Factual error: When Indy and his Dad are in Berlin, there is a big book burning going on. But the only book burning that was held in Berlin was May 10th in 1933 - 5 years before the Joneses visit it in search for the Holy Grail. (01:07:50)
Factual error: When Indy is wearing the uniform of a German Artillery Officer, he is wearing the ribbon of the 1939 Iron Cross 2nd class in his buttonhole. The movie takes place in 1938. (01:09:05)
Continuity mistake: When Indy meets Hitler, there is a shot over Indy's shoulder that shows his lips are slightly parted (relaxed). Cut to Indy's face and he closes his mouth tightly. In the very next shot, with no elapsed time, we see from Indy's shoulder again that Indy's mouth is relaxed as before. (01:10:15)
Factual error: When Hitler signs the diary, he writes in a modern way of writing. But in the late 30s there was a different style of writing called "Suetterlin". The letters looked quite different from nowadays. (01:10:25)
Revealing mistake: Just after Vogel is thrown out of the blimp, in the shot of him shouting towards it whilst it is taking off, it is apparent that the sky and blimp shown in the background behind him are a projection. (01:13:20)
Continuity mistake: Inside the zeppelin when Indy and his father are talking at the table, notice the white handkerchief that moves all around the table. (01:13:50)
Other mistake: On the zeppelin, Indy's dad says, "You left just when you were becoming interesting..." Harrison Ford is mouthing Sean Connery's lines. (01:14:50)
Continuity mistake: When the zeppelin is shown turning around, the biplane that the Joneses are about to escape in is nowhere to be seen. (01:16:10)
Revealing mistake: The biplane sequence is obviously filmed in a studio close up. Despite the fact that they are miles high and swooping around at high speeds, neither Indy's hat, nor his Father's, blow off or even flap in the wind. (01:16:55)
Factual error: German Fighters shown in the film are in fact Pilatus P-2 (Swiss-made aircraft built after World War II). The appropriate fighter of the period would be the Messerschmitt 109. (01:17:00)
Factual error: When Indiana's father uses the plane's gun, he shoots out the tail. This was not actually possible, as the planes had a safety mechanism to stop people doing this. In fact we can see that the Lewis gun he is using is mounted on a Scarff ring, which prevented the trigger of the gun being activated when the barrel was pointed at the aircraft's tail surfaces. (01:17:40)
Continuity mistake: At one point Indiana's father blows the tail of the plane in which they were flying to pieces in an attempt to shoot at the Germans. This is obviously in a close-up studio shot. The next moment the plane is shown flying in the distance with its tail still intact. (01:17:45)
Continuity mistake: When Indy and gang are racing the Nazis to the canyon of the Crescent Moon, Indy looks at the Nazi convoy with binoculars. Close-ups of Indy show the sun is clearly behind him, and the binoculars are in his shadow. But then a glare from the lens alerts the Nazis to their presence. (01:24:25)
Suggested correction: It is not clear that the glare is coming from the binoculars rather than the car behind them (after all, the Nazis target the car with the tank).
They see a glare rather than a car. But anyway, regardless, the problem remains that the sun is behind the car too.
Continuity mistake: When the white robed men ambush the Nazis just after they blow up Salah's car, there's a shot over a Nazi's shoulder as he fires at one of the white robed guys running up a hill. The Nazi's machine gun is held straight out and doesn't move but the dust that flies from the squibs suggest that he fired as he moved the gun right to left which he did not do. The odd thing is that AFTER the squibs go off, the Nazi turns his gun to the left. (01:25:55)
Revealing mistake: When Kazim dies, his shirt is all bloody, but there are no holes in it. The bloodstains looks painted on. (01:26:30)
Continuity mistake: When Indy takes four horses before battling with the tank, three are black and one is bay (brown with black legs, mane and tail). Sallah is riding a chestnut. When they ride to the Grail Temple, there are two black horses and two chestnuts. Where did the second chestnut come from? (01:28:00 - 01:39:25)
Continuity mistake: While Henry and Marcus are being held inside the tank, Indiana rides in circles and baits the tank to ram into one of the cars. In a following shot when we see Vogel walking toward the window inside the tank it's a flipped shot, note everything is backwards. Then two shots later, when Vogel shouts "quick" in German it's another flipped shot, and about five shots after that again flipped. (01:29:30)
Continuity mistake: During the big chase scene leading up to the three challenges, Indy uses his gun and begins to takes the high road on his horse. Harrison Ford couldn't seem to find the holster for his gun, so you can see his holding the gun by his side until the scene changes. (01:31:15)
Continuity mistake: As Sallah pulls Dr. Jones senior off the tread of the tank, Indy lets go of his whip and turns towards the German colonel and they continue fighting face-to-face. You can see that Indy punches the colonel so that he loses his balance and stumbles backwards. A split second later, the colonel is standing behind Jones with his arm around Indy's neck. They did not have nearly enough time to so radically change positions. (01:32:15)
Continuity mistake: When Indiana is fighting on top of the tank, he kicks the periscope. It spins counter-clockwise, but the handles inside spin clockwise. (01:32:45)
