Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted June 1 Share Posted June 1 (edited) Putting together a list of what I call "Hollywood MiGs," the "art" of taking western planes and having them play Soviet-designed aircraft for TV and movies. I laughed at the efforts as a kid, but now I appreciate how well (and sometimes not-so-well) they did with what they had (some laughable but overall kinda neat). Tell me what I'm missing: FIXED WING: - The Big Lift (1950): P-47D's as Yak fighters - Sabre Jet (1953): F-86A as MiG-15 - The McConnell Story (1955): F-84F as MiG-15 - Iron Petticoat (1956): F-84F as MiG-15 - Jet Pilot (1957): T-33 as "Yak-12" (sadly, no stars) F-86A as MiG fighter (possibly no stars either) B-29 as (presumably) Tu-4 (still no stars, nor with any of other Soviet planes in the film) F-89 as unnamed Soviet fighter XF-89 as black-painted unnamed Soviet fighter XF-92 as then-fictional "MiG-23" - The Hunters (1958): F-84F's as MiG-15's - Billion Dollar Brain (1967): EE Canberras as Il-28's - Skyjacked (1972): F-100C's as unnamed Soviet fighters - Magnum P.I. (1981 TV S2E4): F-4C as "MiG-30" - Enigma (1982): Dassault Super-Mystere B2 as unnamed Soviet fighter - Firefox (1982): “MiG-31 Firefox” (not based on a western aircraft except the F-4 landing gear, but it deserves an honorable mention) - Airwolf (1984 TV S1E2 & 4): F-100C’s as MiG-23’s (footage from “Skyjacked”) F-84F’s as MiGs (S1E6 as Libyan MiGs; E8 as unnamed MiGs; S2E7 as MiG-25s; all footage from “The Hunters” 1958) - Tuntematon sotilas/“Unknown Soldier” (1985 Finnish Movie): Saab 91B Safir as unnamed Soviet aircraft -Also Gloster Gauntlet, Tuuli III, Zlin Trener & DH Chipmunk (latter 3 painted olive green with red stars) - Top Gun (1986): F-5Es & F as "MiG-28's" - Iron Eagle (1986): IAI Kfir C2's as MiG-23's - James Bond/Living Daylights (1987): Royal Moroccan C-130H as Soviet Transport - Supercarrier (1988 TV Episode 3 "Common Ground"): F-16N as "MiG-28" - Iron Eagle 2 (1988): F-4E's as MiG-29's (no special markings other than the Soviet flag painted on the tail, no stars - disappointing, IMHO) HELICOPTERS: - Octopussy (1983): Aérospatiale SA 365 Dauphin 2 as Soviet helicopters - Red Dawn (1984): SA-330 Puma as Mi-24 "Hind A" - Airwolf (1984 TV S1E1): Hughes 369 as “Tu-28” helicopter S1E4: Hughes 369 as unnamed Soviet helicopter - Rambo 2 (1985): SA-330 Puma as Mi-24 "Hind A" (also used in Stargate and Falling Skies?) - Amerika (1987 TV miniseries): 2 Modified SA 341 Gazelles (Blue Thunder movie helicopters) as Soviet heavy attack helicopters SA Alouette II's as unknown Soviet attack helicopters Bell H-13 Sioux as unknown Soviet helicopter Bell 206 Jet Ranger as unknown Soviet transport helicopter - Rambo 3 (1988): SA-330 Puma as Mi-24 "Hind A" SA 341 Gazelle as unknown Soviet helicopter - The Beast (1988): SA-321K Super Frelon as Mi-6 and -8 - Red Scorpion (1988): Sikorsky S-62 as Mi-24 Edited June 17 by Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
andyf117 Posted June 1 Share Posted June 1 (edited) Pumas also played Mi-24 Hind-As in Red Dawn: As for the other way around, this Hind played a US Coast Guard helo in the 1991 Russian film Loaded with Death: Edited June 1 by andyf117 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GW8345 Posted June 1 Share Posted June 1 The XF-92A Dart was used as a "MIG-23" in the movie "Jet Pilot". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted June 2 Author Share Posted June 2 Love it! Those are great, thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cool Hand Posted June 2 Share Posted June 2 Episode 3 of the 1988 TV series "Supercarrier" had an F-16N standing in for some sort of MiG. Can't find any footage or stills online of it. The show isn't even listed on The Internet Movie Plane Database. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonwinn Posted June 2 Share Posted June 2 WOW! I see USCG helicopters overfly my house about every day, I live about 2 miles from the USCG Air Station in St Pete FL. Never saw one armed to the teeth like that one pictured above!!! Also I noticed a lot of C-130 are being replaced here by twin engine C-27J, I think. Have seen quite a few in the last month. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JackMan Posted June 2 Share Posted June 2 5 hours ago, Cool Hand said: Episode 3 of the 1988 TV series "Supercarrier" had an F-16N standing in for some sort of MiG. Can't find any footage or stills online of it. The show isn't even listed on The Internet Movie Plane Database. I remember that episode. It was an F-16N. IIRC the Mig pilot was defecting and had to land on the carrier's barricade. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094560/?ref_=mv_close If my memory is correct, they used one with the red star on the tail: https://www.aircraftrecognitionguide.com/images/aircraft/General-Dynamics/f-16n.jpg (not sure if above aircraft was the exact one used on the show). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
