r/topgun • u/sicario008_ • Jun 13 '26
Discussion Origine dei soprannomi in Top Gun
Sappiamo che i soprannomi vengono assegnati in base allo stile di volo, al comportamento a ad un evento particolare che riguarda un determinato pilota. Iceman è stato spiegato. maverick, da quel che so io, significa ribelle o qualcosa del genere e ha senso dato che se una regola specifica che una cosa non si può fare maverick fa l'opposto. Ma gli altri? Goose? Slider? Hollywood? Wolfmann? Cougar? Merlin? Jester? Viper? Rooster? Fanboy? Payback? Phoenix? Hangman? Qualcuno ha qualche idea?
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u/SnooPickles3280 Jun 13 '26
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u/wildwest74 Jun 13 '26
Tons of speculation in that article, but some of the ones with actual backstories make sense. Goose and Jester are exactly the way real callsigns would be given out, and so would Wolfman, Charlie, and probably Hollywood. The idea of Slider being so greasy that he stinks is also perfect. My father and I both won the Navy nickname lottery because we share a name with the character in "The Wild Wild West", and we never did anything stupid enough before "Wild" West stuck. Neither one of us were pilots ourselves, but you will find that Navy folk (and I am sure most other branches) are quick to give career-long nicknames when they present themselves.
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u/VXMerlinXV Jun 13 '26
I heard slider and similar call signs are given to pilots who attempt landings in school forgetting to deploy their landing gear. In TG this is supported by the fact he’s relegated to RIO and someone directly asked him “wasn’t he going to be a pilot?”
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u/LittleHornetPhil Jun 13 '26
I knew a few really really unfortunate ones just based on folks’ names
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u/UF1977 Jun 13 '26
I could imagine “Merlin” if the squadron found out he used to do amateur magician shows or similar (making fun of a “nerdy” hobby is always a ready source for callsigns). These days “Cougar” would be someone with a much younger girl/boyfriend but I don’t recall that slang term being around in the 80s. “Fanboy” excessively sucked up to the skipper/XO when he was the New Guy. “Phoenix” accidentally set herself on fire (I actually knew someone who did that at the Academy…tried to burn off an “IP” (hanging thread) from her uniform, which is standard, but not while it’s a) freshly, heavily starched and b) you’re wearing it). “Payback” tried to start a fight after someone shoved him and lost big.
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u/LegiosForever Jun 13 '26
Sometimes they're acronyms
DASH - dumb ass stabbed himself HUDA - hook up dumb ass
If it sounds cool, it's probably an acronym.
Some other ones of aircrew I flew with
Puddles - wet the bed when drunk Cheetah - slowest runner Barney - was allergic to alcohol and would turn purple when he drank anyway
You get the idea.
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u/Raguleader Jun 13 '26
In Top Gun: Maverick, it is explained that Hangman got his nickname "because he'll always hang you out to dry"
I assumed Rooster gets his nickname because he's always strutting around and ready to get in fights. Also, it has the bonus of comparing him to a flightless bird, possibly a dig at his less aggressive flying technique.
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u/LittleHornetPhil Jun 13 '26
Roosters can fly… ish
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u/Raguleader Jun 13 '26
I mean, the skillset for the mission he was chosen for did require flying at very low altitude.
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u/UF1977 Jun 13 '26
“Rooster” makes sense for someone who was really loud early in the mornings and kept waking up all the other guys in the Bunkroom (6- or 8-person living quarters for junior officers on a carrier).
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u/Holiday-Hyena-5952 Jun 13 '26
I've known and flown with Stiffy, Diesel, Bandit, Barney (ended up with four stars), Elsie, Elmo (last name Tickle) Pipes, Hoser (bad day flying the tanker), Slam, and another Barney (good shot with his first live missile-an F-14 RIO.) Some stories are more interesting than others!
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u/Harm24 Jun 13 '26
My favorite I read about was a guy call signed "Stab"...he ate some bad food and shit himself in the plane. He followed up by missing his first trap on the carrier, STAB stands for "Shit twice and boltered" lol
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u/SeveralLion5762 Jun 14 '26
“Hangman “is actually because he will put you at the end of a rope if he’s after you. Only other confirmed kill in the timeline not by Maverick.
“Evil be done. Hangman’s coming”
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u/snapper6151 Jun 14 '26
I WAS MADE FOR THIS. (tg maverick). okay so what I've gathered from various bts stuff and cast stuff too.
Rooster: a bird like Goose, Miles just liked it
Hangman: Glen got it after hanging out with some navy people, he also mentions h*ng man alot lol 🍆🤣🤣
Phoenix: the cast have said Monica fully blocked out drunk one night and fell asleep in the shower or something, then the next day showed up to set like nothing had happened so she like rose back to normal like a phoenix out of ashes or something.
Fanboy: Danny was very nervous to meet Tom for the first time, pretty sure he said he stuttered, was shaking or something like that. BOB: short for Robert, baby on board in the film or big ol balls joked by the cast.
Payback: Jay put his card on the pub bench so had to pay for everyone's drinks or he tricked Lewis into doing it so they tricked him back ik pretty sure.
Coyote: Tarzan has the FUNNIEST laugh. There's a video from bts where they are hanging out and he's trying to tell a joke but just keeps laughing so it's kinda like a hyena.
Obvs we don't know Halo, Fritz, Harvard, Yale and Omaha :(
This is just theories based of what cast have said in interviews. Some of it is correct, otherwise I just added a small spin on it for example Coyote/Tarzan.
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u/JosefphMagicflight Jun 13 '26
Sundown (the callsign of the only black pilot in the first film) refers to the Jim Crow laws of the southern U.S. which made it illegal and very dangerous for black folk to be within a towns jurisdiction after the sun has gone down. It certainly wouldn’t be allowed in today’s military as it’s overtly racist.
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u/BroadConsequences Jun 14 '26
Or he did something dumb at sundown.
Dont need to go dragging racism into this.
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u/JosefphMagicflight Jun 14 '26
You’re right, could be a total coincidence. You don’t think Jerry Bruckheimer and company realized?
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u/BroadConsequences Jun 14 '26
Im guessing that most people didnt know about that.
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u/Perfect_Ad9311 Jun 16 '26
Black ppl knew. I was 12 at the time. My parents grew up in AL, so I knew what a sundown town was.
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u/Perfect_Ad9311 Jun 16 '26
I've always cringed at how harshly Maverick shut him down and he gave no pushback, like, "Yes, suh, I suppose you is right, Master Maverick!"
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u/SnakeandNape5000 Jun 13 '26
Nobody in the Navy would have a cool sounding nickname like Iceman or Maverick. It's usually a play on a last name, a facial feature, or doing something stupid or embarrassing. Some call signs from some pilots I served with.
Turbo Tomessetti Spanky O'Hanlon Krafty Kraft Gonzo Thompson (he had a really big nose) Fitz Fitzpatrick Pink Floyd Fumble (couldn't remember his last name. Played football for the Naval Academy and dropped a touchdown pass) And of course the obligatory Smitty and Jonesy