Warbird Information Exchange

Looks like a F-22 to me...

Phil

_________________
A man's got to know his limitations.

Well when it's on the carrier you can see the single large nozzle rotate down. That's an F-35

From the filming photos I've seen online, here's my take on the plot:
It starts with Maverick is testing some high-altitude aircraft and he decides to take a stab at the record for the "World deepest landing" by lawn-darting it somewhere. We then get the exposition scene with Ed Harris accordingly (hence, the pressure suit and mussed look for Cruise).
Soon, the Navy identifies some unnamed rogue nation and gives a reason why they must be attacked. They can't just use the people they have, so they get Maverick to train a batch of younger crews for this attack with F-18s, including the son of his long-dead RIO and best friend, Goose.
Meanwhile, he falls for a local woman (Jennifer Connelly) with in some well-photographed scenes.
Either somewhere along the way, he encounters Iceman, maybe as the bad guy pilot for said rogue nation as a mercenary, but most likely as a contractor stateside.
With the group now trained, they board a carrier and go on the mission to attack the unnamed nation, going up into mountains.
Maverick and Goose's son both get shot down and manage to find each other, neither badly hurt in the process.
They find an F-14 at the enemy base and with Goose's son unfamiliar with such an 'ancient' plane, Maverick of course gets one final chance to fly a Tomcat with (sort of) "Goose" in the back seat. Coming back to the carrier, confusion ensues and Mav has to land the F-14 under duress. They step down from the FINAL F-14 landing aboard a US Carrier, and Maverick then returns to Connelly stateside in a sunset shot before the credits roll.
As for the actual plot?

_________________
Life member, 91st BG Memorial Association
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former REMF (US Army, O3)

Well, considering Tom Cruises history of doing hist own stunts as much as possible, I'd say at least some of it was real.
Also, considering he is a pilot and an aviation guy, I would not be surprised if he made the F-18 sequences mandatory for him to be in. I know I would if I was in his situation.

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The principal actors did go up in F-14s in the original movie filming, and they tried to get shots of them in the air, but they couldn't get anything useable for the final film.
If Cruise did go up in a Hornet, it would have been either very early or very late in the production.
But yeah, if it's CGI of him the cockpit, they did a very good job!

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Life member, 91st BG Memorial Association
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former REMF (US Army, O3)

Cruise on Conan last night, sure sounds like there will be plenty of real aerial sequences. https://youtu.be/XM2wOZ4f5Ts

I've read that at Comiccon, Cruise told the audience that everything in the trailer is real and noit CGI.
I'd take that to mean that yes, he's riding in the Hornet in those scenes. This is the stuff they'd badly wanted for the original film but never could get on film...

_________________
Life member, 91st BG Memorial Association
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former REMF (US Army, O3)

Given the advances in Camera Technology and Digital Imaging, these should be some of the best flying sequences around!

Riding in the back of a two seater and slightly tweaking it to look like a front seat is not too far fetched. At least he reaches for the sticks after the launch of the carrier.

So, which carrier is it? And yes, I think the P-51 is going to blow up the Death Star!

It's the USS Theodore Roosevelt for the scenes with the F-14, they even placed the Tomcat on her deck:

This is F-14A #159631, normally cared for at the San Diego Air And Space Museum's Gillespie Field Annex.

I'd bet this is at the start of the movie, showing him doing a test pilot gig before being called back as the only guy who can go battle the bad guys.
Yeah, I know Cruise does fly a Mustang but wouldn't it be cool to show him at the controls of a corsair off duty, instead?

_________________
Life member, 91st BG Memorial Association
Owner, 1944 Willys MB #366014
Former REMF (US Army, O3)

From the last picture it looks like a they simulated a landing into the barricade.

The plot is a modern adaptation of Bob Hoover's life. TC is shot down and escapes capture by finding an F-14 and flying off into the sunset with Jennifer Connelly as his RIO. While escaping he shoots down 2 more aircraft to become an ace and during the dogfight does a series of rolls, pouring tea for Jennifer and then, after shooting down the final enemy plane, he shuts off the engines and does a dead-stick landing on the USS Intrepid in NY and takes her dancing at the Copacobana.

I was there for the script conference... Really...

Stop ruining it for me, I want to go in fresh...

Phil

_________________
A man's got to know his limitations.

If that isn't the plot, I'd now quite like it to be the plot.

I like the launch sequence.

FA-18 in holdback. Burners light. Thumbs up. Salute. Throttles jammed forward. LAUNCH !!!

C2j

Supposedly they went back and are redoiparts if the film to make it as accurate and authentic as possible. More like how combat ops are presently conducted. While disappointing that it’s taking so long to make, Cruise usually cranks out excellent videography and it will be entertaining.