# Coolest planes , other **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 3, 2009, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623 "2009-06-03T20:46:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623/41 "2009-06-04T15:11:11Z")
[Ryan X-13 Vertijet](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-13_Vertijet). Kick-ass concept, but infortunately, required too much pilot. Modern control systems could make it a lot easier to fly, but it’s a problem that’s already been solved adequately by other means. My mother worked on that project as a data reduction mathematician. With the right pilot, you could literally waltz the damned thing around the landing pad standing on the column of thrust. Unfortunately, the ‘right pilot’ was a rare commodity - almost no one had the necessary skills, experience, and reflexes to fly it. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623/42 "2009-06-04T15:13:48Z")
A big “me too” for the Connie. It was one of those planes that looked cool just sitting on the runway. Between it and the [L-10 Electra](http://acepilots.com/airplanes/country/american/lockheed-electra-10a-and-10c/), Lockheed put out some damn good looking planes. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Derfel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@Lord\_Derfel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Derfel)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623/43 "2009-06-04T18:35:57Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > A couple of flying boats have already been mentioned…I’ll add the [Martin 130](http://www.flyingclippers.com/M130.html). What a shame that no one had the wherewithal to save one for posterity. > > There was a movement to recreate a flight for the [China Clipper’s 75th Anniversary](http://www.chinaclipper75.com/index.html), but apparently it fell victim to the economy. Too bad. ☹ You reminded me of the [Martin Mars](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JRM_Mars). A few were converted into water bombers and are still flying. You can go to Sproat Lake on Vancouver Island and take a boat right up to them. Awe inspiring. Or how about some iconic bushplanes: The [Twin Otter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_Otter) and the [Beaver](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Canada_DHC-2_Beaver). Neither have been produced for ages, but they are still flying. Absolutely wonderful aircraft. ---
**Author:** ![Critical\_Mass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@Critical\_Mass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical_Mass)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623/44 "2009-06-04T18:58:40Z")
> [@Lord\_Derfel](#): > > Or how about some iconic bushplanes: The [Twin Otter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_Otter) and the [Beaver](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Canada_DHC-2_Beaver). Neither have been produced for ages, but they are still flying. Absolutely wonderful aircraft. Actually, the Twin Otter is back in production. Check the New Production section of your link. We’re considering getting a pair of Twin Otters for our northern operations. They are in a league of their own when it comes to utility and versatility. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Derfel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@Lord\_Derfel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Derfel)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623/45 "2009-06-04T19:08:11Z")
> [@Critical\_Mass](#): > > Actually, the Twin Otter is back in production. Check the New Production section of your link. > > We’re considering getting a pair of Twin Otters for our northern operations. They are in a league of their own when it comes to utility and versatility. Well, there you go. So great that there’s demand for new ones 20 years after shutting down production. That’s a cool plane. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623/46 "2009-06-04T20:27:36Z")
> [@Lord\_Derfel](#): > > Or how about some iconic bushplanes: The [Twin Otter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_Otter) and the [Beaver](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Canada_DHC-2_Beaver). Neither have been produced for ages, but they are still flying. Absolutely wonderful aircraft. The DeHavilland Beaver, I know it well. I did a college internship at a company that reconditions and modifies old Beavers. I went along on a pickup flight once; two Beavers in loose formation following I-35 north out of Kansas City. Those seats were probably fine for a guy with a full parachute pack on his back and his ass, not so much when all you’ve got is an old, folded-up bedspread. Gotta love those radial engines, though. Before every flight, fill it up with oil and check the gas. ---
