We don't yet claim to have a definitive record of exploding helicopter information, as we're constantly evaluating new historical records (ie films). However, the information here is the best that we have until greater scholars than your humble servants at Exploding Helicopter turn their attention to documenting the art.
If you think we need to update our records then please let us know.....
HOW MANY FILMS ARE THERE WITH EXPLODING HELICOPTERS?
So far we've found 801 films with at least one exploding helicopter in them.
We've reviewed 229 of those films on this website and seen 299 helicopters blown to smithereens.
If you want to see a list of every film we've found with an exploding helicopter then head over to our lists on IMDB and Letterboxd.
WHAT WAS THE FIRST FILM WITH AN EXPLODING HELICOPTER?
The first film with an exploding helicopter was Break In The Circle (1955).
In the movie our heroes are fleeing in a lorry pursued by a pair of villains in a helicopter - a Westland WS-51 Dragonfly. There's a gun battle between the two vehicles during which a tarpaulin covering the back of the lorry. The pursuit takes them close to some power lines. The pilot tries to veer off, but his passenger tries to continue the chase by wrestling the pilot for control. As a result, the helicopter crashes into the power line and explodes. Sadly, it's an underwhelming scene as most of it takes place off-screen. We hear the crash and explosion and we see a brief flash of light illuminate a high voltage warning sign.
WHAT FILM HAS THE MOST EXPLODING HELICOPTERS?
Come for the flying dragons, stay for the exploding helicopters. The film with the most exploding helicopters is Dragon Wars (2007) which features an incredible 9 (nine) chopper fireballs.
This Korean/US action, sci-fi, spectacular tells the tale of ancient legend that sees dragons unleashed on present day Los Angeles. All the helicopters are destroyed during one epic aerial battle between dragons and helicopters.
In a close second there's the film Battleship which serves up no fewer than 8 chopper fireballs in one short scene of rotor-bladed mayhem.
Chopper conflagration fans may also want to check out Charlie Wilson's War and Avatar which both feature an impressive 6 exploding helicopters.
There are also three other films deserving of a meritorious mention for their notable helicopter carnage. Broken Arrow, You Only Live Twice, Independence Day, and Rambo III all feature 4 exploding helicopters.
WHICH DIRECTOR HAS FILMED THE MOST EXPLODING HELICOPTERS?
Legendary exploitation filmmaker Cirio H Santiago is the who has exploded helicopters in more films than anyone else, with an incredible total of 15 films.
WHICH ACTOR HAS BEEN IN THE MOST FILMS WITH AN EXPLODING HELICOPTER?
So, who is the actor who most likely to guarantee you exploding helicopter action? Take a bow Mike Monty who has appeared in an incredible 15 films with a chopper fireball. Mr Monty was a regular face in the glut of low budget action films that filled the shelves of video stores in the Eighties.
- Stranglehold (1994)
- Kill Zone (1993)
- Firehawk (1993)
- Live By The Fist (1993)
- Field Of Fire (1992)
- Beyond The Call Of Duty (1991)
- Last Stand At Lang Mei (1989)
- Fast Gun (1988)
- Future Hunters (1998)
- The Devastator (1986)
- Demon Of Paradise (1987)
- Eye Of The Eagle (1987)
- Behind Enemy Lines aka Killer Instinct (1987)
- Final Mission (1984)
- Cover Girl Models (1975)
WHICH ACTOR HAS BEEN IN THE MOST FILMS WITH AN EXPLODING HELICOPTER?
- Raiders Of Atlantis (1983)
- Tornado: The Last Blood (1983)
- Slash (1984)
- The Firebird Conspiracy (1984)
- Commando Leopard (1985)
- Double Target (1987)
- Tough Cop (1987)
- Phantom Soldiers (1987)
- Eye Of The Eagle (1987)
- The Last American Soldier (1988)
- Dog Tags (1988)
- The Commander (1988) uncredited
- Eye Of The Eagle II (1989)
- Last Platoon (1988)
- Last Flight To Hell (1990)
WHICH FILM CHARACTER HAS BEEN IN THE MOST FILMS WITH AN EXPLODING HELICOPTER?
