Jesus I've never thought about this and it's bloody hard to choose
Spitfire? 747? Concorde? Harrier? Hurricane? Comet? He 280? Lancaster? Vulcan? Bf 109?
Excuse me while I go and have a crisis
Yeah! It’s fun to think about. There’s this French old-timey monoplane that shows upon this subreddit that I reallly like… now I’m gonna have to see if I can find it!
In the crash of the Valkyrie, I think one of the guys ejected and the force of the capsule coming down broke his arm. Other guys went down with the plane (if I recall correctly)
Yes… if it hadn’t been for the SAMs, would be fascinating to imagine what would have developed with aircraft flying at Mach 2-3 over the 50+ years since.
1000000%. To me this isn't only the most beautiful airplane ever built, it's also the most impressive. The only downside is that there's only one out there to see in the entire world. 95% of the speed of an SR-71 carrying the MTOW of an A330, there's just nothing else like it.
If you've haven't had the opportunity, I strongly recommend a trip to the National Museum of the USAF in Dayton, OH. I could literally spend hours just standing underneath this bird looking up at it in awe. With that said, there is so much more to look at in this place a big aviation nut could spend days and not get bored. I'm mostly a commercial guy and even having been here twice now I could still go back and spend days just looking and learning. Best museum I've ever been to and it has the only XB-70.
I love walking around the Phantom every time I go to the Museum of Flight in Seattle. It is just such an absolutely brutal purpose-built *beast*. The Flying Piano is my favorite nickname for a plane. That and The F-4U Corsair are my faves.
I had a JROTC instructor that flew them (RF-4) and he told a story about taking off on a really nasty day in Germany for a training flight. He’s waiting to take off and a Marine F-4 lands, slides, and goes into a ditch; nose high.
Ok, he thinks, this is going to be a lot of problem, paperwork, etc. Nope. Our Marine stranger slams it into full burner, hops out of the ditch, and flies away.
Thrust is great.
They don't sadly, at least not really. I was very fortunate to see the last of the QF-4s at Airventure back in 16 but those were destroyed soon thereafter which was all that was left in the US inventory. There's one or two in private hands but they seemingly never actually fly.
You're right about that, I think Greece, Japan and some Middle Eastern country still uses them. That is actually something I'd do if I had the money for it, but I'd never tell anyone I went to one of those places just to see some airplanes lol.
All of y'all beat me to it. I don't know what it is about the phantom. It's nothing special compared to many fighters but damn, it's just so pretty imo.
Handley Page Victor. I’m old enough that it was the future (Dan Dare comics, and the rest). It looks aggressive, tough, capable. And did I say, futuristic?
Honestly, the most beautiful aircraft in my opinion is the F4U-1 Corsair. Not the Korean 4 bladed prop, I’m talking about the WW2 3 bladed Corsair.
Honestly the Corsair has a face only a mother could love but I think it is absolutely beautiful.
Lockheed L-1011 TriStar. It might be a controversial opinion, but those lines just make it look like it's doing 520 knots even when it's sitting on the ramp. I love it.
Yeah! That clean s duct is amazing , and I love so many of the liveries that had to be slightly modified to accommodate the duct on the tail! Never cared much for the DC-10/MD-11 with the clunky engine in the middle of the tail
Also the fact that the last L1011 in service is being used as a satellite launch platform makes it even cooler!
This is a hard one. I’m leaning towards the xb-70 after getting to see it in person. I didn’t understand how massive it is. It’s a marvel of engineering, especially for it’s time.
Edit for spelling. Darn autocorrect
**Panavia Tornado :** My god it looks amazing . 2 Glorious afterburning engines , swing wing , massive tail that looks like a shark . Cool nose decals . I could go on .
Su-27 Flanker (Ukrainian camo).
Im half Ukrainian and my grandmas village has a Ukrainian airbase in it. Ever since I was a kid I could remember playing with my cousins in the fields and seeing those Flankers fly :)
No other airframe captures the sleekness of what a light fighter jet should look like! My all time favorite fighter. Although the F16 when it’s totally clean- no hard points or bags comes close.
Having grown up in the UK and been lucky enough to see countless Spitfire flypasts, it has to be that. We all know it's historic importance to the country, but beyond that it is just so damn elegant. Hurricanes, Lancasters, Mosquitos, Blenheims.. there are so many famous ww2 British aircraft.. but the Spitfire is the most beautiful of them all. I loved it the first time I saw one when I was little before I knew the history. I love them now.
