Factual error: When the crew shoots Kane's body out into space, the door opens up and "explosive decompression" causes Kane's body to fly out into space. At the beginning, the body slowly rotates. Then as it moves further away, the body begins flipping much faster. The reason something would increase speed in rotation like that is due to aerodynamics. An object traveling through space would simply keep the same rotational velocity it begins with since there is no air or other influences (gravity, etc.). The explosive decompression may cause it to increase rotation speed, but by the time it begins to flip, any air would have dissipated into space and not work as a column of air/wind to force the body into a flip.
Factual error: During the drag racing part of the film, they show an orange Plymouth lining up to race a red 57 Chevy. When the back of the Plymouth comes into view you can see a Direct Connection license plate with a Mopar logo on it. Chrysler's Direct connection line didn't exist in 1964, and the red white and blue Mopar logo wasn't around until 1972.
Factual error: In the Brighton street scenes the parading air cadets are wearing service issue pullovers. These were not introduced as part of the uniform until the mid seventies. During the sixties air cadets would have been wearing battledress tunics.
Factual error: In the scene where the Warriors are hiding from the Turnbull A.C.'s under the elevated subway they look up at the train that is approaching the station. The train is marked as a "J" train. At that point they are still in the Bronx. The "J" train never runs in the Bronx.
Factual error: Although it's already been mentioned that the scene of the shuttle being stolen from the back of the 747 is impossible because the shuttle wouldn't be fueled while being transported, it should also be noted that even if the shuttle was fueled, it would still be just as impossible. During the getaway, the thieves ignited the shuttle's three main engines to get free of the 747 and escape. The thing is, the shuttle's main engines are fueled entirely by the large external tank the shuttle and the solid fuel boosters are attached to during liftoff, and once the tank is jettisoned, these engines cannot be used. The only engines the shuttle's internal fuel feeds are the reaction control thrusters and the Orbital Maneuvering System (which are the two smaller engines located in the bulges just above the main engines). Both the RCS thrusters and OMS engines are almost totally useless within the atmosphere, so even if the thieves managed to get the shuttle free of the 747, they could only get it as far as it would glide unpowered. In fact, they could probably get it further if it wasn't fueled. It should be noted that this is not a fictional, futuristic spacecraft. It's a bog standard shuttle, stolen from NASA, on the back of the modified 747 used by them to transport the orbiter from its landing site to Cape Canaveral.
Factual error: In the opening scene that shows San Francisco scenery there is a shot of a large TV tower called Sutro Tower. The film takes place in 1960 and Sutro Tower wasn't built until 1973.
Factual error: Throughout the film the British infantry are armed with carbines. These were intended for issue to cavalry and are much shorter than the infantry issue Martini-Henry rifle.
Factual error: After the turbine trip, Godell says that the reactor water level was "almost up to the steam lines." The fictional Ventana nuclear plant is described as being a pressurized reactor plant and could not possibly have such a problem.
Factual error: All Borstal inmates were subject to the same mandatory haircut of short back and sides, yet many types of hairstyles are shown in the film.
Factual error: In the PALOMINO scenes, Anthony Perkins wears a long lab coat. In most of the scenes, it hangs straight down; but in the low gravity aboard the ship it should be flattering about (that's why such loose garments are not worn by real-life cosmonauts; they would be a hindrance).
Factual error: The date on the top of Chef's letter from Eva says, "Sept" with the year conveniently whited out. If the letter was written in September of 1969 she couldn't have known about Manson who wasn't arrested until December 3, 1969. This also dates the movie as taking place sometime in 1970. (01:50:50)
Factual error: When Santini is reporting into Beaufort, he refers to the Marine behind the desk as "sergeant." However, the rank on the Marine's sleeve indicates he is a Master Gunnery Sergeant. Unlike in the Army, referring to any rank other than E-5 as "sergeant" is considered an insult in the Marine Corps, and no Marine would ever refer to a Master Gunnery Sergeant as "sergeant." The proper form of address would be "Master Guns," "Master Gunny" or "Top."
Factual error: The lid Halloran removes before the jump out of the plane is much too small. They wouldn't have made it through the opening with their parachutes strapped on. (01:05:45)
Factual error: When Brian fires a rifle at the shark from the boat, he fires the rifle multiple times very quickly. The rifle he is using is a bolt action rifle, which must have a bolt part moved before each fire. He does not touch the bolt.
Factual error: When John Belushi, Wendy-Jo Sperber and Treat Williams are on the stolen motorcycle, Belushi gets mad, pulls a pin, and disconnects the sidecar from the motorcycle. This is not how sidecars are actually attached or they wouldn't go the same direction as the bike.
Factual error: According to the novel on which the movie was based, the "40" in the title refers to the number of players on a football team. But by the time the movie was made, football teams had 45 players. The coach even says Nick Nolte was just one of 45 players. So the title of the movie really makes no sense.
Factual error: The action in this movie takes place in 1869, yet half of the handguns are 1873 Colt Peacemakers, and the remainder that are Army or Navy Colts are all cartridge conversions, which were not available until 1871.
Factual error: The movie takes place in 1850-51, and yet when the Rabbi is challenged to a shootout in San Francisco, the weapon he is handed is an 1858 Remington New Model Army revolver.
Factual error: During the period in which Apollo is trying to bait Rocky into a rematch, Rocky puts the TV on and sees a sports report in which Brent Musburger announces that the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a late field goal by Frank Corral. The movie takes late 1976-ish. The Rams did not play the Buccaneers in 1976, and Frank Corral did not join the Rams until 1978. The game in question occurred during the 1978 season.
Factual error: On the left-hand side of Lucy's front door, you can see a blue and white shield. This is the trademark of the Dutch Heritage organisation, which protects monuments such as old city buildings. These signs did not exist in the 19th Century. (00:48:00)