The Great Waldo Pepper
The Great Waldo Pepper is a 1975 American drama film directed and produced by George Roy Hill. The movie stars Robert Redford as Waldo Pepper, a former World War I pilot who is now a stunt pilot in the 1920s. The film follows Pepper as he tries to make a name for himself in the aviation industry by performing dangerous stunts and flying a stolen German fighter jet.
The Great Escape
The Great Escape is a 1963 American war film directed by John Sturges. The movie is based on a true story and follows a group of Allied prisoners of war who plan and execute a massive escape from a German prison camp during World War II. As part of their escape plan, they steal a German fighter jet to fly to safety.
Firefox
Firefox is a 1982 American action film directed by and starring Clint Eastwood. The movie is based on the novel of the same name by Craig Thomas and follows Eastwood as Mitchell Gant, a retired United States Air Force pilot who is recruited by the CIA to steal a Soviet fighter jet equipped with advanced stealth technology.
Top Gun
Top Gun is a 1986 American action drama film directed by Tony Scott. The movie stars Tom Cruise as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a United States Navy pilot who attends the Navy’s Fighter Weapons School, also known as “Top Gun”. The film features several scenes of high-speed aerial dogfights, including one where Maverick and his wingman “Goose” steal an F-14 Tomcat from the aircraft carrier they are stationed on.
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot is a 1974 American crime film directed by Michael Cimino. The movie stars Clint Eastwood as Thunderbolt, a thief who teams up with Lightfoot, played by Jeff Bridges, to steal a large amount of money from a Montana bank. As part of their plan, they steal a crop duster plane and use it to escape from the police.
Blue Thunder
Blue Thunder is a 1983 American action thriller film directed by John Badham. The movie stars Roy Scheider as Frank Murphy, a Los Angeles Police Department helicopter pilot who is recruited to test a new advanced helicopter called “Blue Thunder”. Murphy discovers that the helicopter is intended for use in domestic surveillance and takes it upon himself to steal the aircraft before it can be used for nefarious purposes.
The Wackiest Ship in the Army
The Wackiest Ship in the Army is a 1960 American comedy film directed by Richard Murphy. The movie stars Jack Lemmon as Lieutenant Rip Crandall, a United States Navy officer who is tasked with sailing a decrepit World War II-era ship from the United States to a base in the Pacific. Along the way, Crandall and his crew steal a Japanese patrol boat and use it to infiltrate an enemy-held island.
The Flight of the Phoenix
The Flight of the Phoenix is a 1965 American drama film directed by Robert Aldrich. The movie follows a group of oil workers and military personnel who crash-land in the Sahara Desert. With no hope of rescue, the group decides to try and build a new airplane out of the wreckage of the old one. The film features a scene where the survivors attempt to steal an engine from a damaged German transport plane.
Tora! Tora! Tora!
Tora! Tora! Tora! is a 1970 American-Japanese war film directed by Richard Fleischer, Kinji Fukasaku, and Toshio Masuda. The movie retells the events leading up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. One of the scenes in the film features a daring Japanese pilot who steals an American P-40 fighter plane and uses it to attack the US military base.
Firefox Down
Firefox Down is a 1983 novel written by Craig Thomas. The book is a sequel to his earlier novel, Firefox, and follows the same character, Mitchell Gant, as he is once again recruited by the CIA to steal a Soviet fighter jet. This time, the aircraft is equipped with an advanced laser weapon system that Gant must try to destroy before it can be used against the United States.
Conclusion
These are just a few examples of movies and books that feature daring jet heists. Whether they are stealing World War II-era planes or advanced Soviet fighters, these stories are always thrilling and exciting to watch or read. If you are a fan of action and adventure, be sure to check out these titles and experience the excitement of a jet heist for yourself!
