What is your favorite aircraft of all time?

[Flieger]

Flieger, surprised you skipped the Seversky/Republic P-35, which served with both the Swedish and US forces...

Well Fletch, I skipped MANY favourite aircraft on that list. Some, because they where already mentioned in detail here on the forum, and others, because... well, it just wouldn't be interesting to the crowd to hear about my fetiches.

The P-35A, that we used in Sweden (slightly longer airframe) was a fine aircraft that did its job running neutral watch during WWII. Sweden recived 60 aircraft out of 120 ordered before the embargo clamped down. The remaining 60 where used in the Phillipines (some still bearing SwAf-markings), where they as you already stated did less then perfect against the Japanese Zeros. I shudder to think what had happened had Hitler tured his eyes on Sweden. We had nothing back then to dogfight Messerschmitts or shoot down bombers.

Ahh... historic aviation...

/Flieger

 

[Warden]

I have always had a soft spot for early WW2 equipment.

When it comes to aircraft I like the Fairy Battle

Handley-Page Hampden

As for all time favourite aircraft, the Avro Vulcan. I saw this plane fly at an airshow just before the RAF retired them.

Harry

 

[Diamondback]

As for all time favourite aircraft, the Avro Vulcan. I saw this plane fly at an airshow just before the RAF retired them.

You have good taste, sir. The Vulcan was love at first sight for me, too--rather than scrap 'em, why didn't you sell 'em to us? They woulda made good escorts for the B-52s...

*secretly jealous of the group restoring XH558 to fly again, wanting one of those birds in flyable condition for myself--or the engineering diagrams to start redesigning and updating it...*

 

[J. M. Stovall]

My favorite fighter:
P-51

My favorite bomber:
B-24 Liberator

 

[Smithy]

the Fairy Battle

I've liked the lines of the Battle as well, but good grief those poor buggers who had to fly them in the Battle of France. Being on a Battle squadron was almost a death sentence then.

 

[eniksleestack]

I have almost no passions, but the B-52 is a deep one--with a couple exceptions, that bird I got to park myself aboard in Kansas is about the closest emotional attachment I've ever had.

Hey Diamondback, did you fly the Big Ugly Fat "Fellows"? Sounds like maybe you did. My dad was a radar nav/ bombardier/weapons officer on those beauties (esp. the tall tails) from 1973-1988.

 

[Diamondback]

Hey Diamondback, did you fly the Big Ugly Fat "Fellows"? Sounds like maybe you did. My dad was a radar nav/ bombardier/weapons officer on those beauties (esp. the tall tails) from 1973-1988.

Sir, I did not, but the BUFF has been an interest since childhood. Blame Dale Brown... (Although my grandfather, before he did his USAFE tour or time with the 318th, was part of a BUFF wing at Westover--heard a lot about the "tall tail" days from him.)

Wanted to, but my prescription wouldn't even let me fly as a loadmaster on a cargo plane, let alone "command pilot"--my "pilot's seat time" was with 55-094 parked in the Kansas Aviation Museum. So, no flying and no combat=no Air Force for me!

Maybe in a past life, but not in this one, outside a simulator.

 

[Erik]

My heart says F4U1 Corsair- Gotta go with the heart.

 

[Warden]

Do agree Smithy, like so much so early war equipment the Battle was an awful plane in combat. But was a good looking of the plane.

As for Avro Vulcan, Diamondback is right its a VERY good looking plane. Strange that this 1950s plane is simular in shape to the Eurofighter, looks like the boffins in the 1950s with thier slide rules and hand drawn plans where ahead of the 2000 boffins with the computers.

Harry

 

[Jerekson]

Macchi-Castoldi MC.72. 3000 hp Fiat AS.6 V-24, 443 mph seaplane IN 1934! Imagine what this thing would have done without the floats!

Wingnut,

Can you explain this a bit more to me? This thing did 443mph in 1934?!?

How is this possible, if Howie set the 1935 record at 235mph?

Perhaps it's the seaplane aspect?

Please elaborate to me, because this is very interesting indeed.

It looks like I have a date with Wikipedia, in the meantime...

 

[Diamondback]

How is this possible, if Howie set the 1935 record at 235mph?

Different "course", sir. Hughes was going for an endurance run, a transcon. This bird was designed for a "dash", not a "sustained speed"--all the Schneider Cup contestants were seaplanes with high speeds and short ranges.

 

[Jerekson]

Different "course", sir. Hughes was going for an endurance run, a transcon. This bird was designed for a "dash", not a "sustained speed"--all the Schneider Cup contestants were seaplanes with high speeds and short ranges.

Well, that would explain a bit.

But regardless, it just doesn't seem right that it would work like that. To me, anyway.

 

[Smithy]

Talking of racing aircraft, I have always thought the DH.88 Comet an absolute beauty

 

[Warden]

Now that is sexy

Harry

 

[Jerekson]

Indeed! :eusa_clap

 

[Spitfire]

*loud whistel*

 

[plain old dave]

For WW2 iron, 3 way tie.

F4F
F6F
F8F

 

[Diamondback]

But regardless, it just doesn't seem right that it would work like that. To me, anyway.

Simple, sir. The Hughes Racer had to pack a lotta fuel for its trip, while your typical Schneider racer was built like a Gee Bee--the biggest darn engine the builder could lay his hands on, with just enough wing to keep it up and enough fuel tank to keep it running through a short race. Much higher power-to-weight ratio.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Talking of racing aircraft, I have always thought the DH.88 Comet an absolute beauty

Correct me if I off base; but do you see the beginnings of the Messerschmitt Me-262 silhouette in DH design? I've always thought so!

-dixon cannon

 

[Smithy]

I can see what you mean Dixon, there really are some similarities, although the Comet's grandchild was the Mossie.