It has been almost nine months since the release of the sequel to Top Gun. The original was a classic for me as my mother was a fan of Tom Cruise. I was, of course, into the jets and the dog fighting. As with every reboot they seem to try to do these days, my bar was very low for this. Thankfully, they made it a no-nonsense action movie without the political pork they usually try to cram into it. After watching it for the fifth or so time, I thought this would be a perfect time to make this movie the next in my series. Let’s dive in.
Truth #1: Topgun: Maverick and Devotion Used the Same Aerial Coordinator
Applying IMAX cameras and other technology to shoot these aircraft stemmed from the lessons and experiences learned in Top Gun:Maverick. Both of these movies used the same Aerial Coordinator, Kevin LaRosa. However, what Top Gun benefited from was having access to real navy pilots and well-maintained aircraft at naval bases. For Devotion, all the aircraft had to be pulled from different collections across the world and were in varying states of upkeep. Not to mention it’s very different flying an F-18 versus a Corsair or a Bearcat.
Truth #2: The Actors Pulled Real Gs
What the latest Top Gun did very well was putting the audience in the cockpit. When the characters bank and pull Gs, the grimacing and stretching of their faces due to the force of gravity are all real. Director Joseph Kosinski revealed that the actors had stunts where they had to take 8Gs, the equivalent of 1600 pounds of force.
Bonus Truth
The experimental aircraft, the SR-72 Darkstar, featured in the film, was developed by real aircraft designers at Lockheed Martin’s famous Skunk Works. Founded by Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, they helped design some of the most essential top-secret aircraft in history, from the SR-71 Blackbird to the F-22 Raptor. I had the pleasure to attend a Hangar Talk at Planes of Fame in Chino, CA, where they showed off the P-38 Lightning, also designed by Lockheed, where Johnson’s relatives and a former member of Skunk Works attended.
The Lie: 5th Generation Fighters Reign Supreme
Not to spoil anything too much with the movie, but there’s a scene where 4th generation and 5th generation fighters go head to head. Now, it would not have been a very entertaining movie if this was a depiction of real life. In most cases, missiles would be fired from a great distance rather than in an action-packed dogfight. But regardless, the movie has raised questions about if a 4th generation fighter could take on a modern, 5th generation fighter. Unless something went wrong, such as pilot error or just sheer unluckiness, there’s no doubt that a 4th generation fighter would not stand a chance.
If you have not seen the latest Top Gun, I would highly recommend it. It ties back to the original in a way that isn’t corny and even at times, makes fun of the seriousness that the movie sometimes portrays. But, at the end of the day, it’s just a fun movie that features awesome aircraft and action sequences that one could only experience behind the stick of one of these aircraft.
Photo Credit: Brian David Snuffer
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