That fighter pilot selfie isn't a selfie — it's a screenshot from a video

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That fighter pilot selfie isn't a selfie — it's a screenshot from a video
(Image credit: Twitter)

Ellen's (er, Bradley Cooper's if you want to be technical) reign of having the internet's coolest selfie was quickly dethroned by a fighter pilot who allegedly took one from his F-16 cockpit while firing a missile. The problem is, it's not a selfie at all, according to the fact checkers at ABC News.

The pilot's identity has been revealed as Thomas Kristensen, a decorated pilot from the Royal Danish Air Force who has flown thousands of hours over dozens of countries for the unit. The debunked selfie is actually a "well-timed screenshot" from a video posted by the Air Force in October 2012. ABC News has posted the video so you can see the exact moment the air-to-air missile was launched and calm your fears that he was slacking off on the job. --Jordan Valinsky

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