Greatest Military Aircraft! What Do You think?

Here's my list...

Past:
-Messerschmidt, Me 262 A-1 (fighter) and A-2 (fighter/bomber) (which everyone forgets, it gave birth to the modern aircraft): nothing could catch this plane in its time... either they had to attack it while it is Taking off/landing... or make a steep dive, to try and reach its speed.

Present:
-Sukhoi, SU-27 Flanker
-Sukhoi, SU-34 Fullback
-Sukhoi, SU-25 Frogfoot
-Mikoyan-Gurevich, MiG-29 Fulcrum
-Northrop Grumman, B-2 Spirit
-Northrop Grumman, F-14 Tomcat
-Lockheed Martin, F-22 Raptor
-General Dynamics, F-16 Falcon
- The list goes on... but these are my favorites

What can I say... I prefer the modern aircraft.

If it has jet engines attached to it... I love it.

To all the lists so far I would have to add the lowly and underappreciated Skyraider.

Able Dogs

Wow, I can't believe that I and everybody else did not even include that aircraft! It is a great one, and yeah not all that flashy but it really got the job done. It sure didn;t come with all the gadgets, bells, and whistles but it has to rank up there! I wonder what the Vietnam era people would have to say about it???

Great post, thanks....Mondo

I'm just going to rap off a few. I'm lazy today.

Avro Arrow: One of the very first aircraft that was meant for supersonic combat (and also one of the very few to actually survive supersonic speeds), this thing was as sexy as it was fast. This baby was a revolution in supersonic travel. The theory was that it could have beaten Mach 2.5 if it had its originally intended Orenda Iroquois engines. Unfortunately, John Diefenbaker decided to withdraw funding. Avro was basically disbanded then and all the remaining Arrows were cut up. Which was stupid. Thankfully, someone drove into the compound and escaped with a few truckloads of Arrow stuff. Whoever he was, I salute him!

B-52 Buff: If the name is not self-explanatory you must go to Wikipedia now and read the entire article on the B-52. Go ahead. I'll wait. For the rest of us who have been paying attention to aircraft at any point in the last half of a century, you know what I'm talking about. There are only three words to describe this monster: "Big", "Frickin'", "BEASTIE". Did I miss anything?

F-15: With all its variants and phenomenal combat record, this has to be one of the greatest aircraft of all time, no question. It isn't particularly revolutionary, but it's definitely one of the most remarkable aircraft of all time.

F-14 Tomcat: Probably the best interceptor ever constructed. Fast, and really really sexy. I think what I like most about it (other than the variable geometry wings) is the AIM-54 Phoenix Missile. It was the Navy's only long-range missile and was pretty fearsome on an F-14. Although the AMRAAM is better now, it was pretty darn cool for its time. However, enough about the missile. The question I have to ask is: Now that the F-14 is gone, what does the US have on its plate with regards to a dedicated interceptor? (The F-18 is not an interceptor. It's for escort, fleet defense, SEAD, Close-Air Support, and Recon. NOT INTERCEPTION)

I subscribe to the theory that if it looks right, it will fly right, so here goes:

Fokker D VII (so it was German, but it was the mutts nuts of WWI fighters)

Supermarine Spitfire (Merlin-engined marks look and sound just about perfect)

North American F86 Sabre (simple, yet right)

Hawker Hunter (after this, the only way was supersonic)

McDonnell Douglas F15 Eagle (the best looking modern fighter)

There are many other aircraft that I like, for many and varying reasons, but these five epitomise what good design can accomplish, without the need for undue compromise. And that's what makes them great.

KW

Waynos, KwazyWabbit's mention of the Fokker DVII has reminded me to tell you and anyone else interested the following.

A close mate of mine has undertaken a little aircraft project you might like to know about. Roughly 4 yrs back he decided to build his own replica of his favourite WWI aircraft, an Albatros DVa no less! Which was a great aircraft.

There are only 2 still in existence one in the US at the National Air & Space Museum [NASMA], and the other at the Australian War Memorial [AWM] in Canberra. Both are DVa models. My mate gained accurate plans from an old enthusiast in Adelaide who worked on the 1960's restoration of the AWM aircraft. We discovered that the 1960 job was err somewhat bodgey to say the least. Another enthusiast of my mate has also managed to get hold of a couple of yards of the original wing linen from this aircraft so he knows what "lozenge" pattern and colour to use.


I have been lucky enough to go with him on several trips down to Canberra to undertake mesurements and photograph details. The aircraft is not on public display and is stored under security at the Treloar restoration and preservation centre offsite from the AWM.

This place has to be seen to be believed. It has the biggest most sophisticated climate control system I have ever seen for a building of its size. Then again Canberra is as hot as hell in summer and freezing in winter so its justified given the rare and fragile collection there. The first time I went through the main doors from the workshop to the main floor, was like the final scene in Raider's of the Lost Ark. You know the one, a warehouse full of lost treasures! An entire V2 with mobile launcher here, a BF-109 (D9 I think?) in original factory paint there, HS-292 glide weapon somewhere else, and the list goes on & on. My jaw hit the floor

Last time I was down there was a couple of years ago and they had Lancaster "G for George" dissasembled along with the BF-109. I was allowed to crawl into the rear, aft of the fuselage wing break. The factory chromate primer was still fresh as the day it went on and still contained the signed names of the flight and ground crew in lead pencil on the starboard side. To see these two all time great aircraft getting some much needed TLC just about brought a tear to the eye I can tell you. When was the last time anyone saw 4 Merlin's and a DB-601 stripped side by side!

Any way I've abused this forum for my own sordid purposes long enough. I'll try and keep you posted of the replica project in it's OWN thread from time to time. Below is a photo of the Albatros held by NASMA.

