Favorite Aircraft

[Passport1]

My favorite has always been the B-58 Hustler. A stiletto shaped bomber. This video has a surprising pilot. Honorable mention is the F-104 Starfighter which was also built for speed. WW2 produced many fine designs too. I see a relationship between cars back then and cars now. Beautiful, graceful then and practical but prosaic now. Your favorite?

F-104

youtube

BF8 Hustler, Jimmy Stewart - Google Search

 

[Astro14]

 

[billt460]

Astro, The F-14, (like many of the older fighters), has that flat, sloping plate for a front windshield, with a metal frame around it. And the newer fighters, (F-22 and F-35), have a rounded one piece Lexan windscreen that's an integral part of the canopy.

Have there been improvements in this material that it can now be used for a windshield as well? Or is the newer stuff entirely different material?

 

[Passport1]

I should have added this homely a/c to my honorable mention since I spent so much time listening to and breathing its fumes.

 

[fdcg27]

How about this?

Almost as fast as Lockheed's magnificent SR-71.

Or maybe this. Maybe not as speedy but you could buy a ticket and exceed Mach 2.

 

[Owen Lucas]

Still looks very futuristic for a 40+ year old design. The boxy shape and angles are different than any other plane out there. I understand it is still flying for testing radar systems.

 

[Snagglefoot]

I still like flying boats like the DHC515.

 

[fdcg27]

Still looks very futuristic for a 40+ year old design. The boxy shape and angles are different than any other plane out there. I understand it is still flying for testing radar systems.

View attachment 172860

How many of the 59 production aircraft remain?
These are no longer in USAF service, but could this be the perfect aircraft to attack an entrenched opponent?
Could there be an embattled European country to which these might be gifted and usefully deployed?

 

[DerbyDave]

I have always loved the B1. When I was a kid they were stationed at McConnell and we would see them fly over all the time. It was pretty awesome when they had the afterburners on.

 

[JustN89]

 

[Inked]

Said it before so I’ll say it again.…….

F-4

 

[97prizm]

Still looks very futuristic for a 40+ year old design. The boxy shape and angles are different than any other plane out there. I understand it is still flying for testing radar systems.

View attachment 172860

According to thedrive it's also being used to test the development of stealth cruise missiles etc. One of my favorite aircraft as well. Funny story. The crew that took care of the stealth coating had to request mesh screens be put in front of the hangars as bats would fly into it at night. It absorbed radar/ sonar so well it wouldn't reflect and bam dead bats.

 

[jetman]

Beech Model 17 Staggerwing

 

[Dodgetracker]

F15

 

[TheLawnRanger]

Cessna 172. Memories.

 

[Taildragger]

My favorite aircraft??? The next one!

 

[LouC]

Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
Grumman F6F Hellcat
Grumman F7F Tigercat
Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II

All built here on Long Island

 

[stormgol]

 

[Passport1]

Said it before so I’ll say it again.…….

My wife's uncle was a navy pilot during VN. Flew an F-4 Phantom. I asked uncle Carl once what landing on a carrier was like. He thought for a moment like he'd never heard that question before and said 'like crash landing into a closet'. Carl lives in Hood River, Oregon today and has an apple orchard.

BZ Lcdr Uncle Carl.

Medals of America

 

[spasm3]

F-14 , F4U Corsair, and the F-105 Thunderchief.