This weekend in the United Kingdom, Tom Cruise was in his element while meeting military and stunt pilots.
The celebrity attended the world’s largest military airshow on Saturday, the Royal International Air Tattoo.
The commemoration, held at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England, also commemorated the 75th anniversary of the United States Air Force and featured a mesmerizing aerial display by pilots from around the world.
A photograph with the RAF Police illustrated the relationship between Cruise and the aviation industry. The cruise was in the center of the photo, sporting a bright blue suit and aviator sunglasses, surrounded by uniformed officers posing before a chopper.
“Need a picture with the one and only @TomCruise? Another fantastic day for the #RAFPolice at @airtattoo “The caption was read.
Cruise paused to pose for a photograph with the Red Arrows, the Royal Air Force’s renowned aerobatic team. This group of pilots’ bright orange jumpsuits does not detract from their cheerful faces and abundance of aviator sunglasses.
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We’ve got a new wingman….
Today, Maverick joined the Red Arrows! Epic to meet @TomCruise at the Royal International Air Tattoo and to speak about aviation, teamwork and Top Gun.#TopGun#Maverick#RedArrows pic.twitter.com/VqIVVGzDva— Red Arrows (@rafredarrows) July 16, 2022
“We have a new wingman… Maverick joined the Red Arrows today! At the Royal International Air Tattoo, it was incredible to speak with @TomCruise about flying, teamwork, and Top Gun.”
In an exclusive interview for the Top Gun special issue of PEOPLE, Cruise was asked if a traffic officer had ever yelled “Need for speed” at him. “No,” Cruise responded, adding, “I wish they would!”
“At times, I experience speed,” he said. “Sometimes, I get stopped. I also spend a great deal of time on racetracks, on motorcycles, and in helicopters, so I release a great deal of this material.”
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The 60-year-old actor does not only play a pilot in the movies. After portraying Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a US Navy pilot, in the 1986 film Top Gun, Tom Cruise obtained his own pilot’s license in 1994.
Paul Atherton, chief executive officer of RAF Charitable Trust Enterprises, told the Press Association that the group had attempted to conceal the visit, but it was difficult. “It is difficult to keep such secrets when they are so intriguing,” he remarked.
Atherton stated, “The Top Gun films and Tom’s well-known passion for planes and flying have helped propel aviation into the limelight, which will help promote and inspire future generations of young people.”
Variety claims that Top Gun: Maverick has surpassed the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office.