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best looking fighters over time?

Discussion in 'Aviation Chat' started by JeremyJon, May 6, 2012.

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  1. JeremyJon

    JeremyJon F1 Veteran

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    #1 JeremyJon, May 6, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    working on an art piece, and got me thinking about what fighters (all eras) that i personally find best looking....not most historically significant, nor mechanically innovative....purely aesthetics here!

    what's yours?

    here are mine, in no particular order :)

    mitsubishi zero a6m(2)
    lockheed sr71 blackbird
    raf (submarine) spitfire
    focke-wulf Ta 152
    MD F4 phantom
    dassault mirage III
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  2. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

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    #2 PSk, May 6, 2012
    The Spitfire wins for me.

    If I was a billionaire I would own one.
    Pete
     
  3. future328driver

    future328driver Formula 3

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    #3 future328driver, May 6, 2012
    Gotta include the P-51. A-4 is another one that I think looks awesome.
     
  4. Aedo

    Aedo F1 Rookie

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    #4 Aedo, May 7, 2012
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    Slight correction there ;)



    I'm with Pete - if funds were available I'd have a Spitfire!

    My other favourite is the F15 :)
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  5. 986986

    986986 Rookie
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    #5 986986, May 7, 2012
  6. 986986

    986986 Rookie
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    #6 986986, May 7, 2012
  7. Crawler

    Crawler F1 Veteran

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    #7 Crawler, May 7, 2012
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    Just to make the point, the SR71 is most definitely not a fighter aircraft.

    I would also include the P-51, F4U Corsair, and going back nearly 100 years, the Pfalz DIII.
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  8. David_S

    David_S F1 World Champ
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    #8 David_S, May 7, 2012
    Don't have an image handy, but from the propeller era, I'd have to point to the P-38 Lightning.
     
  9. toggie

    toggie F1 World Champ
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    #9 toggie, May 7, 2012
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    I always thought the F-5 had some of the cleanest lines of the fighter jets.
    The F-5 is the fighter version of the T-38 trainer.
    .
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  10. toggie

    toggie F1 World Champ
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    #10 toggie, May 7, 2012
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    For propeller-era fighters, there are so many good looking planes to choose from.

    Definitely the P-51 Mustang and P-38 Lightning are top choices, but so is the F4U Corsair from the Navy.

    The distinctive wing angles of the Corsair make it instantly identifiable.
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  11. Jason Crandall

    Jason Crandall F1 Veteran

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    #11 Jason Crandall, May 7, 2012
    F4 wins for me.

    Just had a meeting with an old Marine F4 Vietnam pilot. Looking forward to more stories.
     
  12. sparky p-51

    sparky p-51 Formula 3

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    #12 sparky p-51, May 7, 2012
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  13. James_Woods

    James_Woods F1 World Champ

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    #13 James_Woods, May 7, 2012
    From the Korean War era - I would add the F-86 early versions (not the D), and this strange one - the Navy bat-winged F-4D.
     
  14. red27

    red27 Formula Junior

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    #14 red27, May 7, 2012
    James Woods, Great choices. Especially The skyray in VF3 blue and stars. How about F104 in bare aluminium too, and going back a bit F8 crusader, Hawker Hunter, Tempest V, Gloster Gladiator and Albatros DV. (My top favourite P38 has already been chosen!)

    Cheers. Mark.
     
  15. James_Woods

    James_Woods F1 World Champ

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    #15 James_Woods, May 7, 2012
    Yes, those too.

    I was on a cruise ship in the Med and got to meet an actual Skyray pilot - he said it really was a nice airplane to fly, but was a bit slow for its day because of the big thick wing. Douglas had an upgraded version in the works (different number plane) but it was killed by the newer generation of big fighters coming along like the Phantom.

    There have been exceptions - but you could make the argument that almost any fighter plane that was any good operationally has also been pretty good looking.
     
  16. chopperdr

    chopperdr Formula Junior

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    #16 chopperdr, May 7, 2012
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  17. Ak Jim

    Ak Jim F1 Veteran
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    #17 Ak Jim, May 7, 2012
    My favorites, F-106 and F-86.
     
  18. zygomatic

    zygomatic F1 Veteran
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    #18 zygomatic, May 7, 2012
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  19. JeremyJon

    JeremyJon F1 Veteran

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    #19 JeremyJon, May 7, 2012
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    true, the sr71 is not a fighter, strictly speaking......"supermarine" my typo (dunno how i did that??) :eek:

    i've always liked the f4u corsair from some angles, but others it looks kinda stumpy tail IMO the mustang too, though i love them hugely, doesn't quite have the proportions of the spitfire

    the dehavilland vampire is a better looking bird IMHO ...the hornet and mosquito historically are more significant, very cool planes, but less so in aesthetics i think

    as far as delta wing fighters go, i'll always have special reverence for the arrow :)
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  20. JeremyJon

    JeremyJon F1 Veteran

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    #20 JeremyJon, May 7, 2012
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    it's a nicely proportioned plane for sure.....the sea fury was a decent looking plane too IMO :)
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  21. ralfabco

    ralfabco Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #21 ralfabco, May 7, 2012
    In no particular order;

    P-26
    F-86F
    F-104A
    P-51D
    P-38
    P-40B
    F9F-6
    FJ-3M/4B
    F-15A
    F-16A
    Hunter
    FW-190
    Mirage III
    Super Mystere
    Rafale
    F-84F
    P-47N
    F-11F
    F-14
    F4D (Skyray)
    F-100A
    Bearcat
    Spitfire
    F-80C
    P-35
    P-12
    Deuce
    F8
    F4U
    Cutlass



    F-4E

    Fan boy - at least I have a VFR license :D
     
  22. JeremyJon

    JeremyJon F1 Veteran

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    #22 JeremyJon, May 7, 2012
    is that all?? :D :D
     
  23. snj5

    snj5 F1 World Champ

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    #23 snj5, May 7, 2012
    The most beautiful fighter: Supermarine Spitfire, early Marks

    The most enduring 'war machine' : F4 Phantom II

    The Icon, of man and his flying machine in mano-a-mano pure aerial combat: The Sopwith F.1 Camel
     
  24. Bob Parks

    Bob Parks F1 Veteran
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    #24 Bob Parks, May 7, 2012
    Agree with all but I still like the original 1935 Hawker Fury and the Hawk P-6E
     
  25. red27

    red27 Formula Junior

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    #25 red27, May 8, 2012
    Ah! Hawker Fury, what a gorgeous machine. I forgot Me262 as well...So many lovely aeroplanes in the last 100 years...
     
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