Dave Baranek grew up in Jacksonville, Florida drawing and painting airplanes which he liked so much. He also used to put together kits of model scale airplanes. When he became a teenager, he set his sights on becoming a radar intercept officer or jet fighter pilot. Baranek studied at Georgia Tech and also participated in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps to qualify for officer training. In 1979 he entered the Navy and soon he joined his first squadron. In the Navy, Baranek enjoyed a satisfying and successful career for 2 decades. At one point Baranek had the opportunity to command an F-14 Tomcat fighter squadron, where he was responsible for 14 aircraft worth about $700 million and had nearly 300 people under him. At the end of his career in the Navy he had completed 688 carrier landings and 2,499.7 F-14 Tomcat flight hours. His logbook also shows 461.8 flight hours he completed in the F-5F Tiger II.
This is not a mean achievement. Baranek has published articles in many aviation magazines. He has also published online, and in one such publication, he describes the challenges of capturing the power of the F-14's engines after burning. Some of his are available from physical stores. He’s represented by Stocktrek Images, a stock photo agency. In 1999, he retired from the Navy and began working in the Washington DC area as a defense contractor. Today, he’s represented by Stocktrek Images. This is a renowned stock photo agency that brings together leading artists from all over the world.
