15 Greatest Air Force Movies Of All Time

Summary

  • Iconic Air Force movies vary in style and substance.
  • Notable films like Iron Eagle, Firefox, and Hot Shots! blend action, humor, and character depth.
  • Dunkirk stands out as a modern masterpiece, rewriting traditional war movie approaches.



Movies about the military, and especially the Air Force, tend to excite audiences by providing thrilling action scenes, feats of bravery, and cutting-edge special effects. The best films in the genre also feature compelling storylines, character depth, and, of course, flight scenes, among many other factors that go into making an excellent movie.

When movie fans think of classic flying films, the Top Gun franchise may come to mind, especially with the fairly recent release of Top Gun: Maverick. However, Maverick and his comrades are part of the Navy rather than the Air Force. Still, focusing solely on films about the Air Force branch of the military offers plenty of options for entertaining watches.


15 Iron Eagle (1986)

Style, But A Slight Lack Of Substance


Sidney J. Furie’s Iron Eagle is an Air Force movie that centers around Doug Masters (Jason Gedrick), a mediocre pilot who needs to listen to music in order to fly well. He embarks on a daring mission to rescue his father, a veteran who has been shot down in the Middle East. Iron Eagle certainly has itsfair share of excellent action sequences, particularly as Doug attacks a base while listening to “One Vision” by Queen. However, its mediocre dialogue and lack of real characterization prevent it from reaching its full potential.

Iron Eagle

Director
Sidney J. Furie

Release Date
January 17, 1986

Writers
Kevin Elders , Sidney J. Furie

Cast
Louis Gossett Jr. , Jason Gedrick , David Suchet , Larry B. Scott , Caroline Lagerfelt , Jerry Levine

Runtime
117 minutes


14 Firefox (1982)

Groundbreaking Special Effects

Clint Eastwood in Firefox posing in front of plane imagery

Firefox is directed by Clint Eastwood, who also stars in the movie as Mitchell Gant, a veteran Air Force pilot who is tasked with stealing a high-tech Soviet fighter plane. Firefox had an estimated budget of $21 million, of which $20 million was reportedly spent on special effects (via GoSocial). The result is a movie about the Air Force that looks amazing, especially the sequences involving the titular “Firefox” fighter. Nevertheless, it suffers a similar fate to Iron Eagle, creating a movie that is largely devoid of any real soul but is awesome to look at.

The movie was based off of Craig Thomas’ 1977 thriller novel of the same name.


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Firefox (1982)

Release Date
June 18, 1982

Writers
Alex Lasker , Wendell Wellman , Craig Thomas

Cast
Clint Eastwood , Freddie Jones , David Huffman , Warren Clarke , Ronald Lacey , Kenneth Colley , Klaus Löwitsch , Nigel Hawthorne

Runtime
136 Minutes

13 The Shamrock Spitfire (2024)

Heartwarming And Grounded

Characters walking toward a plane in The Shamrock Spitfire

The Shamrock Spitfire focuses on the life of Brendan “Paddy” Finucane, a real-life pilot for the British Royal Air Force (RAF) who became the youngest Wing Commander in its history at 21, the age at which he was also killed in action. This movie provides a heartfelt narrative about the Air Force and Paddy that is respectful to the true history of the pilot and World War II. However, the low budget means that the CGI on display often leaves a lot to be desired, with the film also heavily using archive footage from fellow WW2 movie Battle of Britain.


12 Hot Shots! (1991)

Airplane! With Jet Fighters

The titular Hot Shots posing during a briefing

Utterly ridiculous but undoubtedly hilarious at times, Hot Shots! is an Air Force movie that acts as a direct parody of Top Gun. Charlie Sheen plays Sean “Topper” Harley, a pilot who is grappling with the ghost of his father. He is sent on a mission that sees him attack an Iraqi power plant and drop a bomb directly onto a sunbathing Saddam Hussein. With gags including roasting hot dogs on jet engines, using a valet service for fighters, and a pilot being mistaken for a deer, Hot Shots! is funny and outrageous, if slightly bland in its execution.


