Air Combat movie tropes

[fritzthefox]

I'm compiling a list of overused or silly air combat movie plot devices/cliches, like mismatched stock footage or the hero who likes to remove his oxygen mask to talk (or, paradoxically, catch his breath). Can you think of some? Post'em if you got'em...

[Richard W.]

How about the opposing pilots getting on each other's frequency in order to bait them?

"Hey Boyy-inng-ton."

"Whadda ya want, Rice Ball?"

"I think you go for swim today maybe!"

[p51]

Just a few off the top of my head:
-Sitting in the cockpit having that 'alone' moment before turning to fight the enemy
-Using real names over the radio
-Having "heartfelt discussions" over the radio
-O2 masks always off, man that always drives me nuts in movies
-When the new guys get to the pilot's bar for the first time, the veterans make this huge production about how they can't be there because they're not yet ready (and then later are warmly invited once they've been in combat for the first time)
-The slow clap. It should be a crime to use that in ANY movie
-Being able to hear someone talking in a WW2 bomber without an intercom of some kind
-Bare-gloved gunners at altitude in WW2 movies
-People making jokes in combat
-"Girl back home" photo in the front panel between key instruments

[K5DH]

How about the fighter pilot who squeezes the gun trigger and holds it for 30 seconds solid while gyrating wildly about the sky chasing the enemy, yet he still has plenty of ammo left for another ten minutes of battle and somehow he doesn't melt the gun barrel?

All dogfights take place with the combatants merely a few feet away from each other, and when the hero "flames" the enemy, he never has to fly through a cloud of burning fuel, exploding ammo, and ragged debris from his opponent's utterly destroyed ship.

Both the Japanese and the Germans seem to have flown P-47s in combat, judging from the oh-so-common "enemy aircraft's guns blazing" shots.

Renegade hot-shot fighter pilots who can't follow the rules, always ignore the CO's orders, always take unnecessary chances and put themselves and their squadron mates at risk, always manage to flame the enemy with a minimum of effort, always get the super-duper gorgeous girl, and always live happily ever after.

Not a military item, but worth mentioning... from watching countless movies and TV shows, we know that passengers on commercial airliners can always talk in almost a whisper because the cabin of a jetliner is virtually silent, as if the passengers are sitting on a couch in their parlor at home. EDIT: Anyone remember Eastern Airlines' Boeing 727 "WhisperJets"?

[JDK]

Great thread!

That blasted shot of the Spitfire gun-ports with flapping fabric patching in every blasted 'documentary'!

For the Americans - Brits winning stuff they didn't, (pre-1970), foreigners = villains (1990s to present).
For the Brits - Yanks winning stuff they didn't.
For the Aussies - Errol being a Tasmanian 'Yank'.

-When the new guys get to the pilot's bar for the first time, the veterans make this huge production about how they can't be there because they're not yet ready (and then later are warmly invited once they've been in combat for the first time)

Agreed. Except IRRC, that was an actual activity method of a certain USAF unit commander in the Vietnam era?

OTOH, it was a fact that bothering to be interested in the new boy in Great War era Messes was a probable waste of time as they'd be dead in a week, so there was a cold shoulder until the new bug had managed to survive.

Regards

[Dave Homewood]

There is almost always a power struggle and major aggrovation between the squadron CO and his deputy; why can't they just get along and do their jobs?

There is all too often a really boring love triangle between two pilots and some dame they met in a bar.

[Chris Brame]

"That flak is so thick you could walk on it!"

[The Inspector]

You want movie cliche's? here's 107 minutes of bundled cliche' in one big lump (or smokin' pile) 1990's Memphis Belle.
ANY mid 30's WW1 flying movie will also work-and as much as we love it, 'Air Force' is one unending cliche

[Mudge]

"-O2 masks always off, man that always drives me nuts in movies"

We watched "Red Tails" the other night. Even Mrs. Mudge remarked, "Why do they have to reach for their oxygen mask each time they talk? Wouldn't it be better just to keep it on. After all, they're supposed to be at 20,000 feet." I thought that was quite an astute observation for someone who was only introduced to warbirds 15 years ago. My reply was, "Camera FACE TIME!"

One of my "peeves" is when an enemy fighter shoots down the hero's "best buddy", the hero retaliates by shooting that guy down. Oh, no problem. Just happened to be in the area.

Mudge the fortunate

[Stoney]

Jet fighters never fly in smooth air ie "Top Gun"

[fotobass]

One of my "peeves" is when an enemy fighter shoots down the hero's "best buddy", the hero retaliates by shooting that guy down. Oh, no problem. Just happened to be in the area.

Mudge the fortunate

This. This. This. A THOUSAND times this.

If he was such a good friend, why didn't you cover him in the first place?!??!

[Sasquatch]

The whiney-azzed military wife who always forces the pilot to choose between deploying/flying/the great transfer/his friends/etc. and her.

10 times out of 10, I'd take anything but her.

--Tom

[Chris Brame]

But she always comes around and stands by her man and the military in the end.

And she's usually played by June Allyson.

[p51]

The whiney-azzed military wife who always forces the pilot to choose between deploying/flying/the great transfer/his friends/etc. and her.

I can't speak for pilots, but in the Army, every time we deployed anywhere (even short CONUS training deployments) I had at least 2-3 wives come into my office whinning about why their husband can't go, none of them valid reasons. And every time, the husband would come in later and apologize, really red-faced that the (normally huge and always pregnant) wife would put him in that spot.

[JDK]

The whiney-azzed military wife who always forces the pilot to choose between deploying/flying/the great transfer/his friends/etc. and her.

How about in TopGunVII, the whiney azzed stay at home boyfriend demands that she chooses between her Navy career and him? That'd be a change... (Boyfriend probably NOT played by someone called 'June'.)

... the (normally huge and always pregnant) wife would put him in that spot.

Think it was he put her in that spot; perhaps some basic sex-ed needed?

Regards,