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Airmen featured in ‘Iron Man’

The Air Force hits the big screen this weekend.

“Iron Man,” filmed with the blessing of the Air Force and including scenes shot at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., debuts nationwide Friday, May 2. Airmen at Edwards get an advance look Wednesday with a showing at the base theater.

The movie updates the original Marvel comics story, setting the story in today’s world of wars in the Middle East and terrorism instead of the original’s post-Vietnam War setting.

The central Air Force character is Lt. Col. James “Rhodey” Rhodes, played by Terrence Howard, who works closely with weapons developer Tony Stark, whose alter ego is the man of metal.

The story starts rolling when a convoy in the Middle East with is ambushed by terrorists. Stark is captured while Rhodes escapes and vows to rescue his friend.

Instead of building the missile that Stark’s terrorist captors desire, Stark forges the first Iron Man suit and breaks out of the cave complex he’s held in. Reunited, Stark and Rhodes set out to improve the iron suit and save the world from evil.

As far as Air Force Times knows, there are no scenes of Stark and Rhodes lobbying Congress for dollars or claims that the Air Force can’t function without 380 Iron Man suits, enough to equip all 10 air expeditionary forces. Also absent, are complaints about sole-source contracts or escalating costs.

Movie crews spent three days in April 2007 shooting scene at Edwards, with 150 airmen, soldiers and Marines serving as extras and in small speaking roles.

Filming at Edwards gave the fantasy a touch of realism. “Edwards Air Force Base is the best back lot you could ever have,” “Iron Man” director Jon Favreau told his Air Force hosts.

On the screen, expect to see F-22A Raptors, C-17 Globemasters, RQ-4 Global Hawks and F-16 Fighting Falcons.

Prior to the start of filming, the Air Force hosted Howard for several days at Edwards and Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., flying the Oscar-nominated actor in fighter and training jets and showing him the essentials of Air Force operations.

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