11 The Dam Busters (1955)

Iconic, If A Bit Dated

Still from The Dam Busters displaying the Lancaster Bomber

A staple of British Air Force cinema, The Dam Busters tells the real-life story of Operation Chastise, a 1943 mission that saw the RAF attack multiple German dams using the brand-new bouncing bomb technology. The movie isundoubtedly iconic and is heavily credited with influencing the trench run sequence in Star Wars. At the time of its release, The Dam Busters was unlike any Air Force movie ever seen. By today’s standards, the effects and flight scenes are heavily dated, but this does not detract from the legendary storytelling and historical detail on display in the movie.


10 Good Kill (2014)

Chilling, Gritty, and Human

Thomas Egan (Ethan Hawke) and Jack Johns (Bruce Greenwood) looking at screen in horror in Good Kill

Ethan Hawke plays Thomas Egan in Good Kill, a former pilot for the U.S. Air Force who is currently assigned to fly unmanned drones during the War on Terror, a job that begins to take its toll on his mental well-being. A nuanced look at the brutal realities of modern warfare and indiscriminate killing, Good Kill is an Air Force movie that explores morality quite unlike any other. However, its slightly repetitive nature, monotonous pace, and heavy plotline have the potential to make it a difficult watch for many audiences.

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Good Kill

Good Kill is a 2015 film directed by Andrew Niccol, focusing on Major Thomas Egan, played by Ethan Hawke. The narrative explores the ethical and personal dilemmas faced by a drone pilot carrying out remote missions from a base in Nevada while experiencing increasing psychological strain. The film also features January Jones and Zoë Kravitz, addressing the complexities of modern warfare and its impact on those involved.

Director
Andrew Niccol

Release Date
April 9, 2015

Writers
Andrew Niccol

Cast
Fatima El Bahraquy , El Khttabi Abdelouahab , Ethan Hawke , Bruce Greenwood , Jake Abel , Ryan Montano

Runtime
104 minutes


9 The Tuskegee Airmen (1995)

A Tale That Needed Telling

Four members of the Tuskegee Airmen standing together with the sky behind them

Focusing on the titular real-life group of the first African-American pilots in the U.S. Air Force, The Tuskegee Airmen is a film centered around the pilots’ mission for equal respect and dignity from their white counterparts. While its historical accuracy and pacing are questionable, it is a movie that was groundbreaking when it was released. At a time when many war movies, and Air Force movies in particular, had very few Black characters, The Tuskegee Airmen arguably broke the mold of movie-making forever.

The Tuskegee Airmen (1995) - Poster - Laurence fishburne as a navy soldier

The Tuskegee Airmen (1995)

The Tuskegee Airmen is a historical drama directed by Robert Markowitz, recounting the story of the first African American fighter squadron in World War II. The film stars Laurence Fishburne, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Andre Braugher, and follows the pilots’ journey from training to combat, highlighting their struggles against racial discrimination and their contributions to the war effort.

Director
Robert Markowitz

Release Date
August 26, 1995

Writers
Paris Qualles , Trey Ellis , Ron Hutchinson

Runtime
106 Minutes


8 Independence Day (1996)

Massive In Scale (And At The Box Office)

The White House getting destroyed in Independence Day

Potentially the most iconic alien invasion movie ever made, Independence Day focuses on the response of the U.S. Air Force to an extraterrestrial invasion of Earth. A watershed moment for Hollywood blockbusters and Air Force movies alike, Independence Day‘s use of large-scale spectacle to demonstrate the size of the invasion is a thrilling rollercoaster of a story. However, it is full of lackluster dialogue, with the President’s speech in particular failing to register any true emotional reaction, instead being labeled “cheesy” by many.

Independence Day
grossed over $800 million worldwide, becoming the highest-earning film of 1996 (via

BoxOfficeMojo

).


