"Coolest" Fighter

[fastmongrel]

Hang a keg of Smithwick's under each wing - with cooling, of course!

A climb to 20,000ft should sort out any cooling issues

 

[vikingBerserker]

For me its the Me-262, thought the XP-67 was be a very close 2nd.

 

[herman1rg]

Hawker Hurricane

 

[drgondog]

Wuzak - IIRC it had some stability issues as well - i'll have to go back and look.

 

[Njaco]

Me 410 for me! Its got Steve McQueen written all over it!

.

 

[michaelmaltby]

You mean "Hiltz", Njaco ....

MM

 

[Milosh]

A climb to 20,000ft should sort out any cooling issues

Wouldn't that cause a flat beer?

I would say the Kyushu J7W1 Shinden trumps the American canard.

 

[Jack_Hill]

Me 262.
For her delicate mix of animal elegance and brutality.

 

[meatloaf109]

Agreed.

 

[wuzak]

Wuzak - IIRC it had some stability issues as well - i'll have to go back and look.

Yes, some stability issues. They repositioned the tail plane higher up the fin, but I'm not sure they flew it long enough after that alteration to be tested to see if it worked.

An engine fire killed the prototype.

 

[michaelmaltby]

I've always admired Kurt Tank's work

 

[CobberKane]

Interesting cross-section of candidates – seems some people equate coolness with grace, others with muscle, just the way we do with cars or bikes I guess. Begs the question, if your favourite aircraft was a car, which one would it be? The P 51 is easy – a Mustang ('67, of course). The Spitfire? Have to be an E-Type Jag, surely.

 

[MikeGazdik]

Did someone say "to the beach" ?

 

[Marcel]

Interesting cross-section of candidates – seems some people equate coolness with grace, others with muscle, just the way we do with cars or bikes I guess. Begs the question, if your favourite aircraft was a car, which one would it be? The P 51 is easy – a Mustang ('67, of course). The Spitfire? Have to be an E-Type Jag, surely.

or a Messerschmitt:

 

[GrauGeist]

For me, it's the Heinkel He280...

First armed combat jet in history, a proven dogfighter with alot of potential but it was not to be for this warbird and it's bigger cousin, the Me262 captured the limelight.

Still a good looking machine and wouldn't it be great to see a replica built and making the airshow rounds?

 

[johnbr]

Arado Ar440 with db 624 engines.
P-38k

 

[Ascent]

I must admit I like the Polikarpovs, the I-16 and the I-153. The short stubby body with that radial up front and the gull wings on the I-153, something about them just appeals to me. I also like the Fiat CR32, I think they fought in the early years, something about those late 30's designs.

 

[MikeGazdik]

But in all seriousness, even though its kind of sad to see now. The coolest looking fighter for sure!

 

[GregP]

I think the Spitfire would have been the V-12 Jag with the E-Type body (XK-12?), not the 6-cylinder.

 

[wuzak]

I think the Spitfire would have been the V-12 Jag with the E-Type body (XK-12?), not the 6-cylinder.

The E-Type was XKE. The 6 cylinder early version had the best body shape. The V-12 ones weren't quite as good looking.