Again, I don’t remember how to make a poll, so I’ll just tell y’all, okay?
Fixed Wing: Is and always will be the B52 Bomber. Not because of aesthetics, of course, but just because it was so beautiful to watch her take off and land during my time in the USAF. She was like a bee. (“WTF”??? :))
Rotary: You might have thought I’d write “The Huey”, being a Viet Nam (non-combatant) Vet, but no. I like the Chinook. Wow! What versatility and what a challenge to fly! Matter of fact, what a challenge to fly ANY rotary wing aircraft, as my good friend **Johnny L A ** could tell you!
My favorite fixed wing is probably the DC-3. The unpainted, all silvery ones. That is a great looking aircraft. It’s definitely on my “own and fly” list when I win the lottery that I never play.
A-10 for me. Something about the appearance and efficacy that appeal to my engineering sense of “lets build something that’s all business, no bullshit”
Plus I’m a dude, and the thing is basically a BFG with wings. Schwiiiiing
Now, if you get interested in flying or building these things there is one critical thing you need to know. If anybody ever tells you these things don’t need centerline thrust and a horizontal stabilizer kick em in the nuts and run away fast to save your life.
And if you are going WTF? is that about… let me put it this way. Would you fly an airplane that had the load too far aft (outside the design envelope)?
Oh yeah, the A-10 is one of my favs too. Built like a brick shithouse and makes no apologies for it.
I’ve always thought the F-104 “Starfighter” was kind of awesome.
But it’s very hard to beat the SR-71 “Blackbird.”
Top 3?
For helicopters, for me it’s gotta be the Boeing AH-64D “Apache Longbow”: it’s ugly, but it’s badass. The Kamov Ka-50 “Black Shark” is decidedly cool as well.
I’ve always been partial to the F-4 Phantom. There’s something predatory about it that few planes have.
Plus, they’re what the local Air National Guard squadrons had, and on my way to my grandparents’ houses I frequently saw them taking off and landing on their patrols out over the Gulf, big black smoke trails and all.
I’ve logged some time in the back seat of F-4s. Damned uncomfortable airplane. The seat is angled awkwardly. The backseater has a small, cramped space, virtually no forward vision, and limited side vision. Also very hot inside. Photography of any kind out of one of those was a pain in the ass. We called the F-4s “Big Nasty”.
My favorite airplane for aerial photography was the F-15. Nice and roomy in the back seat, excellent field of vision, a seat as comfortable as fighters get, and much cooler than the F-4.
I also like F-16s for similar reasons, but I didn’t like the side-stick controller, and I prefer a two engine airplane.
T-38s were OK for my purposes, but the lack of in flight refueling capability made them unsuitable for certain missions.
I’ve flown in Hueys, but wasn’t a big fan. I like having my own personal set of controls and ejection seat, neither of which were available in choppers. Also never really enjoyed sitting in the doorway on a gunner’s belt to do my thing.
I’ve always loved the Gee Bee for its uniqueness, but I’ve always had a soft spot for the Douglas A-1 Skyraider.
A 3,700 HP radial engine, takes hits better than an A-10, brimming with guns and bombs, and folding wings lets it fit in my garage!
As for helos; Big Bad Ass choppers are always cool. The Hind MI-24 and the Sikorsky H-53 are just scary coming at you, but for cool versatility, I’ve always admired the Sikorsky Skycrane.
Built to haul interchangable pods, they’re now used as heavy lifters for industry, logging, and firefighting. I always liked the idea of dropping a fully-equipped Emergency Room in the field, and another pod with troops, another with supplies, and so on. I guess you can push all that out the back of a C-130 or C-17 or whatever, but you can’t put that stuff ***right there ***unless the Skycrane does it.
And who else can carry your broken Chinook? You? You Lt. Weinberg?
I always had a soft spot for the good old Hawker Hurricane. While the Spit flew about getting all the glory, the Hurricane was up there doing the grunt work
In terms of more modern aircraft, I’m firmly in the A-10 camp.
Rotary aircraft, would have to the the Apache. Always seemed to be a “don’t fuck with me” type of aircraft.
As for the subject of the thread I wouldn’t say I have a single favourite aircraft but if I had to select one I would go for the SR-71 Blackbird, an incredible piece of engineering and still impressive today. And although it may be fifty years old it still looks futuristic.
For helicopters the Mi-24 always had a certain something, even in a photograph its distinctly intimidating. And the Commies had a secret trick up their sleeve! :eek:
