# Coolest fighter aircraft **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 30, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-fighter-aircraft/498189 "2009-05-30T18:55:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![GreedySmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-fighter-aircraft/498189/101 "2009-06-03T02:34:26Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > I believe the RAAF is _still_ flying 'Varks. Most of the USAF inventory is in the boneyard. ☹ For the moment the RAAF is. They are due to be phased out over the next 2 years IIRC. Which is a shame because they are a nice looking aircraft. The RAAF will be buying some Super Hornets as a temporary measure to replace them (and to also replace our existing Hornets) until we get our hands on the F-35. (Presuming that project ever produces a production run of aircraft) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-fighter-aircraft/498189/102 "2009-06-03T03:13:02Z")
> [@GreedySmurf](#): > > And by the way it’s not stretching the category, The Mossie was very much used in a fighter role. It used as a fighter sometimes, but it was designed as a light bomber and used as such. Not taking anything away from its coolness, but I consider it a bomber. (And it was my choice in the ‘coolest bomber’ thread. 😉 ) ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-fighter-aircraft/498189/103 "2009-06-03T03:27:16Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > It used as a fighter sometimes, but it was designed as a light bomber and used as such. > > Not taking anything away from its coolness, but I consider it a bomber. (And it was my choice in the ‘coolest bomber’ thread. 😉 ) It would certainly win in the “Coolest Plane With a 57mm Cannon” category. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-fighter-aircraft/498189/104 "2009-06-03T03:31:05Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > It would certainly win in the “Coolest Plane With a 57mm Cannon” category. 🙂 It’s definitely in the running for the ‘Coolest Plane Evar’ category. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-fighter-aircraft/498189/105 "2009-06-03T04:25:59Z")
Hey - did the A-12 variant (I think that’s right) of the SR-71 ever fly? Would that count? Apologies if I got the designation wrong. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-fighter-aircraft/498189/106 "2009-06-03T04:30:14Z")
The A-12 was a reconnaissance aircraft; but it did lead to the YF-12 interceptor prototype. Thirteen A-12s were built, and 3 YF-12s were built. Then there was the SR-71 Blackbird (32 built), a reconnaissance aircraft. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-fighter-aircraft/498189/107 "2009-06-03T13:19:01Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > You can see several FB-111s make low-level passes in the Michael Caine/Pierce Brosnan Cold War thriller _The Fourth Protocol_. Wiki says that the Brits and the Australians are the only folks still flying them, and the Brits will retire 'em next year. Where do you see that? I don’t recall any RAF F-111 squadrons- the RAF created the Jaguar programme instead of buying the F-111 because it was delayed for so long. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-fighter-aircraft/498189/108 "2009-06-03T13:25:35Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Where do you see that? I don’t recall any RAF F-111 squadrons- the RAF created the Jaguar programme instead of buying the F-111 because it was delayed for so long. You know, it looks like I misread Wiki. USAF F-111 squadrons were based in the UK. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-fighter-aircraft/498189/109 "2009-06-03T13:30:18Z")
Tsk. 😉 The Jaguar, for the record, will never win a coolest anything award. Effective, but ooogly. Same goes for the Tornado. The (Eurofighter) Typhoon, on the other hand, is adorable. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-fighter-aircraft/498189/110 "2009-06-03T19:37:17Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > You know, it looks like I misread Wiki. USAF F-111 squadrons were based in the UK. Sorry. That’s right: F-111Fs with the 48th TFW at Lakenheath, Suffolk; F-111Es with the 20th TFW at Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire. The 42nd ECS had EF-111As at Heyford as well. ---
**Author:** ![Mogle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mogle/32/12021_2.png) [@Mogle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mogle)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-fighter-aircraft/498189/111 "2009-06-03T21:05:35Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > The (Eurofighter) Typhoon, on the other hand, is adorable. I don’t know, there’s something about the air intakes that makes me want to compare it to a vacuum cleaner. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-fighter-aircraft/498189/112 "2009-06-03T21:18:45Z")
> [@Mogle](#): > > I don’t know, there’s something about the air intakes that makes me want to compare it to a vacuum cleaner. Heh. I like that intake- it’s my favorite feature of the F-16. That’s why I like the Typhoon- it’s an amalgamation of lots of cool things from other jets. Leading canards from the Saab Viggen. The chin intake from the F-16. The basic shape from the Delta Dart or Mirage 2000. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-fighter-aircraft/498189.md?page=5)