If you’re looking for quotes from the new movie, then click the following link for Top Gun: Maverick quotes.
In this article, we have gathered the most memorable Top Gun quotes.
Released on May 16, 1986, Top Gun is an American action drama film directed by Tony Scott, and produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, in association with Paramount Pictures. The movie was actually inspired by an article titled Top Guns that was published in California magazine in 1983.
Top Gun stars Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Kelly McGillis, Tom Skerritt and Anthony Edwards. Tom Cruise is Lieutenant Pete Maverick Mitchell, a young naval aviator aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, and along with his Radar Intercept Officer, LTJG Nick Goose Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards), they are given the chance to train at the US Navy’s Fighter Weapons School at Naval Air Station Miramar, locatred in San Diego, California.
When the movie as released, it was not such a big hit, and the reviews were mixed. However, many praised the action sequences, the effects, and the aerial stunts in the film. Four weeks after it was initially released, the film became a huge commercial hit when more and more people visited the theatres. The movie grossed US$356 million with production budget of only US$15 million.
The song Take My Breath Away performed by Berlin that features in the movie won an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
In 2015, the United States Library of Congress selected Top Gun for preservation in the National Film Registry.
Here is a sneak peek at the quotes in this article:
Top Gun Quotes
Maverick: Mustang, this is Maverick, requesting fly-by.
Air Boss Johnson: Negative, Ghost Rider. The Pattern is full.
Merlin: Uh, excuse me, something I should know about?
Air Boss Johnson: [receiving his cup of coffee] Thank you.
[Maverick decides to do a fly-by anyway despite the refusal past the Enterprise, which causes Air Boss Johnson to spill his cup of coffee and get seriously upset]
– Air Boss Johnson: Goddamn…
Maverick: I feel the need…
Maverick, Goose: …The need for speed!
[Both high-fiving getting ready for another flying session]
Maverick: Well, I just happened to see a MiG 28 do a…
Goose: We!
Maverick: Uh, sorry, Goose. We happened to see a MiG 28 do a 4g negative dive.
Charlie: Where did you see this?
Maverick: Uh, that’s classified.
Charlie: It’s what?
Maverick: It’s classified. I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.
[Maverick explaining Charlie about their famous encounter with the MiG 28, being inverted]
Stinger: They gave you your choice of duty, son. Anything, anywhere. Do you believe that shit? Where do you think you wanna go?
Maverick: I thought of being an instructor, sir.
Stinger: Top Gun?
Maverick: Yes, sir.
Stinger: God help us.
[Nearing the end of the movie]
Maverick: You don’t have time to think up there. If you think, you’re dead.
[Maverick’s thoughts about being a pilot, being an amazing instinct pilot]
Sundown: Hey, man, we could have had him. Hey, we could have had him, man!
– Maverick: I will fire when I am goddamn good and ready! You got that?
[Maverick after training session at Top Gun]
Iceman: Maverick, it’s not your flying, it’s your attitude. The enemy’s dangerous, but right now you’re worse. Dangerous and foolish. You may not like who’s flying with you, but whose side are you on?
[Iceman and Maverick are big rivals at the academy and not typically fond of each other, Iceman tries to reach to Maverick here despite their competition]
Iceman: You can be my wingman any time.
Maverick: Bullshit! You can be mine.
[After defeating Russian MiG planes and returning safely to the aircraft, both hug each other and smile while everyone around cheer]
Charlie: Sit down! I love that song! How long have you two been doing this act?
Maverick: Oh, since uh…
Charlie: Puberty?
Maverick: Right, puberty.
[Maverick hitting on Charlie at the bar, still not knowing she’s one of his instructors at the academy, as both he and Goose serenad to her the song You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling]
Charlie: Listen, can I ask you a personal question?
Maverick: That depends.
Charlie: Are you a good pilot?
Maverick: I can hold my own.
Charlie: Great, then I won’t have to worry about you making your living as a singer.
Maverick: I’m going to need a beer to put these flames out. Yo! Great Mav, real slick.
[After hitting on Charlie and talking to her at the bar]
Carole: Hey, Goose, you big stud!
