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

I have known Bio since he was a new TOPGUN instructor in the mid 1980s. His first first two books covered his TOPGUN time and flight training pre TOPGUN. This is the finale, going through his time as Commanding Officer of an F-14 squadron, including his farewell speech to the squadron at his Change of Command. Bio was always a excellent and very professional naval officer and good story teller. The pictures in the book are superb. His TOPGUN pilot and later fellow instructor at TOPGUN was my roommate, who also went on to command an F-14 squadron and became a four star, as did one of the one instructors with BIO. Reading Bio's books are always a pleasure as his eye for detail and experiences matched many of us flying F-14s at the time. When I got to Chapter 6, I remembered his Air Wing relieving us on Station for Operation Earnest Will and I had been involved in the shooting event he covers flying cover for a recon flight in the Straits of Hormuz. The book covers the last and in many ways the most important part of a naval officer's career, the experiences building to first command and what command of a fighter squadron is like. We had some superb commanding officers and the quality of the F-14 community was outstanding. BIO covers the ending question of Bridges of Toko-Ri, where do we get such men? If I were asked, what was it like?.. one can do no better than to read all three of his books to get coverage from initial flight student to F-14 commanding officer. Mission accomplished!

As other reviewers have indicated, Dave “Bio” Baranek has completed his trilogy of books about his US Navy career, flying in the F-14 Tomcat fighter, with a flourish. He has written what many, including myself, find to be the “best of the best” among his three excellent books. Bio takes you through his Tomcat flying days from the time he left the Navy’s Topgun school as a still-young Topgun Instructor, all the way through the rest of his 20-year Navy flying career… as he advances in experience, rank, and responsibilities… to eventually became the Commander of an F-14 Squadron. Tomcat RIO also provides a look at how the previously air-to-air-only Tomcat adapted to a new additional role as a “Bombcat”, with potent LANTIRN-assisted day and night air-to-ground strike capabilities. Bio details the varied real world armed-and-ready missions his squadron of Tomcats flew in support of Operation Southern Watch. This was the joint operation enforcing the no-fly zone over southern Iraq, which was implemented following Gulf War One. If you like books about military aviation, I predict you'll like this one.... it's a keeper for the personal aviation library. BF (former USAF A-10 Warthog pilot)

As a classmate and friend of Dave’s back in basic flight training in Pensacola, it was wonderful to find and read all three of his books: Topgun Days; Before Topgun Days; and Tomcat RIO. I found each of them thoroughly enjoyable, well written, fun, interesting and immersive. I remember seeing Dave’s name in the credits of the movie Topgun, the smile it brought to my face and the warm remembrance of our time together back in P’cola. These books did the same. It was nice to be able to follow the adventures and successes of an old friend, and also to live a bit vicariously through Dave’s career path in the F-14 community, as I ultimately had chosen another path, the P-3 community, when our basic flight training together ended. Great job on the career and the books, Dave. Bravo Zulu!

This one is quite thorough and career advancement descriptive as well as in organization wealth of assets. The very first Commander of "Top Gun" was a RIO, Commander J.C. Smith. I met him in very late 1969 at Miramar. The " Tomcat" got the fleet past it's sore points with the cancellation of their half of the jointly developed TFX and kept Grumman in the fold. The images I added here are renders of a model I built of the Stennis task force when the Tomcat was a major force and with the FA-18 coming on. One of it's "Tomcats" is on one of the bow catapults in the second image. A very good read. There is a whole another generation after the image I show with Super Hornets and the "Tomcat" no longer in inventory. This book is more about the Straits of Hormuz than the Gulf of Sidra.

In Tomcat RIO, CDR Baranek has written and produced a truly outstanding book about the Tomcat and life as a Naval Officer. The book is the perfect mix of super detailed info on the Tomcat, the job of a RIO, sea stories, military humor, the rigors of deployments and shipboard life, intel briefs, and personal narrative. Mr. Baranek experienced a truly remarkable career in the U.S. Navy, at a time when the F-14 ruled the skies. If you are at all interested in the Tomcat, or are curious about life aboard an aircraft carrier as a Naval aviator, you need to read this book; you will not be disappointed! I have read many books by former Army Air Force, Air Force, and Navy aviators, and this one is as real and interesting as it gets. Mr. Baranek's writing style is clear and concise, providing enough general information to satisfy a novice yet enough detail to satiate a Tomcat/aviation expert. One other amazing thing about this book -- the photographs. The author obviously saw some things from the backseat of an airborne F-14 that few people experience. As ready and very able photographer, Mr. Baranek captured some some really stunning images that highlight both the elegance and lethality of arguably one of the world's most formidable fighter aircraft. Five stars, Commander! You have done a great service to the Navy, Naval aviation, and the memory of the big Cat by giving us this book.

After reading "Topgun Days" I was super stoked to buy a copy of "Tomcat RIO"! Bio is an amazing writer: Authentic, humble, and incredibly articulate. I enjoyed Tomcat RIO as much as Topgun Days. His stories are a fascinating look into the life of a Naval Aviator. I find Bio relatable because he is down to earth, humorous, and devoid of arrogance. I finished the book wanting to learn and read more about his adventures. I look forward to reading "Before Topgun Days". I hope Bio continues writing books. I would love to see a new one which is specific to leadership, as I am a late in life "Leadership nerd". Tomcat RIO does have leadership stories, which made me want to read more about that specific topic from Bio's experiences. I draw inspiration and motivation from people like Bio. I am hoping, and look forward to his words of wisdom, and anecdotes specific to leadership if he so chooses to write another book. Thanks Bio for your service, and sharing your adventures with others. Fly Navy!

This book is a continuation of a set of books by the author on his favorite aircraft from his career as a NFO. The story seems to just keep going on, as there have been many such books all telling more and more of the Tomcat story since 2006 when the Navy retired and dismantled all the F-14s other than those donated to museums and those in Iranian Ir Force service. Read the book and learn why they retired the Tomcat and then shredded the aircraft! And you'll also read about the exploits of the author and his squadron mates over the years of service to the nation in the best fighter plane ever flown.

In 2013, I read Bio’s "TOPGUN Days" and it was a great learning and great reading experience for me, but I still wanted to know more about what an F-14 RIO’s career might look like. When I saw that Bio had released "Tomcat RIO," I hoped that my proverbial “itch” would be scratched. Tomcat RIO certainly scratched the itch and more. It is not just a continuation of Bio’s adventures after TOPGUN, but an amazing action story starting with his return to the West Coast F-14 RAG (Replacement Air Group). Bio’s narrative progresses through fleet squadron work-ups, launching from the USS Ranger in support of Operation Earnest Will, life as a staff officer in DC and aboard 7th Fleet, a return to the fleet leading VF-211 Checkmates, and culminating with his personal reflection on an RIO’s career, post-command tour of VF-211. Tomcat RIO does not disappoint in describing life at Fightertown U.S.A. (NAS Miramar, CA), ready-room shenanigans, or the thrill of training and operational flying from the exclusive vantage point of the F-14’s RIO seat. While Hollywood movies and other media generally provide glimpses of military aviator life for pilots, there is seldom depiction and description of non-pilot aircrew. "Tomcat RIO" answers the mail in describing life as an F-14 RIO and the career path that an F-14 RIO experienced, doing so with candor, humor, speed, hard-turns, and zone-5 afterburner. A very nice bonus nested throughout the book is photos that bring his story to life. The photos not only enhance the reading experience but illustrate and capture the action in the wild blue yonder. Simply put: A true action-adventure story! -USAF Air Battle Manager

“Tomcat RIO” is Dave “Bio” Baranek’s third book and he’s gotten better with each one. This book picks up after Bio has completed his tour as a Topgun instructor, rejoins a Tomcat squadron (VF-2), and takes us through the remainder of his Navy career. Along the way we join him on carrier deployments, learn about “collateral duties,” (what RIOs do when they aren’t flying), and see how he weathered his staff (non-flying) assignments. Dave capped off his Navy service by commanding a fighter squadron of his own, VF-211, the Fighting Checkmates. The lessons Dave shares from his command experience are both interesting and valuable – two words which cannot always be used together. I had the privilege of meeting Dave, and his charming wife Laura, a few years ago and I can vouch for the fact that the “real” Bio is just as he comes across in his books – a genuinely nice guy who is dedicated to the Navy, to serving his county, and who LOVES to fly.

Just finished reading the third book by Mr. Baranek and as with the first two, it did not disappoint. "Bio" takes you on a behind the scenes tour of what it was like to serve as a Naval Flight Officer in the US Navy's Tomcat community. He does a great job of touching on all the aspects, even the "boring" parts, of Navy life all while making sure to highlight the challenges and stresses encountered by squadrons, their officers, enlisted crews and families. If you are not an aviation enthusiast, this book may not be for you as it could be difficult to follow some of the acronyms and terminology used. With that said, if you are an aviation enthusiast, I would highly recommend giving this book a read as it transplants your mind from your grounded place of reading to the bases, carriers and cockpits of the US Navy. Many thanks to "Bio" for putting his experiences into ink for others to enjoy!

I have known Bio since he was a new TOPGUN instructor in the mid 1980s. His first first two books covered his TOPGUN time and flight training pre TOPGUN. This is the finale, going through his time as Commanding Officer of an F-14 squadron, including his farewell speech to the squadron at his Change of Command. Bio was always a excellent and very professional naval officer and good story teller. The pictures in the book are superb. His TOPGUN pilot and later fellow instructor at TOPGUN was my roommate, who also went on to command an F-14 squadron and became a four star, as did one of the one instructors with BIO. Reading Bio's books are always a pleasure as his eye for detail and experiences matched many of us flying F-14s at the time. When I got to Chapter 6, I remembered his Air Wing relieving us on Station for Operation Earnest Will and I had been involved in the shooting event he covers flying cover for a recon flight in the Straits of Hormuz. The book covers the last and in many ways the most important part of a naval officer's career, the experiences building to first command and what command of a fighter squadron is like. We had some superb commanding officers and the quality of the F-14 community was outstanding. BIO covers the ending question of Bridges of Toko-Ri, where do we get such men? If I were asked, what was it like?.. one can do no better than to read all three of his books to get coverage from initial flight student to F-14 commanding officer. Mission accomplished!

