MILAVIA Forum

Military Aviation => Military Aircraft => Topic started by: AVIATOR on June 15, 2009, 04:05:23 AM

Title: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: AVIATOR on June 15, 2009, 04:05:23 AM
Not in any order of preference, but mine are......

1] Douglas Dakota C-47

2] Short Stirling

3] Republic P-47 Thunderbolt.

4] Consolidated PBY Catalina

5] Chance Vought Crusader.
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Eldorado82 on June 15, 2009, 08:34:01 AM
1. Skyhawk A-4
2. Fanthom F-4
3. F15I Thunder
4. F16I Storm
5. Galaxy
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: shawn a on June 20, 2009, 06:25:58 PM
I'll double it up
As a kid;          Now;
P47                 F-22
P51                 Mig 29OVT
P38                 Thrust vectoring SU30
F89                 SR71
X1                   Warthog
 
Things change over time.
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: F-111 C/C on June 20, 2009, 06:50:29 PM
In no particular order:
Saab Draken
F-111
F-4
F-14
F-15
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Viggen on June 20, 2009, 09:27:27 PM

Only the Viggen is my first choice, the rest i like an equal amount. ;D
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: AVIATOR on June 21, 2009, 04:51:08 AM
Well as you can see by my choice, I am into WW2 aviation history. Probably seems an unusual choice that I include the Short Stirling. It was never a glamour aircraft and was difficult to fly. Short Bros used the same engines that were in the Short Sunderland.
To me it always looked very rugged and business like. A man's plane.
It filled the gap as the first four engined bomber for the RAF and later became a great tug for glider troops at D Day.

(http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn101/Pictures77_2008/Short_Stirling_bomber-1.jpg)

(http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn101/Pictures77_2008/ShortS.jpg)

(http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn101/Pictures77_2008/b11.jpg)
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Webmaster on June 21, 2009, 05:12:18 PM
5] Chance Vought Crusader.

Nice choice there!

Things change over time indeed, but some stick forever. I have a "dynamic" top 50. But I guess my top 5 is:

Tornado
Viggen             
Tu-22 Blinder
Eurofighter Typhoon
B-1B Lancer
 
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: AVIATOR on June 22, 2009, 01:28:18 AM
I think that the Lancer is one of the prettiest planes that ever flew. Such clean and sleek lines.

(http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn101/Pictures77_2008/b_1.jpg)
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: shawn a on June 22, 2009, 03:27:40 AM
A "Bone" pilot told me that when they park the plane, and no hydraulic fluid leaks out under a particular engine, they worry about that particular engine.
I think it's pretty too, but I also like the bigger version of it--

The TU-160.
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: AVIATOR on June 22, 2009, 05:15:16 AM
I don't like any 'potential enemy aircraft'.
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: MightyHunter on June 29, 2009, 03:59:20 AM
F14
C-5
Buccaneer
Nimrod MR2

and lastly the MRA4 as Im working on her now I am being biased

 ;D

Anything with wings and jet engines with loud noise gets my vote :)
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: AVIATOR on July 16, 2009, 09:57:55 AM

Buccaneer


Yep, nice looking plane. Here's a couple of pics.

(http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn101/Pictures77_2008/Blackburn_Buccaneer_S2B_32.jpg)

(http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn101/Pictures77_2008/buccsinechelon.jpg)
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: valkyrian on July 19, 2009, 03:57:45 PM
XB-70 Valkyrie.....top
F-4 Phantom II
SU-27 Flanker
B-58 Hustler
CF-105 Arrow

Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Webmaster on July 19, 2009, 08:12:03 PM
Aah Valkyrian, B-58, nice one!! The others too, very nice list, except maybe XB-70, not for me...

Buccaneer, nice, all loaded with Sea Eagles, here's one with a different config.
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: AVIATOR on July 20, 2009, 12:38:43 AM
Now let's see what I can find on the Valkyrie
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: BigsWick on July 25, 2009, 06:27:34 PM
F-14
F-4
MiG-25
B-36
MiG-17

Hard to pick just 5!
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: viking on July 25, 2009, 09:58:28 PM


MiG 25?  much too heavy!
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: AVIATOR on July 26, 2009, 12:29:51 AM


MiG 25?  much too heavy!

Firstly, welcome to the forum Cat. As in 'curiosity killed the'. Good to have a goose.

I never failed to be amazed at guys from the States whose favourite aircraft are from the Soviet block.
Where's the patriotism? Personally Warsaw Pact aircraft are enemy aircraft as far as I am concerned.
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: viking on July 26, 2009, 01:04:53 AM


MiG 25?  much too heavy!

Firstly, welcome to the forum Cat. As in 'curiosity killed the'. Good to have a goose.

