What's the best LOOKING fighter plane ever?

Post by **weemadando** » 2005-12-21 10:18pm

For insane, I watched an RAN Sea King a few years back down 60 degree or so banking turns... I did not know that those old birds could handle that kind of shit.

WarScarab · Post by **WarScarab** » 2005-12-22 03:17am

Seconding a previous post, my personal favorite is also the P-51 Mustang.

Absolutely stunning, especially with the chrome shined up. Cadillac of the sky!

Hawkwings · Post by **Hawkwings** » 2005-12-22 07:20pm

Absolutely marvelous!

Neko_Oni · Post by **Neko_Oni** » 2005-12-23 01:20am

The Su-27, because Russian planes always look cool.

Damaramu · Post by **Damaramu** » 2005-12-23 03:44pm

Macunaima · Post by **Macunaima** » 2005-12-23 05:20pm

I'm not very fond for the looks of delta-winged aircraft, but the F-16XL looks sweet.

Plekhanov · Post by **Plekhanov** » 2005-12-23 09:54pm

I second theski with the YF-23 I really like the almost perfectly flat parallelogram wing with the fuselage & engines bulging out from it, it's a beautifully sculpted shape, sorry these phtos don't show it too well but it's the best I could find.

Stepping back a few generations of design for some reason I really like the Fairey Swordfish

Though I suspect my admiration of the crews who flew those elderly tangles of wires right through WWII may be influencing my judgement.

Post by **weemadando** » 2005-12-23 10:14pm

I think that the delta wing is wasted on the F-16XL. The F-16 looks nice as is.

The Mirage series however - THOSE are beautiful delta wings.

fuzzymillipede · Post by **fuzzymillipede** » 2005-12-24 12:40am

XFI-1 Pogo

Sure it's a little strange looking, but it grows on you...

Plekhanov · Post by **Plekhanov** » 2005-12-24 12:44am

fuzzymillipede wrote:XFI-1 Pogo

Substitute the word "silly" for "best" looking in the title and you might actually be on to something.

Seggybop · Post by **Seggybop** » 2005-12-24 04:22am

But it's so cute!

Anyway, I agree with those choosing the Su-47.

The forward swept wings give it a very futuristic look, and the black/red paint scheme seals it.

VF5SS · Post by **VF5SS** » 2005-12-24 12:15pm

The Vertijet is so much better than the pogo.

DesertFly · Post by **DesertFly** » 2005-12-24 05:07pm

I've always enjoyed the lines of the Supermarine Spitfire. It's got very sexy lines for a WW2 plane.

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2005-12-24 06:33pm

how is it I just had the austin powers voice gong through my head when I read that last post.

Spitfire: do I make you randy baby, you want to shag after I'm done shooting down those jerries? oooh a hellcat, I bet she's a minx in the sack.

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2005-12-25 03:12pm

The Horten Ho229 never went beyond the prototype stage, but it would be the sexiest thing to ever come out of Germany if Franka Potente never had existed.

I mean, it is an Art Deco flying wing! What could possibly be cooler?

LordChaos · Post by **LordChaos** » 2005-12-26 09:03pm

SR-71, but it's not a fighter....

B-1, but it's not a fighter....

F-20, cause it IS a fighter... and damn good looking in gloss black.

(WWII honors go to FW-190A... oh, what a sweet looking bird.. why couldn't it have been on the good guys side?

)

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2005-12-26 10:34pm

LordChaos wrote:SR-71, but it's not a fighter....

Well, there was the YF-12

Instant Sunrise · Post by **Instant Sunrise** » 2005-12-27 02:43am

phongn wrote:
LordChaos wrote:SR-71, but it's not a fighter....
Well, there was the YF-12

With or without the drone?

Uraniun235 · Post by **Uraniun235** » 2005-12-27 04:44am

I've seen the M-21 (it's another Blackbird model) at the Museum of Flight in Seattle. Impressive plane.

felineki · Post by **felineki** » 2005-12-27 01:12pm

Hawkwings wrote:http://people.freenet.de/bartels-buxteh ... 0baron.jpg

Absolutely marvelous!

http://www.whatihaveread.net/i/0571.jpg

Well now that we've set the precedent for joke posts in this thread, I can't help myself:

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2005-12-27 01:41pm

I vote for the Vought XF5U Flying Flapjack!

Look at those lines! That Grace!

Post by **Broomstick** » 2005-12-29 05:42am

Probably will suprise no one that I have a bias towards prop planes and don't much care for jets (well, the Blackbird is sexy just from speed, but it ain't a figher).

My vote is for biplanes. Although that picture tharkun posted of one sitting in the snow makes me shiver just to think about flying it. Yes, that open cockpit and 120 mph speed is all very romantic until the hypothermia sets in. Brrr!

Best WWII look: I've always liked the lines of the Corsair.

VF5SS · Post by **VF5SS** » 2005-12-29 11:57am

felineki wrote: Well now that we've set the precedent for joke posts in this thread, I can't help myself:

Yay, Vic Viper!

I support the R-9A Arrowhead as the best looking fighter.

Medic · Post by **Medic** » 2005-12-30 09:59pm

Entirely too many big-bellied thunderbolts and straight winged successors to it. The most photogenic american aircraft I can think of is the F-15, almost every angle is a good shot. My personal fave though is Russia's Su-37 (or the identical Su-35) like this one in Ace Combat 4's "Yellow Squadron" colors.

Not even a crude toy can detract from it's sexy, sleek features.

Very sexy indeed. That and it looks positively fearsome, but perhaps this is an opionion influenced by it's capabilities and sheer size. Like this pic, all the missiles and hardpoints are viscerally impressive; the ideas "firepower" and "combat effectiveness" and "pwnage" come to mind and that's usually appealing to the mind but damnit, it just looks cool too.

brianeyci · Post by **brianeyci** » 2005-12-30 11:24pm

Well now that we've set the precedent for joke posts in this thread, I can't help myself:

This party's over muthafukas.

Brian