As other reviewers have indicated, Dave “Bio” Baranek has completed his trilogy of books about his US Navy career, flying in the F-14 Tomcat fighter, with a flourish. He has written what many, including myself, find to be the “best of the best” among his three excellent books. Bio takes you through his Tomcat flying days from the time he left the Navy’s Topgun school as a still-young Topgun Instructor, all the way through the rest of his 20-year Navy flying career… as he advances in experience, rank, and responsibilities… to eventually became the Commander of an F-14 Squadron. Tomcat RIO also provides a look at how the previously air-to-air-only Tomcat adapted to a new additional role as a “Bombcat”, with potent LANTIRN-assisted day and night air-to-ground strike capabilities. Bio details the varied real world armed-and-ready missions his squadron of Tomcats flew in support of Operation Southern Watch. This was the joint operation enforcing the no-fly zone over southern Iraq, which was implemented following Gulf War One. If you like books about military aviation, I predict you'll like this one.... it's a keeper for the personal aviation library. BF (former USAF A-10 Warthog pilot)

As a classmate and friend of Dave’s back in basic flight training in Pensacola, it was wonderful to find and read all three of his books: Topgun Days; Before Topgun Days; and Tomcat RIO. I found each of them thoroughly enjoyable, well written, fun, interesting and immersive. I remember seeing Dave’s name in the credits of the movie Topgun, the smile it brought to my face and the warm remembrance of our time together back in P’cola. These books did the same. It was nice to be able to follow the adventures and successes of an old friend, and also to live a bit vicariously through Dave’s career path in the F-14 community, as I ultimately had chosen another path, the P-3 community, when our basic flight training together ended. Great job on the career and the books, Dave. Bravo Zulu!

This one is quite thorough and career advancement descriptive as well as in organization wealth of assets. The very first Commander of "Top Gun" was a RIO, Commander J.C. Smith. I met him in very late 1969 at Miramar. The " Tomcat" got the fleet past it's sore points with the cancellation of their half of the jointly developed TFX and kept Grumman in the fold. The images I added here are renders of a model I built of the Stennis task force when the Tomcat was a major force and with the FA-18 coming on. One of it's "Tomcats" is on one of the bow catapults in the second image. A very good read. There is a whole another generation after the image I show with Super Hornets and the "Tomcat" no longer in inventory. This book is more about the Straits of Hormuz than the Gulf of Sidra.

In Tomcat RIO, CDR Baranek has written and produced a truly outstanding book about the Tomcat and life as a Naval Officer. The book is the perfect mix of super detailed info on the Tomcat, the job of a RIO, sea stories, military humor, the rigors of deployments and shipboard life, intel briefs, and personal narrative. Mr. Baranek experienced a truly remarkable career in the U.S. Navy, at a time when the F-14 ruled the skies. If you are at all interested in the Tomcat, or are curious about life aboard an aircraft carrier as a Naval aviator, you need to read this book; you will not be disappointed! I have read many books by former Army Air Force, Air Force, and Navy aviators, and this one is as real and interesting as it gets. Mr. Baranek's writing style is clear and concise, providing enough general information to satisfy a novice yet enough detail to satiate a Tomcat/aviation expert. One other amazing thing about this book -- the photographs. The author obviously saw some things from the backseat of an airborne F-14 that few people experience. As ready and very able photographer, Mr. Baranek captured some some really stunning images that highlight both the elegance and lethality of arguably one of the world's most formidable fighter aircraft. Five stars, Commander! You have done a great service to the Navy, Naval aviation, and the memory of the big Cat by giving us this book.

After reading "Topgun Days" I was super stoked to buy a copy of "Tomcat RIO"! Bio is an amazing writer: Authentic, humble, and incredibly articulate. I enjoyed Tomcat RIO as much as Topgun Days. His stories are a fascinating look into the life of a Naval Aviator. I find Bio relatable because he is down to earth, humorous, and devoid of arrogance. I finished the book wanting to learn and read more about his adventures. I look forward to reading "Before Topgun Days". I hope Bio continues writing books. I would love to see a new one which is specific to leadership, as I am a late in life "Leadership nerd". Tomcat RIO does have leadership stories, which made me want to read more about that specific topic from Bio's experiences. I draw inspiration and motivation from people like Bio. I am hoping, and look forward to his words of wisdom, and anecdotes specific to leadership if he so chooses to write another book. Thanks Bio for your service, and sharing your adventures with others. Fly Navy!

This book is a continuation of a set of books by the author on his favorite aircraft from his career as a NFO. The story seems to just keep going on, as there have been many such books all telling more and more of the Tomcat story since 2006 when the Navy retired and dismantled all the F-14s other than those donated to museums and those in Iranian Ir Force service. Read the book and learn why they retired the Tomcat and then shredded the aircraft! And you'll also read about the exploits of the author and his squadron mates over the years of service to the nation in the best fighter plane ever flown.

In 2013, I read Bio’s "TOPGUN Days" and it was a great learning and great reading experience for me, but I still wanted to know more about what an F-14 RIO’s career might look like. When I saw that Bio had released "Tomcat RIO," I hoped that my proverbial “itch” would be scratched. Tomcat RIO certainly scratched the itch and more. It is not just a continuation of Bio’s adventures after TOPGUN, but an amazing action story starting with his return to the West Coast F-14 RAG (Replacement Air Group). Bio’s narrative progresses through fleet squadron work-ups, launching from the USS Ranger in support of Operation Earnest Will, life as a staff officer in DC and aboard 7th Fleet, a return to the fleet leading VF-211 Checkmates, and culminating with his personal reflection on an RIO’s career, post-command tour of VF-211. Tomcat RIO does not disappoint in describing life at Fightertown U.S.A. (NAS Miramar, CA), ready-room shenanigans, or the thrill of training and operational flying from the exclusive vantage point of the F-14’s RIO seat. While Hollywood movies and other media generally provide glimpses of military aviator life for pilots, there is seldom depiction and description of non-pilot aircrew. "Tomcat RIO" answers the mail in describing life as an F-14 RIO and the career path that an F-14 RIO experienced, doing so with candor, humor, speed, hard-turns, and zone-5 afterburner. A very nice bonus nested throughout the book is photos that bring his story to life. The photos not only enhance the reading experience but illustrate and capture the action in the wild blue yonder. Simply put: A true action-adventure story! -USAF Air Battle Manager

“Tomcat RIO” is Dave “Bio” Baranek’s third book and he’s gotten better with each one. This book picks up after Bio has completed his tour as a Topgun instructor, rejoins a Tomcat squadron (VF-2), and takes us through the remainder of his Navy career. Along the way we join him on carrier deployments, learn about “collateral duties,” (what RIOs do when they aren’t flying), and see how he weathered his staff (non-flying) assignments. Dave capped off his Navy service by commanding a fighter squadron of his own, VF-211, the Fighting Checkmates. The lessons Dave shares from his command experience are both interesting and valuable – two words which cannot always be used together. I had the privilege of meeting Dave, and his charming wife Laura, a few years ago and I can vouch for the fact that the “real” Bio is just as he comes across in his books – a genuinely nice guy who is dedicated to the Navy, to serving his county, and who LOVES to fly.

Just finished reading the third book by Mr. Baranek and as with the first two, it did not disappoint. "Bio" takes you on a behind the scenes tour of what it was like to serve as a Naval Flight Officer in the US Navy's Tomcat community. He does a great job of touching on all the aspects, even the "boring" parts, of Navy life all while making sure to highlight the challenges and stresses encountered by squadrons, their officers, enlisted crews and families. If you are not an aviation enthusiast, this book may not be for you as it could be difficult to follow some of the acronyms and terminology used. With that said, if you are an aviation enthusiast, I would highly recommend giving this book a read as it transplants your mind from your grounded place of reading to the bases, carriers and cockpits of the US Navy. Many thanks to "Bio" for putting his experiences into ink for others to enjoy!

I have known Bio since he was a new TOPGUN instructor in the mid 1980s. His first first two books covered his TOPGUN time and flight training pre TOPGUN. This is the finale, going through his time as Commanding Officer of an F-14 squadron, including his farewell speech to the squadron at his Change of Command. Bio was always a excellent and very professional naval officer and good story teller. The pictures in the book are superb. His TOPGUN pilot and later fellow instructor at TOPGUN was my roommate, who also went on to command an F-14 squadron and became a four star, as did one of the one instructors with BIO. Reading Bio's books are always a pleasure as his eye for detail and experiences matched many of us flying F-14s at the time. When I got to Chapter 6, I remembered his Air Wing relieving us on Station for Operation Earnest Will and I had been involved in the shooting event he covers flying cover for a recon flight in the Straits of Hormuz. The book covers the last and in many ways the most important part of a naval officer's career, the experiences building to first command and what command of a fighter squadron is like. We had some superb commanding officers and the quality of the F-14 community was outstanding. BIO covers the ending question of Bridges of Toko-Ri, where do we get such men? If I were asked, what was it like?.. one can do no better than to read all three of his books to get coverage from initial flight student to F-14 commanding officer. Mission accomplished!

