Blue Thunder
Blue Thunder mistake picture

Deliberate mistake: When Cochran sabotages the Jet Ranger helicopter by loosening the nut on the bolt securing the linear actuator governor, the bolt is inserted in the wrong direction. The bolt should have been heads up to prevent it from falling out as it did causing the helicopter to crash. Moreover, the linear actuator is on the opposite of the engine from where Cochran disconnected it. (00:38:05)

William Bergquist

Deliberate mistake: The Army Sergeant that gives the Blue Thunder presentation's mustache is out of military regulations - much too thick and too long. (00:30:20)

Blue Thunder mistake picture

Continuity mistake: When Roy Scheider's partner is killed, he is run over by a car. After the car runs him over, his body rolls and you can see his arms swinging freely even though his hands were bound by the plastic ties. Later when you see his body, his hands are bound again. (01:10:30)

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Frank Murphy: Catch ya later.

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Trivia: The registration number N77GH is visible on a gold placard on right surveillance camera' but only civilian aircraft are given November numbers. Military helicopters only have a series of numbers like on the tail. You aren't supposed to notice Blue Thunder's real "N" number, but it is there throughout the movie making it known it was truly a civilian helicopter.

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Question: Near the end, Cochrane wants to kill Murphy. Why do it in the air? Even if Cochrane did wipe him out, the only way he would have to do that was to destroy the helicopter completely when he had the chance; instead, he injured Murphy and disabled the cannon somewhat, which is painful to watch and understandable, for fear of collatoral damage or simply because he did not want to blast it out of the sky and foot the bill. But the helicopter costs '$5 million', and even if Cochrane had the money, it would have been cheaper to take Murphy out on land instead of in public and in broad daylight.

Allister Cooper, 2011

Chosen answer: Murphy has been deemed a threat to the public at large by the authorities, having "snapped" and stolen an armed helicopter. Cochrane is using that determination as cover to finally kill Murphy, whom he's long despised. Killing Murphy on the ground would be harder to get away with. He would not be responsible for paying for the helicopter anymore than the Air Force or the other police helicopter crews would be had they sucessfully knocked Blue Thunder down.

johnrosa

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