In The Iron Giant , the jets are F-86 Sabre fighter jets, with some sources also identifying background aircraft as Lockheed P-80 Shooting Stars. The main attacking fighters near the end of the film are the Sabres.

What shows up

  • North American F-86 Sabre : the most recognizable jet used in the movie’s Air Force attack scenes.
  • Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star : appears in some aircraft identification references for the film.

Small detail

The movie is set in 1957, and some of the aircraft markings shown are noted as a bit anachronistic for that period.

TL;DR

The jets in The Iron Giant are mainly F-86 Sabres.