As other reviewers have indicated, Dave “Bio” Baranek has completed his trilogy of books about his US Navy career, flying in the F-14 Tomcat fighter, with a flourish. He has written what many, including myself, find to be the “best of the best” among his three excellent books. Bio takes you through his Tomcat flying days from the time he left the Navy’s Topgun school as a still-young Topgun Instructor, all the way through the rest of his 20-year Navy flying career… as he advances in experience, rank, and responsibilities… to eventually became the Commander of an F-14 Squadron. Tomcat RIO also provides a look at how the previously air-to-air-only Tomcat adapted to a new additional role as a “Bombcat”, with potent LANTIRN-assisted day and night air-to-ground strike capabilities. Bio details the varied real world armed-and-ready missions his squadron of Tomcats flew in support of Operation Southern Watch. This was the joint operation enforcing the no-fly zone over southern Iraq, which was implemented following Gulf War One. If you like books about military aviation, I predict you'll like this one.... it's a keeper for the personal aviation library. BF (former USAF A-10 Warthog pilot)

As a classmate and friend of Dave’s back in basic flight training in Pensacola, it was wonderful to find and read all three of his books: Topgun Days; Before Topgun Days; and Tomcat RIO. I found each of them thoroughly enjoyable, well written, fun, interesting and immersive. I remember seeing Dave’s name in the credits of the movie Topgun, the smile it brought to my face and the warm remembrance of our time together back in P’cola. These books did the same. It was nice to be able to follow the adventures and successes of an old friend, and also to live a bit vicariously through Dave’s career path in the F-14 community, as I ultimately had chosen another path, the P-3 community, when our basic flight training together ended. Great job on the career and the books, Dave. Bravo Zulu!

This one is quite thorough and career advancement descriptive as well as in organization wealth of assets. The very first Commander of "Top Gun" was a RIO, Commander J.C. Smith. I met him in very late 1969 at Miramar. The " Tomcat" got the fleet past it's sore points with the cancellation of their half of the jointly developed TFX and kept Grumman in the fold. The images I added here are renders of a model I built of the Stennis task force when the Tomcat was a major force and with the FA-18 coming on. One of it's "Tomcats" is on one of the bow catapults in the second image. A very good read. There is a whole another generation after the image I show with Super Hornets and the "Tomcat" no longer in inventory. This book is more about the Straits of Hormuz than the Gulf of Sidra.

In Tomcat RIO, CDR Baranek has written and produced a truly outstanding book about the Tomcat and life as a Naval Officer. The book is the perfect mix of super detailed info on the Tomcat, the job of a RIO, sea stories, military humor, the rigors of deployments and shipboard life, intel briefs, and personal narrative. Mr. Baranek experienced a truly remarkable career in the U.S. Navy, at a time when the F-14 ruled the skies. If you are at all interested in the Tomcat, or are curious about life aboard an aircraft carrier as a Naval aviator, you need to read this book; you will not be disappointed! I have read many books by former Army Air Force, Air Force, and Navy aviators, and this one is as real and interesting as it gets. Mr. Baranek's writing style is clear and concise, providing enough general information to satisfy a novice yet enough detail to satiate a Tomcat/aviation expert. One other amazing thing about this book -- the photographs. The author obviously saw some things from the backseat of an airborne F-14 that few people experience. As ready and very able photographer, Mr. Baranek captured some some really stunning images that highlight both the elegance and lethality of arguably one of the world's most formidable fighter aircraft. Five stars, Commander! You have done a great service to the Navy, Naval aviation, and the memory of the big Cat by giving us this book.

After reading "Topgun Days" I was super stoked to buy a copy of "Tomcat RIO"! Bio is an amazing writer: Authentic, humble, and incredibly articulate. I enjoyed Tomcat RIO as much as Topgun Days. His stories are a fascinating look into the life of a Naval Aviator. I find Bio relatable because he is down to earth, humorous, and devoid of arrogance. I finished the book wanting to learn and read more about his adventures. I look forward to reading "Before Topgun Days". I hope Bio continues writing books. I would love to see a new one which is specific to leadership, as I am a late in life "Leadership nerd". Tomcat RIO does have leadership stories, which made me want to read more about that specific topic from Bio's experiences. I draw inspiration and motivation from people like Bio. I am hoping, and look forward to his words of wisdom, and anecdotes specific to leadership if he so chooses to write another book. Thanks Bio for your service, and sharing your adventures with others. Fly Navy!

This book is a continuation of a set of books by the author on his favorite aircraft from his career as a NFO. The story seems to just keep going on, as there have been many such books all telling more and more of the Tomcat story since 2006 when the Navy retired and dismantled all the F-14s other than those donated to museums and those in Iranian Ir Force service. Read the book and learn why they retired the Tomcat and then shredded the aircraft! And you'll also read about the exploits of the author and his squadron mates over the years of service to the nation in the best fighter plane ever flown.

In 2013, I read Bio’s "TOPGUN Days" and it was a great learning and great reading experience for me, but I still wanted to know more about what an F-14 RIO’s career might look like. When I saw that Bio had released "Tomcat RIO," I hoped that my proverbial “itch” would be scratched. Tomcat RIO certainly scratched the itch and more. It is not just a continuation of Bio’s adventures after TOPGUN, but an amazing action story starting with his return to the West Coast F-14 RAG (Replacement Air Group). Bio’s narrative progresses through fleet squadron work-ups, launching from the USS Ranger in support of Operation Earnest Will, life as a staff officer in DC and aboard 7th Fleet, a return to the fleet leading VF-211 Checkmates, and culminating with his personal reflection on an RIO’s career, post-command tour of VF-211. Tomcat RIO does not disappoint in describing life at Fightertown U.S.A. (NAS Miramar, CA), ready-room shenanigans, or the thrill of training and operational flying from the exclusive vantage point of the F-14’s RIO seat. While Hollywood movies and other media generally provide glimpses of military aviator life for pilots, there is seldom depiction and description of non-pilot aircrew. "Tomcat RIO" answers the mail in describing life as an F-14 RIO and the career path that an F-14 RIO experienced, doing so with candor, humor, speed, hard-turns, and zone-5 afterburner. A very nice bonus nested throughout the book is photos that bring his story to life. The photos not only enhance the reading experience but illustrate and capture the action in the wild blue yonder. Simply put: A true action-adventure story! -USAF Air Battle Manager

“Tomcat RIO” is Dave “Bio” Baranek’s third book and he’s gotten better with each one. This book picks up after Bio has completed his tour as a Topgun instructor, rejoins a Tomcat squadron (VF-2), and takes us through the remainder of his Navy career. Along the way we join him on carrier deployments, learn about “collateral duties,” (what RIOs do when they aren’t flying), and see how he weathered his staff (non-flying) assignments. Dave capped off his Navy service by commanding a fighter squadron of his own, VF-211, the Fighting Checkmates. The lessons Dave shares from his command experience are both interesting and valuable – two words which cannot always be used together. I had the privilege of meeting Dave, and his charming wife Laura, a few years ago and I can vouch for the fact that the “real” Bio is just as he comes across in his books – a genuinely nice guy who is dedicated to the Navy, to serving his county, and who LOVES to fly.

Just finished reading the third book by Mr. Baranek and as with the first two, it did not disappoint. "Bio" takes you on a behind the scenes tour of what it was like to serve as a Naval Flight Officer in the US Navy's Tomcat community. He does a great job of touching on all the aspects, even the "boring" parts, of Navy life all while making sure to highlight the challenges and stresses encountered by squadrons, their officers, enlisted crews and families. If you are not an aviation enthusiast, this book may not be for you as it could be difficult to follow some of the acronyms and terminology used. With that said, if you are an aviation enthusiast, I would highly recommend giving this book a read as it transplants your mind from your grounded place of reading to the bases, carriers and cockpits of the US Navy. Many thanks to "Bio" for putting his experiences into ink for others to enjoy!

I have known Bio since he was a new TOPGUN instructor in the mid 1980s. His first first two books covered his TOPGUN time and flight training pre TOPGUN. This is the finale, going through his time as Commanding Officer of an F-14 squadron, including his farewell speech to the squadron at his Change of Command. Bio was always a excellent and very professional naval officer and good story teller. The pictures in the book are superb. His TOPGUN pilot and later fellow instructor at TOPGUN was my roommate, who also went on to command an F-14 squadron and became a four star, as did one of the one instructors with BIO. Reading Bio's books are always a pleasure as his eye for detail and experiences matched many of us flying F-14s at the time. When I got to Chapter 6, I remembered his Air Wing relieving us on Station for Operation Earnest Will and I had been involved in the shooting event he covers flying cover for a recon flight in the Straits of Hormuz. The book covers the last and in many ways the most important part of a naval officer's career, the experiences building to first command and what command of a fighter squadron is like. We had some superb commanding officers and the quality of the F-14 community was outstanding. BIO covers the ending question of Bridges of Toko-Ri, where do we get such men? If I were asked, what was it like?.. one can do no better than to read all three of his books to get coverage from initial flight student to F-14 commanding officer. Mission accomplished!

As other reviewers have indicated, Dave “Bio” Baranek has completed his trilogy of books about his US Navy career, flying in the F-14 Tomcat fighter, with a flourish. He has written what many, including myself, find to be the “best of the best” among his three excellent books. Bio takes you through his Tomcat flying days from the time he left the Navy’s Topgun school as a still-young Topgun Instructor, all the way through the rest of his 20-year Navy flying career… as he advances in experience, rank, and responsibilities… to eventually became the Commander of an F-14 Squadron. Tomcat RIO also provides a look at how the previously air-to-air-only Tomcat adapted to a new additional role as a “Bombcat”, with potent LANTIRN-assisted day and night air-to-ground strike capabilities. Bio details the varied real world armed-and-ready missions his squadron of Tomcats flew in support of Operation Southern Watch. This was the joint operation enforcing the no-fly zone over southern Iraq, which was implemented following Gulf War One. If you like books about military aviation, I predict you'll like this one.... it's a keeper for the personal aviation library. BF (former USAF A-10 Warthog pilot)

As a classmate and friend of Dave’s back in basic flight training in Pensacola, it was wonderful to find and read all three of his books: Topgun Days; Before Topgun Days; and Tomcat RIO. I found each of them thoroughly enjoyable, well written, fun, interesting and immersive. I remember seeing Dave’s name in the credits of the movie Topgun, the smile it brought to my face and the warm remembrance of our time together back in P’cola. These books did the same. It was nice to be able to follow the adventures and successes of an old friend, and also to live a bit vicariously through Dave’s career path in the F-14 community, as I ultimately had chosen another path, the P-3 community, when our basic flight training together ended. Great job on the career and the books, Dave. Bravo Zulu!