Independence Day

Roland Emmerich’s iconic 1996 sci-fi disaster movie Independence Day chronicles the attack of a hostile race of aliens against planet Earth. When extraterrestrial aircraft occupy Earth without warning, the forces of humanity quickly band together to stop them. At the behest of President Thomas J. Whitmore (Bill Pullman), US Marine pilot Captain Steven Hiller (Will Smith) and satellite engineer David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum) organize humanity’s last-ditch counterattack against the technologically-advanced alien mothership. 

Release Date
July 3, 1996

Cast
Will Smith , Bill Pullman , Jeff Goldblum , Mary McDonnell , Judd Hirsch , Robert Loggia , Randy Quaid , Margaret Colin , Vivica A. Fox , Harvey Fierstein

Runtime
145 minutes

7 Wings (1927)

The Start Of Something Incredible

Three characters with their arms around each other in Wings

Wings not only earned the first-ever Academy Award For Best Picture but can also be considered as the first Air Force movie ever. While understandably dated considering its age, it holds an important place in Hollywood history. Set against the backdrop of World War I, the movie presents a realistic depiction of biplane dogfights as well as a crash landing, two types of action that were unthinkable to put to screen before Wings was released. This movie is nothing short of a legendary tale of boldness.


Wings (1927) - Poster - Clara Bow

Wings (1927)

Wings is a silent war film directed by William A. Wellman, notable for its technical achievements in aerial combat sequences. Released in 1927, the film stars Clara Bow, Charles “Buddy” Rogers, and Richard Arlen, focusing on the rivalry and camaraderie of two World War I fighter pilots. Renowned for its dynamic portrayal of airborne battles and its emotional depth, Wings won the first Academy Award for Best Picture.

Director
William A. Wellman , Harry d’Abbadie d’Arrast

Release Date
January 5, 1929

Writers
John Monk Saunders , Hope Loring , Louis D. Lighton , Julian Johnson , Byron Morgan

Cast
Clara Bow , Charles Rogers , Richard Arlen , Jobyna Ralston , El Brendel , Richard Tucker , Gary Cooper , Gunboat Smith

Runtime
144 Minutes

6 Memphis Belle (1990)

A Real Flying Fortress Of A Movie

Matthew Modine in Memphis Belle grinning with a cigar in his mouth

Based upon the true story of the real B-17 Flying Fortress of the same name, Memphis Belle is an epic tale of the airplane’s role in the U.S. Air Force during WWII. Heroism, bravery, and hopeare on full display in this movie, albeit with a lack of individual characterization. However, this merely adds to the idea of the Memphis Belle’s crew, not as a group of individuals, but as a real team. It may be cliché, but the movie is no less deserving of recognition.


Memphis Belle (1990)

Memphis Belle (1990)

During World War II, the young crew of the B-17 bomber “Memphis Belle” is tasked with one final mission before they can return home: bomb a heavily defended German city. As they face the terrifying reality of aerial combat, the crew is tested by the imminent danger of their objective.

Director
Michael Caton-Jones

Release Date
October 12, 1990

Writers
Monte Merrick

Runtime
107 minutes

5 Air Force One (1997)

Non-Stop Action

Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman in Air Force One with gun to Harrison Ford's throat

An iconic political action thriller, Air Force One focuses on the U.S. President (Harrison Ford), as he retakes his own hijacked plane. A movie that prioritizes entertainment and thrills as much as Air Force One is likely to always come across as melodramatic, but it is Ford’s excellent performance that makes up for this. He takes the movie incredibly seriously with his performance, elevating the entire film as a result. If you’re a fan of high-octane Air Force thrillers, this is the movie for you.


air force one poster

Air Force One

In the 1997 action thriller Air Force One, President James Marshall (Harrison Ford) is forced to defend his plane from Russian hijackers while trying to save his family and administration. It is directed by Wolfgang Petersen, with Gary Oldman playing terrorist Egor Korshunov and Glenn Close appearing as Vice President Kathryn Bennett.

Director
Wolfgang Petersen

Release Date
July 25, 1997

Writers
Andrew W. Marlowe

Runtime
124 minutes

Related

Air Force One Cast & Character Guide: Where The Actors Are Now

The 1997 political action movie Air Force One features a star-studded cast, including Harrison Ford as the President of the United States.

