We all enjoy watching movies, right? I’m sure among all the movies you’ve watched, some feature different types of aircraft, like fighter jets and commercial planes. While many might assume some of these Hollywood planes are fake, most of the time, they’re real but just modified for the movies. As an aviation enthusiast myself, seeing these planes in various movies really catches my attention. So, I’ve decided to compile a list of these planes that have appeared in some famous Hollywood movies.
Of course, there are many more, and I could spend all day just naming them. But for now, I’ll just focus on a few of these planes that I myself have seen in different movies.
Top Gun: Grumman F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a twin-engine, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft, iconic for its role in U.S. Navy aviation and pop culture. Designed for air superiority and fleet defense, the F-14 was capable of Mach 2 speeds and equipped with advanced radar and missile systems for long-range engagement.
Top Gun: Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter
The Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter is a lightweight, supersonic fighter aircraft known for its agility, ease of maintenance, and cost-effectiveness. Widely exported, it has served in the air forces of over 30 countries and remains in use for training and operational roles.
Top Gun: Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a compact, carrier-capable attack aircraft, notable for its role in the Vietnam War. Its small size, high speed, and heavy payload capacity made it an effective platform for ground-attack missions.
Iron Eagle: General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft renowned for its versatility, advanced aerodynamics, and fly-by-wire control system. It has served as a cornerstone in the air forces of more than 25 countries.
Iron Eagle: IAI Kfir C2
The IAI Kfir C2 is an Israeli-built all-weather, multirole combat aircraft, based on the French Mirage 5. Its modifications include a more powerful engine and advanced avionics, making it effective in air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
Iron Eagle II: McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber. It set numerous speed and altitude records and was a major part of U.S. air power for decades.
Die Hard 4.0: Lockheed F-35B Lightning II
The Lockheed F-35B Lightning II is a fifth-generation fighter, notable for its stealth capabilities, advanced avionics, and short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) capabilities. It represents a leap forward in air combat technology.
Top Gun Maverick: Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet
The Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet is a twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft, designed as both a fighter and attack aircraft (hence the F/A designation). It is a larger and more advanced derivative of the F/A-18 Hornet.
Top Gun Maverick: Sukhoi Su-57 Felon
The Sukhoi Su-57 Felon is Russia’s first stealthy air superiority fighter, designed to achieve air dominance with advanced avionics, stealth capabilities, and supermaneuverability. It represents the pinnacle of Russian aerospace engineering.
Con Air: Fairchild C-123 Provider
The Fairchild C-123 Provider is a military transport aircraft that saw extensive use during the Vietnam War for troop and cargo transport. Its rugged design allowed it to operate from short and unprepared runways.
Firebirds: Saab 35 Draken
The Saab 35 Draken was a Swedish fighter aircraft known for its distinctive double delta wing and impressive performance. It was designed to intercept bombers at high altitudes and served primarily in the Swedish Air Force.
Air Force One: McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle
The McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter aircraft designed for air superiority missions. Its unmatched performance and combat record have made it one of the most successful modern fighters.
Olympus Has Fallen: Lockheed AC-130
The Lockheed AC-130 is a heavily armed, long-endurance, ground-attack variant of the C-130 Hercules transport plane. It carries a wide array of anti-ground oriented weapons and is used for close air support, air interdiction, and force protection.
Fly Boys: Nieuport 17
The Nieuport 17 was a French biplane fighter aircraft of World War I, renowned for its agility and speed. It played a significant role in the air war over the Western Front and was flown by many of the Allies’ top aces.
Fly Boys: Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter
The Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutter was a British biplane fighter and bomber used in World War I. It was notable for its innovative construction and was one of the first aircraft to carry a synchronized machine gun.
Fly Boys: Fokker Dr.1 Triplane
The Fokker Dr.1 Triplane is famous for its distinctive three-wing design and association with the Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen. It was agile and had an excellent climb rate, making it a formidable opponent in dogfights.
Midway: Douglas SBD Dauntless
The Douglas SBD Dauntless was a World War II American naval scout plane and dive bomber. It played a pivotal role in the Battle of Midway, sinking four Japanese carriers and altering the course of the Pacific War.
Midway: Mitsubishi A6M Zero
The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a long-range fighter aircraft operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1940 to 1945. Known for its agility and long range, it dominated early WWII air battles in the Pacific.
Midway: North American B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was a World War II medium bomber that gained fame for the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo. Its versatility allowed it to fulfill various roles, including bomber, reconnaissance, and trainer.
Flight: McDonnell Douglas MD-80
The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 is a series of twin-engine, short- to medium-range, single-aisle commercial jet airliners. It was widely used by airlines around the world and known for its reliability and efficiency.
True Lies: McDonnell Douglas AV-8 Harrier
The McDonnell Douglas AV-8 Harrier is a vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) jet aircraft. It is primarily used for light attack or multi-role tasks, often operated from small aircraft carriers and large amphibious assault ships.
Iron Man: Lockheed F-22 Raptor
The Lockheed F-22 Raptor is a fifth-generation, single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force. It is considered the premier air superiority fighter.
Transformers Revenge of the Fallen: Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird
The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is a long-range, Mach 3+ strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed by Lockheed’s Skunk Works. It holds the record for the fastest air-breathing manned aircraft.
Independence Day: Lockheed B-2 Spirit
The Lockheed B-2 Spirit is a stealth bomber capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear munitions. Its low observable stealth technology allows it to penetrate dense anti-aircraft defenses and strike high-value targets.
Hotshots: Folland Gnat F.1
The Folland Gnat F.1 is a British compact swept-wing subsonic fighter aircraft, known for its agility in the air. It served in a light fighter role and was also popular as an advanced trainer and aerobatic aircraft.
There are actually many more movies to add to this list. However, the ones I mentioned are films where these planes played a major or noticeable role. I wish I could also mention others like “Battle of Britain,” “Empire of the Sun,” and “Air America,” to name a few. I hope these selections suffice!
Photos Source: https://impdb.fandom.com/wiki/Internet_Movie_Plane_Database
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
