Most Beautiful Aircraft

[F4F Wildcat]

F4F (of course) F4U Corsair, J7W Shinden, (what can I say? it's a beautiful plane, regardless the trouble with it. F/A 18, SR-71, TBF Avenger, FR-22,
FR1 Fireball, that's about it. I was amazed when I found out about the Fireball. I'd never heard of a prop/jet plane b4.

 

[comiso90]

The most beautiful plane is the one in your sights!

see how pretty a MiG-21 can look?


.

 

[rochie]

what about the tsr2

 

[Graeme]

The most beautiful plane is the one in your sights!

Yeah. An Arab AF MiG-21F bursts into flames from cannon fire. The date (top) does not tally with a published Israeli victory.


Courtesy of 'MiG-21' by Gunston.

 

[comiso90]

what about the tsr2

looks like a toy aggressor in a Godzilla movie.

 

[comiso90]

Yeah. An Arab AF MiG-21F bursts into flames from cannon fire. The date (top) does not tally with a published Israeli victory.


Courtesy of 'MiG-21' by Gunston.

She blowed up REAL GOOD!

now that be pretty..

(The poor English is intentional)

 

[ccheese]

I was amazed when I found out about the Fireball. I'd never heard of a prop/jet plane b4.

The Navy had the AJ-2, "Savage", when I was still on active duty. It
was a carrier aircraft with twin re-cips and a jet in the fuselage. It
was originally designed to deliver the A-bomb ! Later relegated to
photo-recon. The engines were 2 Pratt and Whitney R-2800-48's
and an Allison J33-A-10

Charles

 

[Instal]

It has been said that there are only 3 perfect designs (aesthetically speaking)
that can not be improved on, the Bowie Knife, the Harley Davidson and the SPITFIRE.

Prop aircraft

1 Supermarine Spitfire
2 Dehaviland Mosquito
3 Curtiss P40
4 North American P51 Mustang
5 Vaught F4U Corsair
6 Hawker Sea Fury
7 Hawker Tempest
8 Grumman P38 Lightning
9 Boeing B17 Flying Fortress
10 Avro Lancaster

Jet Aircraft

1 Avro Arrow
2 Buccaneer
3 F14 Tomcat
4 F4 Phantom
5 Me 262
6 F86 Sabre
7 DeHaviland Venom
8 Northrop YB-49 Flying Wing
9 Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros
10 Nimrod MR2

 

[comiso90]

It has been said that there are only 3 perfect designs (aesthetically speaking)
that can not be improved on, the Bowie Knife, the Harley Davidson and the SPITFIRE.

Just a historical tidbit..

There is no single design for the Bowie knife. No one knows what the original looks like. Any large sheath knife is commonly referred to as a "Bowie Knife"...
There are dozens or hundreds of different designs and all lay equal claim to "Bowie Knife" regardless of quality or origin.

Grumman P-38? would that be the "Lightning Cat"


.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

8 Grumman P38 Lightning

 

[Instal]

Just a historical tidbit..

There is no single design for the Bowie knife. No one knows what the original looks like. Any large sheath knife is commonly referred to as a "Bowie Knife"...
There are dozens or hundreds of different designs and all lay equal claim to "Bowie Knife" regardless of quality or origin.

Grumman P-38? would that be the "Lightning Cat"


.

I think you are helping me prove my point. Obviously it is literally inaccurate. The meaning behind this quote is that no matter what form the current version takes each will be instantly recognised for it's inherant function and beauty and could never be confused as anything but what it is. The three are considered icons of design. I do not however have any such rebuttle for the "Lightning Cat" Allan Loughead would never forgive me.

 

[Cdat88]

Hhmmm..

Spitfire
B-17F (The chin turrent, while effective, ruins the lines of this beauty)
A6M5 "Zero"
P-38
Me-262
The Connie...

I cannot really say much about the electric space heaters they call fighters these days, I would say jets stopped being attractive after the Me-262.

I like the Lancaster as a plane, but it's appearance is quite hideous...that snout is difficult to look at...

 

[Desert Fox]

This is the one of the best pictures I have ever seen of an aircraft. And yes, I pulled it from your website evangilder
Awesome photography mate
PS. Sorry for it being so big. I didn't have time to crop it when I posted

 

[drgondog]

Hhmmm..

Spitfire
B-17F (The chin turrent, while effective, ruins the lines of this beauty)
A6M5 "Zero"
P-38
Me-262
The Connie...

I cannot really say much about the electric space heaters they call fighters these days, I would say jets stopped being attractive after the Me-262.

I like the Lancaster as a plane, but it's appearance is quite hideous...that snout is difficult to look at...

You don't think the F-86 was attractive? or the B-70?

 

[DBII]

P26A, the art deco P38, Mosquito, A26, Fw190, F86.... to many to choose from.

 

[Cdat88]

You don't think the F-86 was attractive? or the B-70?

Well, I do have a HUGE bias towards piston engines, but I make an exception for the 262.

 

[the su-47 is gangsta]

I would g
o for the su-47

 

[Cdat88]

I would g
o for the su-47

I would have never guessed...

 

[kool kitty89]

How about the Ki-83, probably the best twin-engine heavy fighter of the war and japan's best looking a/c imho. Armed with 2x 20mm and 2x 30mm cannons with a 430+ mph top speed and 1300+ range and powered by 2x ~2000 hp turbosupercharged radials with rear exhaust to augment thrust. Excellent maneuverability for its size and a (framed) bubble canopy. too.http://www.ne.jp/asahi/airplane/museum/cl-pln10/2002cl/img/Ki83.JPG http://www.warbirdphotographs.com/ArmyJB&W2/Ki-83-12.jpg Untitled Document
http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/IJARG/images/ki83-2.jpg

Not my personal fave, but just thought it should be mentioned.

Tight cowled T-bolts like the XP-47J and XP-72 are also very nice, especially with the bubble-top.

 

[kool kitty89]

what do you guys mean! she's beautiful!

Lanc if you like that, how about the T-37 Tweet/A-37 Dragonfly A-37 Dragonfly - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia though personally I think Cessna's plane is better.