Wings on Screens
This 1986 blockbuster film starring Tom Cruise helped boost Air Force and Navy flight school applications by more than 500%.
What is Top Gun?
There are this many planets in our solar system.
What is 8?
The U-2 spy plane, famous for its ultra-high-altitude surveillance flights, was given this angelic but ironic nickname by frustrated pilots.
What is the “Dragon Lady”?
In 1948–49, the U.S. Air Force carried out this massive humanitarian mission to supply West Berlin after the Soviet blockade.
What was the Berlin Airlift?
This call sign was made famous by fictional U.S. Navy aviator, Pete Mitchell, in a 1986 film and its 2022 sequel.
What is “Maverick”?
A Netflix comedy series starring Steve Carell parodies the creation of this United States military branch.
What is the Space Force?
One of the Space Force’s primary jobs is operating these government-owned satellites that help the world navigate.
What are GPS Satellites?
The C-130 Hercules earned this snack-food nickname because of its ability to “deliver goods anywhere.”
What is the “Trash Hauler”? (also called “Herk” or “Fat Albert”)
This 1991 operation was the first major conflict to feature GPS, stealth aircraft, and laser-guided bombs on a large scale.
What was Operation Desert Storm?
This two-word code name referred to the classified program that developed the B-2 stealth bomber in the 1980s.
What was “Senior Ice”?
This Marvel superhero reached the rank of colonel as an Air Force fighter pilot before becoming a cosmic-powered hero.
Who is Captain Marvel?
This planet is orbited by the most moons in the solar system; one of which has been named Titan.
What is Saturn?
The AC-130 gunship, famous for its side-mounted cannons, is commonly called this ghostly nickname.
What is the “Spooky” or “Ghostrider”?
On May 2, 2011, U.S. aircraft supported the raid that killed terrorist leader, Osama bin Laden during this operation.
What was Operation Neptune Spear?
This two-word classified code name referred to the investigation and failed 1980 mission to rescue American hostages in Iran.
What was “Operation Eagle Claw”
This 1955 film, starring Jimmy Stewart as real-life test pilot Chuck Yeager, was the first major Hollywood movie to showcase Air Force jet research programs.
What is Strategic Air Command?
Outside of the sun, this is the closest star to Earth.
What is Alpha Centuari?
The B-52 Stratofortress is best known by this explosive four-letter nickname.
What is the “BUFF” (Big Ugly Fat Fellow)?
On April 15, 1986, Air Force F-111 fighters struck targets in this North African nation during Operation El Dorado Canyon.
What is Libya?
Used during WWII, this was the personal call sign of Brig. Gen. James “Jimmy” Doolittle during the famous 1942 raid on Tokyo.
What was “Whiskey Pete”?
This 1983 film based on Tom Wolfe’s book follows the early test pilots and NASA astronauts of Project Mercury, including the legendary Chuck Yeager.
What is The Right Stuff?
This spacecraft is the only one to have visited Uranus.
What is The Voyager 2?
This Cold War reconnaissance aircraft, designed by Kelly Johnson and the Skunk Works team, was nicknamed after a venomous reptile native to Okinawa.
What is the “Habu”? (nickname for the SR-71 Blackbird)
The first combat use of the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber took place during this 1999 NATO air campaign in the Balkans.
What was Operation Allied Force?
This was the Secret Service code name for Air Force One during Barack Obama’s presidency — a reference to his home state’s previous motto.
What is “Renegade”?