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Home Page Version 2 Forums General Discussion Fun Discussion: Favorite Aircraft and Why

  • Fun Discussion: Favorite Aircraft and Why

    Posted by John_C_Miller on July 5, 2023 at 10:17 pm

    From the Wright Flyer to the F-35, DC-3 to the A380, Huey to the Super Stallion, U-2 to MQ-9, C-172 to RV-8, what is your favorite aircraft and why? Is it the engineering, the stories, or do you have special memories with this aircraft? Geek out over your favorite flyer!

    Mags replied 1 month ago 12 Members · 13 Replies
  • 13 Replies
  • John_C_Miller

    Member
    July 5, 2023 at 10:44 pm
    30 BogiPoints

    I’ll start this forum up.

    While it’s tough to choose an absolute favorite, one that consistently rises to the top and always impresses me anytime I see one is the SR-71 Blackbird.

    The engineering behind it is probably my favorite thing. It’s mind-blowing, especially when you consider it was almost all done with pencil, paper, and slide-rules. And all that engineering was for a specific purpose: to produce an aircraft that could fly higher and/or faster than anything shot at it. And it did just that.

    One of the things that makes it even more dear to my heart though is that they were based out of Kadena Air Base in Okinawa for a while, which is where my brother-in-law was first stationed after getting selected to fly KC-135’s.

    One of my favorite stories about the Blackbird though is that technically it should have been called the RS-71. When it was first unveiled, however, the President introduced it as the SR-71 Blackbird, so the Air Force just went along with it. I haven’t verified that, but I like the story.

    • Husky

      Member
      September 11, 2023 at 5:25 pm
      15650 BogiPoints

      Has to be the Viper! Single-seat, 9G, Mach 2, Wild Weasel, Fast-FAC, multi-role victory machine. Undefeated in aerial combat (74:0).

      But I might be biased…or just flat-out right.

      Cheers!

      Husky

  • Sean

    Member
    July 6, 2023 at 8:06 am

    Love the story about how the SR-71 Blackbird got its name!

  • Cameron_Robertson

    Member
    July 6, 2023 at 3:00 pm
    365 BogiPoints

    F-15, the amount of power and ability it has alone is incredible. Airframe always looked the part too.

  • Patrick_Krueger

    Member
    July 12, 2023 at 5:00 pm
    385 BogiPoints

    My favorite plane I have flown would be either the Piper J3 Cub or the AT-6 Texan. Favorite plane ever is obviously the F-14!

  • FAFO

    Member
    July 18, 2023 at 10:26 pm
    10 BogiPoints

    Favorite plane I’ve flown would have to be the U-28. The different mission sets, stories, and people we work for make it a controlled chaos with a lifetime worth of stories and friends.

    Childhood favorite was always the F-14.

  • TheSaint

    Member
    August 9, 2023 at 4:39 pm
    5 BogiPoints

    Definitely the C-130, H and J. Low and slow ????

    • Mags

      Member
      September 5, 2024 at 10:07 am
      350 BogiPoints

      Hell yeah brother

  • Chase

    Member
    August 10, 2023 at 1:28 pm
    65 BogiPoints

    I have always yearned to fly the F-14 since my brother and I were little, playing TopGun whenever we could. It is a versatile platform and if given newer armament could contend with newer platforms (I believe).

    • Cameron_Robertson

      Member
      August 10, 2023 at 2:27 pm
      365 BogiPoints

      As an interceptor it definitely has merit just on the airframe. It would probably need to be a newer remade model but give it the latest radar and armaments and it could definitely be a contender, especially as missiles keep improving. It’s unfortunate the platform was dropped and deprived the Navy of a proper long-range interceptor.

  • Matt

    Member
    August 11, 2023 at 6:18 pm
    250 BogiPoints

    C-17 all the way, grew up across the street from the Globemaster plant and that is what brought me to pursue flying. Always wanted to fly one from the ripe age of 5

  • Noahrothberg

    Member
    August 29, 2023 at 3:47 pm
    315 BogiPoints

    F117 nighthawk bc triangle

  • emet

    Member
    September 11, 2023 at 8:18 am
    100 BogiPoints

    Favorite ever is tough because there are so many.

    The P-51 certainly stands out.

    Of those I’ve flown, I think it’s a toss-up between the Icon A5 and the T-6A.

    Once you get used to it, the T-6 is simple to fly. It feels like it has unlimited power, it’s very agile, has great visibility and air conditioning, and plenty of gas. I’m a sucker for a big prop, and it requires a pilot to actually use the rudder.

    The A5 is just a superb design…ergonomically, aerodynamically, and hydrodynamically. It’s mostly a toy, though it may be the best training aircraft I’ve ever flown.

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