Revealing mistake: During the scene with Maverick and Rooster in the F-14A, you can see the cockpit of the F-18F being reflected off Rooster's visor on the helmet.
Revealing mistake: When Maverick and the team are heading into enemy territory after leaving the carrier, they start dropping below enemy radar. There is a shot from a "belly camera" under a plane facing rearwards. The wings are moving around, then disappear upwards out of the picture. This is because the low flying aircraft (supposedly not an F-18F) pulled up in the shot, while the belly of an F-18F was overlaid / pasted into this cut in post. (01:31:45)
Revealing mistake: Tom Cruise is placing his right hand on the cockpit canopy during an ACM training. The Rhino takes 2 hands to fly at all times unless you are in a straight and level flight. Since they were in ACM and his hands were on the canopy, this tells you that Tom Cruise was actually in the RIO position of the aircraft.
Suggested correction: It does not take two hands at all times. The throttle can be set for short periods, allowing the aircrew to brace themselves against the canopy to turn around and look behind them.
True IF you are in straight/level flight. They were in ACM at the time which would require both hands on stick and throttle.
There's a former Navy pilot on YT that confirms this.
Confirms that a pilot can or can't fly one handed like that scene?
Cannot. The channel is called Mover Ruins Movies.
Revealing mistake: When Maverick uses the Cobra Maneuver in the F-14 he was piloting and being chased by the 5th-Gen Fighter and moves above it, the onboard camera in the 5th-Gen fighter captures the supposedly F-14 moving back from above. Only that it does not look like an F-14 with its movable wings spread out. The scene is fast and so a normal user might not notice this infraction. (01:52:40)
Revealing mistake: When Maverick is chasing the 5th Gen fighter in the canyon, it cuts to a shot above his left shoulder. You can see a Gold, Red, and White Flag patch reflected in the canopy. Neither Maverick nor Rooster are wearing flag patches during the mission.
