If you’ve seen Dinsey’s Planes then you know the film features quite a few military references – from reclusive Navy Corsair Skipper Riley to the Dwight D. Flysenhower (CVN 81) – that reflect the look and the demeanor of service men and women.
Filmmakers wanted to ensure authenticity in the film, so they enlisted the U.S. Navy and other retired and former military personnel during the making of the movie.
“Being the son of a Navy pilot, I was beyond honored to have the opportunity to work with the military on our film,” said the film’s director Klay Hall. “They opened their doors to our team, provided incredible insight and made a personal dream come true when they welcomed us onto the decks of the awe-inspiring USS Carl Vinson earlier this year.”
Members of the film’s production team had a chance to visit the USS Carl Vinson, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier to observe target practice and a number of takeoffs including a Hornet, helicopters, and C-2 Greyhound cargo planes.
This visit provided the filmmakers great references for the scene in the movie that takes place on an aircraft carrier. It also provided them with reference for a character from the film – USS Dwight D. Flyshenhower (CVN 81), an aircraft carrier that joins Navy Corsair Skipper Riley and fighter jets Echo and Bravo as some of the characters with military backgrounds in the movie.
The production team also sought advice from a number of resources to perfect the jargon spoken by fighter jets Echo and Bravo. These included Lt. Cmdr. Jim “Fanus” Mittag from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron THREE-ZERO (VX-30) at Naval Base Ventura County, and longtime pilot Sean Bautista, a former Air Force top gunner in the 194th Squadron with 16 years of military flying experience (including F16 and F4 fighter jets) and 27 years as a professional pilot for the major airlines.
The film opened August 9 at theaters nationwide. To celebrate all service men and women, the Walt Disney Studios offered special screenings of Disney’s Planes for military families from coast to coast.
Planes finished last week’s box office in fifth place, down 41 percent from the previous week. So far the film has earned $45.1 million at the box office.
