Most beautiful aircraft?

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andya700

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I have always had an interest in aircraft, from the time I first made models, and then witnessed a Hawker Hunter jet doing a low pass when we were on holiday near Formby.
But what is/was the most elegant/beautiful of them all?
Pick one propellor driven and one jet/turbofan aircraft.


Propellor - Turbo prop - Piaggio Avanti

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VoyeqgSpo4

Jet - Tupolev TU160

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmckIurIg6E
 
I'm not much of an aircraft nut but I've always thought the old WW2 planes were beautiful machines. The spitfire is probably my favourite, but my Grandad was the pilot of a Lancaster bomber during the war so that's well up there. I'm not so sure that I'd describe modern jets as beautiful. They're very much all about function and performance, in an odd way I suppose that's beautiful too though.
 
That's a toughie

Prop - I really like the aggressive look of the ME109 but for 'beautiful' I'd choose the obvious Spitfire or P51 Mustang. Mustang may just edge it for me.

Jet - There's lots of fantastic looking planes but for sheer beauty I can't really pick anything over Concorde.
 
For me I would suggest a P51 Mustang (but with a Spitfire in a very close second).

For the Jet I would choose the Hawker Hunter.
 
Prop for me would be the mustang

Jet for me would be the Vulcan closely followed be the victor.
 
For a conventional jet aircraft, the VC10 was good looking

Concorde is very elegant

For a WW2 aircraft, how about the Mosquito, a very purposeful looking plane.
 
mortimerhill said:
For a conventional jet aircraft, the VC10 was good looking
Click to expand...

Aside from Concorde, my vote would go to the VC-10 as well. Two still in service as well, at least for the next few weeks anyway (possibly longer as the RAF has said one will be at the Fairford air show in July this year).
 
Jet - Handley Page Victor

Prop - Vought F4U Corsair
 
Prop: Spitfire

Jet: Hawker Hunter

Civil: Lockheed Constellation
 
Very difficult question! I have quite a few faves and narrowing them down to just one prop and one jet is extremely difficult but for me it would probably be:

Prop - Douglas DC-3

Jet - Boeing 747 (any series/variant)

:)
 
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Prop- probably the Mosquito

Jet- Lockheed Blackbird

Maybe neither are beautiful but there is something about them
 
Prop = Spit' or P51 Mustang. There's a Mustang that lives at Hardwick airfield and often flies around our house over the summer.

Jet = Concorde
 
Prop, has to be the Spitfire. There's one flies around Mid / North Kent quite a bit in the summer.

Jet the Gumman B2 Spirit.
 
viv1969 said:
Prop, has to be the Spitfire. There's one flies around Mid / North Kent quite a bit in the summer.

Jet the Gumman B2 Spirit.
Click to expand...

That would probably be the "Kent" or "Spirit of Kent" Spitfire which is based at Biggin Hill Ruth.
It is a real joy to watch and listen to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTZAfXta7ww


I went a bit "left field" with my choices, because I knew that lots of people would go for Spitfire/Concorde.

I thought about a few others such as the Locheed Constellation, Supermarine S6B (Schneider trophy winning plane), De Havilland Rapide, Rockwell B1, VC10 and the Vulcan.
 
andy700 said:
That would probably be the "Kent" or "Spirit of Kent" Spitfire which is based at Biggin Hill Ruth.
It is a real joy to watch and listen to.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTZAfXta7ww


I went a bit "left field" with my choices, because I knew that lots of people would go for Spitfire/Concorde.

I thought about a few others such as the Locheed Constellation, Supermarine S6B (Schneider trophy winning plane), De Havilland Rapide, Rockwell B1, VC10 and the Vulcan.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that Andy....She has a sound all of her own :D
 
For the prop, I'd like to say the P-51 Razorback, but I can't not say the P-38 Lightning instead. There's just something about that plane that's captured my attention since I first saw one on a war doc, then seeing it at Flying Legends last year! WOW.

Jet, I'm not too sure. Maybe the EE Lightning, if not the Victor. Such cool looking planes :)
 
Spitfire for me in the prop field

and Tornado in the jet field - just has that look of raw power :)
 
Prop- F4u corsair


Jet- tough choice, so many good ones and many so close to my heart, but I'll have to say Gloster Javelin.
 
For me, the Spitfire (in all mk's) with rounded wing tips wins the prop option

and like Tom above, I'd punt for the Gloster Javelin for the Jet.
Partly for looks, partly as it's one of aircraft my grandfather worked extensively on in the RAF.

TCR4x4 said:
Jet- tough choice, so many good ones and many so close to my heart, but I'll have to say Gloster Javelin.
Click to expand...
 
Prop: Spitfire, Jet English Electric Lighting
 
Prop, shorts SD360

Jet, B757 / A380

My definition of best looking reads as 'ones I have earned the most money from'. Every time I look at those above I get a little tear in my eye......
 
Waaaay too many to choose from :D

Mosquito was beautiful, but then so was the Spitfire and the Me BF109

The Avro Vulcan was a lovely example of power and fluidity and the English Electric Lightning was a strangely ugly pretty beastie that never fails to put a smile on my face.
 
Oh please???
Mustang? It's hideous!
Boeing 757? Like a stick insect!
F86, would you date a woman who smoked that much?

Someone will suggest the phantom next, or a Jaguar! In fact the only attractive thing a Phantom ever did was shoot down a Jaguar, unfortunately both aircraft belonged to the RAF.

Granted the Spitfire must come in the top 2 or 3, but there can only be one winner here.
The English Electric Lightning!
 
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The F86 sabre is pretty damn sexy too. I have a bit of one somewhere. Infact I have bits of most of the aircraft mentioned on here!
 
The Burt Rutan pond racer has to be one of the most beautiful aircraft ever made. and the Geebee R3 has to be the most beautiful aircraft never made, well apart from a few RC models.
 
Prop - Lancaster

Jet - Phantom
 
Don't know why so many people picked the Victor - it fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down.

Prop - Mosquito
Jet - Lightning

I might have chosen the Vucan had I not served 3 years at Waddington

Alan (30 years in the RAF - 1970-2000)
 
Great thread!

Props - tough one! Avro Anson is a lovely plane, as is the DC3. The Lancaster is a lovely plane, but there really is no argument... Spitfire... a gorgeous aircraft from every angle, great sound too.

Jets - not really my thing, although the Comet was very graceful, but the Vulcan is my fave.
 
haha, brilliant - you've got to keep watching!

[YOUTUBE]n_4Bchis7aI[/YOUTUBE]
 
Almost impossible to answer, just like the "if you could only have one car?" question.

Props - Spitfire

Jet - SR71

David
 
Spitfire. Dad used to drag us to air shows and the jets were great and noisy, but it was the Spitfire that had it for me. I particularly remember it coming from behind the flying line over our right shoulders, banking hard round to fly off over our left shoulders. Must have been on full chat and almost vertical. Magical sound you cannot mistake and a simple, beautiful shape.

Vulcan Mk2 - like XH558. With Concorde a very close second. Clean lines, elegance and poise unparalleled in any other aircraft. I remember one doing a touch and go on the runway in front of us, lifting seemingly vertically into the air, the noise was phenomenal and the ground shook setting off all the car alarms.
It'll be a shame when XH558 goes to bed for good at the end of this season.
 
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