E. X, E, ma'am. Ma'am, I know how this looks.
Evelyn: I'm sorry, Lieutenant. I really am, but army and navy requires 20/20 vision.
Rafe: Oh, I... It's not a problem with my eyes. I mean, I can see. I mean I can

hit a runnin' rabbit with a $3.00 pistol. I got a problem with letters, that's all.
Evelyn: Well, maybe after some schooling, you could come back and take the test again.
Rafe: No, I had schooling. I mean, the teachers just never knew what to make of it, I... It's just letters. I mix 'em up sometimes. That's all. I mean, I just get 'em backword

sometimes. Look here. My math and spatial reasoning and my verbal scores are all excellent.
Evelyn: But you barely passed the written exam.
Danny: Yeah, but he did pass it. So it's my turn now?
Evelyn: No, you'll wait your turn.
Danny: Yes, ma'am.
Rafe: Ma'am, I'm never gonna be

an English teacher. But I know why I'm here: to be a pilot. And you don't dogfight with manuals. You don't fly with gauges. I mean, it's all about feeling and speed, and lettin' that plane become like a part of your body. And that manual says that a guy who's a slow reader can't be a good pilot. That file says I'm the best pilot in this room. Ma'am, please, don't take my wings.

Rafe: Ma'am, I'm never gonna be an English teacher, but I know why I'm here, to be a pilot, and you don't dogfight with manuals, you don't fly with gauges, I mean it's all about feeling and speed and lettin' that plane become like it's apart of your body, and that manual says that a guy who's a slow reader can't be a good pilot... that file says I'm the *best* pilot in this

room... Ma'am, please... Don't take my wings

Viper: I flew with your old man. VF-51, the Oriskany. You're a lot like he was. Only better... and worse. He was a natural heroic son of a bitch that one.
Maverick: So he did do it right.
Viper: Yeah, he did it right... Is that why you fly the way you do? Trying to prove something? Yeah, your old man did it right. What I'm about to

tell you is classified. It could end my career. We were in the worst dogfight I ever dreamed of. There were bogeys like fireflies all over the sky. His F-4 was hit, and he was wounded, but he could've made it back. He stayed in it, saved three planes before he bought it.
Maverick: How come I never heard that before?
Viper: Well, that's not something

the State Department tells dependents when the battle occurred over the wrong line on some map.
Maverick: So you were there?
Viper: I was there. What's on your mind?
Maverick: My options, sir.
Viper: Simple. First you've acquired enough points to show up tomorrow and graduate with your Top Gun class, or

you can quit. There'd be no disgrace. That spin was hell, it would've shook me up.
Maverick: So you think I should quit?
Viper: I didn't say that. The simple fact is you feel responsible for Goose and you have a confidence problem. Now I'm not gonna sit here and blow sunshine up your ass, Lieutenant. A good pilot is compelled to evaluate what's

happened, so he can apply what he's learned. Up there, we gotta push it. That's our job. It's your option, Lieutenant. All yours.
Maverick: Sorry to bother you on a Sunday, sir, but thank you very much for your time.
Viper: No problem. Good luck.

[Maverick is in a dogfight with a MiG and is down to one missile left]
Merlin: This is it, Maverick!
Maverick: I'm gonna hit the brakes, he'll fly right by.
Merlin: Shit! He's gonna get a lock on us!
Maverick: [the MiG eventually gets a lock onto Maverick] NOW!
[Maverick slams the breaks and the

MiG passes by, then Maverick locks onto the MiG]
Maverick: Got a good lock, firing.
[the MiG is then destroyed by the missile]
Maverick: Whoo! Scratch four!