Books by Dave "Bio" Baranek:

My Latest Book:

 TOMCAT RIO: A Topgun Instructor on the F-14 Tomcat and the Heroic Naval Aviators Who Flew It

First there was: TOPGUN DAYS: Dogfighting, Cheating Death, and Hollywood Glory as One of America's Best Fighter Jocks

And the prequel is: BEFORE TOPGUN DAYS: The Making of a Jet Fighter Instructor

All 3 books are available in multiple formats, please check out Amazon, B&N, and other retailers. To answer a question I've received: the publisher has planned an audiobook of Tomcat RIO, but has been delayed.

News:

  • More Tomcat Tales - Speed and Angels Productions has done it again with an all-new production: "More Tomcat Tales"! They interview a variety of F-14 pilots and RIOs, some you've heard of and some you may not have, but all have exciting and remarkable stories of the mighty Tomcat and the F-14 community. Click here to learn more.
  • F-14 Tomcast is back! The "F-14 Tomcast" is a podcast series I co-hosted with "Crunch" Snyder in 2021-2022 as part of the Fighter Pilot Podcast (FPP) media empire. The series has returned on the Fighter Pilot Podcast YouTube channel! The original episodes are being released every two weeks (14 days, get it?).
  • New photos are now available! Prints of many aircraft photos from Bio's books are available from Stocktrek Images, as well as mugs, stationery, licensed image files, and more. They now have more than 50 of my best images, including F-14s, F-5s, and even "MiG-28s." 
  • "What does a RIO do?" To answer this I linked up with the serious and talented enthusiasts at DCS: NZ & AUS (DCS Hub for Australia and New Zealand Simmers) to go over RIO responsibilities, fly a DCS mission with commentary, and then Q&A. Click here for the video.
  • Fighter pilot and podcaster C.W. Lemoine -- known as "Mover" -- recently interviewed a group of former TOPGUN instructors about filming the movie and flying at TOPGUN. It was a great discussion and is presented in four parts. Parts 1 & 2 cover the F-5 Tiger II, parts 3 & 4 the A-4 Skyhawk. Here are the links: Part 1   Part 2   Part 3   Part 4
  • My extensive written interview on HushKit.net goes into detail on dogfighting in the F-14, some of the Tomcat’s best and worst features, and the movie "Top Gun": link.
  • Whether you're into sims or an aviation enthusiast, you may be interested in these two videos I made to share insights from my aviation experience: Tomcats and Topgun #1 and Tomcats and Topgun #2.
  • If you're a fan of the Tomcat, visit the F-14 Tomcat Association, which helps maintain and support the F-14 community.
  • DCS enthusiasts: you can now get the "Zone 5" campaign. I worked with Reflected Simulations to create a realistic F-14 training series, set in 1987, where you will fight against F-5s and F-16s. If you think "it's only training," wait until you try this campaign! BONUS: A mission against "Constant Peg" MiG-23 Floggers was added as a free upgrade!
  • Sport pilots: there is a military-style stick grip available for a wide variety of sport aircraft. Visit Infinity Aerospace, owned by friend and VF-24 squadron-mate "JD" Newman. His website is loaded with other interesting information and goodies.

Visit Topgun Days on Facebook to see new photos and links. It's a good community where you can ask questions and leave comments. Also on Instagram.

Contact the author: Bio@TopgunBio.com.

Navy Topgun Instructors, among the best trained and most respected of all aviators, are not born; they are made through their own determined efforts and the coordinated work of their predecessors. TOPGUN DAYS reveals in exuberant prose how a young man goes from aspirations to realizing his dreams. Former Topgun instructor Dave Baranek (callsign: Bio) describes the commitment required to first master the mighty F-14 Tomcat fighter, and then the extreme demands placed on instructors once they report to the Topgun school.

In his new book, TOMCAT RIO, Bio describes the excitement, risk, challenges, and rewards that come with increasing expertise and increasing responsibility in Naval Aviation: a deadly foe called complacency, learning a whole new mission late in his career, and the unexpected trials that come with leading a squadron. This new volume is full of adventures, lessons, and inspiration. If you are a casual reader, you’ll turn the last page as a dedicated Tomcat fan. If you are already a Tomcat fan, you will appreciate the technical details and feeling of being in the cockpit.

All of Bio’s books include more than 50 of his photographs, as well as reference sections.

What others are saying about Tomcat RIO:

  • …An unvarnished journey into his (F-14) world. … Great narrative and excellent photos supplement the text. If you have an interest in the “Big Fighter,” this book needs to be on your shelf. TOMCAT RIO is an instant classic. -- The Hook (Tailhook Association magazine)
  • With a dry wit, the author introduces readers to the ready room, flight deck, and the backseat of an F-14 on harrowing missions…. This is the real deal in unadorned prose…. -- Aviation History magazine
  • Baranek’s Tomcat RIO is the perfect sequel to his Topgun Days. It is another must-own piece of any aviation enthusiast’s library. -- SOFREP.com
  • The author writes in a very personal chatty way. You feel as though the author is in the room with you, cheerfully recounting the joys, challenges, danger, and excitement of his former career. It’s an unforgettable book and totally cool! -- AdviceSisters.com

Representation: Contact the author.

Official Navy hobbyist license number NAHOB0015.

The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense visual information does not imply or constitute endorsement.

 

With Top Gun 2 or Topgun 2 or Top Gun: Maverick coming soon, see what it was like filming the original movie, being in the real Topgun squadron, and flying the Navy's F-14 Tomcat as a radar intercept officer (RIO).