This one is quite thorough and career advancement descriptive as well as in organization wealth of assets. The very first Commander of "Top Gun" was a RIO, Commander J.C. Smith. I met him in very late 1969 at Miramar. The " Tomcat" got the fleet past it's sore points with the cancellation of their half of the jointly developed TFX and kept Grumman in the fold. The images I added here are renders of a model I built of the Stennis task force when the Tomcat was a major force and with the FA-18 coming on. One of it's "Tomcats" is on one of the bow catapults in the second image. A very good read. There is a whole another generation after the image I show with Super Hornets and the "Tomcat" no longer in inventory. This book is more about the Straits of Hormuz than the Gulf of Sidra.

In Tomcat RIO, CDR Baranek has written and produced a truly outstanding book about the Tomcat and life as a Naval Officer. The book is the perfect mix of super detailed info on the Tomcat, the job of a RIO, sea stories, military humor, the rigors of deployments and shipboard life, intel briefs, and personal narrative. Mr. Baranek experienced a truly remarkable career in the U.S. Navy, at a time when the F-14 ruled the skies. If you are at all interested in the Tomcat, or are curious about life aboard an aircraft carrier as a Naval aviator, you need to read this book; you will not be disappointed! I have read many books by former Army Air Force, Air Force, and Navy aviators, and this one is as real and interesting as it gets. Mr. Baranek's writing style is clear and concise, providing enough general information to satisfy a novice yet enough detail to satiate a Tomcat/aviation expert. One other amazing thing about this book -- the photographs. The author obviously saw some things from the backseat of an airborne F-14 that few people experience. As ready and very able photographer, Mr. Baranek captured some some really stunning images that highlight both the elegance and lethality of arguably one of the world's most formidable fighter aircraft. Five stars, Commander! You have done a great service to the Navy, Naval aviation, and the memory of the big Cat by giving us this book.

After reading "Topgun Days" I was super stoked to buy a copy of "Tomcat RIO"! Bio is an amazing writer: Authentic, humble, and incredibly articulate. I enjoyed Tomcat RIO as much as Topgun Days. His stories are a fascinating look into the life of a Naval Aviator. I find Bio relatable because he is down to earth, humorous, and devoid of arrogance. I finished the book wanting to learn and read more about his adventures. I look forward to reading "Before Topgun Days". I hope Bio continues writing books. I would love to see a new one which is specific to leadership, as I am a late in life "Leadership nerd". Tomcat RIO does have leadership stories, which made me want to read more about that specific topic from Bio's experiences. I draw inspiration and motivation from people like Bio. I am hoping, and look forward to his words of wisdom, and anecdotes specific to leadership if he so chooses to write another book. Thanks Bio for your service, and sharing your adventures with others. Fly Navy!

This book is a continuation of a set of books by the author on his favorite aircraft from his career as a NFO. The story seems to just keep going on, as there have been many such books all telling more and more of the Tomcat story since 2006 when the Navy retired and dismantled all the F-14s other than those donated to museums and those in Iranian Ir Force service. Read the book and learn why they retired the Tomcat and then shredded the aircraft! And you'll also read about the exploits of the author and his squadron mates over the years of service to the nation in the best fighter plane ever flown.

In 2013, I read Bio’s "TOPGUN Days" and it was a great learning and great reading experience for me, but I still wanted to know more about what an F-14 RIO’s career might look like. When I saw that Bio had released "Tomcat RIO," I hoped that my proverbial “itch” would be scratched. Tomcat RIO certainly scratched the itch and more. It is not just a continuation of Bio’s adventures after TOPGUN, but an amazing action story starting with his return to the West Coast F-14 RAG (Replacement Air Group). Bio’s narrative progresses through fleet squadron work-ups, launching from the USS Ranger in support of Operation Earnest Will, life as a staff officer in DC and aboard 7th Fleet, a return to the fleet leading VF-211 Checkmates, and culminating with his personal reflection on an RIO’s career, post-command tour of VF-211. Tomcat RIO does not disappoint in describing life at Fightertown U.S.A. (NAS Miramar, CA), ready-room shenanigans, or the thrill of training and operational flying from the exclusive vantage point of the F-14’s RIO seat. While Hollywood movies and other media generally provide glimpses of military aviator life for pilots, there is seldom depiction and description of non-pilot aircrew. "Tomcat RIO" answers the mail in describing life as an F-14 RIO and the career path that an F-14 RIO experienced, doing so with candor, humor, speed, hard-turns, and zone-5 afterburner. A very nice bonus nested throughout the book is photos that bring his story to life. The photos not only enhance the reading experience but illustrate and capture the action in the wild blue yonder. Simply put: A true action-adventure story! -USAF Air Battle Manager

“Tomcat RIO” is Dave “Bio” Baranek’s third book and he’s gotten better with each one. This book picks up after Bio has completed his tour as a Topgun instructor, rejoins a Tomcat squadron (VF-2), and takes us through the remainder of his Navy career. Along the way we join him on carrier deployments, learn about “collateral duties,” (what RIOs do when they aren’t flying), and see how he weathered his staff (non-flying) assignments. Dave capped off his Navy service by commanding a fighter squadron of his own, VF-211, the Fighting Checkmates. The lessons Dave shares from his command experience are both interesting and valuable – two words which cannot always be used together. I had the privilege of meeting Dave, and his charming wife Laura, a few years ago and I can vouch for the fact that the “real” Bio is just as he comes across in his books – a genuinely nice guy who is dedicated to the Navy, to serving his county, and who LOVES to fly.

Just finished reading the third book by Mr. Baranek and as with the first two, it did not disappoint. "Bio" takes you on a behind the scenes tour of what it was like to serve as a Naval Flight Officer in the US Navy's Tomcat community. He does a great job of touching on all the aspects, even the "boring" parts, of Navy life all while making sure to highlight the challenges and stresses encountered by squadrons, their officers, enlisted crews and families. If you are not an aviation enthusiast, this book may not be for you as it could be difficult to follow some of the acronyms and terminology used. With that said, if you are an aviation enthusiast, I would highly recommend giving this book a read as it transplants your mind from your grounded place of reading to the bases, carriers and cockpits of the US Navy. Many thanks to "Bio" for putting his experiences into ink for others to enjoy!

I have known Bio since he was a new TOPGUN instructor in the mid 1980s. His first first two books covered his TOPGUN time and flight training pre TOPGUN. This is the finale, going through his time as Commanding Officer of an F-14 squadron, including his farewell speech to the squadron at his Change of Command. Bio was always a excellent and very professional naval officer and good story teller. The pictures in the book are superb. His TOPGUN pilot and later fellow instructor at TOPGUN was my roommate, who also went on to command an F-14 squadron and became a four star, as did one of the one instructors with BIO. Reading Bio's books are always a pleasure as his eye for detail and experiences matched many of us flying F-14s at the time. When I got to Chapter 6, I remembered his Air Wing relieving us on Station for Operation Earnest Will and I had been involved in the shooting event he covers flying cover for a recon flight in the Straits of Hormuz. The book covers the last and in many ways the most important part of a naval officer's career, the experiences building to first command and what command of a fighter squadron is like. We had some superb commanding officers and the quality of the F-14 community was outstanding. BIO covers the ending question of Bridges of Toko-Ri, where do we get such men? If I were asked, what was it like?.. one can do no better than to read all three of his books to get coverage from initial flight student to F-14 commanding officer. Mission accomplished!

As other reviewers have indicated, Dave “Bio” Baranek has completed his trilogy of books about his US Navy career, flying in the F-14 Tomcat fighter, with a flourish. He has written what many, including myself, find to be the “best of the best” among his three excellent books. Bio takes you through his Tomcat flying days from the time he left the Navy’s Topgun school as a still-young Topgun Instructor, all the way through the rest of his 20-year Navy flying career… as he advances in experience, rank, and responsibilities… to eventually became the Commander of an F-14 Squadron. Tomcat RIO also provides a look at how the previously air-to-air-only Tomcat adapted to a new additional role as a “Bombcat”, with potent LANTIRN-assisted day and night air-to-ground strike capabilities. Bio details the varied real world armed-and-ready missions his squadron of Tomcats flew in support of Operation Southern Watch. This was the joint operation enforcing the no-fly zone over southern Iraq, which was implemented following Gulf War One. If you like books about military aviation, I predict you'll like this one.... it's a keeper for the personal aviation library. BF (former USAF A-10 Warthog pilot)

As a classmate and friend of Dave’s back in basic flight training in Pensacola, it was wonderful to find and read all three of his books: Topgun Days; Before Topgun Days; and Tomcat RIO. I found each of them thoroughly enjoyable, well written, fun, interesting and immersive. I remember seeing Dave’s name in the credits of the movie Topgun, the smile it brought to my face and the warm remembrance of our time together back in P’cola. These books did the same. It was nice to be able to follow the adventures and successes of an old friend, and also to live a bit vicariously through Dave’s career path in the F-14 community, as I ultimately had chosen another path, the P-3 community, when our basic flight training together ended. Great job on the career and the books, Dave. Bravo Zulu!

This one is quite thorough and career advancement descriptive as well as in organization wealth of assets. The very first Commander of "Top Gun" was a RIO, Commander J.C. Smith. I met him in very late 1969 at Miramar. The " Tomcat" got the fleet past it's sore points with the cancellation of their half of the jointly developed TFX and kept Grumman in the fold. The images I added here are renders of a model I built of the Stennis task force when the Tomcat was a major force and with the FA-18 coming on. One of it's "Tomcats" is on one of the bow catapults in the second image. A very good read. There is a whole another generation after the image I show with Super Hornets and the "Tomcat" no longer in inventory. This book is more about the Straits of Hormuz than the Gulf of Sidra.

