Simviation Forum - Best Aviation Movies

Apr 22^nd, 2009 at 5:53pm

specter177 Offline
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What do you consider some of the best aviation movies?
I'll start off:

Always
Top Gun
Midway

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Reply #1 - Apr 22^nd, 2009 at 7:18pm

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Memphis Belle
Flyboys
Iron Eagle I and II Cool

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Reply #2 - Apr 22^nd, 2009 at 9:25pm

skoker Offline
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Airplane
The "Airport" series
Pearl Harbour (the plane parts Wink

)

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Reply #3 - Apr 22^nd, 2009 at 9:48pm

BFMF Offline
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Hmm...

Tora! Tora! Tora!
Twelve O'Clock High

Watched the Red Baron not too long ago. Wasn't too bad.

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Reply #4 - Apr 23^rd, 2009 at 1:03am

BigTruck Offline
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skoker wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2009 at 9:25pm:

Pearl Harbour (the plane parts Wink

)

I was hoping and praying no member would post this movie Grin

Ugh

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Reply #5 - Apr 23^rd, 2009 at 2:33am

BFMF Offline
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BigTruck wrote on Apr 23^rd, 2009 at 1:03am:

skoker wrote on Apr 22^nd, 2009 at 9:25pm:

Pearl Harbour (the plane parts Wink

)

I was hoping and praying no member would post this movie Grin

Ugh

I wouldn't classify it as an aviation, historical, or even a war movie.....

Crap, is the nicest word for the catagory I would put it in... Grin

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Reply #6 - Apr 23^rd, 2009 at 8:30am

ozzy72 Offline
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Battle of Britain
Airplane
Over Here (does anyone have a copy of this? Just my copy on video is worn out and you can't buy it, I recorded it when it was on TV)
Piece of Cake (a mini-series but great)

There are two types of aeroplane, Spitfires and everything else that wishes it was a Spitfire!

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Reply #7 - Apr 23^rd, 2009 at 10:26am

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A Gathering of Eagles
Strategic Air Command

I second "Twelve O'Clock High"

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Reply #8 - Apr 23^rd, 2009 at 12:13pm

Keep It Simple Offline
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Hell's Angels

Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines

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Reply #9 - Apr 23^rd, 2009 at 12:38pm

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ozzy72 wrote on Apr 23^rd, 2009 at 8:30am:

Over Here (does anyone have a copy of this? Just my copy on video is worn out and you can't buy it, I recorded it when it was on TV)
Piece of Cake (a mini-series but great)

I've got a video copy somewhere but it's so old it most likely will never play. If I can dig it out it's your pal.

That had MH434 in it didn't it?
I agree with Piece of cake (MH434 again) even if the show was nothing at all like the book.
Films though:
Battle of Britain (I bet MH434 is in here somewhere).
The Dam Busters. I hope the remake turns out as good as the origional.

Flying Legends

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Reply #10 - Apr 23^rd, 2009 at 12:47pm

ozzy72 Offline
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Over Here does indeed feature MH434 after her total rebuild Cool

Ray Hanna doing his stuff!
Mind you his best is in Piece of Cake under THAT bridge Cool

There are two types of aeroplane, Spitfires and everything else that wishes it was a Spitfire!

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Reply #11 - Apr 23^rd, 2009 at 12:55pm

BFMF Offline
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Piece of Cake?

I've never heard of it before. Is it really that good, and worth getting?

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Reply #12 - Apr 23^rd, 2009 at 1:15pm

Hagar Offline
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BFMF wrote on Apr 23^rd, 2009 at 12:55pm:

Piece of Cake?

I've never heard of it before. Is it really that good, and worth getting?

Piece of Cake was a TV series. My memories of it are different from Mark's. I thought it was awful but the flying sequences made up for it. I read the book & that was awful too.

Here's one of the best scenes from it. Ray Hanna flying MH434 under a bridge. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf3UtmHLKUU&feature=related

It's still available on DVD in this country.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Piece-Cake-DVD-Boyd-Gaines/dp/B000NTDPDM

PS. Perhaps I should get it & give it another chance. Nah, I don't think so.

« Last Edit: Apr 23^rd, 2009 at 4:35pm by Hagar »

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Reply #13 - Apr 23^rd, 2009 at 1:33pm

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If you want a good WWI aircraft movie, "The Blue Max" with George Peppard is a good one-

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060177/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blue_Max

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Reply #14 - Apr 23^rd, 2009 at 1:34pm

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Top Gun and Le Chevaliér du Ciel (Sky Fighters) aren't bad.

