72modeler Posted March 20 Posted March 20 I have a bet with one of my UK friends, who has a slight affection for the Hawker Hunter, and has stated that it is the most beautiful fighter ever built, including the Spitfire, Needless to say, I hastened to defend the Spitfire's honor; my personal opinion is that the Hunter is arguably the most beautiful jet fighter ever built, but that the Spitfire, depending upon the version, has to be considered as the most beautiful fighter of all time. What say you? Mike 4
Karearea Posted March 20 Posted March 20 Not sure, there are so many beautiful fighters I can never land on just one. Certainly circa Mk.IX Spitfires with the pointy rudder would be permanent top five. Also Hunter, Hawker Hart et al, Dassault Mirage IIIC, Rafale etc etc. That said I think the fighters I most admire are those that are perhaps ‘purposeful’ rather than ‘beautiful’. Always loved the Tiffie for example. 2
Andy H Posted March 20 Posted March 20 Westland Whirlwind. You can all go about your normal business now. 😉 4 7
PLC1966 Posted March 20 Posted March 20 Hawker Hunter, easy peasy. Oddly enough two were on FR24 round Lincoln yesterday. 1
gingerbob Posted March 20 Posted March 20 Not the Fairey Flycatcher? Just kidding- that one (sorry, those who admire it) strikes me as one of those airplane-like sculptures that might be made by a scrapyard out of odds and ends. The Hunter is lovely, but from certain angles (plan view?) there's a slightly clunky lack of refinement to some of the proportions. I like it better with the dog-tooth than without. Much as I love the Spitfire, I'm having a hard time eliminating the Tigercat (specifically F7F-2N) as a contender. I also love the Whirlwind, but I wouldn't call it conventionally "beautiful". But I'd leave them all for a Percival Mew Gull... (not a fighter, but at heart I'm a lover, not a fighter.) bob p.s. If you're going to get all technical and tell me to answer the question, the Spitfire wins by a nose. I think of the fighter variants, the VIII is the MOST beautiful. 4 2
GiampieroSilvestri Posted March 20 Posted March 20 (edited) Most beautiful fighter aircraft of world war two without any doubts Fiat G55,Macchi MC202/205,Reggiane Re2005 and the Mig-3.My favourite Spitfire version is the LF MkXVI with clipped wings and bubble canopy.Jet fighters Sukhoi Su-27/30/33/34/35,the Grumman Panther and the Mirage III. Saluti Giampiero Edited March 20 by GiampieroSilvestri 2
PLC1966 Posted March 20 Posted March 20 4 minutes ago, gingerbob said: But I'd leave them all for a Percival Mew Gull... (not a fighter, but at heart I'm a lover, not a fighter.) bob If you are opening the gates I would go for a Caravelle, but for aircraft that do Military things, Hunter by a mile, maybe a Draken, then a Spit MkVIII, maybe a Starfighter slips in there, Tigercat as above.....Gnat is lovely little thing...... 1
-Ian- Posted March 20 Posted March 20 The Hunter's definitely a looker but I've always been quite partial to the F-5/F-20/T-38 family too. For piston engine fighters I'll go for the Spitfire, MiG-3 and Ki-61. 2
gingerbob Posted March 20 Posted March 20 2 minutes ago, -Ian- said: ...but I've always been quite partial to the F-5/F-20/T-38 family too. Oh yes, nearly mentioned them. Except for the F-20, it is the two-seaters that I like the shape of more, though. Not that I DON'T like the single seater...
Giorgio N Posted March 20 Posted March 20 I am personally a big fan of the Spitfire, however I may have to agree that the Hunter is an even better looking aircraft ! Particularly in early GA.11 configuration (original radome and no guns). Now is the Hunter the best looking fighter ever ? Hard to tell, afterall there have been a a number of serious contestants to the title... can only agree with some of the suggestions read above, Mirage III, F-5, Tigercat, Re.2005.. all beautiful machines. The Rafale too is IMHO a great looking thing and I loved the original Rafale A demostrator even more. I may add a few more that did pretty well in this regard like the F11F Tiger or the later Dassault deltas (the 4000 even more than the 2000) Finally one I know is not as elegant as the others mentioned... but since beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I must admit that I have a soft spot for the Taiwanese F-CK-1... 2
ckw Posted March 20 Posted March 20 I'm not sure the Hunter or Spitfire would even make my top 5. Perhaps the Mosquito for me - such a clean, coherent design, and with the beautiful shape of the DH tail fin. Going back a bit further in time, I love the look of the Albatros D.III Cheers Colin 2
tempestfan Posted March 20 Posted March 20 Whirlwind, Sea Hawk and Mirage IIIC. If Hunter, then the early 1s. And if a certain brutish force may replace some elegance, then of course Tempest V and the earliest Crusaders. 1
Jure Miljevic Posted March 21 Posted March 21 I am with Karearea on this question and have always preferred war machines over aestethically pleasing aircraft. I have strong affinity on Hawker piston engined fighters, Fury, Hurricane, Typhoon, Fury (postwar) and especially Tempest. Cheers Jure 2
Giorgio N Posted March 21 Posted March 21 27 minutes ago, Jure Miljevic said: I am with Karearea on this question and have always preferred war machines over aestethically pleasing aircraft. I have strong affinity on Hawker piston engined fighters, Fury, Hurricane, Typhoon, Fury (postwar) and especially Tempest. Cheers Jure The Hawker wartime fighters may be more mean looking than traditionally beautiful but the Fury biplane was IMHO also a very elegant machine. In my personal list of good looking aircraft it's my favourite biplane fighter
Jure Miljevic Posted March 21 Posted March 21 Absolutely, Giorgio N, especially long-nosed and streamline undercarriage legged Fury Mk.II. Cheers Jure
JohnT Posted March 21 Posted March 21 Interesting read through the replies above and guess what - Sir Sydney Camms designs crop up in almost every other post. Hawker Fury biplane, the Hart, yes early Hurricane, Sea Hawk, Hunter Hard call as between Spitfire and Hunter but if forced I'd go for one of each as the obvious way out of the impossible decision. Now if you had been talking bomber then there is only one contender for that title ever - Handley Page Victor. Nothing else comes close. Anyone mentioning the Blackburn Blackburn go to the naughty corner and face the wall 1 1
Charles H Posted March 21 Posted March 21 (edited) Sukhoi Su-27 etc (I agree with Giampiero above!) SAAB Gripen and Dassault Rafale are also amongst my favourites. But maybe F-22 Raptor, EE Lightning and P-51D Mustang, for different generations! Charles Edited March 21 by Charles H typos
tempestfan Posted March 21 Posted March 21 (edited) 2 hours ago, Bandsaw Steve said: Have none of you people ever seen an F-14 Tomcat? Yes, all of us, and that's precisely why it has not been mentioned Edited March 21 by tempestfan wrong emoji 2 3 1
tempestfan Posted March 21 Posted March 21 28 minutes ago, JohnT said: Anyone mentioning the Blackburn Blackburn go to the naughty corner and face the wall I was about to say Avro Bison. 1 3
Giorgio N Posted March 21 Posted March 21 2 hours ago, Bandsaw Steve said: Have none of you people ever seen an F-14 Tomcat? Yes and it's my favourite aircraft ever ! Yet while I love the big Cat I find the design attractive but can't say it's as "classically" beautiful as others. 38 minutes ago, JohnT said: Now if you had been talking bomber then there is only one contender for that title ever - Handley Page Victor. Nothing else comes close. B-58 ? Ok, not close to the Victor, actually several miles above ! 😜 1 4
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