A subtle inclusion in Top Gun: Maverick‘s ending creates a deeper link between Tom Cruise and his character Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell — and it all has to do with the Tom Cruise P-51 Mustang scene. 36 years on from the original Top Gun, Cruise returns to star in the movie’s belated sequel. Maverick is one of the few returning characters in Top Gun: Maverick from the 1986 movie, with Val Kilmer’s Tom “Iceman” Kazansky the other notable returnee. Maverick includes a host of new characters, including Miles Teller as Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, the son of Maverick’s deceased best friend Nick “Goose” Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards).
The death of Goose in Top Gun has ramifications in the sequel, and the Top Gun: Maverick P-51 moment brings a satisfying conclusion to this key plot arc. A major storyline in Top Gun: Maverick is the relationship between Rooster and Captain Mitchell. Rooster blames Maverick for the death of Goose in Top Gun, but the movie ends with the two reconciling. In Maverick‘s final scene, Rooster helps restore Maverick’s vintage P-51 Mustang, which Maverick then flies Penny (Jennifer Connelly) out in. It’s a fitting way to end Top Gun: Maverick, but there is a detail that many would have missed that makes the Tom Cruise P-51 Mustang scene even better.
Tom Cruise Owns The Top Gun Maverick P-51
The Tom Cruise P-51 Mustang scene in which Maverick and Rooster work on the plane at the end of Top Gun: Maverick is owned by Tom Cruise in real life. His passion for aviation was sparked while filming the original 1986 Top Gun movie and in 1994 Cruise became a licensed pilot. The P-51 Mustang used in Top Gun: Maverick was built in 1946 and Cruise has owned the plane, which has an estimated value of $4 million, since 2001. Cruise originally branded the aircraft “Kiss Me Kate” after his ex-wife Katie Holmes, but he has since removed the name from the P-51 following their separation.
Top Gun Maverick’s Tom Cruise P-51 Scene Was Real
Although Cruise didn’t fly the F-18 while shooting Top Gun: Maverick due to Navy restrictions, he was piloting in the Tom Cruise P-51 Mustang scene. It’s not surprising he was flying the plane, given how well-known Tom Cruise is for doing his own stunts. His commitment to realism has been a common theme in Cruise’s career and Top Gun: Maverick isn’t the only time he has piloted an aircraft on camera. For Mission: Impossible – Fallout, rather than relying on CGI or stunt doubles, Cruise took helicopter flying lessons so that he could perform the movie’s biggest action sequence.
As well as the Tom Cruise P-51 Mustang scene used in Top Gun: Maverick, Cruise owns two more aircraft. His most luxurious is the Gulfstream IV jet valued at $20 million, which includes a Jacuzzi and a screening room, but it did not feature in Maverick. Tom Cruise and Captain “Maverick” Mitchell are both thrill-seeking daredevils, and the subtle inclusion of Cruise’s own P-51 Mustang in Maverick‘s ending made the link between the two even deeper.
Why The Navy Wouldn’t Let Tom Cruise Fly Maverick’s F-18
While known for doing most of his own stunts, the Tom Cruise P-51 Mustang scene in Top Gun: Maverick highlights how some feats are too dangerous even for him. One of the biggest stipulations the actor had going into Maverick is that CGI would not play a major role in the film. Cruise got his wish, as most of the aerial footage depicted in Maverick is done with real planes. Being the man of ambition that he is, Tom Cruise initially wanted to fly the Boeing F-18 fighter jet that’s featured heavily throughout the movie. However, this was a no-go.
Despite being a certified pilot, the U.S. Navy denied Cruise’s request to fly the F-18, which itself holds a $70 million price tag. While no definitive answer has been given as to why he couldn’t fly the F-18, despite piloting other planes and helicopters in Maverick, it probably has to do with insurance reasons. The F-18 alone would take up half of Maverick‘s budget, and insurance for having Tom Cruise in the pilot seat would create even more hefty fees. Considering how expensive the jet is on its own, it’s probably best that the actor wasn’t allowed to take stick. Rather, Navy pilots assisted in filming the F-18 scenes for Top Gun: Maverick, even though Tom Cruise really wanted to do them on his own.
Paramount Used Tom Cruise’s P51 Mustang For The Top Gun 2 Marketing
It’s no secret that Tom Cruise is an aviation enthusiast. The actor has spoken openly about his love of planes and all things flying throughout his career, and it’s something his both known and admired for among Top Gun fans. Paramount was clearly aware of this, as they leaned heavily into the fact that Tom Cruise flew his own P51 Mustang in Top Gun: Maverick when promoting the movie. Of particular note is the featurette Paramount released on YouTube in 2022, simply titled “Tom’s P51 Mustang”.
The short promotional featurette is summed up perfectly by its title and is multiple interviews with cast members and technical professionals from the set of Top Gun: Maverick. They all recount their experiences working with Tom Cruise flying his P51 Mustang, some interesting facts about the plane itself, and it includes some great behind-the-scenes footage too. Paramount putting this out there as part of the Top Gun 2 marketing both shows how astute the studio is at knowing its target audience, and how integral Tom Cruise is as a personality for the Top Gun franchise beyond his acting talent.
Tom Cruise Isn’t The Only Famous Plane Enthusiast
Outside of the Tom Cruise P-51 Mustang scene in Top Gun: Maverick, Cruise owns other jets as well — and he’s not the only celebrity who’s made a hobby out of owning a plane. A long list of celebrities also owns their own jets for whatever travels light their fancy. The most common jets owned by celebrities are the Gulfstream G650, Dassault Falcon, and the Bombardier, with each jet costing over $50 million and then some.
Mark Wahlberg (The Departed) owns a Bombardier BD-700, with which he takes frequent trips overseas, and across the U.S. Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones) himself owns a Cessna 680 Citation that jets him quickly all over the U.S. The Fabelmans director Steven Spielberg has a Gulfstream G-650, visiting various locations overseas. Star Wars creator George Lucas also owns a Gulfstream, with which he flies overseas relatively frequently.
Movie stars aren’t the only celebrities who own their own aircraft, as plenty of famous singers also like to travel in style as well. Country superstar Blake Shelton purchased a Gulfstream 4 and takes summer trips across the U.S. Country musician Kenny Chesney also owns a jet, a Dassault Falcon 900 to be exact, and also tours the U.S. Jay-Z owns a Gulfstream 5, taking frequent trips all over. Finally, Taylor Swift herself is the proud owner of a Dassault Falcon 7X, which she uses to travel the globe. The Tom Cruise P-51 Mustang scene in Top Gun: Maverick isn’t the only proof of the aircraft he owns, as he also has a Bombardier Challenger 300.
