Iron Eagle
Those of us who are old enough to remember smoking sections on airliners will also recall the aeronautical cheese-fest, 80s action flic called "Iron Eagle". The story of a young hot dog Cessna driver, and leader of the famed “Eagles Flying Club” Doug Masters, who, with the help of his trusty kneeboard cassette player, the music of Queen, and famed fighter ace, Col. Charles Chappy Sinclair, managed to steal two F-16 fighters from the USAF inventory, and singlehandedly launch a rescue mission to bring Doug's father home.
Although loaded with aeronautical inaccuracies and impossibilities like any of its Hollywood cinematic kind, the film did contain some true aeronautical gems worthy of mention.
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The famed race through Snake Canyon between Doug in his Cessna Aerobat and his arch-rival “ Knotcher” was performed by none other than film pilot and air show performer Art Scholl.
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Art’s masterful stick and rudder skills are plainly evident as he wrestles the four cylinders of fury against Knotcher on his bike. The Cessna won the race, despite the “loosened oil cap” and full flaps on the straightaway. Nonetheless, any pilot can tell you that any movie in which Art flew, makes for an automatic entry in any worthy aviation film library.
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Sadly Art Scholl was killed during the filming of Top Gun while trying to capture the inverted flat spin visual sequence. It is believed that the addition of cameras to his aircraft to capture the scene caused a shift in the Pitts CofG, thus making spin recovery impossible.
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Initially, the United States Air Forces was fully behind in backing the filming of Iron Eagle, that is until they realized the story included the theft of two of their jets…and that concluded any further involvement of the USAF. Thankfully the Israeli Air Force jumped on board, providing F-16s, as well as F-21/C-2 Kfir fighter aircraft to be used in the filming of the movie.
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One most interesting fact known to only a few, is the Israeli fighters used during filming sequences, happened to be loaded with live ordnance... and so, one day during filming, an Israeli ground controller became aware of an escalating situation necessitating a rapid response to terrorist activity to the North. Seeing two armed fighters already airborne with the required load out, the controller jumped on the radio and ordered the Israeli fighters to engage the terrorists. The fighters complied and immediately broke away from the filming aircraft as they were vectored north.
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As the jets were closing in on their target, it was realized that although painted in Israeli Air Force colors and camouflage, the fighters were still clearly emblazoned with the markings and insignias of the United States Air Force.
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Wanting to avoid what was sure to become an international incident, the aircraft were quickly ordered to turn around, and brought back home. The film was eventually released, the international incident was avoided, and Knotcher never bothered Doug Masters again...
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There were several shots done with ducted fan RC jets by Larry Wolf. I was around 9 or 10 when the movie came out and he was at a local ducted fan fly in. Not knowing who he was, I was intrigued by his jets and asked to fly one. He politely declined. Later in the day, I was flying a jet of my own (I was a skilled RC pilot at the time) and he came up to me and asked if he could fly it. I said yes and he said I could fly anything of his that I wanted. And that is the story of my best RC flying day ever :)
The most amazing thing about this is that Iron Eagle was released BEFORE Top Gun. I always assumed is was a Top Gun rip off.
Sorry guys…triple posted. That’s what happens when you are not sure your WIFI is ON THE GO…or had GOT UP AND WENT!
This Movie cemented the song GIMME SOME LOVING in my head until now…..Chappie said “Play the right music!” before the raid. If there was an Iron Eagle 2 or 3, it never reached Malaysian shores then…
Loved the iron eagle movie. Many of the air to air scenes were awesome. This movie really showcased the manoeuvrability of the viper.
Wish they would do a remake with new cast but still set in the 80s. Adding new filming tech with some CGI & a more realistic plot would be a killer. Many 80s remake these days so this could be a good one😄🙏🙏👍👍
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