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Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag Flies Into Fort Worth's Omni TheaterEdited by Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady
At Red Flag, the international training exercise for air forces of allied countries, hundreds of pilots meet for the most challenging flying of their careers. It is the final tune up for pilots and their crews before being sent into actual combat. The object is to make the exercises as real and challenging as possible: to take the pilots, ground crews, mechanics, rescue personnel, etc, to the limits of what they can handle.
The film follows the young pilot as he makes his way through this extraordinary event held in the desert of Nevada. He is amazed at how complex, confusing and dangerous the exercises are. His childhood vision of heroism widens as he witnesses the teamwork of his ground crew and other pilots, ensuring a successful mission and his safe return home. “So many films on fighter aircraft essentially fake the interaction between the planes, using a lot of quick cutting, simulated cockpit photography and special effects,” said director/producer Stephen Low. “Working with the Air Force made it possible for us to shoot actual dog-fighting for the first time between a dozen aircraft at once. Altogether we were working with more than 100 aircraft of all types,” Low said, “this is the closest an audience will ever get to flying in the middle of a massive air combat operation.”
Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag will show daily at the Omni Theater through Sept. 1, 2005. Tickets are $7 for adults and $6 for children (3-12) and seniors (60+). The Omni Theater is located at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, 1501 Montgomery Street in Fort Worth’s Cultural District. For more information, show times, and advance ticket information, call 817-255-9300 or go to www.fortworthmuseum.org . # # # Running time: 45 minutes About Red Flag: Established in 1975, Red Flag is a two-week realistic combat training exercise involving the elite aerial forces from all four branches of the U.S. military, plus their Guard/Reserve components. It is commonly described as being more challenging than actual combat. Since its inception, NATO and the air forces of 27 other countries have joined the U.S. in these intensive exercises, as well as individual members of other countries (such as India) who have participated as observers. Red Flag is conducted on the vast bombing and gunnery ranges at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, as one of a series of advanced training programs administered by the Air Warfare Center and Nellis through the 414th Combat Training Squadron. Red Flag exercises have provided training for over 400,000 elite military personnel, including more than 132,000 aircrew members flying over 350,000 sorties and logging over 600,000 hours flying time. For more information on Red Flag, please visit www.nellis.af.mil. More For Movie MavensNew York: the Movie Lover’s Guide Hollywood: the Movie Lover’s Guide |
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TM
Strap yourself in for a wild ride in Fighter Pilot:
Operation Red Flag, the newest giant-screen film opening at the
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History’s Omni Theater. Through sight and
sound, the film takes you inside Operation Red Flag, the “doctorate” of Air
Force combat training, and provides a rare insider’s view into the teamwork and
dangers inherent in military flight training.
Fighter Pilot introduces you to real-life Air Force Captain
John Stratton, a young American fighter pilot who flies the F-15 Eagle, arguably
the most potent and successful fighter plane ever built. He was eight years old
when he decided to become a pilot. It wasn’t a tough decision -- his grandfather
had won the Distinguished Flying Cross as a fighter pilot in the Second World
War. Stratton viewed his grandfather as a hero and intended to follow in his
footsteps.
The film features 20 F-15E Strike Eagles, representing four
American squadrons and considered by many to be the greatest fighter ever built.
The Germans brought six of their European-built Tornados. The Israeli’s arrived
with six F-16’s. The Canadians brought F-18 Hornets from Alberta and Quebec. The
British Royal Navy flew their famous Harrier jump jets used mostly for close
ground support. Additional American-supplied aircraft for the film include
bomber, fighter and attack aircraft B-1, B-2, F-117, F-15C, F-15E, F-16, A-10;
search and rescue aircraft HH-60; reconnaissance aircraft U-2, aerial refueling
KC-10; airlift support C-130 and C-17; and the E-3 airborne warning and control
system AWACS.