I never failed to be amazed at guys from the States whose favourite aircraft are from the Soviet block.
Where's the patriotism? Personally Warsaw Pact aircraft are enemy aircraft as far as I am concerned.

come on ! don't be more ««patriotic «« than the American themselves,dude...am from Canada and more of a ««lark«« than a ««goose«« you should be wise enough to admit that the MiGs ARE the bes-built Fighter Jets in the world...Ever see an American Fighter Jet make ---the by a Russian ace invented --cobra-maneuver? HET!
no US plane + no US ««top gun«« can ever do it. Give to Caesar....... and give to Mikoyan-Gurevich.....
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: F-111 C/C on July 26, 2009, 03:45:56 AM
Not to start a fight with our new Canuck friend but the Cobra manuever can be done just as well by the F/A-18 and even better by the F-22. The problem is, that manuever is a 'party trick' for uneducated Airshow spectators and serves absolutely no purpose in combat (in fact it will get you ass blown out of the sky faster that you can say Jackie Robinson!). Secondly, I have up-close personal experience with the Russian MiGs and Sukhois and can tell you they are a good 15 years behind us in technology and the quality of the aircraft are junk!
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: valkyrian on July 26, 2009, 11:18:11 AM
Gents gents gents.......

let's go back to the topic, which actually is a "Fighter planes beauty contest"...

AVIATOR thanks for posting these pics of the majestic Valkyrie....
F111 C i trust your knowledge and expert opinion on aviation, so why don't we start a new thread about " the quality and technology of US vs Russian hardware"?
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: BigsWick on July 31, 2009, 01:40:48 AM
Jeez, and I thought including the B-36 in my list would be controversial.

 ::)

Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Webmaster on July 31, 2009, 04:56:34 AM
Back on topic please, I deleted all the trash talk... behave!
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: AVIATOR on August 03, 2009, 01:13:30 AM
Jeez, and I thought including the B-36 in my list would be controversial.

 ::)

Yes a good choice Big. They say the B-36 Peacemaker was the largest piston engined aircraft ever built.
An awesome flying machine just before the jet age.

(http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn101/Pictures77_2008/Convair_B-36_Peacemaker.jpg)
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Raptor on August 26, 2009, 03:31:49 AM
Ah we used to have this sort of thing all the time. x)  My list:

F-22
B-1B
MiG-35
Tu-22M
C-17
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: AVIATOR on August 26, 2009, 04:00:59 AM
OK, let's have a look and see what a Tu-22m looks like.

I know this stuff is on every aviation forum Rap, but it is just here to try and generate interest. The forum needs everything it can get.

(http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn101/Pictures77_2008/Tu-22m.jpg)
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Raptor on August 26, 2009, 10:35:28 AM
True about needing interest. Ah nice pic. :) Say what you will about Russian aircraft, but they sure build em pretty.  8)
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Webmaster on September 17, 2009, 05:03:07 AM
Why the C-17? Great aircraft, not bad looking for a Cargo plane either, but surely there must be more than that for it to arrive in your top 5?
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: shawn a on November 05, 2009, 11:00:26 PM
 OK, just "aircraft", not "military aircraft"?
 SR-71--So far ahead of it's time it was spooky.
 Caproni CA-60-- could you imagine (if it had gone into service as envisioned) flying across the Atlantic in that thing? Talk about a white-knuckled flight!!
                        I like it because it was so improbable.
 Su-34-- Because it looks sooo cool, and like I said before,it has a bed, kitchen and toilet, and can fly rings around any other
             plane.................................... that has a bed, kitchen and toilet!
 Extra-300-- an inverted flat spin is so much fun!
 AN-225-- size matters
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: AVIATOR on November 05, 2009, 11:26:48 PM
Seek help while there's still time Shawn.

A Caproni Ca-60?

(http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn101/Pictures77_2008/CaproniCa60-.jpg)
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: shawn a on November 08, 2009, 08:54:50 PM
I LIKE white-knuckled flights!
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Gripen on November 09, 2009, 03:10:03 AM
Gripen
Concorde
Eurofighter
Flanker (SU-27)
Spitfire VIII
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Webmaster on November 12, 2009, 05:09:53 AM
Hehe, no surprise on your #1 there Gripen!

Did that Ca-60 actually fly, Aviator?
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Gripen on November 12, 2009, 06:52:06 AM
Oh yeah Im packed with surprises.

I actually had to think about 5, I like the Spitfire but I dunno if its a favorite tho  :-\
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: shawn a on November 20, 2009, 08:27:17 AM
As far as I know, the Ca-60 flew once, broke something upon landing, and the pilot walked away saying he'd never try that again.
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Johnnie on December 18, 2009, 07:02:07 AM
Tu-22m is my favorite aircraft actually. I read all the articles about the history of this aircraft. So I amazed when they used this aircraft.

Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: shawn a on December 18, 2009, 09:47:31 AM
Welcome Johnnie.
Why the Tupolev?
How about 4 more?
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Ramon on December 25, 2009, 10:53:27 AM
Hello all,

Here my shortlist of a very long list  >:D

1) F-14 Tomcat
2) A-10 Thunderbolt
3) P-38 Lightning
4) F4U Corsair
5) F-105 Thunderchief

Ramon
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Bonehead on May 07, 2010, 12:22:45 AM
In no particular order:

B-1B (naturally!)
F-4 (any variant, any country)
MiG 21
F/A-18
FW 190
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Webmaster on May 08, 2010, 05:47:02 PM
It's not the same as my top 5, but definately great planes you listed, in my opinion as well. There's some variants of the F-4 I don't like though, the QF-4 ones ;)
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Eldorado82 on May 18, 2010, 01:47:04 PM
seem like the good old Skyhawk (A-4) disappeared to the Great void of history hm..... still flies here in Israel
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Webmaster on July 01, 2010, 05:49:09 PM
Well, attack planes always get less love than fighters. But A-4 is wonderful, looks (mostly) good, said to fly well, was cheap, carried a big load for such a small aircraft. Rightfully called a hot-rod. But, I don't like the look of the early versions, and I don't like what Israel did (see picture). That's just ugly. It isn't really big, fast, fascinating or powerful. That's why it's not in my top 5, but if I would have an aircraft museum, I'd definately get one and give it a good spot...
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Armée de l'Air on September 24, 2010, 10:25:23 PM
For me it goes something like this:

1. Dassault Rafale
2. Dassault Mirage 2000
3. General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon
4.Grumman F-14 Tomcat
5.McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Wolfhound on February 06, 2011, 10:26:38 AM
F-15E/K/SG
F/A-18F Super Hornet
AV-8B
Rafale
F-111D/F
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Webmaster on February 07, 2011, 04:29:25 AM
Welcome Wolfhound,

Why the F-111D/F specifically?
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: F-111 C/C on February 07, 2011, 05:29:50 AM
Yeah. I can understand the 'F' model but the 'FB/G' has superior avionics and more thrust than the 'D' and the 'C' model had the same engines as the 'D' yet was Pave Tack equipped whereas the 'D' was not. Just kind of strange you would single out just the the 'F' and the 'D'. (Sorry, I get a little 'touchy' on the subject :D)
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Webmaster on February 08, 2011, 02:55:01 PM
I suppose you're even more touchy lately, with the RAAF having retired them recently. Moreover the G models are getting cut up.
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: F-111 C/C on February 08, 2011, 03:07:08 PM
Yep, sad time for me. Unfortunately they're obligated to cut up the 'G' models in accordance with agreements made during the 'Cold War' (SALT and all that stuff) due to their Nuclear capabilities so we won't see any on a pole over there. It still boggles my mind to do that to perfectly flying aircraft, especially the 'G' as they had relatively low airframe hours for a 40 year old jet.
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: chkyr6 on May 24, 2011, 04:14:23 AM
P51 Mustang
F4 Phantom
F14 Tomcat
F111 Ardvark
B1B Lancer
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: HaveBlue on August 10, 2011, 07:36:35 AM
My top 3 haven't changed since I was a kid....

F-14
SR-71
XB-70

To add another 2, probably the Su-37 and F-4 Phantom.
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: HaveBlue on August 10, 2011, 07:45:57 AM
I'll elaborate...

The F-14 has always held a mystical, sexy appeal to me.. swing wings, everything angled (unlike the F-15 the vert stabs, engine inlets are not set at 90 degrees), and especially when they had the canards before they stopped using them...

The SR-71.. you know what our cars looked like back then? And there in the early 60's was this futuristic Mach 3+ god of the skies! To this day an air breathing manned aircraft has yet to best it.

The XB-70... like a Concorde on steroids... a 6 engined, twin tailed, folding wing ride its own shock wave DC-10 weighted goliath that could 'supercruise' at Mach 3+ and 70,000' way before we could get a fighter to do such. Simply gorgeous and a shame there's only one left, which I've sat under and had lunch btw.

The Su-37... I never had a Russian plane in my favorites til this beast, but holy crap what an amazing and dynamic machine! Take a regular Flanker and add thrust vectoring and canards and the thing just looks mean!

The venerable F-4 Phantom, nothing more needs to be said. Love it.
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Webmaster on August 10, 2011, 11:06:30 AM
Welcome! No argument there, like you explained, each one has something. F-14 is one of the sexiest swing-wings, I think it's the way the engines are spaced out (like on the Flanker/MiG-29) and the resulting huge surface (lifting body) that make planes like these so great, for the F-14 add the swing wing and wow. SR-71 still looking futuristic today. XB-70... did your lunch taste better? Su-37... well they took a Su-27M, with already the canards, but also bigger wings and tails, they also help a lot to make it look more amazing than a regular Flanker. Just take a look at some Su-27M pictures, wow. Unfortunately that's what missing on the Su-30MK, they may have the tails, or canards and TVC, but not the big bigger wings, furthermore the new Su-35 totally ditched the Su-27M design features, making it look more like a regular Flanker. Just sad, we'll never see a "true" 711-style Su-37 setup again :( One thing against it... the TVC was only 2D, not 3D like they have nowadays. The F-4, indeed.