STEN8 Posted June 2 Share Posted June 2 What a trip down memory lane...I had (thankfully) forgotten the Iron Petticoat! Bob Hope is a favorite, but everyone swings and misses once in awhile. Now I have to go digging around for my DVD copies and watch them all over again. Great job, and thanks. Harry Lutz, FL Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tank Posted June 2 Share Posted June 2 9 hours ago, jonwinn said: WOW! I see USCG helicopters overfly my house about every day, I live about 2 miles from the USCG Air Station in St Pete FL. Never saw one armed to the teeth like that one pictured above!!! Also I noticed a lot of C-130 are being replaced here by twin engine C-27J, I think. Have seen quite a few in the last month. Well CG doesn’t have assigned attack helicopters. I think the heaviest they get in the air is .50 cal for drug interdiction. Not sure about the range but a Hind could solve some issues for them. Firepower and rescue in one aircraft. At least for movies, one way to look up what is used in what. As it’s user populated like wiki, there can and will be some errors. https://www.impdb.org/index.php?title=The_Internet_Movie_Plane_Database Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted June 9 Author Share Posted June 9 (edited) Finally finished screen shots of the 1988 TV miniseries "AMERIKA". I saw one night of it (I was 17) and remembered the Soviet helicopter attack on the outcasts/political dissidents. Please tell me if I've mis-named any of these, as helicopters are not my forte: - 2 x Modified SA 341 Gazelles (both "Blue Thunder" helicopters) - SA Alouette II's (modified with winglets) - Bell H-13 Sioux (think "M.A.S.H.") for the evil Soviet Major's personal mount - note very small, almost invisible "bort number" on the side behind him: - Bell 206 Jet Ranger as general transport type: Edited June 9 by Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
andyf117 Posted June 11 Share Posted June 11 (edited) Some 'Supercarrier' F-16N screenshots, from one of the very few sites with episodes online (https://archive.org/details/supercarrier-1.01-02/Supercarrier+-+1.05.mp4) The series never made it to TV screens over here, but I remember renting it on VHS from a video shop... Edited June 11 by andyf117 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hajo L. Posted June 11 Share Posted June 11 It was shown in Germany actually.... HAJO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted June 12 Author Share Posted June 12 15 hours ago, andyf117 said: Some 'Supercarrier' F-16N screenshots, from one of the very few sites with episodes online (https://archive.org/details/supercarrier-1.01-02/Supercarrier+-+1.05.mp4) The series never made it to TV screens over here, but I remember renting it on VHS from a video shop... Wow, thanks! Yep, based on the style of the star, that is a VF-126 bird Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted June 12 Author Share Posted June 12 (edited) Just did these screen shots from 1957's "Jet Pilot" (not John Wayne's best film; the total storyline makes the first Top Gun's plot problems look like brilliance). The F-86 seen here was called a MiG in the film, but not specifically a -15 (although in the early 50's when it was filmed, what else could it have been?). It has the tail and wingtips effectively painted with false shapes to hide the Sabre outline, and *seems* to have a yellow hammer/sickle (is it?) on the red tail. I have to say, for the timeframe, I find this quite striking. Question, is it an "A" version of the Sabre? I ask since the "American" F-86's in the film all appear to be A's with the square gun vents and angled front windscreen glass. Can you tell from the wing shape? Edited June 17 by Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trojan Thunder Posted June 15 Share Posted June 15 Ice Station Zebra featured F-4s as Mig 21s. Close shots were model Migs while the live action was the F-4s Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy Posted June 18 Author Share Posted June 18 On 6/14/2025 at 5:36 PM, Trojan Thunder said: Ice Station Zebra featured F-4s as Mig 21s. Close shots were model Migs while the live action was the F-4s Yep, saw that! Although, the F-4's weren't specially marked, just shadowy footage of them passing over. As a teen I used to mock stuff like that, but as a middle-aged guy I realize just how few and poor were the options for the moviemakers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.