ICYMI: Tom Cruise Takes James Corden on ‘Top Gun’ Flight

The Top Gun: Maverick actor subjected Corden to the ride of a lifetime in an Aero L-39 Albatros light attack and fighter trainer.

Kimberly Johnson

Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at 03:41 PM ET

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[YouTube Screenshot: The Late, Late Show with James Corden]

Key Takeaways:

Tom Cruise took comedian James Corden on an intense "Top Gun Day" of flying to promote his new film, *Top Gun: Maverick*.
Cruise, a licensed pilot since 1994, personally flew Corden in multiple aircraft, including a P-51 Mustang and an L-39 Albatros, performing various aerial maneuvers.
The film, opening May 27, promises realistic aviation sequences, with Cruise's real-life piloting skills featured, though the Navy did not permit him to fly an F-18 in the movie.

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Actor—and arguably the most popular pilot in the U.S. this week—Tom Cruise recently treated comedian James Corden to a “Top Gun Day” of flight, subjecting the flight-adverse entertainer to a day he won’t forget anytime soon.

Cruise’s latest blockbuster, Top Gun: Maverick, opens nationwide Friday, May 27. For pilots, the scenes promise to be epic, thanks to a purpose-built L-39 Cinejet outfitted for filming the adrenaline-inducing sequences.