**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 4, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623/47 "2009-06-04T20:38:15Z")
**Clyde Bruckman:** You know there are worse ways to go, but I can’t think of a more undignified way than autoerotic asphyxiation. **Agent Mulder:** Why are you telling me that? **Bruckman:** Look, forget I mentioned it. It’s none of my business. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623/48 "2009-06-04T20:40:17Z")
> [@UncleRojelio](#): > > If you define squad as four tiny Laotians packed in nut-to-butt, then yes, this is true. Well I doubt anyone would ever call it a C-130 lite, but I was looking at the cockpit of a DC-3/C-47 and I thought that was really tiny. Im still trying to figure out the rationale for that capability , concidering that casualties were being casevac’d by helicopter and did not need a prepared field, and any commando types were probably inserted via other means. I can probably assume that it fell under the superceded by technology heading. Declan ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623/49 "2009-06-04T20:43:54Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > What’s the advantage of a twin-boom fuselage? Lateral stability?\*\* Seems like it would increase drag\*\* a lot more than just widening the fuselage of a single-boom aircraft. That may have been a design feature , the sixites were really big on short take off and landing. The predessesor to the DH-5 Buffalo , was the Caribou and I believe that either of those two airplanes was able to take off and land in a baseball diamond. The high shoulder mounted wings and tail plane area would have given it good rough field capability to take off and land in the bush , or the side of a mountain,depending. Declan ---
**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 4, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623/50 "2009-06-04T21:03:50Z")
:smack: My last was supposed to be in the David Carradine thread! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![kitemaker\_chuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a88e4f/32.png) [@kitemaker\_chuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitemaker_chuck)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623/51 "2009-06-04T21:21:56Z")
Another aircraft that I think is pretty cool is the **Grob 850 Strato2c** **High Altitude Research Aircraft** [http://www.grob-aircraft.eu/company/legacy/high-altitude-aircraft/g-850-strato-2c.html](http://www.grob-aircraft.eu/company/legacy/high-altitude-aircraft/g-850-strato-2c.html) [http://www.flug-revue.rotor.com/FRtypen/FRfotziv/strato2.jpg](http://www.flug-revue.rotor.com/FRtypen/FRfotziv/strato2.jpg) [http://www.flugzeugbilder.de/show.php?id=778219](http://www.flugzeugbilder.de/show.php?id=778219) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623/52 "2009-06-04T22:13:29Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > **Clyde Bruckman:** You know there are worse ways to go, but I can’t think of a more undignified way than autoerotic asphyxiation. > > **Agent Mulder:** Why are you telling me that? > > **Bruckman:** Look, forget I mentioned it. It’s none of my business. It’s _possible_ to like planes _too much_. That’s _all_ I’m sain’. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623/53 "2009-06-04T23:55:07Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > It’s _possible_ to like planes _too much_. > > That’s _all_ I’m sain’. Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah Declan ---
**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 5, 2009, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623/54 "2009-06-05T02:07:46Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > It’s _possible_ to like planes _too much_. > > That’s _all_ I’m sain’. Misplaced post. :o ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623/55 "2009-06-05T22:10:57Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Misplaced post. :o Uh-huh. Yeah. Suuure. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623/56 "2009-06-05T22:17:35Z")
Kind of a weird aircraft, the [Transavia PL-12 Airtruk](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transavia_PL-12_Airtruk) (as seen at the end of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome). I think the [V-22 Osprey](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-22_Osprey)is cool as shit. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623/57 "2009-06-05T22:46:20Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Kind of a weird aircraft, the [Transavia PL-12 Airtruk](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transavia_PL-12_Airtruk) (as seen at the end of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome). They can’t all be a Constellation or a Staggerwing Beech; every airplane has an inherent right to be ugly. But that damn thing is abusing the privilege. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623/58 "2009-06-06T16:02:16Z")
nervermind ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623/59 "2009-06-07T13:35:45Z")
Blohm & Voss BV 141 - One of the most unusual designs ever. The autogyros from “You Only Live Twice” - How cool are they? ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623/60 "2009-06-07T21:02:20Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > Blohm & Voss BV 141 - One of the most unusual designs ever. Just what I was coming in to say (tried a day or two back, minor database problem ate my post). It was an oddball, right enough. “You know what would be cool? Take the crew cabin out of the fuselage and stick it halfway along the wing.” Incidentally, it’s far from the oddest idea Blohm und Voss ever had. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coolest-planes-other/498623.md?page=4)