Arguably, being a pilot for most of the time is the dream you would often hear from a child – and for a good reason. A pilot could literally touch the sky and cloud with their hands. They could travel virtually around the world for the most obvious reasons. But there is one criterion that definitely fueled every child’s dream; movies.
Aviation geeks tend to spend time searching for quality warplane movies. They absolutely love to see those warplanes in action, especially the ones they could recognize right off the bat. Dogfights and chase action are the cherry on top of those warplane movies. So, if you’re looking for the best warplane movies, don’t worry, we got you.
Best Warplane Movies
Warplane movies had existed for quite some time. They usually depict a time during World War I or World War II with the perspective of the warplane pilots. The list would depend on the storyline, realism, and of course, the dogfights.
- Les Chevaliers di Ciel – If you’re looking for a film that showcases great angles and aerial warfare, you’re in a treat for this one. Though there is a limited number of dogfight scenes, it was well compensated with other areas of the film. The amazing videography showed the authenticity of the aircraft. Sum it up with great technical specifications of the plane; you’ll get realism out from this movie. The on-flight action was also shot without the help of CGI. They used real air time from the plane – from the take-off up to the sick aircraft maneuvering. It’s good to know that they attached a camera to a Mirage 2000 jet to tail the star planes of the film. Knowing that piece of information makes you appreciate this film even better.
- Top Gun – What’s a warplane movie list without the famous Top Gun? For dogfight fans out there, this is the movie for you. For a film mostly shot on the ground, it’s definitely well made. The dogfights were indeed exciting to watch, especially Tom Cruise being the leading man of the film made this film highest-grossing during its release. But if you’re an avid aviation fanatic, you’ll notice an inaccuracy with the technicalities of the planes and terms. There is no plane named “MIG-28” – Mikoyan Gurevich planes always have odd numbers. The sound effects between the targeting system and missile are dead near identical. In reality, anyone could hear the huge difference between the two – especially the pilot.
- Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag – If you prefer a documentary-like film, this is highly recommended. The accuracy of the technicalities of the film is spot on. Adding the cherry on top are the dogfights. It may not be the best amongst the bunch, but it’s absolutely worth watching. You’ll be surely taken away by the spectacular cinematography and action sequence it has in store for you. This is a must-see movie for every aviation enthusiast out there.
- Iron Eagle – For an old movie, this is still worth watching. It still has some good dogfights in it, but realism is not their best forte. They lacked the correct technicalities of the planes – from the cockpit up to the weapon configuration. The reason we placed it on our list is to let people see where these films began and how far aviation movies have gone from obviously remote-controlled planes to real maneuvering fighter planes.
- Behind Enemy Lines – For a mix of a good storyline and technical accuracy, this film is much recommended. The limited number of dogfights was understandable due to the storyline it was based on. But if we are going to incline with realism, this is a win-win. They even portrayed the malfunctions of the missile chasing an F-18 plane. It’s a good mix and match of everything you could be looking for in a warplane movie.
Storyline and Technicalities
There are still a lot of movies to mention when it comes to warplane movies. You can create your list by checking other films out. Warplane films would always have a lot to offer, most especially the storyline and technicalities. Since most of those movies were based on World War I or World War II, history will be a basis for those movies. Always take your time to appreciate every minute of the movie, and you can learn maybe a thing or two about it.