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Fighter Jet Movies


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Just wanted to open up for discussion why there has been so many Nacy fighter jet movies and tv shows but not the airforce. Movies or Tv shows with Navy jet fighters:

- JAG

- Top Gun

- Behind Enemy Lines

- Clear and Present Danger

I am sure there is more I am missing.

Since they always say the focus of modern war in the Gulf etc they always focus on the air force jets doing all the work like the F-16 and F-15 but why is there not more movies about air force jet fighters? Look at the models, how many companies have made F-16 and F-15 and F-117 but you have one of the biggest jet movies of all time and not many F-14 1/48 good kits out there. The Hasegawa is a touch build with no weapons, Monogram/Revell is a lower level model and has it's issues. I am suprised a company like Tamiya who made a nice 1/32 Tomcat but way out dated and raised panel lines and decals for the cockpit has not popped a F-14 in 1/48 scale. I think it would be one of the best sellers of all time.

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Not sure what movies and TV shows have to do with models being available in a certain scale and made by a certain company ?

I guess companies decision on what they bring out, is more based on what people ask for and how much it costs to make. Not if there's enough movies and TV shows on it. Take a new tooling A-6, which is probably the most wanted kit today in 1/48 and 1/32. There's only 1 mediocre movie about that plane. And there's a lot of models out there which are popular and have no movies to back them up.

As for the reasons there aren't many AirForce movies. Well, Navy fighters are way cooler by default :thumbsup: And the ships bring them around the globe so they end up kicking *** much more often.

But to name a few AirForce shows. Iron Eagle and Call to Glory ?

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I beg to differ. When Top Gun came out I know many people who started modeling F-14's by Monogram/Revell and I know a hand full of people myself that were car modelers and that movie inspired them to start building jets. I know the Revel F-14 1/32 scale kit sold much more also for years.

One of my best friends that is in my model club modelled armour for years, once we went and saw Top Gun he bought a F-14 kit and has built jets since. I know Iron Eagle helped popularize the F-16.

Today might go more by demand but years back it was what was popular, I know guys that started modelling subs and ships when The Hunt for the Red October came out.

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LOL in Roland Emmerich Godzilla they actually fly some USAF F-18´s B) suppose he expressed a wish there, eh?

on the other hand there was a quick shot of brittish ...and egyptian F-18´s in Independence day......... guess the guy like F-18s :P

Oh and Bat*21 wasn´t that an USAF movie?

And Clint Eastwood flew a Thud in Fire Fox if I remember correctly.....not sure that counts as an USAF movie tho :thumbsup:

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Here's two clips from "The Final Countdown" (1980)...Hollywood introduces us to the F-14 as the U.S.S. Nimitz sails through a sci-fi storm and into 1941.

"Splash the Zeros, I say again, splash the Zeros"

Part 1, Identifying the Contacts:

Part 2: The Dogfight:

Best in-flight Tomcat footage of all time, IMHO.

John

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Hot shots 1 & 2 :whistle:

Indipendence day

True lies (Harrier jet scene, not realy a fighter I guess) :rofl:

IMAX movie, "Fighter pilot. operation Red Flag, "

I guess only one USAF film in there....

Edited by drhornii
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Not US, but French Air Force: Sky Fighters (original: Chevalies du Ciel) - absolutely breathtaking Mirage 2000 and Alpha Jet footage. Story is rather "meh!", though.

There's a short film called "Le bal des aigles" (Eagle's dance, I reckon) on the special edition of Chevaliers du Ciel. 26 minutes long, it features footage from the film as well as footage that didn't make it into the film, set to some very cool music. Only the aircraft - no actors or text from the film!

Enjoy!

In my eyes, some of the best air-to-air footage ever filmed for a movie! :jaw-dropping:

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If you are referring to Will Smith and his Black Knights, they were USMC.

Correct...I'm sure VMFA-314 loved being portrayed as being slaughtered by ET!

They also had some USAF marked F/A-18's on the ground being strafed IIRC.

How's about the Nic Cage movie (the Rock?) I think it had a "USAF" Hornet as well.

As for The Final Countdown...I think two more turns and the Zero's might have had 'em. Seems I heard about a MiG-15 once that got a little too bold in front of a Skyraider over Vietnam.

-Mike

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Correct...I'm sure VMFA-314 loved being portrayed as being slaughtered by ET!

They also had some USAF marked F/A-18's on the ground being strafed IIRC.

How's about the Nic Cage movie (the Rock?) I think it had a "USAF" Hornet as well.

As for The Final Countdown...I think two more turns and the Zero's might have had 'em. Seems I heard about a MiG-15 once that got a little too bold in front of a Skyraider over Vietnam.

-Mike

Don't forget that they also portrayed MCAS El Toro as being in a desert wasteland too ...

Gregg

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I'll see your "Jet Pilot" and raise you The Starfighters. Oh wait... do they have to be good movies?

Pros:

  • More color F-104 footage than you're ever likely to see outside of a USAF training film.

Cons:

  • USAF training films have bigger budgets and better actors than this.
  • Refueling scenes may induce drowsiness
  • Bob Dornan necking in a convertible
  • "Poopy suits" - 'nuff said

As my avatar would say" Bad movie? You're soaking in it!"

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Not to get too far off topic but the Navy has F/A-18c and d, and e and f and the F-14a/b/d but it is out of service now along with the A-6 and A-7. The USAF has multiple blocks and versions of the F-16 and the F-16C with cool mod paint scheme and the F-15E which can be boring with all over gunship grey but they do have some cool nose art. Then on top of that if you model F-16 and F-15's you have the cool Israeli paint schemes and weapons, and then now there is the F-22 with it's pretty cool paint scheme.

Because of the moves I know there are more people who have a large interest in Navy jets but would like to see some better fitting kits like Tamiya did with the F-16 line and you know the 2 seater is coming. Not to bash Hasegawa but the F-14 moulds are showing their age and lets face it they are not the easiest kits to build and then no weapons to boot. I feel that if some good manufacturers would pop some nice F-14's, A-6 etc this would have a huge welcoming. I know people are pumped for the new Hobby Boss Tomcats coming, and if they are accurate and easy to build with good fit this is a big step in the right direction.

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The Thunderbirds also had their own TV series way back when.

Don't forget:

The Russians Are Comming, The Russians Are Comming. I think it was the only one with VooDoos.

I remember seeing the begining of a movie with a squadron of F-86s moving on the flightline. Some were pretty clean while others had a great deal on staining form the guns along fuselage.

There was a Science fiction movie that featured F-89s firing rockets from their wing pods.

Santa Clause Conquers the Martians had some good shots of a B-52 alert scramble and I think they also had some fighter scenes.

We did mention some bad movies previously. Don't get me started on Iron Eagle.

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Battle Hymn, a Korean War based movie with Rock Hudson and Harry Morgan, they flew P/F-51's, and I think a few F-86's.

Rock Hudson also starred in some WWII flicks below.

And I can't find the movie with Harry Morgan (not sure if it is Battle Hymn) firing his guns to the tune of "Deep in the Heart of Texas".

Fighter Squadron

Air Cadet

A Gathering of Eagles.....B-52's

Flying Tigers with John Wayne

The scene in Final Countdown of the 20mm gat waxing the Zero is about the best real scene capture of a 20mm firing, short and sweet, not like the cheese dick shots and audio from "Top Gun".

"Top Gun" was a Chick Flick.............

Oh, and I met the Pilot that did the audio for the engine run up at the start of "Top Gun", he was an Air Force Pilot the went through the Top Gun School and when I met him he was stationed at Edwards AFB.

Curt

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