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.
Me-262
Hmm, Catalina or a Turbo Mallard? I do love flying boats…
Brian
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
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.
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).
V-22 Osprey, but since it falls out of the sky so often my answer is none.
Truly awesome.
Ah, well, if that’s allowed, then I change my choice…
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.
that would be so cool to see fly … looks like a StarWars land speeder (what luke drove in ep 4 )
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 …
That’s cribbed from real life Spitfire pilots who had the opportunity to fly a Messerschmitt 109.
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.
Nobody but me loves the F-4 Phantom II? Fast, looks predatory, long and distinguished service record. What’s not to love?
Grumman Goose for me. I have fond memories of Tales of the Gold Monkey
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.
If I get to have target practice, an A-10 Warthog.
For the kind of flying I actually do, the Extra NG 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. 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.
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.