&&&&

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Reply #15 - Apr 23^rd, 2009 at 4:37pm

Souichiro Offline
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- Chevalier Du Ciel has some of the nicest flying action I've seen so far!

- Battle of Britain..... a classic!

- and the mosquito movie.....erm? 633 squadron?

and of course this latest one

http://www.dumpert.nl/mediabase/478961/fd7a7bc8/wie_heeft_de_grootste_.html

&&

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Reply #16 - Apr 23^rd, 2009 at 8:27pm

specter177 Offline
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Oh, I forgot "The Great Waldo Pepper."

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Reply #17 - Apr 24^th, 2009 at 7:15am

C Offline
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Keep It Simple wrote on Apr 23^rd, 2009 at 12:13pm:

Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines

The director of which, Ken Annakin, passed away yesterday (which imdb hasn't noticed yet).

My list:

The Way to the Stars - the gripping story of the ficticious RAF aerodrome at "Halfpenny Field" the only film which concentrates on both the RAF and USAAF, with Michael Redgrave, John Mills, and (the often present in British made films) Bonar Colleano in his often reprised role as the loud New Yorker! Great film, in a typically understated film.

The Dambusters. Micheal Redgrave again! Awesome film, and an excellent example of how to tell a heroic story without bending the truth, or altering history altogether. Early appearance from Inspector Wexford too. Wink

Mag Men - see above. Aviation meets comedy at its best. Aside from that, it produced some excellent reproduction pre WWI aircraft, some of which still fly today.

Battle of Britain. Epic. Aerial filming possibly only better by the film below. Did wonders for the future of warbirds (thanks to Hamish Mahaddie, ironically an RAF bomber pilot in WWII). Great cast, and a super soundtrack by William Walton (which they then replaced with a very good one, but slighly repetitive one by Ron Goodwin) - due to the wonders of DVD you can now watch it with either.

Memphis Belle - like the Dambusters in the way it told it's story, although "fictionalised" the elements of Memphis Belle story, it didn't do it to the ridiculous extent of other Hollywood offerings (Pearl Harbo(u)r, etc) - which maybe explains why it wasn't as successful as it could have been). Great casting too. Aerial shots to die for, and good that they spent the extra money to film it in the UK with authentic scenery.

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Reply #18 - Apr 24^th, 2009 at 10:24am

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Re 'A piece of cake'. According to the book, those were supposed to be Hurricanes. Didn't Dowding say something about keeping the Spitfires on British soil. How about that movie with Robert Redford - Susan Sarandon fell off his wing. At the end he had a dogfight with his former German nemesis. I know it has a name

.

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Reply #19 - Apr 25^th, 2009 at 12:50pm

BFMF Offline
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It had been awhile since I saw Battle of Britain, so I dug up my dvd and watched it lastnight.

"You can teach monkeys to fly better than that"....lol Grin

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Reply #20 - Apr 25^th, 2009 at 1:04pm

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BFMF wrote on Apr 25^th, 2009 at 12:50pm:

It had been awhile since I saw Battle of Britain, so I dug up my dvd and watched it lastnight.

"You can teach monkeys to fly better than that"....lol Grin

I have it on my iPod for whenever I need a bit of Merlin action...especially to the tune of the Battle of Britain march Tongue

My only problem with that film is the fact they destroyed one of the lovely (and rare) hangars at Duxford.....

.mic

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Reply #21 - Apr 25^th, 2009 at 1:20pm

Hagar Offline
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Mictheslik wrote on Apr 25^th, 2009 at 1:04pm:

My only problem with that film is the fact they destroyed one of the lovely (and rare) hangars at Duxford.....

.mic

I thought that was an accident. Undecided

On the positive side the 'Battle of Britain' was responsible for the start of the warbird restoration industry we're fortunate in having today.

633 Squadron was far worse for the mistreatment of extremely rare aircraft.

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Reply #22 - Apr 25^th, 2009 at 1:48pm

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olderndirt wrote on Apr 24^th, 2009 at 10:24am:

How about that movie with Robert Redford - Susan Sarandon fell off his wing. At the end he had a dogfight with his former German nemesis. I know it has a name

.

Specter177 mentioned it: "The Great Waldo Pepper"

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Reply #23 - Apr 25^th, 2009 at 2:19pm

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I see a few of my faves here already, but then there's...

