Back when men were men and Tomcats ruled the carrier deck...
Heh. Lex might take issue with that statement. Mebbe. 
I never saw Iron Eagle, given I don't possess the required ability to willingly suspend disbelief. It just ain't IN me. But I'll take your word for it.
Oh, I stand by what I said. There's SLUFs and Intruders that make appearances in Top Gun, but no Bugs. I'd like to think that's primarily because the filmmakers recognized the superior aesthetics and star quality of the Tomcat.
Should also mention...this was BEFORE Tailhook. Just sayin'.
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