In Tomcat RIO, CDR Baranek has written and produced a truly outstanding book about the Tomcat and life as a Naval Officer. The book is the perfect mix of super detailed info on the Tomcat, the job of a RIO, sea stories, military humor, the rigors of deployments and shipboard life, intel briefs, and personal narrative. Mr. Baranek experienced a truly remarkable career in the U.S. Navy, at a time when the F-14 ruled the skies. If you are at all interested in the Tomcat, or are curious about life aboard an aircraft carrier as a Naval aviator, you need to read this book; you will not be disappointed! I have read many books by former Army Air Force, Air Force, and Navy aviators, and this one is as real and interesting as it gets. Mr. Baranek's writing style is clear and concise, providing enough general information to satisfy a novice yet enough detail to satiate a Tomcat/aviation expert. One other amazing thing about this book -- the photographs. The author obviously saw some things from the backseat of an airborne F-14 that few people experience. As ready and very able photographer, Mr. Baranek captured some some really stunning images that highlight both the elegance and lethality of arguably one of the world's most formidable fighter aircraft. Five stars, Commander! You have done a great service to the Navy, Naval aviation, and the memory of the big Cat by giving us this book.

After reading "Topgun Days" I was super stoked to buy a copy of "Tomcat RIO"! Bio is an amazing writer: Authentic, humble, and incredibly articulate. I enjoyed Tomcat RIO as much as Topgun Days. His stories are a fascinating look into the life of a Naval Aviator. I find Bio relatable because he is down to earth, humorous, and devoid of arrogance. I finished the book wanting to learn and read more about his adventures. I look forward to reading "Before Topgun Days". I hope Bio continues writing books. I would love to see a new one which is specific to leadership, as I am a late in life "Leadership nerd". Tomcat RIO does have leadership stories, which made me want to read more about that specific topic from Bio's experiences. I draw inspiration and motivation from people like Bio. I am hoping, and look forward to his words of wisdom, and anecdotes specific to leadership if he so chooses to write another book. Thanks Bio for your service, and sharing your adventures with others. Fly Navy!

This book is a continuation of a set of books by the author on his favorite aircraft from his career as a NFO. The story seems to just keep going on, as there have been many such books all telling more and more of the Tomcat story since 2006 when the Navy retired and dismantled all the F-14s other than those donated to museums and those in Iranian Ir Force service. Read the book and learn why they retired the Tomcat and then shredded the aircraft! And you'll also read about the exploits of the author and his squadron mates over the years of service to the nation in the best fighter plane ever flown.

In 2013, I read Bio’s "TOPGUN Days" and it was a great learning and great reading experience for me, but I still wanted to know more about what an F-14 RIO’s career might look like. When I saw that Bio had released "Tomcat RIO," I hoped that my proverbial “itch” would be scratched. Tomcat RIO certainly scratched the itch and more. It is not just a continuation of Bio’s adventures after TOPGUN, but an amazing action story starting with his return to the West Coast F-14 RAG (Replacement Air Group). Bio’s narrative progresses through fleet squadron work-ups, launching from the USS Ranger in support of Operation Earnest Will, life as a staff officer in DC and aboard 7th Fleet, a return to the fleet leading VF-211 Checkmates, and culminating with his personal reflection on an RIO’s career, post-command tour of VF-211. Tomcat RIO does not disappoint in describing life at Fightertown U.S.A. (NAS Miramar, CA), ready-room shenanigans, or the thrill of training and operational flying from the exclusive vantage point of the F-14’s RIO seat. While Hollywood movies and other media generally provide glimpses of military aviator life for pilots, there is seldom depiction and description of non-pilot aircrew. "Tomcat RIO" answers the mail in describing life as an F-14 RIO and the career path that an F-14 RIO experienced, doing so with candor, humor, speed, hard-turns, and zone-5 afterburner. A very nice bonus nested throughout the book is photos that bring his story to life. The photos not only enhance the reading experience but illustrate and capture the action in the wild blue yonder. Simply put: A true action-adventure story! -USAF Air Battle Manager

“Tomcat RIO” is Dave “Bio” Baranek’s third book and he’s gotten better with each one. This book picks up after Bio has completed his tour as a Topgun instructor, rejoins a Tomcat squadron (VF-2), and takes us through the remainder of his Navy career. Along the way we join him on carrier deployments, learn about “collateral duties,” (what RIOs do when they aren’t flying), and see how he weathered his staff (non-flying) assignments. Dave capped off his Navy service by commanding a fighter squadron of his own, VF-211, the Fighting Checkmates. The lessons Dave shares from his command experience are both interesting and valuable – two words which cannot always be used together. I had the privilege of meeting Dave, and his charming wife Laura, a few years ago and I can vouch for the fact that the “real” Bio is just as he comes across in his books – a genuinely nice guy who is dedicated to the Navy, to serving his county, and who LOVES to fly.

Just finished reading the third book by Mr. Baranek and as with the first two, it did not disappoint. "Bio" takes you on a behind the scenes tour of what it was like to serve as a Naval Flight Officer in the US Navy's Tomcat community. He does a great job of touching on all the aspects, even the "boring" parts, of Navy life all while making sure to highlight the challenges and stresses encountered by squadrons, their officers, enlisted crews and families. If you are not an aviation enthusiast, this book may not be for you as it could be difficult to follow some of the acronyms and terminology used. With that said, if you are an aviation enthusiast, I would highly recommend giving this book a read as it transplants your mind from your grounded place of reading to the bases, carriers and cockpits of the US Navy. Many thanks to "Bio" for putting his experiences into ink for others to enjoy!

Awesome book! If you or anyone you know are a fan of the venerable F-14 Tomcat and/or Naval Aviation, this is a must read! I served in VF-2 with Bio and can vouch for the authenticity of his telling of events and the environment in which we flew. Great stories and real insight into the challenges we faced and the leadership and professionalism it took to overcome them. And peppered with humorous anecdotes throughout! A great read! As a real bonus, Includes some of Bio’s finest photos—worth buying for those alone! Thanks, Bio! Steve “Food” Gebert

Once again, Commander David "Bio" Baranek (USN, retired) gives the reader a glimpse of what it means to be F-14 aircrew. Unlike his first two books, which tell the story of his entry into a USN fighter squadron and his tenure as a TOPGUN Instructor, Tomcat RIO deals solely with what's like to be a member of a Tomcat squadron, both ashore and at sea. If you like naval aviation, and like the F-14 even more, this is a must read.

Fantastic Book! Great memories of great friends. "Bio" knows sea stories and delivers them in a way that few can. I have given copies of this book to both civilians and military. Each and every one stated they could not put it down. It made me go back and review my logbook and recount those fantastic flights with a cast of characters like no other. Even "Thelma Lou/Tango Lima" got a shout out!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author 's Description of life as a RIO, various missions, life on a carrier during deployment and flying in the Tomcat were riveting and very enjoyable. I haven't yet read his other books but that will. change soon. Well done ,Bio!

Bios book is excellent. Lots good stuff. His career spanned an interesting time to be in the Tomcat community. Going from a hardcore AA to the AG role. We all knew she was a maintenance hog in her closing years and struggles with that are well and interestingly documented in his Checkmates skipper tour.

I have read and enjoyed his other books. I enjoyed this one as well. Maybe he could try fiction as he is a good writer.

Very good book about naval aviation.

Bio does a wonderful job placing the reader in the shoes of naval aviator. More unique is that Bio conveys what it was like to crew a Tomcat, perform a naval officer’s duties-both flying and nonflying, and be at the tip of the spear. Well written and an easy read. Highly recommend this book.

Well written but with some abrupt transitions in a few places.

I have not read this book yet but I have read Top Gun Days and Before Top Gun and loved reading. This I am sure will be a great read as well.

I have known Bio since he was a new TOPGUN instructor in the mid 1980s. His first first two books covered his TOPGUN time and flight training pre TOPGUN. This is the finale, going through his time as Commanding Officer of an F-14 squadron, including his farewell speech to the squadron at his Change of Command. Bio was always a excellent and very professional naval officer and good story teller. The pictures in the book are superb. His TOPGUN pilot and later fellow instructor at TOPGUN was my roommate, who also went on to command an F-14 squadron and became a four star, as did one of the one instructors with BIO. Reading Bio's books are always a pleasure as his eye for detail and experiences matched many of us flying F-14s at the time. When I got to Chapter 6, I remembered his Air Wing relieving us on Station for Operation Earnest Will and I had been involved in the shooting event he covers flying cover for a recon flight in the Straits of Hormuz. The book covers the last and in many ways the most important part of a naval officer's career, the experiences building to first command and what command of a fighter squadron is like. We had some superb commanding officers and the quality of the F-14 community was outstanding. BIO covers the ending question of Bridges of Toko-Ri, where do we get such men? If I were asked, what was it like?.. one can do no better than to read all three of his books to get coverage from initial flight student to F-14 commanding officer. Mission accomplished!

As other reviewers have indicated, Dave “Bio” Baranek has completed his trilogy of books about his US Navy career, flying in the F-14 Tomcat fighter, with a flourish. He has written what many, including myself, find to be the “best of the best” among his three excellent books. Bio takes you through his Tomcat flying days from the time he left the Navy’s Topgun school as a still-young Topgun Instructor, all the way through the rest of his 20-year Navy flying career… as he advances in experience, rank, and responsibilities… to eventually became the Commander of an F-14 Squadron. Tomcat RIO also provides a look at how the previously air-to-air-only Tomcat adapted to a new additional role as a “Bombcat”, with potent LANTIRN-assisted day and night air-to-ground strike capabilities. Bio details the varied real world armed-and-ready missions his squadron of Tomcats flew in support of Operation Southern Watch. This was the joint operation enforcing the no-fly zone over southern Iraq, which was implemented following Gulf War One. If you like books about military aviation, I predict you'll like this one.... it's a keeper for the personal aviation library. BF (former USAF A-10 Warthog pilot)

As a classmate and friend of Dave’s back in basic flight training in Pensacola, it was wonderful to find and read all three of his books: Topgun Days; Before Topgun Days; and Tomcat RIO. I found each of them thoroughly enjoyable, well written, fun, interesting and immersive. I remember seeing Dave’s name in the credits of the movie Topgun, the smile it brought to my face and the warm remembrance of our time together back in P’cola. These books did the same. It was nice to be able to follow the adventures and successes of an old friend, and also to live a bit vicariously through Dave’s career path in the F-14 community, as I ultimately had chosen another path, the P-3 community, when our basic flight training together ended. Great job on the career and the books, Dave. Bravo Zulu!