LEE.

Originally posted by BlackWidow23
I have a few.

My first pitch is the legendary P-51 mustang, excellent at shooting down enemy aircraft and attacking ground targets, while still fast and agile.

I would have to go for either the P-51 or the Spitfire. Both were fighters that people rallyed around and had lasting impacts and real combat records. The Spitfire was the symbol of the Battle of Britian and the P-51's finally allowed long range bombing to bring the Nazi's to thier knees.

Mine would be:

F-15
F-16
B-52
Sr-71 / A-12
C-130

They are all amazing planes!

i would have to say

the airships AKRON & MACON they were both AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
they could house a few aircraft inside the belly of the airship. Launch and retrieve airplanes in mid-air.

SR-71
P-51
F-117
A-10
B-17

Sukhoi 30
hercules
Spitfire and Mustang ( the latter being a derivation of the first )
Valkyrie
Phantom
B-17
Stuka
Tomcat ( looks awsome )
F-117
Antonov Myria
V-22
Huey

I'm partial to the raptor, its hard to beat "first look, first shoot, first kill" capabilities.

If you consider a helicopter in the class of an aircraft, and miltary of course, the Huey has to be up there. Not only one of the most versatile platforms of all time, but among the longest lifespans of them all.

Another vote by me goes to the F 104 Starfighter. It sloudn't be able to fly but it does and rather quickly I may add....what about the F 105?? Certainly made its mark as well, and i bet the vote tally regarding the Vietnam conflict will help it out too.

Just some more additions, Peace...Mondo

Originally posted by Darkpr0
Avro Arrow: One of the very first aircraft that was meant for supersonic combat (and also one of the very few to actually survive supersonic speeds), this thing was as sexy as it was fast. This baby was a revolution in supersonic travel. The theory was that it could have beaten Mach 2.5 if it had its originally intended Orenda Iroquois engines. Unfortunately, John Diefenbaker decided to withdraw funding. Avro was basically disbanded then and all the remaining Arrows were cut up. Which was stupid. Thankfully, someone drove into the compound and escaped with a few truckloads of Arrow stuff. Whoever he was, I salute him!

I agree the Avro Arrow CF-105 (MRK 2) would have been the best fighter, if it were to have taken the sky. But since it never did I will settle for the Avro Arrow CF-105 (MRK 1).

In my opinion:

The greatest fighter/interceptor aircraft ever built was the Canadian Avro Aero.

The Canadian governement at the time was presured by the United States to scrap the project because U.S would no longer have air power supreamacy.

The greatest workhorse aircraft ever built was the Herc.

All call signs , all call signs. This is zero.

End Ex, End Ex, End Ex,

Arcticnull

Originally posted by shasa

Spitfire and Mustang ( the latter being a derivation of the first)

Errr... Really? you want to try explaining that to the boys at North American aircraft? How did you arrive at this conclusion?

The only thing these two great marques shared in common was their powerplant, and in later Spitfire models with the RR Griffon not even this was shared. The Mustang had a laminar flow wing, the Spitfire did not. The P-51 had a positive thrust radiator heat exchanger intake always mounted on the belly centreline, again the Spitfire did not (depending on which model, either under one or both wings). The Mustang was also larger and heavier than the Spit. In fact these two aircraft had no more in common than a BF-109 did to a Hurricane.

In the early days of the P-51A it was put to use as a ground attack aircraft after its initial Allison V-1710 engine was found a bit lacking in "horses" at altitude. The Spitfire was pure fighter and was not used in this way till the later "clipped wing" variants. In fact it would be fair to say that the P-40 and P-51 shared more in common for the original RAF competition that led to the P-51 (at least in early concept), than the Mustang and Spitfire.

LEE.

Agreed. the P-51 owed nothing to the Spitfire, but everything to an Air Ministry request that NAA put the P-40 into production for the RAF and their own response that they could do better.

One or two Americans may be surprised to discover that the RAF was the lead customer for the Mustang, before the P-51 designation had even been applied, which is why it was so good, of course (I jest)

Originally posted by groingrinder
To all the lists so far I would have to add the lowly and underappreciated Skyraider.

Able Dogs

This is a great pick. We will always need a SPAD. The A-10 is a great replacment, but if it got right down to it, the A-1 could still do some damage today. Love this plane.




[edit on 4/4/2007 by Invader]

Without a doubt, I'd have to say the Hawker Hurricane. What a plane

Scored more kills than the Spitfire in the Battle of Britain, and read up on the defence of Malta in 1940.

Originally posted by VType
Greatest is subjective.
But for the US and in general I would favor the Phantom F-4's for their years of service,numbers produced,varients and finally number of World wide Air Forces using or having used them with well regards.
The Phantom Bombtruck varient was a awed sight indeed I forget its exact designation but it was loaded out like the Wild Weasel but with 2 to 4 smart bombs and just a great air weapon/electronics platform. Similar to the one below but add bombs and dark green scheme

I have to agree with you about the F-4, but thier are a few things to add.

1. 1 of the few planes used by all 3 flying branches of the military

2. Could carry over 90% of Air Force weapons inventory.

3. Not many planes could fulfil all the different phases of combat as well as an F-4. Fighter, Attack, Recon, ETZ.

I like the Isreal F-4X that they tried to come out with. A recon platform that was supposed to do Mach 3 +.

Yes, I've always loved the F-4 too. it looked particularly good in early 1970's RAF camo and late '60's RN colours I thought, not so good later on when they all went grey though.

One of the mopre bizarre projects I have seen was the 'economy Tomcat', swing wing version for the UK. As much as I love the F-4, I'm glad we bought the Tornado F.3 that time