Actors come and go, but fictional film characters endure (especially in this age of franchises and intellectual property). So, which of them has been in the most films? There are some obvious candidates. So far, everyone's favourite international super spy, James Bond, has been in 10 films with a chopper fireball. French gentlemen thief, Lupin, has been in 11 films with a helicopter explosion. However, the number one spot belongs to the city-stomping radioactive reptile Godzilla, with 13 appearances in films with exploding helicopters.
- Godzilla 1985 (1985)
- Godzilla vs Biollante (1989)
- Godzilla vs Destroyah (1995)
- Godzilla Resurgence (2017)
- Godzilla Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All Out Attack (2001)
- Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019)
- King Kong vs Godzilla (1962)
- Godzilla vs Hedorah (1971)
- Godzilla vs King Ghidorah (1991)
- Godzilla 2000 (1999)
- Godzilla (1998)
- Godzilla (2014)
- Shin Godzilla (2016)
WHICH FILM IS THE FASTEST TO FEATURE AN EXPLODING HELICOPTER?
Filmmakers very often make you wait to experience the cinematic thrill of an exploding helicopter. However, if you're tired to waiting around for your favourite form of fiery delight then you should make a point of watching The Delta Force (1986). Chuck Norris' action extravaganza features an exploding helicopter after just 6 seconds. No film has ever featured an exploding helicopter faster.
WHAT IS THE BEST FILM WITH AN EXPLODING HELICOPTER?
So what's the best film with an exploding helicopter? (This is quite a different question to what's the best exploding helicopter, and if you want to see our top 10 it's available on our site).
Well, we decided to take a data drive approach to this question. First, we looked at the user ratings on IMDB. According to users of that site, Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight is the top film - with a user average of 9.0.
So what's the best film with an exploding helicopter? (This is quite a different question to what's the best exploding helicopter, and if you want to see our top 10 it's available on our site).
Well, we decided to take a data drive approach to this question. First, we looked at the user ratings on IMDB. According to users of that site, Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight is the top film - with a user average of 9.0.
However, if you look at the critic's meta score, Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty comes out as the best exploding helicopter film ever made.
We also took a look at the records of the Oscars. And, incredibly, no film featuring an exploding helicopter has ever won a Best Picture Oscar.
In fact, only 6 films with a chopper fireball have ever received Best Picture nominations at the Oscars
Exploding Helicopters In Popular Culture
“I’ve never seen an exploding helicopter. I’ve never seen anybody go and blow somebody’s head off. So why should I make films about them?" John Cassavetes
Methods Of Destruction
We list the most popular and obscure methods used in cinema for exploding helicopters.
WEAPONS
Gunfire (Machine guns, pistols, etc)
Predator, Red Scorpion, Transporter 2, Ultraviolet, Exit Wounds, Broken Arrow, Rambo III, Sudden Death, Shadow Man, Commando Leopard, Die Another Day, Cobra Mission, Fifty/Fifty, The 6th Day, Midnight Run, SWAT, Evasive Action, Executive Target, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, CIA II: Target Alexa, Austin Powers In Goldmember, Olympus Has Fallen, The Green Berets, The Battle Of Sinai, Unstoppable, Resident Evil: Retribution, Domino, Spy Game, Iron Thunder, The Eliminator, Black Sunday, The Beast Must Die, The Siege Of Firebase Gloria, Hickey & Boggs, When Eight Bells Toll, Missing In Action 2: The Beginning, The Park Is Mine, The Diamond Mercenaries, Terminator: Dark Fate, Angel Has Fallen
Gunfire from a vehicle (Helicopters, airplanes, tank, armoured vehicle, etc)
Blue Thunder, Iron Eagle IV, Courage Under Fire, G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra, XXX2: The Next Level, The Sender, Cradle 2 The Grave, The Interview, Fire Birds, The Expendables 3,
