How did they film the flat spin in Top Gun?
Did they really throw an F-14 into a flat spin and then have to recover it? Or is that a model shot? It seems (to a complete layperson) like an unthinkably-dangerous thing to do, but the shot looks just as authentic as all of the other real F-14 flight scenes.
Best Answer
The particular shot you are asking about was done with models. Although Top Gun had the full cooperation of the U.S. Navy, and many of the shots you see in the movie were authentic, they wouldn't allow a stunt that dangerous for the purposes of a film. Any stunt that required damage, destruction, or a near crash of a plane was done using a variety of models and filmed by a dedicated special effects team.
Check out the following YouTube video for more detailed information--the flat spin is shown at about 11:30. The large (~10' long) model F-14 is hoisted up by a crane, set spinning on its mount, and then released. Cameras on the ground catch it all, then editing and context and music and sound do the rest.
The full video is about 17 minutes long and extremely interesting!
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Was the flat spin in Top Gun realistic?
On Sept. 16, 1985, Scholl's mechanic, Kevin Kammer, and another stunt pilot, Chuck Wentworth were following Scholl while watching the area for air traffic as he filmed some of "Top Gun's" aerial scenes. The two spotters saw Scholl take his special Pitts S-2 into an inverted spin at 4,000 feet.What causes an f14 flat spin?
In a flat spin, you almost have no authority on the controls, but the center of gravity (CoG) in a forward position (all planes are usually designed in that way) will convert the flat spin into a dive spin and so by gaining again authority on the rudder you can exit from the spin sooner.Can you eject from a flat spin?
Finally, there is the question of Goose hitting the canopy. During forward flight a jettisoned canopy would move up and aft in relation to the fuselage, clearing the way an unobstructed ejection. During a flat spin there is no forward airflow over the fuselage so canopy would remain in the vicinity of the airframe.The Truth About the F-14 and Goose’s Death
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