What is your favorite aircraft of all time?

priestyboy · Apr 23, 2007

How about the Catalina PBY?

Many a "hotshot" ace was glad to see Dumbo arrive after a dip in the drink.:eusa_clap

Clyde R. · Apr 23, 2007

There are so many I am in love with...both in the looks and performance department and history. The Spitfire of course, that's a breathtaking craft. The P38 Lightning has always looked quite fetching and exotic to me as well, and its L configuration was hard to beat. I also love the classic B17s and even the ol' DC3s/C47s...they all are neat.

Overall I would have to go with the rather boring but smashing P-51D. I know, I know...not the most original choice for a favorite WWII aircraft. I simply love the looks of the D model and its teardrop canopy, even though I usually prefer early model WWII aircraft. The P51Ds' superb performance, range AND good looks make it my favorite. What a ship!

Smithy · Apr 23, 2007

Here's my big faves in no particular order:

The jaw-droppingly beautiful Hawker Fury, this really gives the Spit a run for its money in the beauty stakes (I slipped this in as there were still training aircraft of these at the beginning of WWII)

The wonderfully tough Hurricane I

And last but by no means least the Spitfire I

Jerekson · Apr 23, 2007

The Hawker Fury

What a plane! Good call, Smithy.

Smithy · Apr 24, 2007

Jerekson said:
What a plane! Good call, Smithy.

She's a beauty Jerekson. The one in the pic above is a replica (and a good one at that) but HAC have an original which is just about completed and will be an absolute stunner...

http://www.historicaircraftcollection.ltd.uk/fury/

52Styleline · Apr 24, 2007

locobuster said:
Hands down, the P-38 Lightning & the B-17 Flying Fortress, to me both symbolize American airpower in the era.

Glad to see a vote for the P-38 lightning. It is by far my favorite WWII airplane.

Diamondback · Apr 24, 2007

Oh, forgot to mention the 'classic' B-52. It's Golden Age (barely, but still...), and properly cared for, it's more durable than any of us! I think I saw something once where it's possible to have had three generations work on the same airframe...

Almost nothing makes me shed tears, but seeing those old birds getting chopped at the Boneyard never fails to do the job.

WH1 · Apr 25, 2007

the one which has always intrigued me is the Northrup flying wing. Conceptually it was way ahead of its time in the late 40's.

52Styleline · Apr 25, 2007

WH1 said:
the one which has always intrigued me is the Northrup flying wing. Conceptually it was way ahead of its time in the late 40's.

Although I associate it more with the 50's the flying wing was certainly ahead of its time. I remember in the old "War of the Worlds" the flying wing delivered the A bomb against the Martians. Too bad computer flight controls weren't available then or it might have changed the face of jet flight.

Herr Hitman · Apr 29, 2007

In no particular order.

PBY Catalina

P51 D Mustang

P 38 Lightning

Me 109

IL 2 Sturmovik

Ford Tri Motor

Gee Bee Racer

Speaking Of Racing:

The coolest trophy ever

carter · Apr 29, 2007

Favorite Flying Machine

Military - P38 Lightning - they just looked fierce!

Civilian - the Pan AM Clipper - not around long but ya gotta love the romance!

dhermann1 · May 1, 2007

Boeing Monomail

This is another favorite, the 1930 Boeing Monomail. It's the first large airframe, all metal, low wing, retractable gear monoplane they built. There was a mail and a passenger version. In the passenger version, the passengers sat in the cabin, behind the engine, while the pilot sat in the open cockpit, above. This is the direct ancestor of the B-17, the 707, 747, 777, etc., etc. Very cool plane, not to mention IMPORTANT.

vonwotan · May 1, 2007

Another vote for the clippers. I would love to experience service out of Marine Air Terminal in NY for a European or Pacific adventure (although the latter left from that other coast...

)

bncarter said:
Military - P38 Lightning - they just looked fierce!

Civilian - the Pan AM Clipper - not around long but ya gotta love the romance!

Diamondback · May 1, 2007

dhermann1 said:
This is another favorite, the 1930 Boeing Monomail. It's the first large airframe, all metal, low wing, retractable gear monoplane they built. There was a mail and a passenger version. In the passenger version, the passengers sat in the cabin, behind the engine, while the pilot sat in the open cockpit, above. This is the direct ancestor of the B-17, the 707, 747, 777, etc., etc. Very cool plane, not to mention IMPORTANT.

There was only one of each version, with different model #s. The original was Model 200 (registry NX725W, think it was later NC725W), while the "stretch" rebuild was Model 221 (registry NC10025).

BTW, both aircraft were later rebuilt to a further-stretched Model 221A standard.

I could give a mini-seminar about Golden Age FAA registration codes, but don't want to bore y'all.

Cobden · May 1, 2007

Another vote for the Spitfire here; the most beautiful machine ever created. The fact it doesn't look right when on the ground just adds to it's appeal - they were born to be in the air.

Another favourite of mine is the Fairey Swordfish. Outdated even at the beginning of the war, with an open cockpit and yet forced to fly in all weather extremes, these things had a suprisingly specatacular war, crippling the Bismark, destroying the Italian fleet at Taranto (and giving the Japanese the idea for Pearl Harbor), and sinking a record amount of enemy shipping- a classic example of the underdog winning over, which I just love:

dhermann1 · May 1, 2007

A fun book on the Swordfish: "To War in a Stringbag".

plain old dave · May 1, 2007

Vought F8U-1. Golden Age, but barely. Looks evil just sitting on the ramp or hooked into the cat.

silhouette53 · May 7, 2007

WW2 Warbird

I love WW2 fighters in general, but my favourites ( apart from the Spitfire which has to come top of the list for a 'Limey' ) are the Mustang and the P40 Kittyhawk. In fact we have one visit the airfield which I fly from ( Wellesbourne Mountford ) every so often. Its based at North Wield and in return for waiving the ¬£10 landing fee, the pilot always does a low pass over the field on departure complete with a 'victory roll' - quite spectacular.

Here's a pic of the plane in question with yours truly alongside. With a fuel burn of around 30 US Galls / hour, its hardly in your average PPL territory, but what a sight and sound !!

[/IMG]

TraderRic · May 10, 2007

Heavy bomber

For me it's the PB4Y-1 (the Navy's version of the B-24J). My Grandfather flew in these in WWII from Clark Field in the Philippines with VPB 104.

It carried a bigger payload than the B-17, but with nick-names like "Flying Boxcar" and "Flying Coffin" you just don't get the press that you do with a sexy name like "Flying Fortress".

green papaya · May 10, 2007

I always liked the Flying Tigers P40 and the B17 bomber

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