Grenade launcher
Fifty/Fifty, Darkman, Deadly Prey, American Ninja 4: The Annihilation,
Missiles, rockets, or artillery
Firefox, Sub Zero, The World Is Not Enough, UHF, Transformers, You Only Live Twice, The Spy Who Loved Me, The A Team, The Sentinel, The Peacemaker, Avatar, True Lies, The Losers, Mega Piranha, Under Siege, Samurai Commando Mission 1549, White House Down, Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection, Fire Birds, Suicide Squad,
Rocket launcher
Rambo: First Blood Pt.II, Sudden Death, Swordfish, The Commander, Skyscraper, DNA, Charlie Wilson's War, T-Force, Invasion USA, Lasko - Death Train, Green Zone, 5 Days Of War, Terminal Rush, Black Dynamite, Lone Survivor, American Ninja, The Hunt For Eagle One, Fortress 2: Re-entry, Active Stealth, The Alternate, P.O.W - The Escape, Hard Ticket To Hawaii, The Wolf's Call, General Commander
Flame thrower
You Only Live Twice
Flare gun
A View To A Kill, The Final Countdown
Bow and arrow
Rambo III
Experimental weaponry
Surrogates, The Secret Agent Club,
Alien weaponry
Battle: Los Angeles, Independence Day, Battleship, Edge Of Tomorrow,
COLLISION
Collision with train
Blue Thunder, Lasko - Death Train
Collision with motorbike
Stone Cold, The Expendables 2
Collision with car, truck or bus
Die Hard 4.0, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Fifty/Fifty, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Hijack!,
Collision with tank
Rambo III
Collision with helicopter
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Collision with plane
Stealth
Collision with Statue of Liberty
Batman Forever
Collision with building
The Last Castle, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Lawnmower Man 2, Tomorrow Never Dies, Godzilla, Operation Delta Force 2, Darkman, The Matrix, The Sender, A Good Day To Die Hard, Absolute Zero, Police Story 3: Supercop, The Expendables 3, High Risk
Collision with falling sign
The Island
Collision with cliff
Broken Arrow, Cliffhanger, Capricorn One, Derailed, The LEGO Movie, When Time Ran Out
Collision with ground (crash landing)
Resident Evil: Afterlife, Escape From LA, The Dark Knight, GoldenEye, Tropic Thunder, Morlocks, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, The Guardian, Arctic Predator, Annihilation Earth, The Omega Man, Piranha 2: The Spawning, The Pumaman, The Thaw, The Towering Inferno, The Cat From Outer Space, Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Bad Boys For Life
Collision with telegraph pole, power cables, etc
Die Hard With A Vengeance, Lockout, The Gauntlet
EXPLOSIVES
Explosives
Die Hard, Where Eagles Dare, The Commander, Cobra Mission 2, Half Past Dead, The Spy Who Loved Me, Resident Evil: Afterlife, On Deadly Ground, Spy Hard, 12 Rounds, Angels & Demons, Olympus Has Fallen, Zero Dark Thirty, Land Of The Free, Half Past Dead 2, Takers, The Expendables 3, Hitman: Agent 47, The Domino Principle, Firepower (1979),
Grenade
From Russia With Love, The Thing, Commando Leopard, Black Hawk Down, Apocalypse Now, Munich, The Marksman, Money Talks, Furious 7,
Artillery shell
The Expendables
Canonball
Sahara
Aerial mines
You Only Live Twice
Exploding security tag
The Condemned
Exploding football
Three Kings, The Last Match
Explosive chewing gum
Mission Impossible
Exploding gas tank or gas pipe
Shooter, The World Is Not Enough, Skyfall, DNA,
Via the ignition of flammable liquid
Broken Arrow, Under Siege, X-Men Origins: Wolverine,
Killer tomato
We also took a look at the records of the Oscars. And, incredibly, no film featuring an exploding helicopter has ever won a Best Picture Oscar.
In fact, only 6 films with a chopper fireball have ever received Best Picture nominations at the Oscars
- The Towering Inferno
- Apocalypse Now
- Avatar
- Munich
- Zero Dark Thirty
- Top Gun: Maverick
Exploding Helicopters In Popular Culture
“I’ve never seen an exploding helicopter. I’ve never seen anybody go and blow somebody’s head off. So why should I make films about them?" John Cassavetes
Methods Of Destruction
We list the most popular and obscure methods used in cinema for exploding helicopters.
