Continuity mistake: When everyone is getting ready to leave the oil drilling base, Dennis Quaid is standing at the rear hatchway of the plane wearing his leather jacket, the camera view changes to a view of behind him, and he's not wearing it, he's in a yellow shirt, when the view goes back to the front, he has the jacket on again. (00:07:45)
Continuity mistake: When the pilot is trying to make a crash landing during the sandstorm the landing gear wheels are up in one angle and down in another angle.
Continuity mistake: What happened to all the camels and horses when they have a shoot-out with the nomads? We only see one nomad charging away on a horse, but there were at least 2 camels and 2 horses at the nomad's camp. The camels in particular would have been very useful when stranded in the desert, and then the survivors wouldn't have had to continue to rebuild the plane.
Continuity mistake: When the C-119 is crashing it loses its rear ramp and the wind howls through the cabin. A moment later when it has crashed it is all quiet inside, despite a storm of supposedly 70 mph winds being able to blow into this gap. Next scene, the aircraft is totally buried in sand but none has entered through the wide open ramp. Next scene after that (and all subsequent ones showing the rear of the aircraft), we are again shown that the ramp is missing.
Continuity mistake: Just as the Phoenix starts to move for take-off, there is a shot showing high dunes in the plane's path. However, in the shot as they are approaching the canyon the terrain in front of the plane is relatively flat (except for the canyon), no dunes in sight; they did not pass them.
Continuity mistake: When the Phoenix just starts to take off at the end of the movie, one of the first shots shows the ground covered in large rocks. The very next shot shows the plane moving along a smooth, pristine dirt runway.
Continuity mistake: Moments before the C-119 crashes, we see a towering sandstorm. After it crashes, Frank Towns looks out a port and says the wind is blowing 70 mph and would cut you to shreds. But during the crash several exterior shots show clear air and no sign of a storm.
Continuity mistake: When Captain Towns has gone looking for Liddel (he ends up at the arch where the plane first hit), he shouts "Liddel.". There is a shot of Liddel looking to the right. In the background over his left shoulder you can see two of the crosses (makeshift gravemarkers) that are back where the plane and crew are, not where they are at. The editing is a little choppy too.
Continuity mistake: When Frank is loading cartridges, during the final takeoff, he uses five cartridges. He uses two right away. Someone in the background notes that there are only two left. He uses one to blow the engine and one to start it. Where did the last cartridge go? There were five to start with and four were used.
Answer: A flying version of the design about 1/2 scale was built and flown for the original 1965 film. It appears in several flying scenes in that movie, but tragically crashed during filming, killing stunt pilot Paul Mantz.