# Your Favorite Airplane
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-airplane/972280
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [September 26, 2022, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-airplane/972280 "2022-09-26T19:43:32Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2022, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-airplane/972280/41 "2022-09-27T03:06:56Z")
If I were going with what 5 year old me wants to fly? Yeah, it’s a P-38, F4U or F-47. Adult me would probably pick a P-38 based on its sound alone.
If I’m going by what I’ve pretend flown, I’d pick a Heinkel He 162, because it flew so nicely in Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe. Yeah, it’s a video game, not a simulator, but it was just so easy. I’d want it to be more reliable than the real one, of course.
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### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2022, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-airplane/972280/42 "2022-09-27T03:21:51Z")
Me-262
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### Author:  [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2022, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-airplane/972280/43 "2022-09-27T10:34:38Z")
Hmm, Catalina or a Turbo Mallard? I do love flying boats…
Brian
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### Author:  [@Dandan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dandan)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2022, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-airplane/972280/44 "2022-09-27T10:58:07Z")
Staggerwing Beech, totally cool “small” aircraft. Oh, I can have a biggie? Then I’ll have the most beautiful airliner EVAH!
A Super Constellation.
Dan
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### Author:  [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2022, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-airplane/972280/45 "2022-09-27T11:40:22Z")
I’d like to take the Sukhoi SU-35 for a spin. WVR Combat rates it the top fighter in the world in one on one Dogfighting, giving it a Dogfight rating of 97%. It’s thrust and maneuverability is insanely good. I could see mounting lasers and having Dogfight contests where kills are measured in laser hits on the “enemy” aircraft.
[**Top Ten Aircraft for Dogfight (WVR Combat)**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxzqZ8qWOM0)
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### Author:  [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2022, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-airplane/972280/46 "2022-09-27T12:28:05Z")
I have fond childhood memories of the 727. Something lovely and feminine about its form.
A few months ago, I was happy to see the Mexican “FBI”’s 727 still in use (at Mexico City airport).
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### Author:  [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2022, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-airplane/972280/47 "2022-09-27T12:33:41Z")
V-22 Osprey, but since it falls out of the sky so often my answer is none.
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### Author:  [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2022, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-airplane/972280/48 "2022-09-27T12:47:18Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#):
>
> Move over, children. 'Cause I’m bringing out the **XB-70 Valkyrie**.
Truly awesome.
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### Author:  [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2022, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-airplane/972280/49 "2022-09-27T12:59:09Z")
Ah, well, if that’s allowed, then I change my choice…
[ ](https://www.super-hobby.es/zdjecia/8/6/1/29466_rd.jpg)
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### Author:  [@Bonum\_Legatum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonum_Legatum)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2022, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-airplane/972280/50 "2022-09-27T13:00:42Z")
I would likely choose something “plain vanilla” from Boeing or Airbus just because it could be maintained - and safety over vintage aircraft.
Otherwise, I would be torn between a B-36, B-58, or (sorry, no picture) Ford Trimotor.
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/6LbwqB2.jpeg)
[ ](https://i.imgur.com/OBScyl1.jpeg)
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### Author:  [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2022, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-airplane/972280/51 "2022-09-27T13:36:54Z")
that would be so cool to see fly … looks like a StarWars land speeder (what luke drove in ep 4 )
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### Author:  [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2022, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-airplane/972280/52 "2022-09-27T13:39:15Z")
according to luke in the ST EU ties weren’t that much fun to fly because they rattled so much and the empire didn’t care about being comfortable …
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### Author:  [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2022, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-airplane/972280/53 "2022-09-27T14:15:08Z")
That’s cribbed from real life Spitfire pilots who had the opportunity to fly a Messerschmitt 109.
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### Author:  [@Sooner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sooner)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2022, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-airplane/972280/54 "2022-09-27T14:25:14Z")
This is the correct answer.
Faster and much more simple maintenance than the WWII warplane.
Could in theory take it over the ocean and go supersonic - just to say you did.
But mainly a person in back to keep me from killing myself.
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### Author:  [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2022, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-airplane/972280/55 "2022-09-27T17:27:22Z")
Nobody but me loves the F-4 Phantom II? Fast, looks predatory, long and distinguished service record. What’s not to love?
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### Author:  [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2022, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-airplane/972280/56 "2022-09-27T17:32:48Z")
Grumman Goose for me. I have fond memories of _Tales of the Gold Monkey_
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2022, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-airplane/972280/57 "2022-09-27T17:35:06Z")
> [@bump](#):
>
> Nobody but me loves the F-4 Phantom II? Fast, looks predatory, long and distinguished service record. What’s not to love?
I built at lease 11 models of Phantoms when I was a kid. It’s certainly on the list, but not Numero Uno for me.
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### Author:  [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2022, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-airplane/972280/58 "2022-09-27T18:07:22Z")
If I get to have target practice, an A-10 Warthog.
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### Author:  [@ThisOneGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisOneGuy)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2022, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-airplane/972280/59 "2022-09-27T18:07:31Z")
For the kind of flying I actually do, the [Extra NG](https://www.extraaircraft.com/NG.php) is pretty much perfect. +/- 10G solo, or +/- 6G even with two big fat guys. Awesome roll rate and decent cruise speed for the rare times I use it to go somewhere. Never flown one, but was favorably impressed by the one that came to the last local IAC practice day.
But “Favorite”? The one I keep sketching on corners of notepads, have multiple models of on the shelf right beside me as I type? Gotta go with the [Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-84). Faster than a P-51 below 20,000 ft and more maneuverable. Since the OP is putting up the money for fuel and maintenance, why not go for the best? No way to take a friend tho.
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### Author:  [@Mr.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.E)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2022, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-airplane/972280/60 "2022-09-27T18:42:03Z")
I’ve thought about this for a while, and I’ve decided on the Bell V-280 Valor, a potential successor to the tiltrotor V-22 Osprey. This might be stretching the definition of “airplane” but it is capable of horizontal flight in addition to VTOL so that’s close enough to me.
I’ve always been fascinated with tiltrotor craft, and the sheer practicality of an airplane that can take all my friends and our luggage, land anywhere, and fly thousands of miles at 280 knots is just too good to pass up.
Are tiltrotor craft extremely challenging to fly? Sure, but this thing’s got fly by wire avionics out the wazoo so I will probably be fine.
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