What is the Greatest Aircraft Ever?

[Taliesin]

The 787. I even canceled cable since it came out. No need for anything else

[UncleFire]

My vote(s)--- 747, SR71, AV8B, B2, Concorde

Do helicopters count?? Sikorsky Sky Crane

[Highkeas]

My vote: Lockheed F-104
Runners up: Piaggio P-180 Avanti, Bristol 188 (stainless steel aircraft), BAC TSR-2, and GD B-58 Hustler.

All are beautiful aircraft.

[brianw999]

The DC3 remains my all time vote but common sense says that the major ages of flight each deserve a candidate.

So.....

1. The Wright flyer....without which the following would not have happened.

2. World travel, the propeller age....The Empire flying boats, Lockheed Constellation, Bristol Britannia.

3. World travel, the early jet age....DH Comet, Boeing 707, Vickers VC10.

4. World travel, the late jet age... Boeing 747/767, Airbus A330/340.

5. Early European and internal America's prop flight... Vickers Viscount, Convair 300/400 series.

6. Early European and internal America's jet flight....Boeing 737, BAC 1-11, MD 80/DC9.

7. The modern jet age... Airbus 380, Boeing 777, Boeing 787 ( but it had better fly soon !! )

...and then the military aircraft. In order, from the early days...

Sopwith Camel, Fokker Triplane, Hawker Hurricane, Supermarine Spitfire, Avro Lancaster, B17, North American Mustang, Messerschmidt BF109, FW190, Zero, Me262, Gloster Meteor, Sabre jet, Mig 15, B52, Vulcan, TSR2 ( shame on you, British Government ) F111, Tornado, Jaguar, F14, F16, F117, B2, Eurofighter......and the most amazing fighter ever...MIG 29.

The trouble is....no single aircraft can ever be said to the best, but for me the two most emotive from the civil and military world have to be the DC3 and the MIG 29.

...and the worst balls up by a government in that it was cancelled ..... the BAC TSR2.

[Alex - Spot-This !]

Couldn't you find a little place for the Catalina in your list Brian ?

The DC-3 is for me closely followed by the An-2, for the very same reasons... even 100 (!!!) years after their drawing there will still be many many of those two flying around for our pleasure.

[turbotraker]

Has to be to iconic Boeing 747 for me.

[TheRealAncientMarine]

Twotter.
Per

[Eric Diffoot]

SR-71 Blackbird. Built way ahead of its time and nothing has come close in performing like it.

[Highkeas]

..............and the worst balls up by a government in that it was cancelled ..... the BAC TSR2.

I agree - but I understand that the TSR-2 Olympus engines were modified and used on the Concorde SST.

The TSR-2 was cancelled in order to buy the F-111; however the F-111 never met the RAF requirements (which the TSR-2 did). This story would be a good thesis topic for a student - background has probably been declassified by now.

[SYDCBRWOD]

I like the earlier selections - I'll add another to the list:

B-58 Hustler - one of the few aircraft that could fire a bullet backwards.

[ihatemondays]

From the flights I've taken, I'd go with

1) B747-400 for LongRange

Solid as a brick but with much better flight characteristics. A smooth ride far up there, and spacy enough to spend 10+ hours. (I admit I had no chance to be on a 777 or 340 yet).

2) A319 for ShortRange

Not pretty, but powerful. Had a most impressive ride a few years back on a DLH319 from EDDW to EDDF (total scheduled time ~1h) with severe snowfall, for an hour or so it was unclear if we would fly at all. Then, a quick boarding (20 pax or so), a rather brutal takeoff acceleration and up we went. Crew was obviously allowed to go MaxPower and also on some route shortcuts, since we made up more than 15 minutes on that short trip.

[Vishal Jolapara]

Eric is that a real photo ?
If yes then WWow !!
Love the SR-71, incredible in everyway !!!!

Built way ahead of its time.......

A little too ahead of its time
It soo under-photographed (if there is such a word), just imagine that Blackbird rocketing in or out of Fairford or some of the other more spotter frequented airbases

[THYman78]

I am new to this forum so please furgive me if im wrong in saying this but.....


....in my opiniyon the A300/A310 range of aircraft are possibly THE BEST aircraft of all time!!! It looks great, sounds spectacular and was revolutionary for its time and even still is today!!!

[tommyalf]

Any that don't crash when I fly on them.

[THYman78]

Any that don't crash when I fly on them.

I couldn't agree more!!!!