# Dogfight error in "THe Final Countdown" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [February 6, 2022, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogfight-error-in-the-final-countdown/958994 "2022-02-06T05:59:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogfight-error-in-the-final-countdown/958994/1 "2022-02-06T05:59:38Z")
The two Japanese Zeros have sunk the yacht and are strafing the survivors when Kirk Douglas gives the fateful command, “Splash the Zeros - I said splash the Zeros:!” The F-14 Tomcats have been flying with wings extended for low speed maneuverability. When they prepare to engage one of them tucks the wings back into max speed mode which would not have worked for a dogfight. When they do actually engage both have the wings extended as they should be. The scene is at 6:35 [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/oyjNInIH4Hw/hqdefault.jpg "Final Countdown dog fight scene") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyjNInIH4Hw) ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogfight-error-in-the-final-countdown/958994/2 "2022-02-06T06:50:03Z")
Shrug. It makes more sense to use superior speed to make slash attacks on the Zeros rather than engaging in a turning fight. It’s a movie, all those shots have one objective, make the planes look cool. Thanks for the ear-worm by the way 🤪 ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogfight-error-in-the-final-countdown/958994/3 "2022-02-06T06:58:38Z")
Since this is about a movie, let’s move it to CS (from MPSIMS). ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogfight-error-in-the-final-countdown/958994/4 "2022-02-06T07:05:08Z")
There is a list of “goofs” here. F14 wings swinging in and out when fighting the zeros is one of the goofs listed (about a quarter way down the list, near the bottom of the Continuity section). > **[The Final Countdown (1980) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080736/goofs?tab=gf&ref_=tt_trv_gf)** > > The Final Countdown (1980) Goofs on IMDb: Mistakes, Errors in geography, Spoilers and more... ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogfight-error-in-the-final-countdown/958994/5 "2022-02-06T17:44:16Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > Thanks for the ear-worm by the way 🤪 Duh duh duh duh. Duh duh duh duh duh. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogfight-error-in-the-final-countdown/958994/6 "2022-02-06T18:30:00Z")
I thought the wing sweep on F-14s was automatic, but could be overridden by the pilot if they desired. I’m willing to chalk it up to goofy looking low speed footage, and “cooler” looking high speed footage, and the wings just track with the speed of the aircraft. In reality, the F-14s would be having issues going _slow_ enough to actually dogfight a Zero; their best bet would probably be multiple higher speed passes at them, since they had all the advantages in power and speed- they could swoop in with the cannons, and then just power away faster than the Zeroes could really react. Lather, rinse, repeat, until the Zeroes are shot down. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogfight-error-in-the-final-countdown/958994/7 "2022-02-06T19:48:00Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I’m willing to chalk it up to goofy looking low speed footage, and “cooler” looking high speed footage, and the wings just track with the speed of the aircraft. Seeing as the footage is looking directly back at the F14 as its wings sweep, I think it’s probably filmed from something with a rear cargo door like a C130, not something fast enough to see the wings sweep back automatically. Conclusion, it was done manually to get a cool shot. Then they had to fit it in somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogfight-error-in-the-final-countdown/958994/8 "2022-02-06T19:53:39Z")
How much of that was filmed just for _The Final Countdown_ and how much is just footage from a Grumman sales video? ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogfight-error-in-the-final-countdown/958994/9 "2022-02-06T22:06:44Z")
IIRC one of the F-14s almost stalled, for real, at a low altitude (5:49 mark). They decided to put the footage in the film. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogfight-error-in-the-final-countdown/958994/10 "2022-02-06T22:37:37Z")
Also, the Japanese seem to have installed Stuka sirens on their Zeroes. I don’t recall that being a standard feature. They also seem to have invented scarves that don’t flap even with an open window at hundreds of miles per hour. ---
**Author:** ![mordecaiB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mordecaib/32/7725_2.png) [@mordecaiB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mordecaiB)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2022, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogfight-error-in-the-final-countdown/958994/11 "2022-02-06T22:47:11Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > Thanks for the ear-worm by the way I don’t think you used nearly enough sarcasm in your post. What if he takes you seriously and starts mentioning that in every thread he posts in? You’ll be responsible for that! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2022, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogfight-error-in-the-final-countdown/958994/12 "2022-02-07T02:22:53Z")
Hey, at least it’s a good earworm. ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2022, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogfight-error-in-the-final-countdown/958994/13 "2022-02-07T02:33:11Z")
All i know is when i clicked on this i started whistling the soundtrack. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2022, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogfight-error-in-the-final-countdown/958994/14 "2022-02-07T02:59:10Z")
they could have rolled the zeros with wing generated vorticies. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2022, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dogfight-error-in-the-final-countdown/958994/15 "2022-02-07T16:01:54Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > they could have rolled the zeros If I remember correctly, they almost did (not intentionally). They also blew a cameraman off of the deck. Fortunately the safety nets caught him.