Best looking?

Agreed. I have to add the Globe/Temco Swift to my list, too. Beautiful GA airplane! Especially in a polished finish with blue stripes!

 

The Connie is beautiful, the F-14 is arrowhead. I think that the original Pietenpol Aircamper is as pretty as they come....in a rudimentary way but still good looking. Fun to fly, too.

 

Thought that I would throw this in . Did anyone know that the profile of the original Connie fuselage was the same shape as the airfoil section ?

 

As a kid, (mebbe around 7 or 8 yrs old,) I lived near the flight path for Idlewild Airport (Now JFK Intnl.)
I could spend hours watching the planes entering and leaving the pattern,
from my 3rd floor kitchen window, where I would set up a chair, and some
toy steering wheels, and play airline pilot.
My absolute favorite then, was the downswept/upswept tail on the Constellations.
(Seen in the pic, flying somewhere over my home..
[ENE towards JFK... Er.......... Idlewild], around that era...
That's Manhattan Island [NYC] under the left wingtip)

I discovered it's name, at the Library.
They had a section of great kids books on airliners...
(that was decades, before the era of PC's)

There's some neat videos, photos, and info here.. :

http://www.mcguinnessonline.com/burt/constellation.htm



Trivia...


In later years, as a young musician there was a band named... Yep...
"The Constellations".....

Orville Wright flew one on his last flight

I finally got to fly in one, while travelling from Ft Leonard Wood Mo. to Ft Bragg N.C. in the early 60's

It made it's last flight in 1967
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I knew that

 

Didn't know there were other Connie fans on here.

Here are a few more pics of the Breitling one. I believe Breitling (the watch maker) has leased it for a few years.

I think someone up in Maine has like 2 or 3 for sale. I think it would make an awesome private plane. Upkeep could be high, but I rather take it over a Gulfstream or Citation anyday.

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/5605/constellation31kj.jpg
http://img480.imageshack.us/img480/2169/constellation51mb.jpg
Hi-res of already posted pic: http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/664/constellation48pr.jpg

 

Woo Hoo!! Yes! Great photos of the Breitling.
I remember the red / white color scheme of the TWA's when I was a kid, more than half a century ago..

What!!! ?? Half a century ago already?? OY! VEY!

 

I still think that the original Connie was the best of all. Curvacious, balanced, and supple looking. With the subsequent stretches and extended noses , etc. it destroyed the original beauty of the design.
And Charlie, you have seen almost as much change as I have. That would put it at about 1955 or 56. I was working on the KC-135 and starting the 707. The Connies were still going strong then.

 

Just came across these gems...


http://www.warbirdalley.com/connie.htm
(article & specs)

http://www.starliner.net/images/N7316c2.jpg
(Profile photo)

http://www.starliner.net/images/panel.jpg
(Cockpit)

and ...talk about steam engines......??

http://www.starliner.net/images/fe-panel.jpg
(Flight Engineers station)

 

Hello, brand new here!

As for old school warbirds, I think that the Spitfire is more aesthetically pleasing, but nothing strikes awe into the hearts of pilots and non-pilots alike like a P-51. For modern jet warbirds, I like the F/A-18 Hornet. The F-14 is certainly a classic, but if I had my druthers, I'd fly the Hornet. One I'd like to mention that I haven't seen, though, is the LoPresti Fury. Designed by Roy LoPresti before his unfortunate passing (originally as the SwiftFury, a joint venture with Piper Aircraft), it's been mired down in legal hullabaloo preventing production - but the prototype is a fast and beautiful little bird:

http://www.loprestifury.com/photos.htm

 

You're right on as far as the Lanc goes. Beautiful and handsome airplane and double good when all 4 Merlins are in full song. Great airplane.
I was thinking about the Hawker Hunter as one of the most beautiful jet fighters. Sort of Spitfire-like qualities about it. As for the big jets, I don't think you can beat the original KC-135 for beautiful sculptured lines and sleek proportions. Every effort was made to reduce drag to a minmum. and the shape reflects it

 

Sorry, they just keep coming to me. Today's pick -- the Spartan Executive. With a polished finish, of course!

