Tom Cruise's P-51 Mustang: The Real Story Behind the Top Gun: Maverick Scene

Tom Cruise's Vintage Plane: A Symbol of Passion and Dedication

Top Gun: Maverick's flying sequences are part of what made the long-awaited sequel so exciting and that was further added to by the fact that Tom Cruise did fly in Top Gun 2. The movie follows Maverick training a new group of young pilots which includes Miles Teller as Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw, the son of Maverick's deceased best friend Nick 'Goose' Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards). Their tense relationship leads to a touching ending that relates to a plane that Tom Cruise flies in real life as well as in Top Gun 2.

Tom Cruise smiling as he speaks to the Top Gun officers in Top Gun: Maverick

After surviving the mission together and proving the value of actual skilled pilots in the cockpit rather than just drones, Maverick and Goose form a bond that is similar to the one he shared with Goose. In Top Gun: Maverick's ending, 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.

Maverick and Penny flying in the P51 at the end of Top Gun: Maverick

The P-51 Mustang plane that Maverick and Rooster work on in that final scene 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.

Tom Cruise flying a jet in Top Gun Maverick

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. These details add a layer of personal significance to the P-51 Mustang scene in the movie, making it a truly special moment for both the character of Maverick and the actor Tom Cruise.

Tom Cruise Flying a Plane in Top Gun: Maverick

Tom Cruise's Passion for Aviation: From Top Gun to Real Life

The P-51 Mustang Is Not The Only Plane Cruise Owns. Although Cruise didn't fly the F-18 while shooting Top Gun: Maverick due to Navy restrictions, he was piloting in the P-51 Mustang during the scene in which Maverick flies with Penny. It's not surprising he was flying the plane, given how well-known Tom Cruise is for doing his own stunts. As well as the P-51 Mustang used in Top Gun: Maverick, Cruise owns two more aircraft.

Tom Cruise flying a fighter jet as Maverick in Top Gun: Maverick.

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.

Tom Cruise in a fighter jet in Top Gun Maverick

While known for doing most of his own stunts, the 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. Cruise's dedication to realism and his passion for aviation are evident not only in his performance but also in the authenticity of the flying sequences.

Tom Cruise as Maverick wearing white shirt and standing by plane in Top Gun: Maverick

Tom Cruise's Impact on Top Gun: Maverick and Beyond

Paramount Used Tom Cruise's P51 Mustang For The Top Gun 2 Marketing. Paramount was clearly aware of Tom Cruise's passion for aviation, as they leaned heavily into the fact that 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 Top Gun: Maverick's cast members and technical professionals from the set.

Tom Cruise speaking while in a fighter jet cockpit in Top Gun: Maverick.

Tom Cruise Isn't The Only Famous Plane Enthusiast. Tom Cruise's P-51 Mustang and collection of other planes is impressive, but he's not the only celebrity who's made a hobby out of owning a plane. A long list of celebrities also own their own jets for their personal travel needs. 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.

Tom Cruise sitting in a cockpit and giving a thumbs up in Top Gun

Top Gun Wasn't The Only Movie Where Tom Cruise Actually Flew. The P-51 stunts in Top Gun: Maverick were certainly impressive and such stunts have become typical for Tom Cruise's movie roles as of late. 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.

A helicopter in Mission Impossible Fallout