Top Gun Maverick is a huge hit and one of the highlights are the fighter planes that steal the show in between their maneuvers. The film is full of visual effects and flights full of aerobatics performed aboard the US Navy F-18. And besides that, 4 more fighters were used in the filming.
From the original, Top Gun: Indomitable Aces, in 1986, to Top Gun: Maverick, in 2022, more than 30 years have passed and the story continues to succeed. The film follows Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) through his more than 30 years of service in the U.S. Navy, where he pushed all limits as a courageous test pilot. He is called back to the Top Gun pilot academy to train young pilots for an (almost) impossible mission.
Next, you will learn something about the 5 fighter models that appear in Top Gun Maverick. Turn on the sound and go with them.
1- Super Hornet F/A-18
The OF/A-18 Super Hornet is the most seen fighter in the film and replaced the F-14 and other US Navy models. It was one of the fighters chosen for the film Top Gun: Maverick because it is a United States Air Force aircraft. It is also a supersonic fighter, capable of flying faster than the speed of sound (Mach 1).
Another reason for choosing the F-18 could be the fact that the production wanted real aerial scenes in Imax. Since the F-35C is a single-seat aircraft, production required two-seat aircraft.
OF/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a twin-engine, carrier-based, multi-role, supersonic fighter developed and built by Boeing. It is the second generation of the F/A-18 Hornet fighter, with profound changes to the design and on-board systems. The Super Hornet entered U.S. service in 1999, replacing the F-14.
It began to be produced in the United States in 1995 and was modernized so that it could not be easily detected. It has a coating that absorbs radar waves over the entire structure. It reaches 1,915 km/h at 12,200 meters above sea level and is equipped with machine guns and 578-round cannons.
The Super Hornet is larger and more advanced than its predecessor, the F/A-18 Hornet. It is capable of carrying 8 tons of bombs and missiles, much more than the 6 tons of its predecessor.
It is used by the US Navy and many other countries. Boeing has announced that it will end production of the F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter at the end of 2025.
2- Grumman F-14 Tomcat
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is a twin-engine supersonic fighter with variable geometry wings. It is considered the first fourth generation fighter.
The F-14 was developed for the US Navy in the early 1970s. Its main purpose was to track and intercept Soviet bombers.
The F-14 was the US Navy’s most powerful fighter until its retirement in 2006. It was replaced by the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
The F-14 is one of the most famous fighter aircraft of all time. He was immortalized in the film Top Gun: Good Will Hunting (1986). And he returned as one of the stars of the film Top Gun: Maverick.
The F-14 has a length of just under 19 meters and a wingspan of almost 20 metres. It has two General Electric F110-GE-400 afterburning turbofan engines that each produce more than 28,000 pounds of thrust.
The Grumman F-14 Tomcat has a maximum speed of 2,485 km/h (1,340 kn) and a maximum speed in Mach of 2.34 Ma. The F-14 can reach speeds greater than Mach 1 at sea level and exceed Mach 2.34 (above 2,860 km/h) altitude.
The name “TOMCAT” was a tribute to Admiral Richard Connolly, who served in the US Navy during World War I and World War II, and whose nickname was Tomcat. The admiral distinguished himself in amphibious landing operations in the Mediterranean and the Pacific.
3- P-51 Mustang
The P-51 Mustang is an American long-range piston-engined fighter. It was used in World War II, the Korean War and other conflicts.
The fighter represented a solution to the need for an effective bomber escort. It used a common, reliable engine and had internal space for a larger-than-average fuel load. With external fuel tanks, it could follow bombers from England to Germany and back.
The P-51 Mustang was one of the best and most well-known fighters used by the US Air Force during World War II. Possessing excellent range and maneuverability, the P-51 operated primarily as a long-range escort fighter and also as a ground-attack fighter-bomber.
The P-51 Mustang is considered one of the best piston-engine fighters ever produced. Equipped with a long range, it ushered in an era of excellent performance fighters when it entered service in the midst of World War II.
It was the first fighter to reach 400 mph (667 km/h). Its supercharged twin-turbocharged Allison V-1710 V-12 engine provided it with 3,200 hp. It was originally designed and built by North American Aviation as a fighter for the RAF (Royal Air Force). Its maximum speed was 668 km/h at 10,400 feet (3,170 meters)
The P-51 Mustang is Maverick’s personal aircraft in the film Top Gun: Maverick. Tom Cruise owns a P-51 Mustang and flew the plane in every scene of the film.
4- Dark Star
Darkstar is a fictional hypersonic aircraft that appears in the film Top Gun: Maverick. The Darkstar is capable of reaching speeds in excess of Mach 10, meaning it could fly at over 12,160 km/h. If real, the Darkstar would be the fastest plane in the world, compared to the 3,862 km/h of the current fastest flight ever recorded by the SR-71 Blackbird.
The Darkstar was secretly designed by Lockheed Martin for the movie. The Darkstar model is very detailed and can even be transported with a tractor.
According to Lockheed Martin, Darkstar could be more than just fiction and one day become reality. Lockheed Martin says the concept behind the Darkstar was born out of real engineering.
However, some observers argue that a hypersonic aircraft could not be that small. To carry out his missions he would need a fairly large range of action and the modest dimensions of Tom Cruise’s plane would not allow him to go very far.
5- Sukhoi Su-57
The Sukhoi Su-57 is a twin-engine stealth multipurpose fighter developed by the Russian company Sukhoi. It is the first Russian fifth generation fighter. The Su-57 is a multirole fighter designed for air superiority and air-to-air attack roles. It is intended to form the backbone of Russia’s air combat forces, supplementing and eventually replacing older fighters.
The Su-57 is recognized for its low-speed maneuverability, in addition to its modern avionics systems and low radar signature. It is expected to have super cruise capabilities, non-radar detection, super maneuverability up to Mach 2 and advanced avionics to outperform fourth-generation fighters.
The Su-57 is seen as Russia’s answer to other fifth-generation fighters such as the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.
The Russian fighter is used by the antagonists in Top Gun: Maverick. In the film, Maverick is surrounded by Su-57 fighters and manages to shoot down two of them. He is considered a fifth generation stealth fighter, a direct descendant of the Su-27. The Su-57 has a top speed of 2,600 km/h and is capable of easily evading radar and fighter jets.
The post Top Gun Maverick: who are the 5 fighters who appear in the film? appeared first on Olhar Digital.
Source: Olhar Digital
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
