"What am best aircraft"?

[Leadmill]

The Tupulov Bear is a magnificent aircraft, vulnerable doesn't come close but its versatile and inexpensive when you compare it to some of its NATO counterparts.

Also I do believe the Vulcan is the best Strategic bomber ever created this side of the Atlantic, although thats not saying much.

[sekiryu]

EF2000.....because it looks cool.

[Night_raven]

The bear was the plane that carried Tsar Bomba. (50MT)

 

Besides, it's a nice aircraft, and it has couter-rotating props whacked on the front.

 

Which is nice.

[fanta101]

su-35

vulcan

harrier

spitfire

avro lancaster

best planes yah

russian helicopter gunships still beat all other heli`s

 

i give it less than a day before the americans say "american planes am bestzorz"

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but they are

 

jk

 

look at a Comanche heli tho

[inkworm]

That looks kinda like a raped harrier 

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One of a series I'm working on, done a vulc, the bbmf and some other stuff.

 

That isn't a harrier GR4, there isn't such a thing, the even numbers were used for the two seaters so it was a T2 and T4, try the GR5, that was the first of the RAF harriers to have the extended wings, effectivly an AV8-B.

 

Nice photo of a lightning, what an interceptor that was, one heck of a rate of climb.

[Leadmill]

but they are

 

jk

 

look at a Comanche heli tho

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The same one that was discontinued?

[amateurstuntman]

I know you are talking about fighters and bombers and fighter bombers etc. But someone has mentioned helicopters and I love the V-22 Osprey.

 

It is so cool.

[tank423]

i just lol at the B2

what advantage is it to have a "stealth" plane that leaves a wake begind it as big as a bomber

no so clever eh??

[Leadmill]

The Opsrey is cool, had loads of teething troubles but now they've sorted those out it makes me jealous of the US marines. Don't get me wrong the Merlin is a good helicopter but the Osprey looks so unique!

[Night_raven]

The Osprey is certainly a unique aircraft.

 

However, i sometimes wonder if the vibration caused during the rotation doesn't shake the thing to bits.

[w733commando]

Lockheed Martin F-35 JSF, a joint US and UK project.

 

Shot at 2007-08-08

 

Fits almost every requirement as a fighter aircraft.

[tank423]

but still very ugly

[fanta101]

You can name Helis. It will add to the discussion. I mean the name does say Aircraft

[Graeme]

Gotta love the Gripen JAS 39. Very sleek looking aircraft. And the E/F variant which is to appear in 2010 looks even sleeker.

[birchm]

Gonna go with the P-51 on this one, or any other WW2 fighter, just cause, given the current nature of things, I doubt the F22, Eurofighter, or whatever expensive piece of kit some air force will come up with will see major use anytime soon. So yeah, P-51 for actually being put to use and performing well, instead of whatever simulated runs the F22 and Eurofighter will be doing anytime soon.

[Graeme]

That isn't a harrier GR4, there isn't such a thing, the even numbers were used for the two seaters so it was a T2 and T4, try the GR5, that was the first of the RAF harriers to have the extended wings, effectivly an AV8-B.

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Yes, the two seaters are all even beginning with T for Training in case anyone was too thick to figure it out. I think the latest was the T10.

 

EDIT: No, sorry. It's the T12.

[fanta101]

Gonna go with the P-51 on this one, or any other WW2 fighter, just cause, given the current nature of things, I doubt the F22, Eurofighter, or whatever expensive piece of kit some air force will come up with will see major use anytime soon. So yeah, P-51 for actually being put to use and performing well, instead of whatever simulated runs the F22 and Eurofighter will be doing anytime soon.

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P-51 was a very good WW2 fighter luckily the war ended before the ME-262 (German Jet fighter fighter/bomber) could be updated / do any real damage or else the P-51 would have found its real match.

[GuzziHero]

Problem with the F35 is that in motion it is carrying huge deadweight...the VTOL engine. Russia had that idea and we laughed at them. Now the US copies Russia? Plus its ugly as pug.

 

L-M also didnt want British groundcrews to be able to work on it, wouldnt share any technical data with us until the government for once stood up for itself and said "if you dont cooperate, we wont buy any".

 

I say "Get rid of it, and make a supersonic Harrier replacement".

[-Drake-]

 

Obviously...

[Eddie182]

A few pics of mine.

 

 

 

 

 

[fanta101]

Problem with the F35 is that in motion it is carrying huge deadweight...the VTOL engine.  Russia had that idea and we laughed at them.  Now the US copies Russia?  Plus its ugly as pug.

 

L-M also didnt want British groundcrews to be able to work on it, wouldnt share any technical data with us until the government for once stood up for itself and said "if you dont cooperate, we wont buy any".

 

I say "Get rid of it, and make a supersonic Harrier replacement".

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Isn't a Harrier a VTOL aircraft? Plus VTOL is Ideal for Navy aircraft since CTOL is difficult and dangerous on a non-stable moving platform (a boat).

 

Lockheed was be protective of its highly classified components/technical data since the F35 will no doubt incorporate classified technology from Lockheed's other aircraft. As for looks? I think it's better to live in an ugly looking plane than go down in flames in a Sexy plane. Looks aren't everything and that is the last thing on the governments mind when they are choosing military equipment/vehicles its all about effectiveness.

 

*Edit* Unless it's camo or something (duh).

 

Nice pics Eddie, they were probably damn loud.

[tank423]

drake wins hands down

 

"P-51 was a very good WW2 fighter"

yes when it had the MERLIN engine put in it

even america said it was a pos with the alice(??) engine in it

[GuzziHero]

I hate the F35 with a passion. Does everything that current aircraft can do but not significantly better (except VTOL). Harrier doesnt carry a dead engine for take off...although I admit that not being supersonic, single engine and short range are not the best attributes for a naval aircraft...

 

Being protective is one thing...locking out your development/business partners is silly

 

Edit:

Friend of mine who knows far more about these things than me, says that the best aircraft would have:

 

Tornado engines

SU37 airframe

F15 avionics/electronics

 

Any thoughts on this?

[-Drake-]

I love Harriers i seen a few at an airshow a few years back but as much as they are cool they are called widowmakers for a reason.

[Leadmill]

I personally have always been fascinated by firefighting aircraft myself, theres a diverse amount of aircraft in use. From single engine Grumman Avengers in Canada, to the massive purpose built 'scoop' water bombers built by the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations. There have also been some aircraft modified for the job that wouldn't normally spring to mind.

The Evergreen firefighting 747, still under going trials but can carry 24k gallons of water.

The Sikorsky Fire Hawk has to be the coolest looking Ariel fire fighting apliance in service today.

Beriev BE 200

The Bombardiers and Canadairs used by most European countries are a bit samey to be honest.

Last but not least the S-64 Aircrane Helitanker

The UK doesn't use firefighting aircraft as we don't really need them, it rains 364 days out of 365.

On an interesting note found this during my research, and have decided I want one....