# What movie had twin tandem helicopters? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 1, 2013, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movie-had-twin-tandem-helicopters/667702 "2013-09-01T00:27:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dataguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eada6e/32.png) [@dataguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dataguy)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movie-had-twin-tandem-helicopters/667702/1 "2013-09-01T00:27:13Z")
This has bugged me long enough, and I know someone here knows the answer. What movie featured a pair of identical helicopters that always flew in tandem, perfectly synchronized? The scene that sticks in my mind is at the end of the movie. The both fly forward, towards the audience, then both pivot 90 degrees to face each other, then pivot back–perfectly synchronized. It looked like they were taking a bow. So cool. I’m guessing Apocalypse Now, but I’m not sure. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movie-had-twin-tandem-helicopters/667702/2 "2013-09-01T01:01:43Z")
Apocalypse Now had a handful of very famous helicopter scenes\*, but IIRC they didn’t have any Chinooks in the movie (but I could be wrong). \*Ride Of The Valkyries/I love the smell of napalm in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![dataguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eada6e/32.png) [@dataguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dataguy)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movie-had-twin-tandem-helicopters/667702/3 "2013-09-01T01:10:15Z")
Thanks for the response, but I think you misinterpreted something. When I said twin tandem helicopters, I didn’t mean helicopters with twin rotors. Now, maybe they did have twin rotors, but I don’t remember that detail. I just meant there were a pair of them that always flew together with synchronized movements. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movie-had-twin-tandem-helicopters/667702/4 "2013-09-01T01:16:24Z")
> [@dataguy](#): > > Thanks for the response, but I think you misinterpreted something. When I said twin tandem helicopters, I didn’t mean helicopters with twin rotors. Now, maybe they did have twin rotors, but I don’t remember that detail. I just meant there were a pair of them that always flew together with synchronized movements. Ahh, well then you’ve got Apocalypse Now and Full Metal Jacket to think about (I always confuse the details of those two movies). Apocalypse Now tended to have use helicopters in ‘swarms’ as I remember, you might want to take a look at some clips of Full Metal Jacket to see if that jogs your memory. Also, I haven’t seen Black Hawk Down, but it seems like a movie that would involve helicopters. ---
**Author:** ![LC\_Strawhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@LC\_Strawhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LC_Strawhouse)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movie-had-twin-tandem-helicopters/667702/5 "2013-09-01T01:25:18Z")
[Fire Birds](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnVlXlYaRKI)? ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movie-had-twin-tandem-helicopters/667702/6 "2013-09-01T01:27:16Z")
Fire Birds? > **[Fire Birds (1990) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099575/)** > > Fire Birds: Directed by David Green. With Nicolas Cage, Tommy Lee Jones, Sean Young, Bryan Kestner. Elite Apache helicopter pilots are tasked with destroying powerful armed drug cartels operating in South America. ---
**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movie-had-twin-tandem-helicopters/667702/7 "2013-09-01T01:32:28Z")
6th Day I think. There were two copters, which converted to fixed wing in flight, but could fly synchronously and could be controlled remotely, also. Bob ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Blaylock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_blaylock/32/3235_2.png) [@Bob\_Blaylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Blaylock)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movie-had-twin-tandem-helicopters/667702/8 "2013-09-01T02:10:56Z")
> [@dataguy](#): > > This has bugged me long enough, and I know someone here knows the answer. > > What movie featured a pair of identical helicopters that always flew in tandem, perfectly synchronized? > > The scene that sticks in my mind is at the end of the movie. The both fly forward, towards the audience, then both pivot 90 degrees to face each other, then pivot back–perfectly synchronized. It looked like they were taking a bow. So cool. > > I’m guessing Apocalypse Now, but I’m not sure. Probably not the movie of which you’re thinking, but I remember a pair of helicopters in Capricorn One that behaved somewhat similarly to the way you’ve described. I think they were both killed before the end of the movie. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movie-had-twin-tandem-helicopters/667702/9 "2013-09-01T02:49:26Z")
One of the _ **Austin Powers** _ movies? One of the Pierce Brosnan _ **James Bonds** _? One of the _ **Mission: Impossible** _ movies? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movie-had-twin-tandem-helicopters/667702/10 "2013-09-01T02:50:13Z")