WEAPONS
Gunfire (Machine guns, pistols, etc)
Predator, Red Scorpion, Transporter 2, Ultraviolet, Exit Wounds, Broken Arrow, Rambo III, Sudden Death, Shadow Man, Commando Leopard, Die Another Day, Cobra Mission, Fifty/Fifty, The 6th Day, Midnight Run, SWAT, Evasive Action, Executive Target, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, CIA II: Target Alexa, Austin Powers In Goldmember, Olympus Has Fallen, The Green Berets, The Battle Of Sinai, Unstoppable, Resident Evil: Retribution, Domino, Spy Game, Iron Thunder, The Eliminator, Black Sunday, The Beast Must Die, The Siege Of Firebase Gloria, Hickey & Boggs, When Eight Bells Toll, Missing In Action 2: The Beginning, The Park Is Mine, The Diamond Mercenaries, Terminator: Dark Fate, Angel Has Fallen
Gunfire from a vehicle (Helicopters, airplanes, tank, armoured vehicle, etc)
Blue Thunder, Iron Eagle IV, Courage Under Fire, G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra, XXX2: The Next Level, The Sender, Cradle 2 The Grave, The Interview, Fire Birds, The Expendables 3,
Grenade launcher
Fifty/Fifty, Darkman, Deadly Prey, American Ninja 4: The Annihilation,
Missiles, rockets, or artillery
Firefox, Sub Zero, The World Is Not Enough, UHF, Transformers, You Only Live Twice, The Spy Who Loved Me, The A Team, The Sentinel, The Peacemaker, Avatar, True Lies, The Losers, Mega Piranha, Under Siege, Samurai Commando Mission 1549, White House Down, Delta Force 2: The Colombian Connection, Fire Birds, Suicide Squad,
Rocket launcher
Rambo: First Blood Pt.II, Sudden Death, Swordfish, The Commander, Skyscraper, DNA, Charlie Wilson's War, T-Force, Invasion USA, Lasko - Death Train, Green Zone, 5 Days Of War, Terminal Rush, Black Dynamite, Lone Survivor, American Ninja, The Hunt For Eagle One, Fortress 2: Re-entry, Active Stealth, The Alternate, P.O.W - The Escape, Hard Ticket To Hawaii, The Wolf's Call, General Commander
Flame thrower
You Only Live Twice
Flare gun
A View To A Kill, The Final Countdown
Bow and arrow
Rambo III
Experimental weaponry
Surrogates, The Secret Agent Club,
Alien weaponry
Battle: Los Angeles, Independence Day, Battleship, Edge Of Tomorrow,
COLLISION
Collision with train
Blue Thunder, Lasko - Death Train
Collision with motorbike
Stone Cold, The Expendables 2
Collision with car, truck or bus
Die Hard 4.0, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Fifty/Fifty, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Hijack!,
Collision with tank
Rambo III
Collision with helicopter
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Collision with plane
Stealth
Collision with Statue of Liberty
Batman Forever
Collision with building
The Last Castle, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Lawnmower Man 2, Tomorrow Never Dies, Godzilla, Operation Delta Force 2, Darkman, The Matrix, The Sender, A Good Day To Die Hard, Absolute Zero, Police Story 3: Supercop, The Expendables 3, High Risk
Collision with falling sign
The Island
Collision with cliff
Broken Arrow, Cliffhanger, Capricorn One, Derailed, The LEGO Movie, When Time Ran Out
Collision with ground (crash landing)
Resident Evil: Afterlife, Escape From LA, The Dark Knight, GoldenEye, Tropic Thunder, Morlocks, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, The Guardian, Arctic Predator, Annihilation Earth, The Omega Man, Piranha 2: The Spawning, The Pumaman, The Thaw, The Towering Inferno, The Cat From Outer Space, Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Bad Boys For Life
