posted 02-15-2005 09:24 AM               

quote:

---

Wednesday, February 23rd

Meet actual NASA astronauts! NASA sets up interactive exhibits displaying equipment and technology used to send astronauts to the moon. Other performances and activities provide kids with a full day of exciting programming.

---

posted 02-21-2005 03:37 PM            

I don't know about signatures... but if you have a copy of Top Gun on your video shelf, take that along to be signed - he is a cast member!

posted 02-23-2005 12:31 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mike Isbell:
Which person did Scott Altman play in Top Gun ?

---

He is listed in the credits here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092099/fullcredits

The question really should be the other way around. While Cruise, Kilmer etc. were playing at being pilots, Altman was the real deal, doing the real flying that you see in the movie.

posted 02-23-2005 12:39 PM            

Altman was the Navy fighter pilot who flew the scenes for "Maverick," in the 1986 Tom Cruise movie "Top Gun," and has logged more than 3,400 flight hours in more than 40 types of aircraft.

And some words on the experience from Altman, found at: http://www.tcghs.org/photo1200.htm

...................

In 1986, the Navy assigned Scott to work with actor Tom Cruise, who was preparing for a new movie about Naval pilots, to be called Top Gun. So, when the film audience saw Cruise maneuver the F-14 during those stunning flying scenes, they were actually watching Scott Altman.

During an interview prior to a recent space flight, Scott was asked what it was like to fly the scenes in the movie, and how he got picked for that job. Scott answered, "Well, Top Gun was a real thrill. I still remember that so vividly. The word was going around town that Hollywood was coming to Miramar, where I was stationed, and they were going to do a movie, and we were all kind of excited. My squadron had just gotten back from a seven-and-a-half month cruise about a week-and-a-half before, so our airplanes were at home, we were available, we weren't too highly tasked. And it turned out they picked my squadron to supply the F-14s.
Then the skipper got together and tried to pick four guys that he thought, were mature enough, I guess, to handle, you know, the capability that they were being given in working with the movie, and all the things that were required. And the director wanted to have a small cadre of people that he could work with so you develop an understanding of what the movie folks want versus what we can do and how to try and balance those two requirements.

The flying was incredible. You know, most Navy pilots don't get to buzz the tower like in the movie - if you did you could just peel your wings off and, throw 'em at the door because you probably wouldn't be flying anymore - but, since it was Hollywood, you know, they wanted the scene. I had to buzz the tower. And, of course, they wanted nine different takes - so we did it nine times!"
...................

While stationed at Miramar, Altman and his family were also members of this science center.

FF

posted 02-24-2005 12:43 AM               

I did ask Altman about Top Gun, which he later talked about during his talk. He said he was Cougar, when he landed on the carrier in the beginning, and that he did have Tom Cruise in the back seat. Altman also said that they had to re-do scenes with the actors in the simulator, rather than in the actual flying footage, because the actors looked too green.

As this was geared towards kids, I let the kids ask the questions. On the autograph line, I also kept it brief to let everyone get their turn. I mentioned that I had met a few of his crewmates from STS-90 before: Dafydd Williams (New York), Jay Buckey (Seton Hall), and Rick Searfoss (numerous places.) Now, if I could only get to Jim P. at his college in Pennsylvania....

He signed my Voyager litho, commenting that there weren't too many of them around. Rick was the one who had the contacts that got them on the Voyager set. He also signed my Space Shuttle:20 Years book, and for my fiancee, signed a photo I had printed out of him in the M-113 (to go along with other photos I have of astronauts in the APC), for which he said he liked training for that, as well as a photo of an F-14 at sunset, taken by a VF-31 (his squadron) member.

To keep things short, I didn't ask for personalization or mission numbers, but he did add "VF-31" to the F-14 photo.