Goose: That’s me, honey.
Carole: Take me to bed or lose me forever.
Goose: Show me the way home, honey.
[Goose and his wife Carole who came to visit him with their kid at the academy are in excellent mood, hanging out with Maverick and Charlie]
Iceman: The plaque for the alternates is down in the ladies room.
[Iceman making a joke referring to the plaque of the best pilots that Viper mentioned earlier]
Viper: How ya doin’?
Maverick: I’m all right.
Viper: Goose is dead.
Maverick: I know.
Viper: You fly jets long enough, something like this happens.
Maverick: He was my R.I.O., my responsibility.
Viper: My squadron, we lost 8 of 18 aircraft. 10 men. First one dies, you die too. But there will be others. You can count on that. You gotta let him go. You gotta let him go.
[Viper updating Maverick on Goose’s death after an incident during training]
Goose: Is this your idea of fun, Mav?
[Maverick flying above a Russian MiG when he’s upside down, at the beginning of the movie]
Goose: No, boys. There’s two Os in Goose.
[Goose after checking the plaque that Viper talked about earlier, with the names of the best pilots]
Charlie: You two really are cowboys.
Maverick: What’s your problem, Kazansky?
Iceman: You’re everyone’s problem. That’s because every time you go up in the air, you’re unsafe. I don’t like you because you’re dangerous.
Maverick: That’s right! Ice… man. I am dangerous.
[The rivalry between Iceman and Maverick]
Jester: That was some of the best flying I’ve seen to date, right up to the part where you got killed.
[Jester admiring Maverick’s flying skills during training, yet Maverick made a mistake not following the rules he learned in the academy due to his arrogance and him being cocky and too confident. This let to him and his partner getting killed during practice]
Viper: In case some of you are wondering who the best is, they are up here on this plaque.
[Viper then turns to Maverick] – Viper: Do you think your name will be on that plaque?
Maverick: Yes, sir.
Viper: That’s pretty arrogant, considering the company you’re in.
Maverick: Yes, sir.
Viper: I like that in a pilot.
[First days at the academy with all the best pilots in the country, all in one room during class]
Slider: Remember boys, no points for second place.
[Competition in the academy is high between Maverick and Goose and Iceman and his flying partner Slider. Here, Slider is trying to come on top over Maverick and Goose, trying unsuccessfully to demoralize them]
Charlie: You’re not going to be happy unless you’re going Mach 2 with your hair on fire.
[Maverick is contemplating quitting the academy after Goose’s death, feeling responsible for what have happened. Charlie finds him broken, upset, no sure what to do next. She tries to help him understand and know that he’s one of the best pilots in the country and that flying is what he was meant to do and loves to do the most. That is what makes him what he really is]
Stinger: Maverick, you just did an incredibly brave thing. What you should have done was land your plane! You don’t own that plane! The taxpayers do! Son, your ego is writing checks your body can’t cash!
[Maverick is an amazing pilot, but is known to follow his instincts a lot. After another one of this stunts and own decisions not to follow the rules he was given, his superior officer tries to put him in place. This happens at the beginning of the movie as Maverick helps another pilot get back safely to the carrier even though he was low on fuel and was instructed to land his plane]
Maverick: I can see it’s dangerous for you, but if the government trusts me, maybe you could.
Charlie: It takes a lot more than just fancy flying.
[Maverick is still hopeful, trying to score with Charlie]
Viper: Good morning, gentlemen, the temperature is 110 degrees.
Wolfman: Holy shit, it’s Viper!
Goose: Viper’s up here, great… oh shit…
Maverick: Great, he’s probably saying, Holy shit, it’s Maverick and Goose.
Goose: Yeah, I’m sure he’s saying that.
[Viper joins the training session and surprises everyone, knowing this is about to be a tough session to beat and score points]
Stinger: And let’s not bullshit Maverick. Your family name ain’t the best in the Navy. You need to be doing it better, and cleaner than the other guy. Now what is it with you?
Maverick: Just want to serve my country, be the best pilot in the Navy, sir.