F-14s and F-4s are still high on people's lists, even with almost all of them gone.
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: HaveBlue on August 12, 2011, 06:27:54 AM
Thank you Webmaster! As for the lunch, you know it did! Would have liked to seen it back when they had it outside, much better for pictures and to get an overall view of the plane... which was tough to do when its sandwiched in between so many others... but for posterities sake I'm glad its inside and more importantly that at least one example survived.

I like the Su-30MKI's too, I like all the Flanker variants but canards and TVC tops it off. And I agree though I'm not surprised that the F-14 and 4 make most peoples list... much like Corsairs and Mustangs and Warhawks of WWII... some aircraft are just bound to be the most popular. Regardless of the F-15's amazing capabilities and air dominance, it never seems to make peoples list as much as its contemporary the Tomcat. Speaking of which, I have tried to get photos from the net of them 2 planes together in flight... think I've managed one so far and that was one each escorting a Bear. Very elusive photo to find of them together in flight.. unlike the 16/18.
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Webmaster on August 13, 2011, 04:12:56 PM
Yeah figures, it was before the web "happened", not to mention digital cameras which help a lot of getting mixed formations to get online. If you mean air force F-4s... well, F-18/F-16 might be easy, but try Super Hornet and F-16... my point is there wasn't really a reason for a carrier group defender to buddy up with airforce strikers... right. USN F-4s, well it was replaced by the F-14, so there was only a brief period where they are operated alongside eachother. I guess there must be mixed formation from that time.

Anyway, a few exceptions to the rule: VX-4 and IIAF/IRIAF, see below. There must be plenty more of these floating around.
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: shawn a on August 13, 2011, 09:27:21 PM
Want a mixed formation?
Get thee to Edwards.
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: HaveBlue on August 13, 2011, 10:53:05 PM
Webmaster I meant it was almost impossible to get photos of the F-14 & F-15 together in flight... the one I have is of them intercepting a Russian Bear. As for the F-4 and F-14 from VX-4, yeah I've had that one forever and post it from time to time on A.net, 2 schmexy birds there!

Shawn a... Edwards AFB is on my ToDo list for sure... like Mecca for a pilot/enthuisiast like me!
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Webmaster on August 14, 2011, 01:26:54 AM
Ow ok, then you are right. But what about this: http://www.navy.mil/view_single.asp?id=3145
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: shawn a on August 14, 2011, 11:38:37 AM
I took this shot from an airliner on my way to Vegas in the early '70s.
YEAH, RIGHT!
Still looking for my Edwards formation shots, some of them are on film!
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: HaveBlue on August 14, 2011, 05:11:04 PM
Webmaster holy shit and thank you! Only the 2nd shot I've ever seen of them together, and I've never seen all of our 4th gen fighters together at once. Sweeeeet! Definitely saved that one.

Shawn a... nice shot! 2 of my favorite birds together... if the Valkyrie was in there it would be my top 3 planes of all time.

If you can dig out some of your pics that would be great, I'm very interested. I've got lots of cool shots of all the NASA planes on the tarmac together out at Edwards (from the net), I'll try to post some of my pics up later today.
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Webmaster on August 15, 2011, 12:19:38 AM
I also have this one in my "from i-net" collection. Maybe it's one taken from a Bear, hehe, I cannot recall where I got this. It's poor quality though, so also have to keep it mind it may be fake.
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: HaveBlue on August 15, 2011, 01:32:30 AM
Yep that's the one I have, and when I got it is when I read the story of the Bear intercept so I'm pretty sure its legit.
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Raptor on August 24, 2011, 03:01:04 PM
Why the C-17? Great aircraft, not bad looking for a Cargo plane either, but surely there must be more than that for it to arrive in your top 5?

Late reply sorry haha. I actually can't remember my exact reason for picking it, but it's always been one of my favourite aircraft. Very colourful development history - all the airflow problems, wrong wing loading during test and all that. Also probably cos I have a big poster on my wall that i've been looking at for the past few years. :P
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Webmaster on September 12, 2011, 05:19:49 AM
I've got a big poster on my wall of the AH-64 for years now, still, not even in my top 100.
Title: Re: What are your five favourite aircraft in history?
Post by: Cleared HOT on October 04, 2012, 11:19:04 PM
TR1
Mosquito
Black Widow
SR71
Concorde