Official movie poster for Out of the Sun (1984), a documentary history film

Out of the Sun(1984)

32m1984-01-01
DocumentaryHistoryWar

Out of the Sun Synopsis

This short film takes viewers on a whirlwind tour of the history of air combat, from World War I through the Vietnam War. It was produced by General Dynamics sometime prior to 1990 and re-released by Lockheed Martin in the mid-nineties. As a promotional short for the F-16 Fighting Falcon, the film reviews the development of aerial combat to place the F-16 in historical context. Informational narration is supplemented with snippets from interviews of top fighter aces. The aces focus on the characteristics that make great fighter pilots and great fighter aircraft. The interviewees include World War I ace W.C. "Bill" Lambert; World War II aces Douglas Bader, Stanford Tuck, Adolf Galland, Erich Hartmann, Gabby Gabreski, Tex Hill, and Svein Heglund; Korean War ace Ralph Parr; and Vietnam War ace Steve Ritchie. The film includes historical footage and stills, along with opening and closing segments briefly featuring the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

Out of the Sun (1984) is a documentary, history and war film, released on January 1, 1984 with a runtime of 32m. It stars Adolf Galland, Robert Stanford Tuck, W.C. "Bill" Lambert and Douglas Bader.

Writers:
Robert E. "Bob" Cunningham
Producers:
Robert E. "Bob" Cunningham
Production:
General Dynamics, Fort Worth Division
Status:
Released

Out of the Sun (1984) Trailer

Watch the official trailer for Out of the Sun before you stream it.

Out of the Sun Reviews & Ratings

The_Maverick

The fighter pilot interviews conducted for this documentary/promotional short were also published in a book, _Tumult in the Clouds_ . I read the book first, which mentioned this film. That led me to track down **Out of the Sun** on DVD. The DVD cover art is pictured here - a release by the now defunct East West DVD. Note that the description on the DVD case is completely misleading - this is not an in-depth…

Reviewed on May 7, 2026

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Out of the Sun – Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I watch Out of the Sun online?

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Out of the Sun (1984) does not have a confirmed streaming, rental or digital purchase option listed for your region yet. Availability is refreshed regularly, so check back for updates.

Who stars in Out of the Sun?

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The main cast of Out of the Sun (1984) includes Adolf Galland, Robert Stanford Tuck, W.C. "Bill" Lambert, Douglas Bader and Erich Hartmann. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.

When was Out of the Sun released?

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Out of the Sun was released on January 1, 1984 and runs for 32m.

Is there a trailer for Out of the Sun?

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Yes. The official Out of the Sun trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.