Stinger: Don’t screw around with me Maverick. You’re a hell of an instinctive pilot. Maybe too good. I’d like to bust your butt but I can’t. I got another problem here. I gotta send somebody from this squadron to Miramar. I gotta do something here, I still can’t believe it. I gotta give you your dream shot! I’m gonna send you up against the best. You two characters are going to Top Gun.
[Stringer is sending both Maverick and Goose to the academy with the best pilots in the country after Cougar who was ranked first quit, resulting in Maverick and Goose replacing him as No.1]
[watching a video of planes being shot down]
Wolfman: This gives me a hard on.
Hollywood: Don’t tease me.
[During class at the academy]
Slider: Goose, whose butt did you kiss to get in here anyway?
Goose: The list is long, but distinguished.
Slider: Yeah, well so is my Johnson.
[Slider being arrogant as always meeting Maverick and Goose at a bar during the academy]
Maverick: This is what I call a target-rich environment.
Goose: You live your life between your legs, Mav.
Maverick: Goose, even you could get laid in a place like this.
Goose: Hell, I’d be happy to just find a girl that would talk dirty to me.
[Maverick and Goose entering a bar at the academy to find it packed with navy personnel and beautiful women]
Stinger: And if you screw up just this much, you’ll be flying a cargo plane full of rubber dog shit out of Hong Kong!
Maverick: Yes, sir!
[Stringer putting Maverick and Goose in place after Maverick’s stunt not landing the plane as ordered, yet wishing them best of luck at the academy right after]
Merlin: What are you doing? You’re slowing down, you’re slowing down!
Maverick: I’m bringing him in closer, Merlin.
Merlin: You’re gonna do what?
[Maverick as he about to do another great flying stunt, break and pull up, having the plane chasing him fly past him and so, having now Maverick on his tale locked with missiles]
Maverick: Any of you boys seen an aircraft-carrier around here?
[Maverick disobeys an order to land his place and decides to help another crew, trying to calm Cougar down at the beginning of the movie, as he is unresponsive, in shock and can’t fly and land the plane back on the carrier]
Interesting Facts about Top Gun
Top Gun is one of the most beloved movies from the 80s. Being such a huge hit and a classic, I’ve decided to share with you some interesting facts about the movie, the cast, the production and more, facts you’ve probably didn’t know about no matter how much times you’ve watched the film.
- The scene where the character of Val Kilmer (Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky) coughs in class and saying bullshit when the character of Tom Cruise (Pete Mitchell) talks about his experience with the MiG 28 being inverted and giving him the finger, is actually improvised and was not part of the script.
- During the movie, in the scene where Kelly McGillis and Tom Cruise argue in the street, at one point Cruise actually forgot his lines, so he decided to kiss Mcgillis instead.
- The U.S. government helped to finance Top Gun and charged Paramount Pictures only $1.8 million for using their aircraft carriers and planes. However, the Pentagon had to approve the script and even asked to edit the script in order to make the military look at the most positive way possible.
- The Navy took advantage of the film’s popularity and placed booths outside movie theaters in order to recruit people to join the Navy.
- Here are some inaccuracies in the movie according to the site We Are The Mighty: The MiG 28 planes in the film are actually F-5Fs that were painted black. The classes at Top Gun are held in classrooms and not hangers as shown in the movie. And, there is no Top Gun trophy.
- Charlie, which is the character that Kelly McGillis plays in the movie is based on Christine Fox, a real employee in the Navy.
- Real Navy ships are featured in Top Gun: aircraft carriers Enterprise, Ranger, and Carl Vinson. In 1993, the Ranger was decommissioned and in 2017, the Enterprise was decommissioned. The Carl Vinson is still active.
- Val Kilmer didn’t want to play the character of Lt. Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazanski, but he had no choice as he was obliged by contract to the studio. Good thing for that, as the movie became a huge hit.
- The love scene between Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis was added to the movie after production had wrapped. The original cut of the movie was screened for test audiences, who agreed the movie needed a love scene.
- Students at the real Top Gun program are not allowed to quote the movie at the premises. Any student who quotes from the film in the program is fined $5.