Indy Pro Series Driver Mike Potekhen 
| Captain Dale Snodgrass |
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Meet Captain Dale Snodgrass - the Original Top Gun Fighter Pilot flying the historic F-14 Tomcat, a legend and a hero - and... he wears the Debaufre Nav-B Classic watch. "I wear my Nav-B every day. It's distinctive, keeps great time and I love it's historic simplicity. More than once this spring I've had line crew and spectators comment on my watch as I climb down out of a P-51 or P-40 after an air show performance." - Dale Snodgrass  At the 2007 Wings Over Miami Gala Event, Alldaron met with Captain Dale Snodgrass to present him with his Nav-B Classic watch. Dale Snodgrass, known as Captain Dale "Snort" Snodgrass is the original Top Gun piloting various airplanes, among them the famed F-14 Tomcat airplane. This photo was taken infront of his current aircraft. Dale Snodgrass is of course still an active pilot and is considered not only a hero and a legend but also one of the best pilots alive.  Here is a photo of Dale Snodgrass with Alldaron standing infront of one of a handfull of surviving F-14 Tomcat airplanes, in fact - this is the historic plane that Dale piloted for many years.  When Dale opened the wooden-presentation box with the Swiss Debaufre Nav-B Classic watch in it, he was completely blown away and speechless. He immediately removed his Breitling and put on the Nav-B watch. (UPDATE: When I met him again at the Miami Air Show, he was wearing his Debaufre Nav-B Classic during the Air Show Flights. He mentioned to me that he rarely takes it off and loves it over his other watches.)  Dale "Snort" Snodgrass - A living national treasure. "Captain Dale Snodgrass, (better known by his call-sign: "Snort"), is a living national treasure and among the greatest fighter pilots of our times. I've flown with Snort, watches him teach and groom generations of fighter pilots, and the way Snort is able to articulate those skills to others is like no one I've ever seen. There aren't many people on this earth that I hold in higher regard than Captain Dale Snodgrass" - Admiral Jay Johnson, (26th Chief of Naval Operations and member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents Clinton and Bush). With over 5,000 flight hours and 1,200 plus carrier landings in the famed Grumman F-14 Tomcat, Snort is the most experienced Tomcat pilot in the world and a highly decorated combat veteran. At the end of Desert Storm, then Commander Snodgrass was promoted to Navy Captain and was selected to command all Tomcats in the US Navy. Capt. Snodgrass joins a very small select group of pilots that are allowed to fly with active duty modern fighters at air shows throughout North America and Europe. He is the only pilot in the world approved to fly in both and Air Force Heritage Flight Program and the Navy Legacy Flight Program. Captain Snodgrass' Biography: Captain Dale O. Snodgrass USN (Ret) Son of a Test Pilot, Dale Snodgrass grew up in Eastern Long Island NY. He attended the University of Minnesota on a Naval ROTC Scholarship and received ALL-AMERICAN status as a member of the swim team, graduating in 1972 with a BS in Biology. Receiving a regular Commission, Ensign Snodgrass entered Naval Flight Training in September 1972. After 26 years of decorated service, Captain Snodgrass retired in June 1999. Navy highlights include: - First Flight School Graduate to be selected for F-14 Tomcat training. - First non fleet experienced pilot to carrier qualify in the F-14 both day and night. - 12 operational Fighter Squadron/Wing tours. - Honor's graduate from Navy Fighter Weapons School - TOPGUN - Selected as the Navy's Fighter Pilot of the Year in 1985 - Selected by Grumman Aerospace as "Topcat of the Year" or best F-14 Pilot in 1986 - Command of Fighter Squadron 33 during Desert Storm. Led 34 successful multi-plane strikes of 30 plus aircraft without a loss. - Highest time F-14 Pilot ever, with 5000 hours in the Tomcat. 7800 hours in Fighters and 10,000 hours total, including 1287 Carrier Arrested Landings. - Tomcat Flight Demonstration Pilot 1985-1997. Captain Snodgrass' Military Decorations include: - Legion of Merit (3) for superior performance in positions of great responsibility. - Bronze Star for LEadership and Valor during Desert Storm. - Meritorious Service Medal (2) for exceptional service in the position of Senior Leadership. - Air Medal (3) for Valor during Desert Storm. - Navy Commendation Medal (3) for Valor during Desert Storm. - Numerous Campaign Medals and Service Ribbons. Captain Snodgrass' Civilian Aviation and Air-show highlights include: - Volunteer instructor for the Kenya Wildlife Service Pilots in Kenya bush 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006. - Member of the Board of Directors of three Aviation Museums: Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum, National Warplane Museum and the Wings Over Miami Museum. - 17 years of Air-show experience and over 750 performances. - Surface Solo and Formation Aerobatic qualified in F-14 Tomcat, F-86 Sabre, Mig 15, Mig 17, P-51 Mustang, F4U Corsair, T-6 Texan/Harvard and 8KCAB Super Decathlon. - Designated one of only ten USAF Heritage Pilots. - Designated one of only twelve US Navy Legacy Pilots. Movie Inspirations: As it happens, Dale Snodgrass was an instructor at the flight school portrayed in the film Top Gun (though, unlike Kelly McGillis' character, he was a fighter pilot not an astrophysicist), and some of the broad character sketches of Tom Cruise's Pete "Maverick" Mitchell character were based on Dale Snodgrass. Purchase your Debaufre Nav-B Classic watch. |
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