This one is quite thorough and career advancement descriptive as well as in organization wealth of assets. The very first Commander of "Top Gun" was a RIO, Commander J.C. Smith. I met him in very late 1969 at Miramar. The " Tomcat" got the fleet past it's sore points with the cancellation of their half of the jointly developed TFX and kept Grumman in the fold. The images I added here are renders of a model I built of the Stennis task force when the Tomcat was a major force and with the FA-18 coming on. One of it's "Tomcats" is on one of the bow catapults in the second image. A very good read. There is a whole another generation after the image I show with Super Hornets and the "Tomcat" no longer in inventory. This book is more about the Straits of Hormuz than the Gulf of Sidra.

In Tomcat RIO, CDR Baranek has written and produced a truly outstanding book about the Tomcat and life as a Naval Officer. The book is the perfect mix of super detailed info on the Tomcat, the job of a RIO, sea stories, military humor, the rigors of deployments and shipboard life, intel briefs, and personal narrative. Mr. Baranek experienced a truly remarkable career in the U.S. Navy, at a time when the F-14 ruled the skies. If you are at all interested in the Tomcat, or are curious about life aboard an aircraft carrier as a Naval aviator, you need to read this book; you will not be disappointed! I have read many books by former Army Air Force, Air Force, and Navy aviators, and this one is as real and interesting as it gets. Mr. Baranek's writing style is clear and concise, providing enough general information to satisfy a novice yet enough detail to satiate a Tomcat/aviation expert. One other amazing thing about this book -- the photographs. The author obviously saw some things from the backseat of an airborne F-14 that few people experience. As ready and very able photographer, Mr. Baranek captured some some really stunning images that highlight both the elegance and lethality of arguably one of the world's most formidable fighter aircraft. Five stars, Commander! You have done a great service to the Navy, Naval aviation, and the memory of the big Cat by giving us this book.

After reading "Topgun Days" I was super stoked to buy a copy of "Tomcat RIO"! Bio is an amazing writer: Authentic, humble, and incredibly articulate. I enjoyed Tomcat RIO as much as Topgun Days. His stories are a fascinating look into the life of a Naval Aviator. I find Bio relatable because he is down to earth, humorous, and devoid of arrogance. I finished the book wanting to learn and read more about his adventures. I look forward to reading "Before Topgun Days". I hope Bio continues writing books. I would love to see a new one which is specific to leadership, as I am a late in life "Leadership nerd". Tomcat RIO does have leadership stories, which made me want to read more about that specific topic from Bio's experiences. I draw inspiration and motivation from people like Bio. I am hoping, and look forward to his words of wisdom, and anecdotes specific to leadership if he so chooses to write another book. Thanks Bio for your service, and sharing your adventures with others. Fly Navy!

This book is a continuation of a set of books by the author on his favorite aircraft from his career as a NFO. The story seems to just keep going on, as there have been many such books all telling more and more of the Tomcat story since 2006 when the Navy retired and dismantled all the F-14s other than those donated to museums and those in Iranian Ir Force service. Read the book and learn why they retired the Tomcat and then shredded the aircraft! And you'll also read about the exploits of the author and his squadron mates over the years of service to the nation in the best fighter plane ever flown.

In 2013, I read Bio’s "TOPGUN Days" and it was a great learning and great reading experience for me, but I still wanted to know more about what an F-14 RIO’s career might look like. When I saw that Bio had released "Tomcat RIO," I hoped that my proverbial “itch” would be scratched. Tomcat RIO certainly scratched the itch and more. It is not just a continuation of Bio’s adventures after TOPGUN, but an amazing action story starting with his return to the West Coast F-14 RAG (Replacement Air Group). Bio’s narrative progresses through fleet squadron work-ups, launching from the USS Ranger in support of Operation Earnest Will, life as a staff officer in DC and aboard 7th Fleet, a return to the fleet leading VF-211 Checkmates, and culminating with his personal reflection on an RIO’s career, post-command tour of VF-211. Tomcat RIO does not disappoint in describing life at Fightertown U.S.A. (NAS Miramar, CA), ready-room shenanigans, or the thrill of training and operational flying from the exclusive vantage point of the F-14’s RIO seat. While Hollywood movies and other media generally provide glimpses of military aviator life for pilots, there is seldom depiction and description of non-pilot aircrew. "Tomcat RIO" answers the mail in describing life as an F-14 RIO and the career path that an F-14 RIO experienced, doing so with candor, humor, speed, hard-turns, and zone-5 afterburner. A very nice bonus nested throughout the book is photos that bring his story to life. The photos not only enhance the reading experience but illustrate and capture the action in the wild blue yonder. Simply put: A true action-adventure story! -USAF Air Battle Manager

“Tomcat RIO” is Dave “Bio” Baranek’s third book and he’s gotten better with each one. This book picks up after Bio has completed his tour as a Topgun instructor, rejoins a Tomcat squadron (VF-2), and takes us through the remainder of his Navy career. Along the way we join him on carrier deployments, learn about “collateral duties,” (what RIOs do when they aren’t flying), and see how he weathered his staff (non-flying) assignments. Dave capped off his Navy service by commanding a fighter squadron of his own, VF-211, the Fighting Checkmates. The lessons Dave shares from his command experience are both interesting and valuable – two words which cannot always be used together. I had the privilege of meeting Dave, and his charming wife Laura, a few years ago and I can vouch for the fact that the “real” Bio is just as he comes across in his books – a genuinely nice guy who is dedicated to the Navy, to serving his county, and who LOVES to fly.

Just finished reading the third book by Mr. Baranek and as with the first two, it did not disappoint. "Bio" takes you on a behind the scenes tour of what it was like to serve as a Naval Flight Officer in the US Navy's Tomcat community. He does a great job of touching on all the aspects, even the "boring" parts, of Navy life all while making sure to highlight the challenges and stresses encountered by squadrons, their officers, enlisted crews and families. If you are not an aviation enthusiast, this book may not be for you as it could be difficult to follow some of the acronyms and terminology used. With that said, if you are an aviation enthusiast, I would highly recommend giving this book a read as it transplants your mind from your grounded place of reading to the bases, carriers and cockpits of the US Navy. Many thanks to "Bio" for putting his experiences into ink for others to enjoy!

Well told and with lots of good information, BIO makes sure you have the context to understand all the jargon and information, without dumbing it down.

Excellent read! Expected nothing less after Cmdr. Baranek’s first two books.

Dave “Bio” Baranek has the gift of being able to translate his experience as a naval aviator and leader into terms that resonate and come alive for the civilian reader of his books. From first-hand stories of challenging missions and technical details of the F-14 Tomcat, to lessons about teamwork and leadership, Tomcat RIO has something for everyone. Bio’s writing style is crisp and succinct, delivering maximum information without getting bogged down by overly wordy explanations of sometimes complex topics. Interesting and entertaining from start to finish, I didn’t want to set this book down. Bio’s best book yet, Tomcat RIO is a must-read for anyone interested in military aviation. If you enjoyed Bio's first two efforts (Topgun Days and Before Topgun Days) then you will love his latest book. If you didn’t read his first two books, I recommend all three!

Bio does a great job of putting you in a tomcat squadron. It’s maybe the only tomcat book I have read that gives you specific details that only fighter pilots and Rios have experienced. It’s hard to put down once you start reading it. I’m thankful he shared his time in the tomcat and the his experiences. I wish more fighter pilots/Rios would share their stories! Great read, a must get book for tomcat fans. Great guy, great book and it’s different and refreshing book on the best fighter plane ever to fly! Bio hit a grand slam!

The third book by Dave Baranek is his best. While the two previous books covered the training of a future TOPGUN and what it was like to be a TOPGUN, this book told the stories of being in the 'real' Navy. From the work-ups prior to going on deployment, the humor of hanging around your 'other' family, and excitement of returning home after being away for six months. I especially liked the stories of how the people behind the scenes made it happen. I wasn't expecting to hear about how important the admin group was to people's careers. I wasn't expecting the story of maintenance personnel performing over and above to ensure the squadron made it's commitments. These aspects made the book more enjoyable. There are many books about the F-14 that focus on the jet and the people who fly it. There aren't many that reveal the work that made it happen.

Author, Tomcat Squadron Commanding Officer and TOPGUN Instructor, David 'BIO' Baraneck, takes you into the cockpit, on missions, onto the flight deck of an aircraft carrier and even into his home with an easy to read style containing just enough military terminology to make you feel you were right there with him. This is his best work to date. A very interesting read with just enough photography to illustrate his stories. I highly recommend this volume.

"Tomcat Rio" is the first book in a long time that has kept my interest from cover to cover! Dave "Bio" Baranak is the epitome of what an officer in the Naval Aviation Community is. I served under "Bio" from 1981-1984 in some capacity. He always knew how to get the best from his personnel. I am still in contact with him to this day. I respect and admire that man for his accomplishments. Great book- He lays it out so you can actually put yourself in the cockpit and understand exactly what is happening play by play. I shall always cherish my autographed copy. RAGE ON Dave!

I had the privilege of attending a zoom meeting with Bio and being able to discuss with him his experiences in the Tomcat and in the Navy. He was kind enough to send me an autographed copy of Tomcat Rio. Bio has a way of describing his experiences that you feel like you're looking down at the TID with him. I'm looking forward to reading his other books to get the whole story.

EXELLENT Book !!! Bio brings you back to the great experience of flying !!!

A cracking read. Bio takes you along for the ride, enjoying the ups and downs of a glittering career flying along in the stunning F14 Tomcat.

