Author(s): Ross Ewing

Aircraft

Topped Gun is a book about military planes. Pilots, and politics. It is about the Skyhawk jet fighters that entered the Royal NZ Air Force in 1970 and became the country's air combat force. It is a book designed to appeal beyond the pure aviation enthusiast. Readers are given a non-technical insight into the aircraft, its history and the changes it underwent over the years. A brief history up until the purchase of the Skyhawks is also given. Personal reminiscences are included in the post World War 2 era. Chapters are devoted to how the decision to buy the Skyhawk was reached, and to how pilots were trained on the aircraft and became operational. A special chapter takes the reader on an early weapons training mission and describes what the Skyhawk was like to fly. Many original photographs are contained within. 152 pages