Ward Carroll and 'The Final Countdown'
- Thread starter Tikka
- Start date
Featuring the world famous Jolly Rogers of VF-84. Led by Em Brown.
The VF-84 reunion in Austin, TX one week ago. Celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of our return home from Desert Storm. Pilots and RIOs from that cruise. Some of the wives were present as well. Notice the Jolly Rogers shirts, all new for the reunion, provided by one of the RIOs, now a retired attorney.
What’s remarkable is that we, as a group, get together pretty often. We stay in touch. It‘s not common that a squadron is that tight after the tour is over. Individual friendships are formed, but this group friendship is unique.
Personally, I think it’s the confluence of several things: an unusually cohesive group of JOs, wives that became friends during our time in the squadron, the uncertainty of a combat deployment, and a great CO in VADM Chanik, who created one of the best, most professional command climates of which I’ve been a part.
We had the world‘s best paint scheme ever put on an airplane, but the squadron was so much more.
What’s remarkable is that we, as a group, get together pretty often. We stay in touch. It‘s not common that a squadron is that tight after the tour is over. Individual friendships are formed, but this group friendship is unique.
Personally, I think it’s the confluence of several things: an unusually cohesive group of JOs, wives that became friends during our time in the squadron, the uncertainty of a combat deployment, and a great CO in VADM Chanik, who created one of the best, most professional command climates of which I’ve been a part.
We had the world‘s best paint scheme ever put on an airplane, but the squadron was so much more.
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I found it odd that they used a carrier and squadrons based in the Atlantic and used a fictional account where they’re based in the Pacific. I guess it made it convenient to fit them into a plot where they try to stop the attack on Pearl Harbor.
More a question of finding a squadron willing to do the shoot. They had to have the time in their schedule, and be willing to do the flying.
VF-84 had both. They flew out of Boca Chica NAS near Key West, FL to do the filming. Blue water, sandy beaches. Close enough...
The average movie goer would have no idea that was the case, nor would they care.
I remember maybe 15 or so years ago seeing this movie show up on some random channel on a Friday night. I had never heard of it and was totally fascinated by it.
I saw it on ABC back in the early 80s, well before Top Gun came out. I knew what an F-14 was at the time, as my dad bought me Revell scale models of one (VF-84) as well as one of the USS Eisenhower.
As far as the USS Nimitz, I think I saw it briefly in another movie. There was a scene in the movie Aloha where there’s a brief scene of an aircraft carrier passing by, and the number is 68.
The Museum of Flight in Seattle has an F-14A on display. Sometimes referred to by staff as "the movie star," it was in the dogfight scene from The Final Countdown. However, no victory marking on the nose giving credit for the A6M it downed.
www.museumofflight.org
Grumman F-14A Tomcat | The Museum of Flight
The failure of the General Dynamics F-111B to meet U.S. Navy requirements for an advanced carrier-based air-superiority fighter led to a new design...
www.museumofflight.org
Ward Carrol has another vid that explains call signs. 'Stain' or 'Dumps' were given due to 'Gastrological distress in the airplane'. 'Spanky' due to being caught having some 'alone time'. 
Had a quick Google and the RAF do not use call signs.
Had a quick Google and the RAF do not use call signs.
The RAF most certainly did have callsigns. I know several RAF pilots and navs with callsigns who were on exchange tours in the US.
The elimination of callsigns was recent. A policy decision.
Callsigns were bestowed by squadron mates and not the choice of the person.
Woe to those who tried to change theirs.
There is a hierarchy of callsign worthiness.
The elimination of callsigns was recent. A policy decision.
Callsigns were bestowed by squadron mates and not the choice of the person.
Woe to those who tried to change theirs.
There is a hierarchy of callsign worthiness.
I found a photo taking during production. I guess they saw it coming and used the opportunity to get some footage to put in the movie.
The scene where the F14 dived and recovered just above the sea was amazing.
True but in a 1G Air Combat flight sim... callsigns are your choice... that's how I got call sign xlax... braggadocios for "knock the poo out of you"...
I think there was a call sign Astro in the game... was that you???