4 Pearl Harbor (2001)

A Drama Of Epic Proportions

Characters running from exploding plane in Pearl Harbor


Judging by its 24% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, critics appear to have a distaste for this Michael Bay-led retelling of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor certainly does have a long runtime (over 3 hours) that makes it inaccessible to many audiences, but it is the absolutely massive scale of this underrated modern classic of the Air Force genre that gives the movie its appeal. With razor-sharp special effects at the scale that only Bay can bring, Pearl Harbor may put the dialogue on the back burner, but it turns the action up to an eleven.

Pearl Harbor (2001) - Poster - Ben Affleck

Pearl Harbor (2001)

Two best friends and pilots find themselves caught in a love triangle with a dedicated nurse just as the catastrophic attack on Pearl Harbor plunges America into war. The events of December 7 dramatically change their lives, and the film tells a dramatized tale set during the event that marked the United States’ entry into World War II.

Release Date
May 25, 2001

Writers
Randall Wallace

Runtime
183 minutes

3 Battle of Britain (1969)

An Indisputable Classic

Cars drive between planes in Battle of Britain


The definition of everything a great Air Force movie should be – large in scale and with compelling storytelling and heroic characters – Battle of Britain is a spectacular depiction of the RAF’s defense of Britain during 1940. With realistic dogfights that provided the biggest revolution in Air Force movies since the release of Wings, Battle of Britain‘s production spared no expense in crafting a true WWII classic. The scale of the movie occasionally makes it difficult to become attached to certain characters, but this takes nothing away from the iconic status that Battle of Britain would achieve following its release.

2 Bridge Of Spies (2015)

The Air Force Masterpiece With No Fighting

U2 Bomber being shot down in Bridge of Spies


Set during the height of the Cold War, Steven Spielberg’s Bridge Of Spies depicts the true story of the exchange of U.S. Air Force pilot Francis Gary Powers (Austin Stowell) with KGB spy Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance) after Powers’ U-2 spyplane is shot down over the USSR. A nail-biting storyline accompanied by excellent performances from the entire cast makes Bridge of Spies a true modern classic of the Air Force genre. While its lack of action may seem initially unappealing, the movie has a very important story to tell about the Air Force, espionage, and above all, humanity.

Mark Rylance’s portrayal of Abel won him Best Supporting Actor at the 88th Academy Awards.

Bridge of Spies

Directed by Steven Spielberg, Bridge of Spies follows American lawyer James Donovan, who is recruited by the CIA to negotiate the release of a U.S. Air Force pilot who was shot down over the Soviet Union. Tom Hanks stars in the 2015 historical drama based on the true story.

Release Date
October 16, 2015

Writers
Joel Coen , Matt Charman , Ethan Coen

Cast
Alan Alda , Mark Rylance , Domenick Lombardozzi , Tom Hanks , Austin Stowell , Amy Ryan , Billy Magnussen

Runtime
142 Minutes


1 Dunkirk (2017)

A Modern Masterpiece

A dogfight in Dunkirk

Dunkirk is not only the greatest Air Force movie ever, it rewrote the script of traditional war movies as a whole. Telling the story of the evacuation of British soldiers from Dunkirk during WWII from three different perspectives, Dunkirk‘s depiction of RAF pilots Collins (Jack Lowden) and Farrier (Tom Hardy) is executed with the utmost care. From Collins’ stomach-turning close brush with drowning after he is shot down to Farrier’s noble sacrifice at the end of the movie, Dunkirk is a movie that manages to sustain its massive scale while allowing audiences to emotionally connect with both pilots.


Dunkirk

This epic tale of World War II tells the story of soldiers from Belgium, Britain, Canada and France, who are surrounded by the German army, and the dangerous operation that evacuated and saved the lives of thousands.

Release Date
July 21, 2017

Runtime
106 minutes

Sources: GoSocial, BoxOfficeMojo, Rotten Tomatoes

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