Favorite aviation movies!
Moderators: North Shore, sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, Rudder Bug
-
- Rank Moderator
- Posts: 3592
- Joined: Mon Feb 23, 2004 9:29 am
- Location: The Frozen North
- Contact:
Re: Favorite aviation movies!
I liked Snow Walker, just because I used to get deafened by JIN taking off at o'dark thirty in Howey Bay, when I'd been out medevacing all night.
Seeing it in a cold nunavut lake with buddy beating it with a 2X4 seemed like good payback at the time.
Seeing it in a cold nunavut lake with buddy beating it with a 2X4 seemed like good payback at the time.
Re: Favorite aviation movies!
Empire of the Rising Sun is one of my all-time favourite "aviation" movies. Not that it is a movie specifically about an airplane(s), rather airplanes are a core part of the story.
However, the best part of that, or almost any (aviation) movie by far, is when the allied forces come in for rescue and the star of the show, a young boy, is standing on a platform at the airfield shouting "P-51 Mustang, Cadillac of the sky!" at the top of his lungs as they roar overhead... It is worth watching the movie over and over for that one incredible scene - assuming of course you have a good imagination and could picture yourself on that airfield and in that kind of moment - throw in a love for airplanes, and well, its a Kleenex moment.

However, the best part of that, or almost any (aviation) movie by far, is when the allied forces come in for rescue and the star of the show, a young boy, is standing on a platform at the airfield shouting "P-51 Mustang, Cadillac of the sky!" at the top of his lungs as they roar overhead... It is worth watching the movie over and over for that one incredible scene - assuming of course you have a good imagination and could picture yourself on that airfield and in that kind of moment - throw in a love for airplanes, and well, its a Kleenex moment.

“Never interrupt someone doing something you said couldn’t be done.” Amelia Earhart
Re: Favorite aviation movies!
One Six Right
more a documentary than a movie, but wow is it good
more a documentary than a movie, but wow is it good
- Cat Driver
- Top Poster
- Posts: 18921
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2004 8:31 pm
Re: Favorite aviation movies!
" Below " by Mirimax...a naval airplane movie......
It's my favorite because I did all the flying in it and I'm first on the credits in the movie..

It's my favorite because I did all the flying in it and I'm first on the credits in the movie..



The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
- Siddley Hawker
- Rank 11
- Posts: 3353
- Joined: Tue Aug 10, 2004 6:56 pm
- Location: 50.13N 66.17W
Re: Favorite aviation movies!
The High And The Mighty and The Island In The Sky. Both movies were filmed in the early 1950's and starred John Wayne, based on stories by Ernest K. Gann. A couple of years ago they both became available on DVD. Great movies.
High And The Mighty is the better of the two, in my opinion. It's the story of a DC-4 that sheds a propeller on a flight from HNL to SFO. Excellent movie. There is a wonderful scene of a 1950's version of CRM between John Wayne and Robert Stack, who plays the Captain.
The Island In The Sky is a true story about an event from Gann's (partial) autobiography, Fate Is The Hunter, where O'Connor runs into ice in a C-87 on a medevac between Goose and Presq'Ile. They are unable to maintain flight in the ice, and he turns back toward the northwest to avoid the mountains north of the the Gulf of St. Lawrence. I know that area kinda well, so what put me off a bit about the movie is, it was filmed in the Sierra Madre mountains of California, which are twice as high as the hills around here.
Under no circumstances, ever, see the movie Fate Is The Hunter, starring Rod Taylor. It is so terrible, Gann had his name removed from any association with it.
Zero Hour was a pretty good movie. Don't eat the chicken.
High And The Mighty is the better of the two, in my opinion. It's the story of a DC-4 that sheds a propeller on a flight from HNL to SFO. Excellent movie. There is a wonderful scene of a 1950's version of CRM between John Wayne and Robert Stack, who plays the Captain.

The Island In The Sky is a true story about an event from Gann's (partial) autobiography, Fate Is The Hunter, where O'Connor runs into ice in a C-87 on a medevac between Goose and Presq'Ile. They are unable to maintain flight in the ice, and he turns back toward the northwest to avoid the mountains north of the the Gulf of St. Lawrence. I know that area kinda well, so what put me off a bit about the movie is, it was filmed in the Sierra Madre mountains of California, which are twice as high as the hills around here.
Under no circumstances, ever, see the movie Fate Is The Hunter, starring Rod Taylor. It is so terrible, Gann had his name removed from any association with it.
Zero Hour was a pretty good movie. Don't eat the chicken.

