Favorite Aviation Scene from a Film.

Dave Homewood · **Posted:** Wed Mar 09, 2005 8:50 pm

A number of my favourites have been metioned already, like the mass B17 take off scenes in Memphis Belle, and the Catalina scene in Always (a film I've not seen in years and want to track down!!). I also loved the scene in the same film when John Goodman had the marker dye dropped on him from the B26.

I love watching the opening of the attack in Tora, Tora, Tora, in fact the whole attack sequence is awesome, but especially the scenes where Zeros buzz round among the buildings, and where that B17 is landing and takes off again wiuth the Zero low, hard and fast on its tail. The B17 does a wing-over. Awesome flying.

Later in the film I absolutely love the P40 versus Zero dogfight sequence where they dart in and out of cloud and are flying over teh Hawaii countryside. Brilliant flying and filming. Beats that Pearl Harbot film hands down.

There is much awesome flying in Battle of Britain too. I love the Me109 attack on the Hurricanes in France too. And the big battle at the end.

I liked the Skyraider attack in We Were Soldiers. Scary that was.

Some of the flying scenes in Air America are great too - I love the Porter landing on the uphill jungle strip.

There are many more I can't recall right now.

p51 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 09, 2005 9:13 pm

Here's mine:

C-47 prep-takeoff scenes from Band of Brothers (downright seamless CGI)
C-47 prep-takeoff scenes from Bridge Too Far (no stinking CGI at ALL here!)
Almost any flying scene from Lady takes a Flyer, especially the B-17 landing
The buzz job from 1000 Plane Raid
In Blue Thunder, when he pops up in front of the police on the bridge
The scene just like the one above in True Lies with the Harrier
When the B-29 flies over in Empire of the Sun. To me it was really neat that it was a model but looked totally real
Fighter Squadron, any scenes with all those P-47s, or any scene with Sgt Kinsey in it (if you've seen it, you'll get the joke)

Dennis Bergstrom · **Posted:** Wed Mar 09, 2005 9:28 pm

Stoney wrote:

The mass B-25 take-off in Catch-22, all four times!

Yes Stoney, I can imagine it was awesome for you from the pilot's seat. You're part of movie history. Lucky guy!

So, they filmed that scene four times!? Lots of gas and film footage used there.

Dennis

Chris Brame · **Posted:** Wed Mar 09, 2005 9:58 pm

"Flight of the Phoenix": James Stewart. Seven cartridges. 'Nuff said - seen it a jillion times and it's still thrilling.
"I Wanted Wings": Three AT-6s flathatting like crazy. Too much!
"Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo": Entire mission from take-off to "I lost... my ship..." Close to perfection and no histrionics.
"Speed Zone": Utter piece of crap except for one amazing sequence with a CV-240 (mocked up as a jet!) racing down a freeway into oncoming traffic - great stunt work! Hold on - I'll think of more -

DazDaMan · **Posted:** Thu Mar 10, 2005 5:08 am

Train attack sequence in Dark Blue World
Northern Raid sequence in Battle of Britain, where the Heinkel splashes down and the film's theme strikes up.
Wings - the whole darn thing!
Hell's Angels - the model work with the Zeppelin was amazing!
Flying Tigers - again, some great model work
Hope and Glory - some BofB out-takes in a cinema, then a low flyby by Ray Hanna in MH434 down the middle of a street! :shock:

Aces High - a personal favourite (just gotta love those Stampe 'SE5as'!)

Dare I mention the Spitfire dogfight in "Pearl Harbor"?? :wink:

Warhawk · **Posted:** Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:18 am

One other I thought of this morning was Wild Bill Kelso's P-40 leaving the gas station without him in 1941. I always howl when I see that.

TonyI · **Posted:** Thu Mar 10, 2005 8:39 am

All of the above..would the PBS movie Piece of Cake count? Something about watching a Spit go down a river and under? a bridge just fantastic. (ok reckless, unsafe, whatever,don't want to here that part)
Same about the Breitling fighters flying down the tree lined canal (below tree line) toward the camera man standing on the bridge. Stunning

Cheers
Tony

JBoyle · **Posted:** Thu Mar 10, 2005 2:58 pm

I agree with a lot of the scenes already mentioned..
Yeager & the F-104 in The Right Stuff...etc..

But let me suggest a few more lesser known films and TV...

"A Gathering of Eagles" B-52 MITO...see Rock Hudson and Rod Taylor alongside a runway at the B-52s do a MITO for an exercise...great stuff.

"Whirlybirds" a TV series of 1955-59 and seen for a long time in reruns......almost any shot of their Bell 47G....it got a generation of kids interested in helicopters.

DazDaMan · **Posted:** Thu Mar 10, 2005 3:48 pm

TonyI wrote:

All of the above..would the PBS movie Piece of Cake count? Something about watching a Spit go down a river and under? a bridge just fantastic. (ok reckless, unsafe, whatever,don't want to here that part)
Same about the Breitling fighters flying down the tree lined canal (below tree line) toward the camera man standing on the bridge. Stunning

Cheers
Tony

I have a photo of that somewhere - MH434 being flown by Ray Hanna. Beautiful piece of flying!

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:33 pm

Ok this is not a warbird.............but Frank Talmantz flying the Beech 18 through the bilboard in "its a mad mad mad world"

hairy · **Posted:** Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:54 pm

The low flying Mustang from "Bullit" :twisted:

wendovertom · **Posted:** Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:19 pm

Wow - most of them have been mentioned but I'd add "Midway" - all the scenes of zeros and dauntless' roaring around.

I have to admit it is funny to see "1941" and that P-40 roaring around the Grand canyon (I think) supposedly with Belushi at the stick :lol:

Tom P.

turbo_NZ · **Posted:** Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:47 pm

The take off scene of the B-36 in "Strategic Air Command".
You turn up the stereo and hear all 10 engines !!!!
Pure magic !!!!

TNZ

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:25 pm

and I though I was the only one that did that!!!! When she taxi's out and the brakes squeal.........gives me goose bumps.
Hard to believe that I am only 33 and never got to see one fly.

turbo_NZ · **Posted:** Thu Mar 10, 2005 8:32 pm

Nope, you're in good company there.

That movie is simply awesome !!

I believe the last flight of the B-36 was 1959 so there would have been no chance of you (or me) of ever seeing one fly

I don't think James Stewart ever actually flew B-36's but I do know he did fly B-24's

TNZ

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