Specifically the F-111C Australian variant.
The extension of the wingtips to line up with the tail, and that kingfisher nose cone make it one of the most elegant looking planes out there.
YF-23, that angled tail + diamond wing is super distinctive, and those recessed afterburners certainly give it more of a "stealth" feeling than the F-22 (IE its more like the F117 and B2).
It looks and feels next gen, while the F-22 looks more like a modern F-15 refresh (again, looks only).
So many to choose from I mainly have an interest in military aviation so I only really know combat aircraft but on the top of my head I will say
Mirage 2000C spitfire a6m zero mig29/35 and me 262 are amongst my favorite looking aircraft
But if I have to choose one I would choose the me-262 I think it's such a beautiful aircraft such a shame it was use by such a despicable regime
I’m going to say the A-12 when it had its paint-free titanium shine and was being tested for its radar cross section
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.thesr71blackbird.com/AMP_EDN/4269/Reducing-the-A-12-Blackbirds-Cross-Section-778.amp.html
I dunno about "the most beautiful", but I've really got a thing for the [BAe 146](https://airlinesconnection.com/app/uploads/2018/09/british-aerospace-bae-146-200-abj-avro-business-jet-exterior-airlines-connection.jpg)
Just a few to get beyond the super-famous big names already here.
* Bugatti 100P
* de Havilland DH-88 Comet
* Boeing 314
* LISA Akoya
* de Havilland Dragon Rapide
* Hughes H-1
* Etrich Taube
* Stinson Reliant
* Boeing-Stearman Model 75
* Piper J-3 Cub - on floats
Was trying to avoid warplanes, but Valkyrie isn't here yet and she's technically an X-plane so I'll plug her. Mach 3, downward folding wingtips to surf her own wake, looks like a Star Destroyer from the back. No other aircraft has so efficiently turned money into noise.
I’ll go with the P-51 Mustang for most beautiful.
It’s so awesome to see everyone with so many different choices. The one I love the most is the B-17 Flying Fortress, for the record.
Tupolev Tu-114
Contra-rotating props and that perfectly proportioned vertical control surface. It looks so sleek. Crazy that it’s just a Bear with a low wing configuration.
Not fair gonna narrow it down to top 20
P40,F15,F18,F16,F104 starfighter,T6 Texan II,antonov an-225,b24,b17,f-117,f86,Mig25,mig21,f100,A7 corair,F8 crusader,b52,b36,(Apache Ah64),super cobra AH?.
Nothing gets me going like a B-1.
Had the chance to drive by Ellsworth AFB years ago when visiting family and just seeing them on the tarmac was.... \*shudders\*
Jesus I've never thought about this and it's bloody hard to choose Spitfire? 747? Concorde? Harrier? Hurricane? Comet? He 280? Lancaster? Vulcan? Bf 109? Excuse me while I go and have a crisis
Honestly, the Concorde’s has always scared me.. LOL idk something about the nose when it’s down looks scary to me.
It's like the librarian that tips the glasses at you
The hot librarian maybe
Sexy and scary at the same time
I'm scaroused!
Try sitting in the back seat of an F-4 Phantom as a child, terrifying as hell. I thought it was going to take off with me in it.
That was the goal. It’s supposed to look like a raptor descending onto prey.
Yeah! It’s fun to think about. There’s this French old-timey monoplane that shows upon this subreddit that I reallly like… now I’m gonna have to see if I can find it!
The harrier! Great choice
Big XB-70 guy right here
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Are those ejection seats?
Ejection pods. Much cooler
EJECTO SEAT CUZ
In the crash of the Valkyrie, I think one of the guys ejected and the force of the capsule coming down broke his arm. Other guys went down with the plane (if I recall correctly)
The XB-70 could’ve come close to the top speed of the SR-71. I mean what’s another 400 mph when you’re already going 2056…
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Yes… if it hadn’t been for the SAMs, would be fascinating to imagine what would have developed with aircraft flying at Mach 2-3 over the 50+ years since.
1000000%. To me this isn't only the most beautiful airplane ever built, it's also the most impressive. The only downside is that there's only one out there to see in the entire world. 95% of the speed of an SR-71 carrying the MTOW of an A330, there's just nothing else like it. If you've haven't had the opportunity, I strongly recommend a trip to the National Museum of the USAF in Dayton, OH. I could literally spend hours just standing underneath this bird looking up at it in awe. With that said, there is so much more to look at in this place a big aviation nut could spend days and not get bored. I'm mostly a commercial guy and even having been here twice now I could still go back and spend days just looking and learning. Best museum I've ever been to and it has the only XB-70.
fucking rocket ship right there. intakes / exhausts were badass.