I think that’s it! Capricorn One. Here is a link to exactly what the OP describes. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/q9q5BoEgvUU/hqdefault.jpg "Capricorn One (1978)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9q5BoEgvUU) Good catch. ETA: The link doesn’t seem to go straight to the time like I intended. It happens around the 35 sec mark. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movie-had-twin-tandem-helicopters/667702/11 "2013-09-01T03:15:39Z")
There’s a three-helicopter chase in _Outbreak_. It looks as [cheesy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmCb8IAatxM) as an episode of _Airwolf_, though. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movie-had-twin-tandem-helicopters/667702/12 "2013-09-01T04:35:04Z")
> [@Bear\_Nenno](#): > > I think that’s it! Capricorn One. Here is a link to exactly what the OP describes. > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player\_detailpage&v=q9q5BoEgvUU#t=35](https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=q9q5BoEgvUU#t=35) > > Good catch. > > ETA: The link doesn’t seem to go straight to the time like I intended. It happens around the 35 sec mark. _Capricorn One_ is almost certainly it. That scene was completely pointless and made no sense. But then that’s true of the entire movie. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movie-had-twin-tandem-helicopters/667702/13 "2013-09-01T05:54:23Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > _Capricorn One_ is almost certainly it. That scene was completely pointless and made no sense. But then that’s true of the entire movie. Especially the scenes where OJ was trying to get away? ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movie-had-twin-tandem-helicopters/667702/14 "2013-09-01T06:24:11Z")
Blue Thunder? ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movie-had-twin-tandem-helicopters/667702/15 "2013-09-01T13:51:42Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > _Capricorn One_ is almost certainly it. That scene was completely pointless and made no sense. But then that’s true of the entire movie. Those two helicopters look _really_ frikking close, was there camera-trickery involved or just good piloting? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movie-had-twin-tandem-helicopters/667702/16 "2013-09-01T14:35:31Z")
> [@Disposable Hero](#): > > Those two helicopters look _really_ frikking close, was there camera-trickery involved or just good piloting? If you watch closely, the copter on the left side of the screen was flying a bit behind the one on the right of the screen. When they pause to “look” at each other, they are not face-to-face, but offset slightly. Filmed through a telephoto lens, the depth of field is compressed making them appear closer than they are. (This is not to claim that the pilots did not do a fine job of “acting.”) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movie-had-twin-tandem-helicopters/667702/17 "2013-09-01T15:51:38Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > If you watch closely, the copter on the left side of the screen was flying a bit behind the one on the right of the screen. When they pause to “look” at each other, they are not face-to-face, but offset slightly. Filmed through a telephoto lens, the depth of field is compressed making them appear closer than they are. Beaten to the punch! ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movie-had-twin-tandem-helicopters/667702/18 "2013-09-01T16:25:27Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > If you watch closely, the copter on the left side of the screen was flying a bit behind the one on the right of the screen. When they pause to “look” at each other, they are not face-to-face, but offset slightly. Filmed through a telephoto lens, the depth of field is compressed making them appear closer than they are. > > (This is not to claim that the pilots did not do a fine job of “acting.”) Absolutely. I assure you that each pilot was well aware of the path of their rotor blades with respect to those of the other helicopter. Had those blades hit, there would have been two less helicopters and probably two less helicopter pilots in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movie-had-twin-tandem-helicopters/667702/19 "2013-09-01T19:36:31Z")
> [@tomndebb](#): > > If you watch closely, the copter on the left side of the screen was flying a bit behind the one on the right of the screen. When they pause to “look” at each other, they are not face-to-face, but offset slightly. Filmed through a telephoto lens, the depth of field is compressed making them appear closer than they are. > > (This is not to claim that the pilots did not do a fine job of “acting.”) Thanks, so it was good camera-work _and_ good flying! ---
**Author:** ![dataguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eada6e/32.png) [@dataguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dataguy)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2013, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-movie-had-twin-tandem-helicopters/667702/20 "2013-09-01T23:01:29Z")
I’m going with Capricorn One. If that’s not the one I remember, it has an identical scene. I’m going to watch the entire thing later. Thanks for the clip. Now I can get rid of that particular brain itch.