I have known Bio since he was a new TOPGUN instructor in the mid 1980s. His first first two books covered his TOPGUN time and flight training pre TOPGUN. This is the finale, going through his time as Commanding Officer of an F-14 squadron, including his farewell speech to the squadron at his Change of Command. Bio was always a excellent and very professional naval officer and good story teller. The pictures in the book are superb. His TOPGUN pilot and later fellow instructor at TOPGUN was my roommate, who also went on to command an F-14 squadron and became a four star, as did one of the one instructors with BIO. Reading Bio's books are always a pleasure as his eye for detail and experiences matched many of us flying F-14s at the time. When I got to Chapter 6, I remembered his Air Wing relieving us on Station for Operation Earnest Will and I had been involved in the shooting event he covers flying cover for a recon flight in the Straits of Hormuz. The book covers the last and in many ways the most important part of a naval officer's career, the experiences building to first command and what command of a fighter squadron is like. We had some superb commanding officers and the quality of the F-14 community was outstanding. BIO covers the ending question of Bridges of Toko-Ri, where do we get such men? If I were asked, what was it like?.. one can do no better than to read all three of his books to get coverage from initial flight student to F-14 commanding officer. Mission accomplished!

As other reviewers have indicated, Dave “Bio” Baranek has completed his trilogy of books about his US Navy career, flying in the F-14 Tomcat fighter, with a flourish. He has written what many, including myself, find to be the “best of the best” among his three excellent books. Bio takes you through his Tomcat flying days from the time he left the Navy’s Topgun school as a still-young Topgun Instructor, all the way through the rest of his 20-year Navy flying career… as he advances in experience, rank, and responsibilities… to eventually became the Commander of an F-14 Squadron. Tomcat RIO also provides a look at how the previously air-to-air-only Tomcat adapted to a new additional role as a “Bombcat”, with potent LANTIRN-assisted day and night air-to-ground strike capabilities. Bio details the varied real world armed-and-ready missions his squadron of Tomcats flew in support of Operation Southern Watch. This was the joint operation enforcing the no-fly zone over southern Iraq, which was implemented following Gulf War One. If you like books about military aviation, I predict you'll like this one.... it's a keeper for the personal aviation library. BF (former USAF A-10 Warthog pilot)

As a classmate and friend of Dave’s back in basic flight training in Pensacola, it was wonderful to find and read all three of his books: Topgun Days; Before Topgun Days; and Tomcat RIO. I found each of them thoroughly enjoyable, well written, fun, interesting and immersive. I remember seeing Dave’s name in the credits of the movie Topgun, the smile it brought to my face and the warm remembrance of our time together back in P’cola. These books did the same. It was nice to be able to follow the adventures and successes of an old friend, and also to live a bit vicariously through Dave’s career path in the F-14 community, as I ultimately had chosen another path, the P-3 community, when our basic flight training together ended. Great job on the career and the books, Dave. Bravo Zulu!

This one is quite thorough and career advancement descriptive as well as in organization wealth of assets. The very first Commander of "Top Gun" was a RIO, Commander J.C. Smith. I met him in very late 1969 at Miramar. The " Tomcat" got the fleet past it's sore points with the cancellation of their half of the jointly developed TFX and kept Grumman in the fold. The images I added here are renders of a model I built of the Stennis task force when the Tomcat was a major force and with the FA-18 coming on. One of it's "Tomcats" is on one of the bow catapults in the second image. A very good read. There is a whole another generation after the image I show with Super Hornets and the "Tomcat" no longer in inventory. This book is more about the Straits of Hormuz than the Gulf of Sidra.

In Tomcat RIO, CDR Baranek has written and produced a truly outstanding book about the Tomcat and life as a Naval Officer. The book is the perfect mix of super detailed info on the Tomcat, the job of a RIO, sea stories, military humor, the rigors of deployments and shipboard life, intel briefs, and personal narrative. Mr. Baranek experienced a truly remarkable career in the U.S. Navy, at a time when the F-14 ruled the skies. If you are at all interested in the Tomcat, or are curious about life aboard an aircraft carrier as a Naval aviator, you need to read this book; you will not be disappointed! I have read many books by former Army Air Force, Air Force, and Navy aviators, and this one is as real and interesting as it gets. Mr. Baranek's writing style is clear and concise, providing enough general information to satisfy a novice yet enough detail to satiate a Tomcat/aviation expert. One other amazing thing about this book -- the photographs. The author obviously saw some things from the backseat of an airborne F-14 that few people experience. As ready and very able photographer, Mr. Baranek captured some some really stunning images that highlight both the elegance and lethality of arguably one of the world's most formidable fighter aircraft. Five stars, Commander! You have done a great service to the Navy, Naval aviation, and the memory of the big Cat by giving us this book.

After reading "Topgun Days" I was super stoked to buy a copy of "Tomcat RIO"! Bio is an amazing writer: Authentic, humble, and incredibly articulate. I enjoyed Tomcat RIO as much as Topgun Days. His stories are a fascinating look into the life of a Naval Aviator. I find Bio relatable because he is down to earth, humorous, and devoid of arrogance. I finished the book wanting to learn and read more about his adventures. I look forward to reading "Before Topgun Days". I hope Bio continues writing books. I would love to see a new one which is specific to leadership, as I am a late in life "Leadership nerd". Tomcat RIO does have leadership stories, which made me want to read more about that specific topic from Bio's experiences. I draw inspiration and motivation from people like Bio. I am hoping, and look forward to his words of wisdom, and anecdotes specific to leadership if he so chooses to write another book. Thanks Bio for your service, and sharing your adventures with others. Fly Navy!

This book is a continuation of a set of books by the author on his favorite aircraft from his career as a NFO. The story seems to just keep going on, as there have been many such books all telling more and more of the Tomcat story since 2006 when the Navy retired and dismantled all the F-14s other than those donated to museums and those in Iranian Ir Force service. Read the book and learn why they retired the Tomcat and then shredded the aircraft! And you'll also read about the exploits of the author and his squadron mates over the years of service to the nation in the best fighter plane ever flown.

In 2013, I read Bio’s "TOPGUN Days" and it was a great learning and great reading experience for me, but I still wanted to know more about what an F-14 RIO’s career might look like. When I saw that Bio had released "Tomcat RIO," I hoped that my proverbial “itch” would be scratched. Tomcat RIO certainly scratched the itch and more. It is not just a continuation of Bio’s adventures after TOPGUN, but an amazing action story starting with his return to the West Coast F-14 RAG (Replacement Air Group). Bio’s narrative progresses through fleet squadron work-ups, launching from the USS Ranger in support of Operation Earnest Will, life as a staff officer in DC and aboard 7th Fleet, a return to the fleet leading VF-211 Checkmates, and culminating with his personal reflection on an RIO’s career, post-command tour of VF-211. Tomcat RIO does not disappoint in describing life at Fightertown U.S.A. (NAS Miramar, CA), ready-room shenanigans, or the thrill of training and operational flying from the exclusive vantage point of the F-14’s RIO seat. While Hollywood movies and other media generally provide glimpses of military aviator life for pilots, there is seldom depiction and description of non-pilot aircrew. "Tomcat RIO" answers the mail in describing life as an F-14 RIO and the career path that an F-14 RIO experienced, doing so with candor, humor, speed, hard-turns, and zone-5 afterburner. A very nice bonus nested throughout the book is photos that bring his story to life. The photos not only enhance the reading experience but illustrate and capture the action in the wild blue yonder. Simply put: A true action-adventure story! -USAF Air Battle Manager

“Tomcat RIO” is Dave “Bio” Baranek’s third book and he’s gotten better with each one. This book picks up after Bio has completed his tour as a Topgun instructor, rejoins a Tomcat squadron (VF-2), and takes us through the remainder of his Navy career. Along the way we join him on carrier deployments, learn about “collateral duties,” (what RIOs do when they aren’t flying), and see how he weathered his staff (non-flying) assignments. Dave capped off his Navy service by commanding a fighter squadron of his own, VF-211, the Fighting Checkmates. The lessons Dave shares from his command experience are both interesting and valuable – two words which cannot always be used together. I had the privilege of meeting Dave, and his charming wife Laura, a few years ago and I can vouch for the fact that the “real” Bio is just as he comes across in his books – a genuinely nice guy who is dedicated to the Navy, to serving his county, and who LOVES to fly.

Just finished reading the third book by Mr. Baranek and as with the first two, it did not disappoint. "Bio" takes you on a behind the scenes tour of what it was like to serve as a Naval Flight Officer in the US Navy's Tomcat community. He does a great job of touching on all the aspects, even the "boring" parts, of Navy life all while making sure to highlight the challenges and stresses encountered by squadrons, their officers, enlisted crews and families. If you are not an aviation enthusiast, this book may not be for you as it could be difficult to follow some of the acronyms and terminology used. With that said, if you are an aviation enthusiast, I would highly recommend giving this book a read as it transplants your mind from your grounded place of reading to the bases, carriers and cockpits of the US Navy. Many thanks to "Bio" for putting his experiences into ink for others to enjoy!

Another brilliant book by this guy. I cannot recommend it hjghly enough. Arrived in great time.

An outstanding account of life as a Tomcat RIO, filled with detail revealing just how busy life can be both as a naval aviator and, later, as a commanding officer.

Another awesome book from Bio

After Bio Baranek detailed his training as Naval Flight Officer of the US Navy (Bio's second book) and his recollection of being a Top Gun instructor including some great insight in the filming of the Top Gun-movie (his first book), in this book he describes his following career as senior officer - flying Tomcats and running a desk during the Washington-part of his career. "Tech-talk" is being explained "on spot", in dedicated "intel" sections or in the gossary at the end of the book. As in his previous books his stories are well written with a gripping mixture of facts and personal stories. The layout of the book including two sections containing a number of photos does its part to make reading informative and fun at the same time. Without hesitation I can recommend Bio's book to everyone who is intersted in Naval aviation, life of a US Naval officer, or life on board of an American supercarrier.

Al igual que las dos anteriores obras de David Baranek ("Top Gun Days" y "Before Top Gun Days"), este libro hace las delicias de cualquier aficionado a la aviación. Está escrito de forma ágil y dinámica (en inglés, eso sí), lo que lo hace fácil de leer, y sobre todo fácil de disfrutar. Si encima viviste los años 80 y la época de la Guerra Fría, seguro que te llamará la atención. En definitiva, un libro imprescindible para cualquier "aerotrastornado" que se precie.