- Rudder Bug
- Rank 10
- Posts: 2735
- Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2005 11:09 pm
- Location: Right seat but I own the seat
Re: Favorite aviation movies!
I can't resist Strategic Air Command with James Stewart, who was B-36 rated for real
Flying an aircraft and building a guitar are two things that are easy to do bad and difficult to do right
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Yd_QppdGks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Yd_QppdGks
Re: Favorite aviation movies!
Captains of the Clouds - Cagney corny but lots of flying from bush to battle, also shows CFB Trenton and Ottawa / Uplands as they were at the time.
- The Blue Max
- The Great Waldo Pepper
- the original Flight of the Phoenix
- The Spirit of St. Louis
- The Right Stuff
- The Great Santini
- Test Pilot
- A Guy Named Joe
- Wings in the Dark
- Only Angels Have Wings
- Strategic Air Command
- The Flying Leathernecks
- The Sound Barrier
- Island in the Sky
- The High and the Mighty
- Wing and a Prayer
- The Crowded Sky
- Jet Pilot
- The Bridges at Toko-Ri
- High Flight (British, RAF '50s)
- Three Guys Named Mike
- The Blue Max
- The Great Waldo Pepper
- the original Flight of the Phoenix
- The Spirit of St. Louis
- The Right Stuff
- The Great Santini
- Test Pilot
- A Guy Named Joe
- Wings in the Dark
- Only Angels Have Wings
- Strategic Air Command
- The Flying Leathernecks
- The Sound Barrier
- Island in the Sky
- The High and the Mighty
- Wing and a Prayer
- The Crowded Sky
- Jet Pilot
- The Bridges at Toko-Ri
- High Flight (British, RAF '50s)
- Three Guys Named Mike
Last edited by Bushav8er on Sat Feb 11, 2012 12:23 pm, edited 4 times in total.
Re: Favorite aviation movies!
Some good ones there!
Also add:
Pancho Barnes
Firefox
Von Richthofen & Brown
Memphis Belle
Always
Also add:
Pancho Barnes
Firefox
Von Richthofen & Brown
Memphis Belle
Always
“Never interrupt someone doing something you said couldn’t be done.” Amelia Earhart
-
- Rank 10
- Posts: 2212
- Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2005 1:52 pm
- Location: CYVR
- Contact:
Re: Favorite aviation movies!
How about Dam Busters, great movie, happen to have it on the computer for my next time stuck waiting for a plane 

Cheers,
200hr Wonder
200hr Wonder
-
- Rank 6
- Posts: 424
- Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2005 10:54 am
- Location: Tree tops
Re: Favorite aviation movies!
The Aviator (1985) - starring Christopher Reeve as a mail carrying flyer. The girl - Rosanne Arquette. A bit weak on the plot, but great scenery, and Reeve was very strong in this post-Superman role.
Six Days Seven Nights (1998) - Harrison Ford as an island hopping charter pilot. The girl - Anne Heche. Subject plane is a Beaver and it is rumoured that he flew this one in the movie
Both are light romance and good for date night too.
Six Days Seven Nights (1998) - Harrison Ford as an island hopping charter pilot. The girl - Anne Heche. Subject plane is a Beaver and it is rumoured that he flew this one in the movie
Both are light romance and good for date night too.
Are we there yet?
-
- Top Poster
- Posts: 8133
- Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:25 pm
- Location: Winterfell...
Re: Favorite aviation movies!
Just going to add some that haven't been said.
633 Squadron. Great movie if you like the DH Mosquito.
Tuskeegee Airmen. About the first black USAAF pilots training in Alabama.
The original Memphis Belle was great but had quite a propaganda side to it. "This........is an air front!" LOL!
633 Squadron. Great movie if you like the DH Mosquito.
Tuskeegee Airmen. About the first black USAAF pilots training in Alabama.
The original Memphis Belle was great but had quite a propaganda side to it. "This........is an air front!" LOL!
Geez did I say that....? Or just think it....?
- Siddley Hawker
- Rank 11
- Posts: 3353
- Joined: Tue Aug 10, 2004 6:56 pm
- Location: 50.13N 66.17W
Re: Favorite aviation movies!
Did that version have a dog in it?How about Dam Busters, great movie, happen to have it on the computer for my next time stuck waiting for a plane