 

For what it's worth. Anytime that a WW2 military aircraft displays large numbers on the nose, as the B-29 in the photo, it signifies a stateside training identification number, usually the last four digits of the serial number. Any operational aircraft in an 8th or 9th AF war zone will display squadron or group codes, one letter forward of the insignia and two after the insignia, such as the " Memphis Belle" A*DF . The Fiftheenth AF had numbers for the individual aircraft and a pattern of colors and designs on the vertical fins. Such as the 451st bomb group B-24's had the upper half of the fin painted red , lower half had a red ball. The fuselage had a black rectangle with a white individual aircraft number in it. Cowling had a color on the leading edge ring that identified the squadron. Therefore a plane in the 451st BG, 726th squadron, had the red painted pattern on the tail, black rectangle with white numbers, and green cowling rings.
Now how the hell did that pop out ?

 

The F4U Corsair was a great design too...
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p-38

f4U

Spitfire

My Luscombe 8A

P-40

 

My home dropzone's Pitts S2C, which is unfortunately for sale after they had to replace an engine on one of the Twin Otters
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Now I'm a happy guy, because my favorite is now available in a good 1/72 scale kit at a fairly reasonable price:

http://www.anigrand.com/AA2057_XF-12.htm

 

I have to agree, Jim. That was one of the pretiest propeller driven 4 engine airliners but I wonder how successful it would have been when it was using the R4360. That engine was a failure going some place to happen when it was in the civilian market. The Rainbow would have been a perfect candidate for turbo props.
Lets have pictures when your model is done.
Switches

 

Most beautiful plane huh, I would have to say the model plane I soloed and did my check ride in, Cessna 172.

Mark
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Hi, all. New here, and this seemed like as good a place as any to start.

As far as sexy planes, let me be the first to cast my vote for the Plastic Fantastic:

Cirrus SR-22G2
Anything by Lancair/Columbia. I live in central Oregon, a stones throw from Bend, and see the little beauties zipping over my head on a daily basis!

As far as military:
I'll be a rebel and say the A-6E Intruder. I spent several years as a Marine aviation ordnanceman, slinging instant earthquake under the wings of these gems. It may have been retired, but it will never be replaced. (IMHO)

 

Got a chance to see the SR24 up close today.
A factory salesman, brought one to show off, today.
It was hooked up to shore power, and all the electronics were working.
Have to say although it was new and shiny, I don't think it was all that.



The seats could have had more padding, sitting in them for 10 minutes, was OK, but after a few hours I'd imagine things would get a bit numb.

Finish was fine, and the gadgets were there in all their glory. Ice eliminators on Le's, and prop, The wings were stepped, ( a sort of Cuffing device). View over the instr Panel, was excellent. However there was poor (Non-Existant) overhead view, due to the "gullwing style" doors, and loc. of the BRS (Ballistic Recovery System)

[Which I, don't see as an adjunct to safe flight. But, that's another topic.]

Interior was slightly larger than a C172, and a large gentleman found entry to rear seat fairly easy.

Problems were with the brake seals, which if over used, leak. There was a fire here in one a while back, due to hot seals. (Brakes were ridden on the downhill taxiway)


Now..... what really turned me off was the price. MSRP, in the area of $350,000.00. But they're selling like hot cakes.... go figure.
For that much, one could get a "bakers dozen" Mig 21's! on eBay!

I'd rather have a used, but good shape C 172...(w/same electronics...)

http://www.aircraftdealer.com/aircraft_for_sale_detail/Cessna_172/2005_G1000_Cessna_Skyhawk_172S/7975.htm

and save the $125,000.00 for fuel, and insurance.....

or another airplane or two.....

Charlie