How about your favorite USAAF / USAF movie

[zoom6zoom]

I'll bet not many have ever heard of this one with Bogart as a test pilot:
Chain Lightning

 

[GyMac]

The USAF, and not the USMC, were supposed to be the original heroes in "Independence Day". They had agreed to do all sorts of things to help the filming and provide technical support and advice and what not. Only one little problem, the USAF insisted that all references to Area 51 be removed from the film. The producers wouldn't accept that, thus it is F/A18s of the USMC that are prominently featured. Continuing the long tradition (Invaders from Mars remake, original War of the Worlds, Aliens, Independence Day, and the forth coming film about aliens attacking Los Angeles) of the USMC being the first to fight evil space aliens of all types.

Until the Transformers frachise, the USAF hadn't given a good account of itself since Earth vs. The Flying Saucers and my personal favorite USAF film that I can't remember the name of where the USAF fights the giant praying mantis. One of the guys even carries an alloy frame aircrewman revolver in the movie.

That reminds me. "The Thing (From Another World)", the original. How could I have forgotten? One of my favorite movies.
Chris

 

[max]

One of my favorites is a Robert Mitchum and Robert Wagner movie called The Hunters. It is about jets in Korea.

 

[Eltioloco]

I Dream of Jeannie

 

[cmort666]

Until the Transformers frachise, the USAF hadn't given a good account of itself since Earth vs. The Flying Saucers and my personal favorite USAF film that I can't remember the name of where the USAF fights the giant praying mantis. One of the guys even carries an alloy frame aircrewman revolver in the movie.

"The Deadly Mantis".

And don't forget "The Thing from Another World" with Kenneth Toby!

How about "The Giant Claw"? I think a USAF B-25 with a cannon in the tail kills the monster.

 

[akviper]

"Jet Pilot", a 1957 film with John Wayne and Janet Leigh. I think it won fifteen or twenty Academy Awards (not). It had great shots of F86s , F89s, and P80s.

"The Right Stuff" is one of my all time favorites.

 

[GRIZZLYBEAR]

Dr Stangelove

grizz

 

[cptdco]

12 O'clock High...Many years ago the Army sent me to a two week "Company Level Pre-Command' training course. About the only thing I remember clearly from that experience was a civilian instructor who came in and did a full day leadership training session: looked at both formal and informal leadership mechanisms and who follows who and why. I remember it was a really interesting and informative course and he built it all around the movie 12 O'Clock High. We would watch a segment and then discuss who was in charge, what leadership styles or traits were exibited and why they worked or failed to work and what were the needs of the squadran members and how they were or were not met. It was one of those odd things that just stayed with me, and therefore if I had to pick a favorite AF or AAF movie, that would be the one.

 

[GyMac]

12 O'clock High...Many years ago the Army sent me to a two week "Company Level Pre-Command' training course. About the only thing I remember clearly from that experience was a civilian instructor who came in and did a full day leadership training session: looked at both formal and informal leadership mechanisms and who follows who and why. I remember it was a really interesting and informative course and he built it all around the movie 12 O'Clock High. We would watch a segment and then discuss who was in charge, what leadership styles or traits were exibited and why they worked or failed to work and what were the needs of the squadran members and how they were or were not met. It was one of those odd things that just stayed with me, and therefore if I had to pick a favorite AF or AAF movie, that would be the one.

This triggered the memory of another great movie. I can't recall the name but it's a WW II training film about a bomber crew shot down over Germany and how the German Interrogators work to gather information from each one of them in turn, and then piece the info together to form intelligence. The moral of the story was, keep your mouth shut. They used many of the same methods that we were taught as Interrogators as Ft Huachuca. We used it as a training film, but it has also been on TV, and I watched it just about a year ago. It had a couple of recognizable actors in it.

 

[dmar]

Technically not USAF, but 12 O'clock High with Gregory Peck was a great movie; still works well after all these years...

 

[Kanewpadle]

Pearl Harbor
Call To Glory (Pilot)
SAC

 

[jag312]

It may be a little old, but I always liked Hell's Angels. Howard Hughes outdid himself with the aerial dogfights. However, Stategic Air Command has to be Number 1.

 

[Indycar]

Don't forget "Command Decision" with Clark Gable!
Deals with the Schweinfurt raids and ME262's and Komets.

It goes good as a second feature to "12 O'Clock High".

 

[Papaw]

"The War Lover" with Steve McQueen, another B-17 movie.

Clark Gable served with the Army Air Corp in WWII Europe and flew some combat missions as a gunner on a B-17.

Sure I like B-17s since my Dad flew them in WWII.

 

[mikelain]

Stratigic Air Command for just a USAF movie love those scenes od the B 36 and B 47 awsome take offs and high altitude. Air Force had alot of good footage a far feched story 1 B 17 saved the whole war. 12 o clock high and Command Decision are good.

Catch 22 had some realy good flying of the B 25 crappy story line though.

Thr Right Stuff is great but more than the Air Force.

 

[bobsdad]

How about "The Bridges of Toko-Ri"? Remember Mickey Rooney in that crazy hat and that 50's vintage rescue chopper. Included actual gun camera stuff from Korea, if I'm not mistaken.

+ Not U.S., but the dog fight scenes in the movie "Battle of Britain" were great.

 

[Chromedhearts]

I've read all of this hoping I would see the name of a movie, I remember seeing as a kid.
I can't remember the name but it was about a WW2 pilot who accidentally bombed an orphanage, killing kids.
After the war he becomes a minister, then is recalled to duty for the Korean War. It is one of the best war movies I remember seeing, hands down.
Any help here?

 

[borntoraisehogs]

12 O'Clock High and 30 Seconds Over Tokyo

You nailed it . It wasn't an Air Corp Movie " Empire of the Sun" . The scene of the Mustangs popping the Zeros , wrecking the airfield , and then going to slow motion as the pilot makes a low pass , canopy back , waving to the POW child , as if to say help is here , the Americans are fighting for you , is as emotionally powerful as anything I have ever seen in a movie .
P-51 , Cadillac of the skies
YouTube - Empire of the Sun - Attack on the Camp

 

[gettysburg]

I'll start with:
12 O clock High
Memphis Belle
Strategic Air Command

LTC

I remember back in junior high being out at a good buddy's house, his grandfather (living right next door) being a WW11 vet had an old freind visiting. My bud tells me his GF's freind was the navigator on the real Memphis Bell. I recalled hearing about the movie but thought nothing of it. Now that I'm older I realize how fortunate I was to meet that outstanding veteran.
Just my 2cents. This movie might be more Navy than USAF, but I always liked The Final Countdown.

 

[Thunderhawk88]

I've read all of this hoping I would see the name of a movie, I remember seeing as a kid.
I can't remember the name but it was about a WW2 pilot who accidentally bombed an orphanage, killing kids.
After the war he becomes a minister, then is recalled to duty for the Korean War. It is one of the best war movies I remember seeing, hands down.
Any help here?

Battle Hymn, with Rock Hudson. Based on a true story.