Most Beautiful Aircraft

[ccheese]

Gentlemen.... just remember, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"

I like the Zero and the Spitfire....

And for a civilian aircraft, the DC-3 and the Northrop "Gamma"

Charles

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

For me it is the:

Bf 109

Spitfire

Mossie

B-17

Fw 190D

 

[The Basket]

Has the Spitfire not won yet?

The Do 335? Are we talking about the same plane?

The Hawker Hunter was a looker...and the AlphaJet has always been a nice'un

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Has the Spitfire not won yet?

The Do 335? Are we talking about the same plane?

Does it have to win? Can people not find it good looking (I happen to find it good looking as I listed it), everyone is entitled to an opinion. Same goes for the 335.

 

[Gnomey]

Yep, I like the 335 (not entirely sure why but I do). As for your list Chris I would agree with all of them (would also add the Ta-152 but it is similar to the Dora).

 

[Downwind.Maddl-Land]

How about the Hughes XF-11(A):

Simple, clean, minimum drag and two socking great 'Corncobs'! It went like greased weasel wotsit and looked the part too.

 

[Matt308]

Looks like a pretty woman with "cankles".

 

[ccheese]

I thought the Hughes XF-11A had contra-rotating props. This pic just
shows regular props......

Charles

 

[130fe]

F7F, F8F, and F11F Here kittie kittie

 

[Aussie1001]

Harrier i just love it.......
Spitfire looked bloody nice too.....

 

[Downwind.Maddl-Land]

I thought the Hughes XF-11A had contra-rotating props. This pic just
shows regular props......

'Twas the XF-11 with the contra-props, which gave a lot of trouble (was that the one that crashed, nearly killing Mr Hughes? - I think so). The XF-11A had conventional props as illustrated above. But for completeness (can someone re-size?):

 

[Civettone]

Makes you wonder ... how many succesful planes were equiped with contra-props??

Kris

 

[Graeme]

Makes you wonder ... how many succesful planes were equiped with contra-props??

They seem to fall into an English or Soviet category?
Just a few that I could think of, that were 'successful'
Antonov An-22
Tupolev 'Bear' and 'Cleat'
Westland Wyvern
Fairey Gannet
Avro Shackleton.

 

[comiso90]

'Twas the XF-11 with the contra-props, which gave a lot of trouble (was that the one that crashed, nearly killing Mr Hughes? - I think so). The XF-11A had conventional props as illustrated above. But for completeness (can someone re-size?):

Please also mention where u got the pics...

 

[130fe]

While you can claim resounding success for the Bear, Shack, and **** the Gannet was if'e at best and the Wyvern (all though completely beautiful) was a complete failure.

 

[Graeme]

While you can claim resounding success for the Bear, Shack, and **** the Gannet was if'e at best and the Wyvern (all though completely beautiful) was a complete failure.

The Gannet was a successful answer to building a small carrier-based aircraft combining anti-submarine search and strike capability and using gas-turbine engines that ran on ship's diesel fuel. The central feature of the design was the engine which had two power sections that could be run independently. In other words one prop could be shut down to reduce fuel consumption, extend engine life and patrol time. Served the Fleet air Arm and exported to Australia, West Germany and Indonesia.

The Wyvern..a troubled development, but ninety eight S.4 versions built, eventually equipped four first-line squadrons, two which took part in the Suez war of 56' whose Squadron Commander of that conflict (C.W. Howard) described as... "a steady weapons platform. On army support patrol...it could offer a fully loaded 20mm cannon, sixteen 3 in rockets with 60 lb HE heads and a 1,000 lb bomb; with such a configuration we were able to give the Para (Parachute Regiment) effective support. It was also a good photo-reconnaissance vehicle, in both both vertical and oblique modes".

But then it all depends on what the critera for 'success' is..doesn't it?

 

[Civettone]

Thanks Graeme, interesting info! 8)

Kris

 

[Matt308]

Agreed.

 

[Corsair Wolf]

My favs are
Corsair
Hurricane
Avro Arrow

 

[Downwind.Maddl-Land]

Please also mention where u got the pics...

Simply 'googled' XF-11 - there were no credits to be seen so I couldn't attribute them; there isn't a problem is there?

Thanks for the re-size job!