For all the movie buffs and aircraft nerds, this list does the trick. But first: Spoiler Alert. Even though the list is a mix of Sci-Fi and historical films, we must admit that the WWI and WWII dogfights depicted in the video are some of the finest ever filmed.
From Baron Richthofen, Tuskegee airmen and Indiana Jones to James Bond, the Gulf War, and futuristic alien invasion flicks, it covers the best CGI contrasted with movies made before the special effects breakthrough. The list pays lots of attention to the choreography and directing skills when it comes to handling a mid-air battle.
Cheesy one-liners or a complete lack of dialogue, it all works when the engines roar in the background. The list mixes different genres and movies filmed in different eras and faces us with different aesthetics. For example, the ’60s effects in You Only Live Twice look really goofy compared to the modern day films, but they still hold some charm.
The famous WWI dogfights with biplanes really point out the level of skill that was necessary to be a pilot in an era that was practically the birth of aviation. The depiction of Second World War dogfights clearly indicates on the advance of technology and on the further development of tactics. Add some Star Wars into the mix and you got yourself a cinephile treat!
On the other hand, movies like the Battle of Britain which engaged in large-scale scenes with real airplanes are barely present in the clip. The Japanese-American co-production Tora! Tora! Tora! was left out completely.