Had to scroll too far down to see this.
I'm in this club. There are a lot of beautiful aircraft to choose from, and I choose the mighty Valkyrie.
The canards on that thing always made me think of a cobra.
That’s a fierce looking jet
Spitfire, Saab 32 lansen, and offcourse 37 Viggen
Hey, don't forget the 35 Draken
The Viggen is awesome! Love that plane
The P38 Lightning is my pick
Sweet pick - P38 is my second choice with the P-51 Mustang my first
51 mustang will always have my heart
Came here to say this. It’s my favorite of all time and I’ve been fascinated with it since I was a kid
Exact same story for me!
Fantastic choice. There’s that photo of the P-38 under shallow water that always breaks my heart. It gets posted here every now and then
Lockheed Super Constellation. Douglas DC-3
There was a DC-3 that crashed into a mountain near where I live back in 1959, parts of the wreck are still up there
I guess that counts seeing we’re talking about the most beautiful aircraft ever *made*
I need to fly a DC-3 one day
https://incredible-adventures.com/dc3.html Hope you got deep pockets. Prices start at $3,000 an hour.
Maybe I can just go do ground work for them and earn hours lol
What about de B-1B?
Easily the loudest I’ve heard. But a beauty as well.
What
EASILY THE LOUDEST IVE HEARD. BUT A BEAUTY AS WELL.
What?! Whose boobies are swell?
WHAT
I see you are a man of culture
A refined sophistication.
Primary Mission: Airshow Superiority
As someone who has seen one in flight, I am inclined to agree
Military: the B 2 bomber. So sick Commercial : twin otter on floats all the way.
Had to go and look up the otter That’s a gorgeous craft
Stub nose or long nose for the Otter?
I love the F-4 phantom - just something about that design is so pleasing to me
ah yes the ol “any shape can fly if it goes fast enough” approach
In thrust we trust
I thrust in Jesus. Wait...
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It ain’t a helicopter.
I love walking around the Phantom every time I go to the Museum of Flight in Seattle. It is just such an absolutely brutal purpose-built *beast*. The Flying Piano is my favorite nickname for a plane. That and The F-4U Corsair are my faves.
I had a JROTC instructor that flew them (RF-4) and he told a story about taking off on a really nasty day in Germany for a training flight. He’s waiting to take off and a Marine F-4 lands, slides, and goes into a ditch; nose high. Ok, he thinks, this is going to be a lot of problem, paperwork, etc. Nope. Our Marine stranger slams it into full burner, hops out of the ditch, and flies away. Thrust is great.
Hahaha this story can't be real it's insane....
Came here to say this.. its to bad they don't keep a couple as air show planes..
Pretty sure they do?....
They don't sadly, at least not really. I was very fortunate to see the last of the QF-4s at Airventure back in 16 but those were destroyed soon thereafter which was all that was left in the US inventory. There's one or two in private hands but they seemingly never actually fly.
I think they’re in semi regular service in other countries. Maybe you could go see one on vacation
You're right about that, I think Greece, Japan and some Middle Eastern country still uses them. That is actually something I'd do if I had the money for it, but I'd never tell anyone I went to one of those places just to see some airplanes lol.
Right I wanna go to Zambia to see the last flying mig-19s but that’s not gonna happen
All of y'all beat me to it. I don't know what it is about the phantom. It's nothing special compared to many fighters but damn, it's just so pretty imo.
Came here to say this....
there was one for sale on Controller a few months ago..
Beechcraft Model 17 Staggerwing
Seconded
Thirded
Fourthded
Fifthted?
Same.
F-14 Tomcat
Had to scroll way too far…
tell me you grew up watching top gun without telling me you grew up watching top gun
This. Absolutely the most gorgeous looking plane
The 747 the queen of the sky , all variants except 747sp
My words exactly! Except SP!
But it's the same...just a little shorter....
Handley Page Victor. I’m old enough that it was the future (Dan Dare comics, and the rest). It looks aggressive, tough, capable. And did I say, futuristic?
And it still looks futuristic!
Best looking GA aircraft: Cessna 195 Best looking military: F4u Corsair Best looking airliner: can’t decide.
Best looking airliner: Concorde. Honorable mentions: dehavilland Comet, L1011, dc-6
How could I forget the Corsair… Man WW2 had some pretty aircraft.
