Your Favorite Real Aircraft and Why?

[kukulino]

Yeah, the MiG-21F-13C FishBed, and the MiG-29. Both are beautiful birds

I absolutely agree with my friend gerald.

But I like Mig-21 in general (all versions, but for this time I like geralds Mig-21MA version more... ). It is big piece of the aviation history :fans:

And Mig-29? I haven't got words for this beautifull bird

 

No migs, no glory!

Edited December 16, 2007 by kukulino

[Kirsten]

Your own F16-MLU Dave with almost 2000 dl's in the mean time, (with Blck 50 pit and a few little things changed)), for the earlier period the F104 G with the fine modified FM by Baffmeister and before that Armourdave's Hunter Mk6 with some tweaks, all with our own KLu skins.

Covers almost the whole Cold War.

 

Aju,

 

Derk

[+column5]

The F-14. It was not the best fighter ever built, but its combination of performance and technology perfectly represents a time when the USA was still strong.

[Jug]

It's kinda hard to pick one jet

when there are so many to choose from ^_^

I like the American jet's more than the rest, F-15 is my favorite

1 wing landing with no fatal injuries! damn thats one good jet :)

 

 

As an old cold warrior, how can you not love Mikoyan-Gureyavich's finest, the MiG-25. Overwhelming brute power and persistantly underestimated fighting ability. Same as my western favorite, the Thud. Then again, I like muscle cars too!

[Russkie Raider]

I like the F-22. I saw it in action at an airshow and fell in love with it.

 

However, the MiG-31M has to be close to it in my favorites. Any Cold War aircraft that can go Mach 3.03 is impressive. Plus their new Arrow missile outdistances the Phoenix by a long shot. (300 Km!!! )

[Stacks]

Subject says it all.......

 

I'm a big Skyhawk fan! Mainly the A-4M version with the Avionics hump. The Tinker toy! I also got say the Dassault Rafale.......Beautiful Jet!! Can we please get a mod of this jet for DL?!?!

[+Dave]

Your own F16-MLU Dave with almost 2000 dl's in the mean time, (with Blck 50 pit and a few little things changed)), for the earlier period the F104 G with the fine modified FM by Baffmeister and before that Armourdave's Hunter Mk6 with some tweaks, all with our own KLu skins.

Covers almost the whole Cold War.

 

Aju,

 

Derk

 

Derk

 

Thanks, but I mean real world aircraft.

[MigHound]

Subject says it all.......

 

I have to break it down by country, and era I think, because Nesher is right.

It's impossible to pick, just one.

 

Modern aircraft, proven in combat, I'd have to say, the following are my favourites...

 

McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle = United States.

Sukhoi SU-34 Fullback = Russia

Panavia Tornado GR Mk. 4 = Germany, Italy, UK

Dassault Rafale C = France

AIDC Ching Kuo F-CK 1A = Taiwan

 

Cold War:

F-104D Starfighter = U.S.

Blackburn Buccaneer S.2C = U.K.

Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-25P Foxbat B = Soviet Union

Dassault Mirage IIIE = France

Nanchang Q-5 Fantan = China

 

WWII:

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX - UK

Focke Wulf F.190D = Germany

Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk = U.S.

Mitsubishi Ki-43- Mk.IIIB = Japan

 

Birds that didn't make it:

Being Canadian, naturally, I have to whine about the Avro Arrow Mk.1

Northrop YF-23A Black Widow II = U.S.

[+SayethWhaaaa]

How can anyone pass the KT-40/A-40?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_tank

http://aeroweb.lucia.it/rap/RAFAQ/KT-40.html

 

 

...Forget that F-22 bucket o' bolts/P.O.S. Mark my words, this is the future!

[+Hinchinbrooke]

50s/60s Fleet Air Arm:

 

Scimitar

Sea Vixen

Buccaneer

 

Fly Navy!

 

 

Other than late mark Spits, love those too.

[+streakeagle]

How can anyone pass the KT-40/A-40?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_tank

http://aeroweb.lucia.it/rap/RAFAQ/KT-40.html

 

 

...Forget that F-22 bucket o' bolts/P.O.S. Mark my words, this is the future!

 

The USAF made an update to that design, and called it the A-10 :)

[DirtyBirdFA]

As an old cold warrior, how can you not love Mikoyan-Gureyavich's finest, the MiG-25. Overwhelming brute power and persistantly underestimated fighting ability.

 

Good call on the Foxbat. Was not one credited with downing a Hornet during the first night of the Gulf War, or was that just wishful thinking on the part of the Iraqi Airforce?

