The Book
- The book lovingly describes the A-6 Intruder's computer suite as being the very cutting edge of 1950's technology. The book takes place in the early 1970s.
- The Intruders, the sequel which takes place about six months after Flight of the Intruder, describes the A-6E model as a major step up in technology compared to the A and B models. It's explained that The Pentagon didn't want to use the E model during Vietnam because they didn't want the new tech falling into the hands of the Soviets if they were shot down.
- The squadron is having a discussion about a terrible prank that was pulled on the squadron XO. While he was in the shower, someone stole his clothes and towel. Which was unacceptable. The discussion quickly moves on to the evident fact that the XO's first course of action was to use this as an excuse to wander around the ship buck naked.
- Grafton explaining to the Love Interest that the only reason he had a shirt form a particular gym in Oakland was because he stole it from someone. Who stole it from someone else. Who stole it from someone else before that. Nobody was actually sure who the shirt originally belonged to.
- Burning planes have a way of exploding, you know!
The Film
- During a night bombing raid, their navigational system goes on the fritz. Tiger claims that the manual for the computer instructs that you should kick the thing to get it to work again, which he proceeds to do, very awkwardly, in the cramped confines of a jet cockpit.
- The racist merchant seaman who provokes the Bar Brawl gets his ass stomped by the black Chief Petty Officer he insulted, gets all his buddies' asses kicked by the A-6 crews who don't take kindly to his attitude, and gets some "face time" with the bar's pet crocodiles (and Screams Like a Little Girlnote ) courtesy of said black chief and a couple of A-6 pilots.CPO McRae: Now repeat after me, boy: Black is beautiful!
- Razor (seen from some distance down the hall) is getting a righteous ass-chewing from Commander Camparelli (who can't be seen from where the camera and Grafton are) for his part in a Bar Brawl. Grafton (having actually just about started the brawl—he threw the first punch, but the other guy was practically begging for it) is quietly sneaking past, completely outside of Camparelli's view, when the Commander leans out into the hallway and screams "GRAAAAFTOOOON! Get in here!".
- The men are discussing what movie they will be watching that night. Camparelli summarily cancels it on the ground that They Shoot Horses, Don't They? doesn't show any skin.
- Cool Hand and Tiger have to punch out.Grafton: Looks like this is the end of Devil 505, Say goodbye, asshole! Eject eject eject!
Cole: Goodbye, Asshole! *punches out* - After being shot down, Jake reaches the wreckage of Devil 501 and finds CDR Camparelli, who immediately yells at him, "I grounded you!" Jake innocently replies, "Hey, I am on the ground!"
- The film's justification for Commander Camparelli being played by Danny Glover. While it's not exactly unheard of for a black man to have an Italian last name, the reason given in the film is that not only did his family have a "wop in the woodpile", but the pilots maintained that he was third-generation Mafia.