-
- Rank Moderator
- Posts: 3592
- Joined: Mon Feb 23, 2004 9:29 am
- Location: The Frozen North
- Contact:
Re: Favorite aviation movies!
Crap, did you have to mention that? Now I'm gonna have the theme song stuck in my head all day. I like the song, but flying at multiple thousand feet, it isn't a good for mental background music. Still, better than having "Bob The Builder" stuck in my head... ouch, why did I have to say that, now I'll have that stuck in my brain!633 Squadron. Great movie if you like the DH Mosquito.


-
- Top Poster
- Posts: 8133
- Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:25 pm
- Location: Winterfell...
Re: Favorite aviation movies!
I was quite happy having the 633 Squadron theme song stuck in my head even though I'm stuck in the shop working on a basket case Maule! Dun du du du du du duuuuh duuuuh (dun dun d d dunana dunana)just curious wrote:Crap, did you have to mention that? Now I'm gonna have the theme song stuck in my head all day. I like the song, but flying at multiple thousand feet, it isn't a good for mental background music. Still, better than having "Bob The Builder" stuck in my head... ouch, why did I have to say that, now I'll have that stuck in my brain!633 Squadron. Great movie if you like the DH Mosquito.![]()
But now I have Bob the Builder stuck in my head!

Oh well, at least it's not Dora or Barney or something...whoops!
Geez did I say that....? Or just think it....?
- meflypretty
- Rank 3
- Posts: 166
- Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2006 9:50 am
- Location: where you least expect it
Re: Favorite aviation movies!
I know nobody will admit it, but you all have a copy of Topgun hidden in there next to your playboys.
Vote for worst aviation movies
Conair
DIe Hard 2
Vote for worst aviation movies
Conair
DIe Hard 2
even paranoids have real enemies
-
- Top Poster
- Posts: 6745
- Joined: Sat Jun 25, 2005 8:54 pm
- Location: I'm a CPL trapped in a PPL's Body.
- Contact:
Re: Favorite aviation movies!
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1260511/ Your rating dropped 36% in the last week. I guess you wont be getting invited to party with Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.Cat Driver wrote:" Below " by Mirimax...a naval airplane movie......
It's my favorite because I did all the flying in it and I'm first on the credits in the movie..![]()
![]()
+1 absolutely loved this flick!just curious wrote:I liked Snow Walker, just because I used to get deafened by JIN taking off at o'dark thirty in Howey Bay, when I'd been out medevacing all night.
Seeing it in a cold nunavut lake with buddy beating it with a 2X4 seemed like good payback at the time.
I enjoyed both Aviators, Flyboys was neat allthought the wife didnt appreciate it when I said "thats why I keep a revolver in the glovebox of UBC", Tuskegee Airma, Flight of the Pheonix, Airplane.
Why hasnt anyone said Top Gun?
She’s built like a Steakhouse, but she handles like a Bistro.
Let's kick the tires, and light the fires.... SHIT! FIRE! EMERGENCY CHECKLIST!
Let's kick the tires, and light the fires.... SHIT! FIRE! EMERGENCY CHECKLIST!
- Cat Driver
- Top Poster
- Posts: 18921
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2004 8:31 pm
Re: Favorite aviation movies!
Ahhh well niss, like Hedley said it is better to be a has been than a never was.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1260511/ Your rating dropped 36% in the last week. I guess you wont be getting invited to party with Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.

The hardest thing about flying is knowing when to say no
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
After over a half a century of flying no one ever died because of my decision not to fly.
Re: Favorite aviation movies!
Twelve O'Clock High is one of my favourites.
A good movie that few people have heard of is A Guy Named Joe (1944),
the movie Always is a remake of it.
Mash
A good movie that few people have heard of is A Guy Named Joe (1944),
the movie Always is a remake of it.
Mash
Re: Favorite aviation movies!
-
Last edited by altiplano on Thu Aug 12, 2010 11:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.