Collision with telegraph pole, power cables, etc
Die Hard With A Vengeance, Lockout, The Gauntlet
Explosives
Die Hard, Where Eagles Dare, The Commander, Cobra Mission 2, Half Past Dead, The Spy Who Loved Me, Resident Evil: Afterlife, On Deadly Ground, Spy Hard, 12 Rounds, Angels & Demons, Olympus Has Fallen, Zero Dark Thirty, Land Of The Free, Half Past Dead 2, Takers, The Expendables 3, Hitman: Agent 47, The Domino Principle, Firepower (1979),
Grenade
From Russia With Love, The Thing, Commando Leopard, Black Hawk Down, Apocalypse Now, Munich, The Marksman, Money Talks, Furious 7,
Artillery shell
The Expendables
Canonball
Sahara
Aerial mines
You Only Live Twice
Exploding security tag
The Condemned
Exploding football
Three Kings, The Last Match
Explosive chewing gum
Mission Impossible
Exploding gas tank or gas pipe
Shooter, The World Is Not Enough, Skyfall, DNA,
Via the ignition of flammable liquid
Broken Arrow, Under Siege, X-Men Origins: Wolverine,
Killer tomato
Exploding speedboat
Terminator Woman
Nuclear weapon or device
Broken Arrow, The Dark Knight Rises
SUPERHEROES
Breath
Superman II,
Eaten
Godzilla, Piranhaconda
Snapped
Transformers 2: Revenge Of The Fallen
Telekinesis
Transformers 2: Revenge Of The Fallen
Thrown object
The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 3, Man Of Steel,
Plasma ray
Avengers Assemble
Collision
Ant-Man
OTHER
Golf balls
The Other Guys
Ladder
Arabesque
Volcano
Dante's Peak
Swatted by giant reptile, monster, insect, etc
Mega Shark Vs Crocosaurus, Godzilla, Robocroc, Monsters vs Aliens, Big Ass Spider, Alone In The Dark, Behemoth The Sea Monster
Psychically controlled flamingos
Sheena: Queen of the Jungle
Pyrokinesis
Firestarter
Telekinesis
The Day The Earth Stood Still
Mutant sharks
Deep Blue Sea
Flying chunks of ice
2012: Ice Age
Flying dragon or dinosaur
Avatar, Jurassic World
Bees
The Swarm
Meteor
Meteor Storm
Falling rock
Epicenter
Aliens
Skyline, Bermuda Tentacles
Zombies
World War Z, Navy Seals vs Zombies
Werewolf
Battledogs
Fishing rod
Machete Kills
Drone
Terminator Woman
Nuclear weapon or device
Broken Arrow, The Dark Knight Rises
SUPERHEROES
Breath
Superman II,
Eaten
Godzilla, Piranhaconda
Snapped
Transformers 2: Revenge Of The Fallen
Telekinesis
Transformers 2: Revenge Of The Fallen
Thrown object
The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 3, Man Of Steel,
Plasma ray
Avengers Assemble
Collision
Ant-Man
OTHER
Golf balls
The Other Guys
Ladder
Arabesque
Volcano
Dante's Peak
Swatted by giant reptile, monster, insect, etc
Mega Shark Vs Crocosaurus, Godzilla, Robocroc, Monsters vs Aliens, Big Ass Spider, Alone In The Dark, Behemoth The Sea Monster
Psychically controlled flamingos
Sheena: Queen of the Jungle
Pyrokinesis
Firestarter
Telekinesis
The Day The Earth Stood Still
Mutant sharks
Deep Blue Sea
Flying chunks of ice
2012: Ice Age
Flying dragon or dinosaur
Avatar, Jurassic World
Bees
The Swarm
Meteor
Meteor Storm
Falling rock
Epicenter
Aliens
Skyline, Bermuda Tentacles
Zombies
World War Z, Navy Seals vs Zombies
Werewolf
Battledogs
Fishing rod
Machete Kills
Drone
Angel Has Fallen
Unknown (Where the film does not provide conclusive evidence as to the method of destruction)
Men Of Honor, The Delta Force,
Unknown (Where the film does not provide conclusive evidence as to the method of destruction)
Men Of Honor, The Delta Force,