The High and the Mighty
One of Our Aircraft is Missing
Flight of the Phoenix (the original)
Dark Blue World
Island in the Sky
The Hunters
The Spirit of St. Louis

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Reply #24 - Apr 25^th, 2009 at 2:22pm

C Offline
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Mictheslik wrote on Apr 25^th, 2009 at 1:04pm:

My only problem with that film is the fact they destroyed one of the lovely (and rare) hangars at Duxford.....

.mic

They aren't that rare (compared to some hangars), and that was all a small misunderstanding - not the criminal vandalism of the Mosquito killing films, "633 Squadron" and its sequel "Mosquito Squadron". In fairness it created a bit more pan space at Duxford. Wink

633 and Mosquito Sqn did the opposite the BoB for aircraft preservation.

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Reply #25 - Apr 25^th, 2009 at 8:46pm

olderndirt Offline
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Quote:

How about that movie with Robert Redford - Susan Sarandon fell off his wing. At the end he had a dogfight with his former German nemesis. I know it has a name

.
Specter177 mentioned it: "The Great Waldo Pepper".

Guess I'll add reading to remembering on my 'used to have' list

.

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Reply #26 - Apr 26^th, 2009 at 4:49am

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Strategic Air Command
Flight Of The Intruder
Air America
Bat 21
Flying Tigers
Flying Leathernecks

If God intended aircraft engines to have horizontally opposed engines, Pratt and Whitney would have made them that way.

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Reply #27 - Apr 26^th, 2009 at 4:54am

C Offline
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patchz wrote on Apr 26^th, 2009 at 4:49am:

Strategic Air Command

Another classic, if not just for the B-36s.

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Reply #28 - May 1^st, 2009 at 10:04pm

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specter177 wrote on Apr 23^rd, 2009 at 8:27pm:

Oh, I forgot "The Great Waldo Pepper."

Totally

One Six Right anyone?
How about The Rocketeer, if not just for the sequences with the 1930's air racing.
The Aviator?
Tuskeegee Airmen?
The Right Stuff? (ok so the movie could have been better, but the book was pretty good)

And the ultimate "non-aviation" movie that is worth mentioning is Dr Strangelove

"If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing" -Ben Franklin&&&&"Man must rise above the Earth to the top of the atmosphere and beyond, for only thus will he fully understand the world in which he lives." - Socrates&&&&" Flying is a religion. A religion that asymilates all who get a taste of it." - Me&&&&"Make the most out of yourself, for that is all there is of you"- Ralf Waldo Emerson&&

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Reply #29 - May 2^nd, 2009 at 1:51am

U4EA Ex Member

C wrote on Apr 26^th, 2009 at 4:54am:

patchz wrote on Apr 26^th, 2009 at 4:49am:

Strategic Air Command

Another classic, if not just for the B-36s.

Top of my list! The B-47 inflight sequences almost give me a.....welllll, you know! Wink

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Reply #30 - May 2^nd, 2009 at 2:00am

U4EA Ex Member

"The Lafayette Escadrille" is also one of my faves!

But I have to take exception to one 'choice'......"Iron Eagle 1 & 2" Roll Eyes

Puhleeze! The worst attempt(s) at munitions and cockpit set-up of any aviation flick! (Perhaps I'm a bit jaded by my USAF Munitions/EOD experiences....along with being at an F-16 base for a spell.)

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Reply #31 - May 2^nd, 2009 at 4:25am

C Offline
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U4EA wrote on May 2^nd, 2009 at 1:51am:

C wrote on Apr 26^th, 2009 at 4:54am:

patchz wrote on Apr 26^th, 2009 at 4:49am:

Strategic Air Command

Another classic, if not just for the B-36s.

Top of my list! The B-47 inflight sequences almost give me a.....welllll, you know! Wink

They just don't have the same presence as the B-36s though.

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Reply #32 - May 2^nd, 2009 at 2:56pm

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U4EA wrote on May 2^nd, 2009 at 2:00am:

"The Lafayette Escadrille" is also one of my faves!

But I have to take exception to one 'choice'......"Iron Eagle 1 & 2" Roll Eyes

Puhleeze! The worst attempt(s) at munitions and cockpit set-up of any aviation flick! (Perhaps I'm a bit jaded by my USAF Munitions/EOD experiences....along with being at an F-16 base for a spell.)

