NASA's X-43A Scramjet. Mach 9.6 (almost 7,000 mph) is hard to beat. The first model was only 12 feet long, but.....the future is full of surprises.
I have always loved ground-attack planes. As mentioned already, the Warthog. Also like the A-6 Intruder and haved always loved the ordinance capacity of the A-1 Skyraider.
I have a soft spot for the F-104. Here was a concept after and before its time. The Starfighter was really the first true energy fighter ever produced. Kelly Johnson produced an aircraft that was a fighter pilot's dream. Here was an aircraft that could literally outfly its own weapons!
I've always had a soft spot for this lovely lady... The Grumman F7F Tigercat...... two big round ones, a little tiny waist and purrs like a kitten! s-s-s-s-s-s-s-e-x-x-y-y-y-y!!!!! -whatever -Lou
I have always liked the post war British aircraft. The BAC Lightening, Hawker Hunter, Vulcan, Valiant, Victor bombers, the BAC-111 airliner and the TSR-2. I was thinking that aircraft was probably superior to the Tornado and could have been had a decade earlier for much less money. The C-5 is fun to watch on landing approch. It just looks like it is hanging in the air. On the ground if you stand under the rear fuselage and look up to the elevator it makes you wonder how the thing flys at all. So many of the US armed forces aircraft are so really old. The B-52, KC-135, C-130, T-38, T-37, CH-53, C-5, P-3, and the S-3 Viking are all 30+
I've always thought the lines of the Dassault Mirage series were very graceful, and the new Rafale just screams sexy! However, one of my all time favorites, the Mirage 4000 never reached production. Instead only four examples were built, eventually being used as the test bed for the Rafale. ...and I can't seem to upload a nice pic of it. Here's a page with a pretty flying shot: Mirage 4000 Other close contenders for my favorites are: Mirage IV F-104 Migs 17 & 21
That's a TR-1 not a U-2. Just thought you might want to know (the wing pods make it a TR-1). As an interesting aside, Kelly Johnson used the F-104 fuselage as a starting point for the U-2....
Yeah, Richard.... Vulcans were WAY cool! They were like a big old bat with a REAL bad attitude! When I lived in Omaha, there were two of those bad boys stationed out at Offutt AFB - they used to fly over all the time in their landing pattern - low and slow - ....nice looking jets! -whatever -Lou
Beautful aircraft, met a vulcan pilot last year, he lucky sod! On the other hand, if I had the money I'd keep one of these bad boys?!
I've always thought the Douglas X-3 Stiletto was sexy in a 'Plan-9/Buck Rogers' kinda' way. I mean, really.... put on a silver mylar space suit and screw a glass bubble helmet on your head, and you're ready for the STARS! BEAM ME UP, SCOTTY! -whatever -Lou