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What is your favorite aircraft of all time?

Stearmen

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,202
I found this dramatic photo, miss labeled, as an SR71, it is actually, an A12 Cygnus! The single seat predecessor to the SR71, flown by the CIA.
609fb24728f0e9c68974306936c415ab_zpst2ammbbt.jpg
 

Ralph_Phillips

One of the Regulars
Messages
118
Location
Texas & Australia
The red, white, and blue Beech !8 I saw sitting on the ramp in Lancaster, Texas, in 1967. I was three years old and ready to buy it and fly it but my mother got in the way of that. It was the very first flying machine I ever noticed and I knew it had to be the fastest thing on earth.
 

nick123

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,371
Location
California
Mine changes all the time. Maybe the T-28. I'm amazed by the B-36. Maybe a Beech Staggerwing on the civilian side.
 

Siggmund

One of the Regulars
Messages
111
Location
Bellingham, Washington
As a young boy I spent many exciting hours flying my "P-51" swing set in Grandma's backyard, so I have to say my dream would be to fly a real P-51. Powered by a Merlin, it has the lovely, throaty purr of the Spitfire but the Spit is surely the most elegant of all WW2-era planes. But the plane I study the most, looking at pictures and reading as much as I can find, is the B-17 - all models. I live near Seattle and Boeing Field has a terrific flight museum that enlivens my sentimental connection to the Lady. Next in my book (after the Spit) is the devastatingly stylish F4-U Corsair. Wicked.
 

Redshoes51

One of the Regulars
Messages
278
Location
Mississippi Delta
so I have to say my dream would be to fly a real P-51.

Some years ago, we had a small air show here where I live... a small place in the Mississippi Delta... and the star of the show was this gorgeous P-51... the pilot put on a bit of an exhibition for us... he did a slow gradual take off... and then suddenly accelerated into this great climb... the sound of that engine was unreal... but the really neat part was when he did this 'strafing run.' The sound alone would have terrified me.

Another time, I was visiting a friend in another city... we were in a shop... and I could hear aircraft engines that just didn't sound like 'everyday' engines... I hurried outside just in time to see a P-51 and an F4U pass over side by side....

I felt so lucky to see those aircraft in flight.

~shoes~
 

Stearmen

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,202
Currently having a huge crush on the P-61! I wish I'd be able to go to the USA when the MAAM will do the first flight of their Black Widow.
You can never go wrong with two P&W R2800s! Remember, "if God had intended for man to fly behind inline engines, Pratt & Whitney would have made them!"
 

Stearmen

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,202
I was watching The McConell Story the other night. While they got the aircraft all wrong in the different time periods, it did remind me, the P-80 with Fletcher wing tip tanks was a great looking bird! Here is a Colorado Air National Guard P-80, plus the Minute Men of the Colorado ANG.
F-80B%2045-8521%20COLO%20ANG%201954%20USAF%202_zps9ubxgiaw.jpg
F-80Cs_Minute_Men_Colorado_ANG_zpsttnlz9so.jpg
 

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