 

Oh and gotta add the U-2 to the list....flying as close to the heavens as possible.

[sparkomatic]

though I cannot deny an affinity for the B-ONE...want to talk about brute strength? and speed?

[Kirsten]

All right Dave, sorry.

But, being a "Child of the Cold War" my answer is the same: F16, F104G & Hunter in their times kept the Russkies out of my back garden.......

Further: F16 is the dependable workhorse since '79 , F104 same in the sixties and seventies, much underrated, and the Hunter was part of the backbone of the W. European air defence in the turbulent fifties.

One addition: Beaver floatplane....... (fond memories of last summer)

 

Aju,

 

Derk

[Jimbib]

The Hawker Hunter. Every single time, sheer beauty.

 

Edited December 17, 2007 by bibbolicious

[+Major Lee]

Just look down... You'll see them. As for particular versions, I'll take the P-47N and F-86H.

[+JediMaster]

Looking at all those listed here and thinking about it, my answer is...I don't have one!

[+Typhoid]

my favorite one(s) are those that I flew.

 

Nothing beats flight time, doesn't matter what the airframe is!

 

Edited December 18, 2007 by Typhoid

[+FastCargo]

my favorite one(s) are those that I flew.

 

Nothing beats flight time, doesn't matter what the airframe is!

 

 

Amen brother!

 

FastCargo

[+Major Lee]

Amen brother!

 

FastCargo

 

Why would one "fly" a simulation when the real thing is available? I am truly baffled at this..

[+Typhoid]

Why would one "fly" a simulation when the real thing is available? I am truly baffled at this..

 

because I have been sentanced to flying a desk for the last several decades......

 

 

:(

[ezlead]

Having flown the RF-4b,A-6a,EA-6a and the TA-4j,I would have to pick the F-4 Phantom.

However,The Phantom was my 409 powered muscle car,the Intruder my cadillac and the Skyhawk was my austin-healy sprite or mg midget.

The IDF/AF named the Phantom correctly when they called it Kurnass(I believe this means Sledgehammer)

It had the power and the punch!!

Before they put in a gun it was still deadly.

But as Fast and Typhoid said "The one you were flying at the time was the best."

[+Typhoid]

Having flown the RF-4b,A-6a,EA-6a and the TA-4j,I would have to pick the F-4 Phantom.

However,The Phantom was my 409 powered muscle car,the Intruder my cadillac and the Skyhawk was my austin-healy sprite or mg midget.

The IDF/AF named the Phantom correctly when they called it Kurnass(I believe this means Sledgehammer)

It had the power and the punch!!

Before they put in a gun it was still deadly.

But as Fast and Typhoid said "The one you were flying at the time was the best."

 

I'd have to say the most fun one, for both time that I flew it, was the TA-4J.

[Viggen]

I'd have to say the most fun one, for both time that I flew it, was the TA-4J.

 

 

There's something about the A-4 that can put a smile on nearly anyone's face* ! I don't know if this is just me though. But when it called the Scooter of Tinker Toy you have to laugh. I guess...if you want to look at it as though it was a pet or a girl or something you could say the Skyhawk is well cute!

 

 

*NOTE- Not ment to become a "What about the people who died or crashed or ejected from them in combat?" hate post

Edited December 19, 2007 by JA 37 Viggen

[Buzzard 72]

New poster, thought I'd add my thoughts...too many planes with too many things to like.

 

As for the US inventory -

 

Top billing has to go to the F-14 Tomcat - a childhood fixation that grew with more knowledge about just what the plane was capable of and what the pilots who flew it thought.

 

Next would be the F/A -18 series, after some minor reticnece over the mothballing of the premier fleet defence fighter I've grown to appreciate this plane for what it is and can do.

 

Finally but certainly not last the A-10 'Hog - Really an ingenious use of modern tech and time and tested battlefield knowledge produced a deadly CAS aircraft. Not to mention I have a cousin who yanks one of these flying artillery positions around the sky, Go Assam Dragons!

 

 

From the Brits -

 

Gotta say the Harrier - True innovation

 

Followed by the Jaguar - I'm not even sure why I like this plane

 

 

Soviet Bloc -

 

Flogger series planes - They intrigue me and I want to know more

 

SU -25 Frogfoot - Another interesting plane of Russian design, by all accounts a great CAS plane.

 

Vietnam Era

 

This is tough but I'll say this: The Thud and the Rhino are a definite tie. Followed by the F-8 Crusader.