Most Beautiful Aircraft

[claidemore]

They don't get much prettier than this:

 

[wingnuts]

Like most aircraft from Hawker's the Hawk looks quite nice in a cutesy way.... but not too popular with the ground crews or pilots... so looks is all it has going for it.

I have one to look after later today... One just left on Monday after an engine change.... took a week! .. typical Brit machine

 

[hole in the ground]

And for twins, don't forget the DH.88 Comet! Remind you of anything? (rember the Comet is circa 1934)

I always thought she'd have made a good combat plane with the necessary modifications, as the design was very sleek and the wings unusualy thin for the time.(slightly scaled-up with clipped wings with rounded tips, strengthened airframe, added armour and weapons, cockpit redone as singe-seat and moved foreward for better visibility, withe the nose fuel-tanks replaced with rea-mounted ones-to make room for cockpit+guns, and more powerful engines: possibly Kestrels, Peregrines, or maby radial Mecury or Pegasus engine, maby even merlins!)

Nail and head come to mind
And it sounds like you have just designed the mosquito and hornet

 

[kool kitty89]

Yeah, but not 'til 10 years later. And the Mossie wasn't really a "fighter" in the usual sence. A fighter bomber and nightfighter certainly.

I alwas though the DH.88 looked a bit like the Me 262, especially the 2-seater.

 

[Krabat42]

Is this still the "Most beautiful plane"-thread? Then I miss the outright winner:



Now we can close the thread, it's getting rather long.

 

[Elvis]

Krabat42,

PM doesn't wanna respond (after countless efforts). In case you got multiples of the same reply from me, my apologies.
Something strange in the connection, I guess.
Anyway, I'll just answer your reply here with a thankyou and...AHA! I see the tail now!





Elvis

 

[Burunduk]

It's one of my three lovely aicraft (other two are DC-3 and SR-71)

 

[Elvis]

...the classic jet battle...

Elvis

 

[Elvis]

While not my first choice as "most beautiful airplane", these things do have a beauty all their own...

Elvis

 

[Elvis]

One last shot of Wyatt Fuller's F-86...

...that's all for now.





Elvis

 

[Célérité]

My favorite aircraft, the dewoitine 520, best french hunter in 1940. Unfortunately there aren't any De 520 in flight today. The last De 520 to be in flight crashed in 1986. It only remains tree exemplary in museum in france.

 

[claidemore]

Yak 9, nothing fancy, just clean, simple, functionality.

 

[drgondog]

One last shot of Wyatt Fuller's F-86...

...that's all for now.





Elvis

My favorite all time airplane, bar none - beautiful shots, Elvis

 

[The Basket]

Yak 9, nothing fancy, just clean, simple, functionality.

Agree but the Yak-3 instead. That was one clean airframe.

 

[Elvis]

drgondog,

Thank you and yes, I thought those were some very nice shots myself.
Here's one more of the same plane, buzzing the field this time.


Elvis

 

[Elvis]

Here's a great shot of an F4U banking.
Wonderful lines, that airplane had.

Here's the website I copped the photo from - Oshkosh 2002 WW2 aircraft

If you're not aware of Richard Seaman's work, check out his website.
I'm sure you won't be sorry.



Elvis

 

[Flyboy2]

I've always been partial to the Saab 21 and the Amiot 354. I can't figure out how to put pictures on this website so look them up.

 

[kool kitty89]

You can either go to "go advanced" when posting and then use "manage attachments" to post pics; or you could use

to post a pic.


The SAAB 21:

And the Amiot 351 (354 had single fin tail):

Also:

The FFVS J-22, one of Elvis's favorites. (I think it looks a bit like a mix between the Fw 190, F4F, and P-36)

 

[Elvis]

YES!

Hey, any plane that can do 355MPH and climb at approx. 2900ft/min. while carrying 4-13.2's, all on 1,065HP, has got my vote!

As for appearances, you're right. I've always noticed a great similarity between the J22, the FW190 and some of the Japanese planes, as well.

...but then, when you look that good, why mess around with it?

Alas, vintage pics, like this one, are the only ones we're going to see of the plane in flight...

...as the Swedes only have one example left in "working" condition.

These days, "the big red K" is occassionally rolled out and started up for air shows and interested parties.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgTRxoZ9FPI

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMV_DfrUJiw



Elvis

 

[claidemore]

One of the better Fairey Firefly pics I've seen. From this site:

Nellis Airshow 2004 Highlights