Bio does it again! Great book with amazing pictures by none other than Bio! You won’t regret this purchase, it’s a great read. This book will compliment your Personal library!

Wie bereits die beiden Vorgänger-Bücher von "Bio" Baranek sind lebendig und anschaulich geschrieben. Viel interessantes für den F-14 Interssierten ist allen Büchern (TOPGUN-Days und Befor TOPGUN-Days) zu entnehmen. Einfach TOP *****

Non può mancare nella collezione degli appassionati di aviazione.... Nostalgia per questo mitico caccia ormai non più in servizio

Dave writes his story well, he captivates you and takes you along for a ride along in the F14 Tomcat. Explaining the ins and outs of his career.

Excelent paper and photo quality. A book for all military aviation fans and pros. Worth the price.

I have known Bio since he was a new TOPGUN instructor in the mid 1980s. His first first two books covered his TOPGUN time and flight training pre TOPGUN. This is the finale, going through his time as Commanding Officer of an F-14 squadron, including his farewell speech to the squadron at his Change of Command. Bio was always a excellent and very professional naval officer and good story teller. The pictures in the book are superb. His TOPGUN pilot and later fellow instructor at TOPGUN was my roommate, who also went on to command an F-14 squadron and became a four star, as did one of the one instructors with BIO. Reading Bio's books are always a pleasure as his eye for detail and experiences matched many of us flying F-14s at the time. When I got to Chapter 6, I remembered his Air Wing relieving us on Station for Operation Earnest Will and I had been involved in the shooting event he covers flying cover for a recon flight in the Straits of Hormuz. The book covers the last and in many ways the most important part of a naval officer's career, the experiences building to first command and what command of a fighter squadron is like. We had some superb commanding officers and the quality of the F-14 community was outstanding. BIO covers the ending question of Bridges of Toko-Ri, where do we get such men? If I were asked, what was it like?.. one can do no better than to read all three of his books to get coverage from initial flight student to F-14 commanding officer. Mission accomplished!

As other reviewers have indicated, Dave “Bio” Baranek has completed his trilogy of books about his US Navy career, flying in the F-14 Tomcat fighter, with a flourish. He has written what many, including myself, find to be the “best of the best” among his three excellent books. Bio takes you through his Tomcat flying days from the time he left the Navy’s Topgun school as a still-young Topgun Instructor, all the way through the rest of his 20-year Navy flying career… as he advances in experience, rank, and responsibilities… to eventually became the Commander of an F-14 Squadron. Tomcat RIO also provides a look at how the previously air-to-air-only Tomcat adapted to a new additional role as a “Bombcat”, with potent LANTIRN-assisted day and night air-to-ground strike capabilities. Bio details the varied real world armed-and-ready missions his squadron of Tomcats flew in support of Operation Southern Watch. This was the joint operation enforcing the no-fly zone over southern Iraq, which was implemented following Gulf War One. If you like books about military aviation, I predict you'll like this one.... it's a keeper for the personal aviation library. BF (former USAF A-10 Warthog pilot)

As a classmate and friend of Dave’s back in basic flight training in Pensacola, it was wonderful to find and read all three of his books: Topgun Days; Before Topgun Days; and Tomcat RIO. I found each of them thoroughly enjoyable, well written, fun, interesting and immersive. I remember seeing Dave’s name in the credits of the movie Topgun, the smile it brought to my face and the warm remembrance of our time together back in P’cola. These books did the same. It was nice to be able to follow the adventures and successes of an old friend, and also to live a bit vicariously through Dave’s career path in the F-14 community, as I ultimately had chosen another path, the P-3 community, when our basic flight training together ended. Great job on the career and the books, Dave. Bravo Zulu!

This one is quite thorough and career advancement descriptive as well as in organization wealth of assets. The very first Commander of "Top Gun" was a RIO, Commander J.C. Smith. I met him in very late 1969 at Miramar. The " Tomcat" got the fleet past it's sore points with the cancellation of their half of the jointly developed TFX and kept Grumman in the fold. The images I added here are renders of a model I built of the Stennis task force when the Tomcat was a major force and with the FA-18 coming on. One of it's "Tomcats" is on one of the bow catapults in the second image. A very good read. There is a whole another generation after the image I show with Super Hornets and the "Tomcat" no longer in inventory. This book is more about the Straits of Hormuz than the Gulf of Sidra.

In Tomcat RIO, CDR Baranek has written and produced a truly outstanding book about the Tomcat and life as a Naval Officer. The book is the perfect mix of super detailed info on the Tomcat, the job of a RIO, sea stories, military humor, the rigors of deployments and shipboard life, intel briefs, and personal narrative. Mr. Baranek experienced a truly remarkable career in the U.S. Navy, at a time when the F-14 ruled the skies. If you are at all interested in the Tomcat, or are curious about life aboard an aircraft carrier as a Naval aviator, you need to read this book; you will not be disappointed! I have read many books by former Army Air Force, Air Force, and Navy aviators, and this one is as real and interesting as it gets. Mr. Baranek's writing style is clear and concise, providing enough general information to satisfy a novice yet enough detail to satiate a Tomcat/aviation expert. One other amazing thing about this book -- the photographs. The author obviously saw some things from the backseat of an airborne F-14 that few people experience. As ready and very able photographer, Mr. Baranek captured some some really stunning images that highlight both the elegance and lethality of arguably one of the world's most formidable fighter aircraft. Five stars, Commander! You have done a great service to the Navy, Naval aviation, and the memory of the big Cat by giving us this book.

After reading "Topgun Days" I was super stoked to buy a copy of "Tomcat RIO"! Bio is an amazing writer: Authentic, humble, and incredibly articulate. I enjoyed Tomcat RIO as much as Topgun Days. His stories are a fascinating look into the life of a Naval Aviator. I find Bio relatable because he is down to earth, humorous, and devoid of arrogance. I finished the book wanting to learn and read more about his adventures. I look forward to reading "Before Topgun Days". I hope Bio continues writing books. I would love to see a new one which is specific to leadership, as I am a late in life "Leadership nerd". Tomcat RIO does have leadership stories, which made me want to read more about that specific topic from Bio's experiences. I draw inspiration and motivation from people like Bio. I am hoping, and look forward to his words of wisdom, and anecdotes specific to leadership if he so chooses to write another book. Thanks Bio for your service, and sharing your adventures with others. Fly Navy!

This book is a continuation of a set of books by the author on his favorite aircraft from his career as a NFO. The story seems to just keep going on, as there have been many such books all telling more and more of the Tomcat story since 2006 when the Navy retired and dismantled all the F-14s other than those donated to museums and those in Iranian Ir Force service. Read the book and learn why they retired the Tomcat and then shredded the aircraft! And you'll also read about the exploits of the author and his squadron mates over the years of service to the nation in the best fighter plane ever flown.

In 2013, I read Bio’s "TOPGUN Days" and it was a great learning and great reading experience for me, but I still wanted to know more about what an F-14 RIO’s career might look like. When I saw that Bio had released "Tomcat RIO," I hoped that my proverbial “itch” would be scratched. Tomcat RIO certainly scratched the itch and more. It is not just a continuation of Bio’s adventures after TOPGUN, but an amazing action story starting with his return to the West Coast F-14 RAG (Replacement Air Group). Bio’s narrative progresses through fleet squadron work-ups, launching from the USS Ranger in support of Operation Earnest Will, life as a staff officer in DC and aboard 7th Fleet, a return to the fleet leading VF-211 Checkmates, and culminating with his personal reflection on an RIO’s career, post-command tour of VF-211. Tomcat RIO does not disappoint in describing life at Fightertown U.S.A. (NAS Miramar, CA), ready-room shenanigans, or the thrill of training and operational flying from the exclusive vantage point of the F-14’s RIO seat. While Hollywood movies and other media generally provide glimpses of military aviator life for pilots, there is seldom depiction and description of non-pilot aircrew. "Tomcat RIO" answers the mail in describing life as an F-14 RIO and the career path that an F-14 RIO experienced, doing so with candor, humor, speed, hard-turns, and zone-5 afterburner. A very nice bonus nested throughout the book is photos that bring his story to life. The photos not only enhance the reading experience but illustrate and capture the action in the wild blue yonder. Simply put: A true action-adventure story! -USAF Air Battle Manager

“Tomcat RIO” is Dave “Bio” Baranek’s third book and he’s gotten better with each one. This book picks up after Bio has completed his tour as a Topgun instructor, rejoins a Tomcat squadron (VF-2), and takes us through the remainder of his Navy career. Along the way we join him on carrier deployments, learn about “collateral duties,” (what RIOs do when they aren’t flying), and see how he weathered his staff (non-flying) assignments. Dave capped off his Navy service by commanding a fighter squadron of his own, VF-211, the Fighting Checkmates. The lessons Dave shares from his command experience are both interesting and valuable – two words which cannot always be used together. I had the privilege of meeting Dave, and his charming wife Laura, a few years ago and I can vouch for the fact that the “real” Bio is just as he comes across in his books – a genuinely nice guy who is dedicated to the Navy, to serving his county, and who LOVES to fly.

Just finished reading the third book by Mr. Baranek and as with the first two, it did not disappoint. "Bio" takes you on a behind the scenes tour of what it was like to serve as a Naval Flight Officer in the US Navy's Tomcat community. He does a great job of touching on all the aspects, even the "boring" parts, of Navy life all while making sure to highlight the challenges and stresses encountered by squadrons, their officers, enlisted crews and families. If you are not an aviation enthusiast, this book may not be for you as it could be difficult to follow some of the acronyms and terminology used. With that said, if you are an aviation enthusiast, I would highly recommend giving this book a read as it transplants your mind from your grounded place of reading to the bases, carriers and cockpits of the US Navy. Many thanks to "Bio" for putting his experiences into ink for others to enjoy!