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Top Gun Fly-By Question


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So I stumbled across Top Gun on TV last night and was obviously obliged to watch. When the "fly-by" scene came on I noticed something I never had before. In the shot right after the controller spills his coffee is a wide shot of a Tomcat buzzing a tower (see attached). The only thing is, I'm about 90% certain that is NOT the tower at NKX. I'm well aware that the Marines gave the tower a complete makeover when they acquired the base, but that shot doesn't even resemble the old tower.

If we assume the fly-by was done in the evening, that light on the right side of the tower must be facing west, and the shot was taken from the "roundabout" to the north of the tower. If that is indeed the case, this shot had to be done somewhere else. Am I going crazy or does anyone else agree with me? Was there a second fly-by shot done somewhere else?

Flyby.jpg

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Oh, don't get me wrong, Chuck. I'm aware of the "goofs". However, this was not a "goof". The fly-by at Miramar was well documented and actually happened. I'm just curious if there was another fly-by done somewhere else, or if this might even be a model. I guess that is the essence of my question.

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I wouldn't be surprised if they staged that shot somewhere else - probably a small, out of the way, sleepy little airport, where they could set up the pass in the direction they needed for camera angles, light, and such, and where they could make multiple passes as needed to get the shot they needed, without interfering with regular operations. It's all part of Hollywood magic. The ramp outside the American Airpower Museum at Repulbic Airport on Long Island has been used as Cuba, Haiti, Russia, and just about everywhere in between for TV and movie shoots in recent years.

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The ramp outside the American Airpower Museum at Repulbic Airport on Long Island has been used as Cuba, Haiti, Russia, and just about everywhere in between for TV and movie shoots in recent years.

No kidding? Not to hijack my own thread, but do you know for which shows/movies it was used. I've been there a few times.

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There are at least 119 similar inaccuracies, so another one is no big surprise.

Top Gun Mistakes

Another one..

More Goofs

Yeah but like most movies made, TOPGUN has many movie/editing errors. But I took and take the movie for what it is, an interesting and fun movie with an interesting set of plot/story lines. Cool airplanes and some great aerial filming. It helped define for the masses a decade of modern combat aviation. A good sound track too!

As airplane buffs many of us can and did see all sorts of errors but c'mon guys, compared to the over the top crap and CGI crap in most of the movies cranked out today, at least Top Gun was an interesting, fun movie to watch with numerous good guy, bad guy plots and just cool aviation stuff on film.

I hate the over the top, mindless CGI crap today!

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...As airplane buffs many of us can and did see all sorts of errors but c'mon guys, compared to the over the top crap and CGI crap in most of the movies cranked out today, at least Top Gun was an interesting, fun movie to watch with numerous good guy, bad guy plots and just cool aviation stuff on film.

I hate the over the top, mindless CGI crap today!

I agree. Even after all these years, Top Gun is still one of my favorite aviation movies to watch. Give me Top Gun and the Battle of Britain movie and that's a pretty darn good double feature...*insert popcorn eating dude here*.

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I agree. Even after all these years, Top Gun is still one of my favorite aviation movies to watch. Give me Top Gun and the Battle of Britain movie and that's a pretty darn good double feature...*insert popcorn eating dude here*.

I agree

BoB is quite accurate in following history, it has the best cinematography of any aviation film IMO.

Another war/aviation movie I always enjoy is Midway. I never could figure out why many people flamed it. I think it's also fairly well accurate and it has a good cast. It uses a lot of stock WWII footage (some out of place or in error) but it's a great old WWII movie for me.

Oh yeah and lets no forget Tora Tora Tora, that's a great WWII movie.

TOPGUN is just a great popcorn movie where you really get behind the characters and the jets.

You know another very good classic movie, not WWII based but in the era, is The Hindenburgh. Very good special effects given it was before any CGI, a very well written plot and good acting.

Last though not an aviation movie, buy not least especially coming up on June 6. The Longest Day. Quite simply one of the best WWII movies made. Freaking great cast, well produced, great film work and a solid plot line. Oh yeah, the Germans SPOKE GERMAN! Yeah you have to read the subtitles if you do not understand German.

Edited by Les / Creative Edge Photo
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...Another war/aviation movie I always enjoy is Midway...

...Last though not an aviation movie, buy not least especially coming up on June 6. The Longest Day. Quite simply one of the best WWII movies made. Freaking great cast, well produced, great film work and a solid plot line. Oh yeah, the Germans SPOKE GERMAN!...

Charlton Heston (Midway) and John "The Duke" Wayne (The Longest Day) :thumbsup: ...does it get any better then that!!!!! Two exceptional picks!

:cheers:

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Charlton Heston (Midway) and John "The Duke" Wayne (The Longest Day) :thumbsup:/>/> ...does it get any better then that!!!!! Two exceptional picks!

:cheers:/>/>

Yep.

WWII movies were so much apart of my childhood and adolescence. My best buddy as a youth back then 70's/80's was also so much into WWII history and stuff. His grandfather fought in WWII for Canada. We as youths just ate up so much of the WWII movie stuff and of course the great BBC Documentary series "World At War" (I have the DVD box set today). Add tons of books read, and building plastic models especially aircraft, oh yeah and my buddy lived on a farm so we and other school buds played war fighting all around the farm. Well as a kid it was just a great time and good bonding as buddies. :cheers:

Edited by Les / Creative Edge Photo
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To the OP's question it's Miramar! Part of me wants to ask how old are you? I can say with 100% clarity you are looking at the tower at base ops NAS Miramar. I was at the airshow the summer of the movie release, partying with a few Marine helo pilots and an RAF flight lieutenant, I was 17 and that was in the center of TOP GUN holy ground. There were many non aviation places that ended up in the movie, NTC, Laurel St (Charlie's Porsche chase) and other location "anomalies". These are the least of the "problems" of the movie. Chief among these problems is wether or not TOP GUN was coming out gay culture into the mainstream. I'm just saying I'm a helo guy so I have no dog in the fight.

Edited by Timmy!
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I can say with 100% clarity you are looking at the tower at base ops NAS Miramar.

I'm not saying it's impossible, but it sure doesn't resemble the tower I remember. I'm 42 and spent my fair share of time at Miramar. The tower in the fly-by shot has no trees, and no air conditioner units - it just bare. Also, as I mentioned, if the fly-by shot is facing south, then where is the portion of the building to the east that housed base ops and the restaraunt? I attached another shot in the movie that is certainly the old NKX tower and is facing southwest. If we want to get really picky, we can see that in the fly-by shot, the area just below the tower windows is brown. In the wide shot of the tower, that area is tan like the rest of the building. I don't know. You could be right, but I'm just not convinced.

Flyby.jpg

Tower.jpg

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Timmy, great mind do indeed think alike. I also looked up that video after my original question. Thing is, it only talks about a single shot done during the evening at NKX. Perhaps this will be one of those great unsolved mysteries. Or perhaps I'm just wrong. Either way, talking about Top Gun is pretty fun! :)

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Whitey,

I sent the screenshots to a buddy of mine who was stationed at Fallon in 89-91. He says that looks pretty similar to the old tower there. I think you might have found the answer.

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They did a lot of filming out at NAS Fallon also...could it be that tower?

Looking at the picture, That's a dead ringer for the old Fallon tower. Then again, I have no idea if it was indeed Miramar's line, as I was only 10 in 84/85, and not very wise on NAS flight lines back then... :D

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It is definitely Miramar's line as the Tomcat dips below the hangar and passes the Tower Chief outside. Then there is a cut to the shot as it goes past the tower in question...likely NAS Fallon's.

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