Iron Eagle was done with IDF crew and planes, USAF doesn't want to get involved in movies unlike the Navy

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Reply #33 - May 2^nd, 2009 at 4:48pm

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http://forums.jetphotos.net/showthread.php?t=46745 - here are some movies with planes

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Reply #34 - May 2^nd, 2009 at 5:30pm

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They mentioned the most obscure planes in Top Gun. The whole movie was REAL airplanes shot from a learjet owned by Clay Lacy.

"If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing" -Ben Franklin&&&&"Man must rise above the Earth to the top of the atmosphere and beyond, for only thus will he fully understand the world in which he lives." - Socrates&&&&" Flying is a religion. A religion that asymilates all who get a taste of it." - Me&&&&"Make the most out of yourself, for that is all there is of you"- Ralf Waldo Emerson&&

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Reply #35 - May 2^nd, 2009 at 5:33pm

The Ruptured Duck Offline
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Interesting link following up on the above: http://www.claylacy.com/?p=astrovision

"If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing" -Ben Franklin&&&&"Man must rise above the Earth to the top of the atmosphere and beyond, for only thus will he fully understand the world in which he lives." - Socrates&&&&" Flying is a religion. A religion that asymilates all who get a taste of it." - Me&&&&"Make the most out of yourself, for that is all there is of you"- Ralf Waldo Emerson&&

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Reply #36 - May 3^rd, 2009 at 7:55pm

Alejandro Rojas L. Ex Member
I Love Simviation.

Mmm

Does Airplane! counts?

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Reply #37 - May 7^th, 2009 at 1:04pm

U4EA Ex Member

C wrote on May 2^nd, 2009 at 4:25am:

U4EA wrote on May 2^nd, 2009 at 1:51am:

C wrote on Apr 26^th, 2009 at 4:54am:

patchz wrote on Apr 26^th, 2009 at 4:49am:

Strategic Air Command

Another classic, if not just for the B-36s.

Top of my list! The B-47 inflight sequences almost give me a.....welllll, you know! Wink

They just don't have the same presence as the B-36s though.

I was referring to the cinematography. Wink

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Reply #38 - May 16^th, 2009 at 12:28am

Wing Nut Offline
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Every aviation movie list MUST start with Airplane... Wink

Airplane
The Bridges at Toko-Ri
Hells Angels
Empire of the Sun
Battle of Britain
Strategic Air Command
Spirit of St. Louis
Memphis Belle (no matter HOW inaccurate it is)

Worst aviation movie ever?

Jet Pilot starring John Wayne...
Iron Eagle II runs a close second.

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Reply #39 - May 16^th, 2009 at 9:53am

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Ah...... you guys are missing one of the best....... the real Top Gun movie......

Speed and Angels

http://www.speedandangels.com/

http://www.hulu.com/watch/49206/speed-and-angels

best,

...................john

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Reply #40 - May 26^th, 2009 at 3:28pm

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Battle of Britain is the only aviation DVD in my collection...

Top Gun's flying sequences are still very hot, though the story is questionable, yet recently rewatched it and have happy memories now for personal reasons...

Memphis Belle is enjoyable

So is Pearl Harbour when you don't think to much... lol

Didn't see Flight Of The Intruder here anywhere, did I?

I also remember a BBC show on the tv, where a guy would race a Spitfire trough the english countryside, while some people time it from the garden of a castle. Vague, I know, but it's all I remember... lol

But... THE most hilarious pilot ever is never seen flying...

Lord Flashheart - Blackadder goes Forth! Trust me... lol

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Reply #41 - Jun 4^th, 2009 at 4:48pm

patchz Offline
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U4EA wrote on May 2^nd, 2009 at 1:51am:

C wrote on Apr 26^th, 2009 at 4:54am:

patchz wrote on Apr 26^th, 2009 at 4:49am:

Strategic Air Command

Another classic, if not just for the B-36s.

Top of my list! The B-47 inflight sequences almost give me a.....welllll, you know! Wink

If God intended aircraft engines to have horizontally opposed engines, Pratt and Whitney would have made them that way.

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Reply #42 - Jun 4^th, 2009 at 7:12pm

patchz Offline
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JBaymore wrote on May 16^th, 2009 at 9:53am:

Ah...... you guys are missing one of the best....... the real Top Gun movie......

Speed and Angels

http://www.speedandangels.com/

http://www.hulu.com/watch/49206/speed-and-angels

best,

...................john

I never heard of that movie until I read your post. I just finished watching it. Great air footage. Good movie. Thanks John.

If God intended aircraft engines to have horizontally opposed engines, Pratt and Whitney would have made them that way.

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