vq
Earth
What time is it again?
Posts: 129
|
Post by vq on Sept 14, 2008 22:27:52 GMT -4
So, I just got to visit the Evergreen Air and Space museum in McMinnville, OR. They have an SR-71A (along with some of of the onboard EW and photography packages that I'm sure were incredibly classified not very long ago) on loan from the Air Force, a Titan II ICBM, Mercury Capsule #10 on loan from Kansas, the Foton 6 (dimensionally the same as a Voshkod and, BTW, way too small for 3 people), and of course, the Spruce Goose in all its massive glory (320 ft wingspan, still the largest ever!).
It made me wonder, what are your favorite aircraft?
Tu-22M.
BTW, don't go there for the LM reproduction - it was a terrible replica (you can see daylight right though seams in the ascent module). Lots of other, better reproductions and plenty of original artifacts, though!
|
|
|
Post by Obviousman on Sept 15, 2008 3:34:45 GMT -4
Favourite that never made it into service?
The TSR2, and the XFV-12A.
That made it?
Mirage III and Canberra B.20
|
|
|
Post by PhantomWolf on Sept 15, 2008 4:05:30 GMT -4
Favourite Non-Fighter Plane: Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird - Personally I don't know of a plane that can bet the lines and grace of it. It looks like it does exactly what it does, the SR-71 looks like it's going Mach 3 when standing still. It's hard to beat it. Favourite Prop Fighter: Submarine Spitfire - The noise and lines make it probably the most recognised plane on the planet, but it's also one of the most beautiful too. Tough reliable and made the Luftwaffe wear brown trousers, what more could you want in a plane. Favourite Prop Bomber: De_Havilland_Mosquito - Fast, tough, made of wood, the lines are beautiful, it's just a hot machine. Favourite Jet Fighter: This is a tough one because there are a lot that vi for the title, the F-15 Eagle is a wonderful craft and is stunning both performance and looks, the F-14 Tomcat is a hard worker and is more then stunning in its lines and movable swept wing design. I'm going to give it to the North American F-86 Sabre though, the plane that wins the skies over Korea. Sleek, sexy, and if you saw it coming your way you knew your day was going to be getting a whole lot worse. Favouite Jet Bomber: Again a lot to choice from, but for sheer beautiful and terror producing ability has to be with the supersonic B-1 Lancer. The variable swept wing design, the ability go supersonic with a bigger payload of bombs than the B-52. It has to rock.
|
|
|
Post by gwiz on Sept 15, 2008 7:34:11 GMT -4
The TSR2, and the XFV-12A. The XFV-12A? An aircraft with a big design fault that meant it never got off the ground?
|
|
Ian Pearse
Mars
Apollo (and space) enthusiast
Posts: 308
|
Post by Ian Pearse on Sept 15, 2008 7:34:17 GMT -4
Difficult to make choices, but using Phantom's format:
Favourite Non-Fighter Plane: Concorde. 'Nuff said. ;D
Favourite Prop Fighter: I'm torn between the Spitfire and the Typhoon. The latter was no catwalk model but what a ground-attack platform! And no slouch air to air either.
Favourite Prop Bomber: Can't decide between Mosquito and Lancaster for this one... both excellent in their own way.
Favourite Jet Fighter: English Electric Lightning - a rocket with wings and a cockpit added on. Zero to "Woooooooooah!" in nothing flat, and your fuel gone just as quickly!
Favouite Jet Bomber: TSR2, the plane that almost was... superb equipment killed by politicians.
By the way Phantom, I think you meant "Supermarine" Spitfire....
|
|
Al Johnston
"Cheer up!" they said, "It could be worse!" So I did, and it was.
Posts: 1,453
|
Post by Al Johnston on Sept 15, 2008 8:25:33 GMT -4
I'd also go for the Lightning - perhaps contrarily the F6 version with the squared-off fin ;D
Wasn't the Submarine Spitfire our key defence against the U-boats? <duck>
|
|
Jason
Pluto
May all your hits be crits
Posts: 5,579
|
Post by Jason on Sept 15, 2008 11:21:39 GMT -4
The plane I was most excited to see at one of the Hill Airforce Base shows was the SR-71. It's like nothing else that flies. Favorite prop fighter: P-51 "Cadillac of the Skies" Mustang. The Spitfire would be runner-up, and I always thought the P-38 was an interesting plane too. Favorite prop bomber: B-17s look just like a prop bomber should look. B-29s might be my second favorite, with their Millenium Falcon-style canopy (I know, it's actually the other way around). Favorite jet fighter: the F-22 would probably be my first pick, and it makes a cool sound too, although I always thought the F-4 Phantom II looked pretty classy too, and I have a soft place in my heart for the F-14. Favorite jet bomber: B-52. Those things are monsters.
|
|
Ian Pearse
Mars
Apollo (and space) enthusiast
Posts: 308
|
Post by Ian Pearse on Sept 15, 2008 14:17:17 GMT -4
I like the Phantom too, especially the Royal Navy ones in the cool blue/grey paint job. But the Lightning edges it out for sheer raw power. If we were to go for modern airframes - it would be the Eurofighter Typhoon and the F-18 Hornet...
|
|
|
Post by PhantomWolf on Sept 15, 2008 14:56:12 GMT -4
"Supermarine" Spitfire.... Yeah I did, but it was 3am when I was typing it out, give a guy a break.
|
|
|
Post by PhantomWolf on Sept 15, 2008 15:02:06 GMT -4
|
|
Jason
Pluto
May all your hits be crits
Posts: 5,579
|
Post by Jason on Sept 15, 2008 15:16:42 GMT -4
For favorite rotor wing I would probably have to go with the UH-1. It's iconic for a reason.
|
|
Ian Pearse
Mars
Apollo (and space) enthusiast
Posts: 308
|
Post by Ian Pearse on Sept 15, 2008 16:03:42 GMT -4
"Supermarine" Spitfire.... Yeah I did, but it was 3am when I was typing it out, give a guy a break. No problem. Been there, done that... ;D Favourite rotor wing... Sikorsy SH-3D...Sea King.
|
|
Al Johnston
"Cheer up!" they said, "It could be worse!" So I did, and it was.
Posts: 1,453
|
Post by Al Johnston on Sept 15, 2008 18:42:09 GMT -4
Can't say I'm particularly enamoured of any rotary-wing craft, but I suppose if I had to pick one, it would be the Ken Wallis autogyro - aka "Little Nellie"
|
|
|
Post by VALIS on Sept 15, 2008 19:59:13 GMT -4
I work on the Challenger 300 so I'm kind of fond of it
|
|
|
Post by Ginnie on Sept 15, 2008 21:13:01 GMT -4
While I don't know a lot about aircraft, here are some that I like:
The Wright Flyer - looks like its made of matchsticks, but it flew.
The Sopwith Camel - apparently it was a S.O.B. to fly, but if you were good you could manoeuvre better than anything else out there at the time.
The P51 Mustang - I think. The one Chuck Yeager flew a lot in WWII.
Bell X1 - I love the colour, and it looks like a rocket.
Avro Arrow - nostalgia. The Canadian jet that never got made...
|
|