A dogfight is an aerial battle between fighter aircraft conducted at close range. Dogfighting first appeared during World War I shortly after the invention of the airplane. Since then, everything from simple prop planes to today’s state of the art fighter jets has engaged in aerial combat.
The scenes of aircraft battling it out miles above the earth has been immortalized in movies for almost as long as the real thing. WatchMojo.com brings us a list of the top 10 aerial dogfights in movies. See if any of your favorite films made the cut:
First on the list is actually from the science-fiction flick Stealth. An unmanned combat aviation vehicle called EDI (Eddie) goes rogue, and it’s up to a human pilot to battle it out as the two aircraft approach Russian air space. Not only must EDI be tamed, but it’s critically important that the new and dangerous technology avoid falling into the hands of the Russians.
Another futuristic film to make the cut is 2013s Oblivion starring Tom Cruise. During a war between man and extraterrestrials, Jack Harper, played by Cruise, is tasked with harvesting Earth’s last known resources. During a chase sequence, Harper must expertly fly his ship through landscapes and other obstacles while shooting done alien drones.
Counting down the top ten aerial dogfight scenes from film. (WatcchMojo.com/YouTube)
Not every film on the list is science fiction. The 2012 war film Red Tails is a semi-historical account of the famous Tuskegee airmen, a group of African-American pilots who flew during WWII. The film takes viewers sky high during a number of action sequences that have the airmen shooting down Nazi planes.
Another semi-historical film to make the cut was The Red Baron. The film highlights the achievements of Manfred von Richthofen who was one of the most famous German pilots during WWI. With over 80 air combat victories to his name, Richthofen is often referred to as the ace of aces.
Counting down the top ten aerial dogfight scenes from film. (WatcchMojo.com/YouTube)
Rounding out the list at the number one spot is of course Top Gun. The iconic film’s final dogfight includes both real-life piloting paired with some special effects that make the action sequence a memorable one to say the least. Maverick and Iceman engage with Russian fighter jets in the film’s pivotal scene, and it certainly goes down in history as the most famous aerial combat sequences from the movies.