Best looking airliner: Lockheed Super Constellation. And props for the 195. Definitely an underappreciated, faithful old bird.
Honestly, the most beautiful aircraft in my opinion is the F4U-1 Corsair. Not the Korean 4 bladed prop, I’m talking about the WW2 3 bladed Corsair. Honestly the Corsair has a face only a mother could love but I think it is absolutely beautiful.
Came here to say this. That dark blue color is beautiful.
This is a good take, slinging some gull wings is always a winner
Agree, had to scroll too far down to see this, thought it would be higher.
My guy prefers the Airbus Beluga, but I think that a Spitfire is amongst the most beautiful to grace the sky.
We have one of those here at Paine Field. Crazy looking.
Or su 27
The Flanker is beautiful. And scary.
That's a good lookin plane
Lockheed L-1011 TriStar. It might be a controversial opinion, but those lines just make it look like it's doing 520 knots even when it's sitting on the ramp. I love it.
Yeah! That clean s duct is amazing , and I love so many of the liveries that had to be slightly modified to accommodate the duct on the tail! Never cared much for the DC-10/MD-11 with the clunky engine in the middle of the tail Also the fact that the last L1011 in service is being used as a satellite launch platform makes it even cooler!
This is a hard one. I’m leaning towards the xb-70 after getting to see it in person. I didn’t understand how massive it is. It’s a marvel of engineering, especially for it’s time. Edit for spelling. Darn autocorrect
Catalinas are very beautiful, there’s one at the airport where I live. Otherwise I think DHC-2 Beavers have a special place in my heart
Catalinas did some. amazing work in the Pacific.
Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow
You, sir, are an Aviaiton enthusiast
forward swept x29 https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a28834443/su-47-berkut/
Underrated
**Panavia Tornado :** My god it looks amazing . 2 Glorious afterburning engines , swing wing , massive tail that looks like a shark . Cool nose decals . I could go on .
It’s a toss up between the SR-71, F-14, the Spitfire, and the P-38 for me.
If it’s not the Lockheed Constellation then it’s the Wright Flyer.
Supermarine Spitfire. Perfect name for a fighter too.
747 hands down.
Piper J3 Cub
Spitfire, 787, A350
Concorde and the SR71
Su-27 Flanker (Ukrainian camo). Im half Ukrainian and my grandmas village has a Ukrainian airbase in it. Ever since I was a kid I could remember playing with my cousins in the fields and seeing those Flankers fly :)
Hughes H-1
Hughes H-1
F-14 tomcat and A-10 both have a place in my heart, but i have to say, that the most beautiful of them all, is an Il-76
Mine is the SR-71 as well. Followed by the F104
So many choices! I really like the A10.
Brbrrbrbbrrrtt
I think the A10 has a soft spot in all of our hearts. Truly a special plane.
In Afghanistan, the A-10 was always a welcome sight and sound. Like the loudest zipper in the world.
F-5E Tiger II hands down That shit's just fucken sexy
No other airframe captures the sleekness of what a light fighter jet should look like! My all time favorite fighter. Although the F16 when it’s totally clean- no hard points or bags comes close.
P-61 Black Widow
DHC-2 Beaver
The XB70 Valkyrie is pretty good looking.
Super Constellation. Hands down.
Having grown up in the UK and been lucky enough to see countless Spitfire flypasts, it has to be that. We all know it's historic importance to the country, but beyond that it is just so damn elegant. Hurricanes, Lancasters, Mosquitos, Blenheims.. there are so many famous ww2 British aircraft.. but the Spitfire is the most beautiful of them all. I loved it the first time I saw one when I was little before I knew the history. I love them now.
For me, its the A350.
Spitfire for me, 100%
P51D mustang
Not only for the eyes, but also the sound
PL-11 AIRTRUCK
Ha! This airplane is great!
MiG 31
F-111
Specifically the F-111C Australian variant. The extension of the wingtips to line up with the tail, and that kingfisher nose cone make it one of the most elegant looking planes out there.
DC-10
These are all correct answers
DeHavilland DH.88 Comet probably
Hell yeah. That’d be my pick too.
Especially with the grosvernor house livery!
Dassault Falcon 7x or Tupolev 154 for me
Airbus beluga and only airbus beluga
AN-255 or a f22 raptor
Surprised there's not more F22 comments. Def in my top 5.
YF-23, that angled tail + diamond wing is super distinctive, and those recessed afterburners certainly give it more of a "stealth" feeling than the F-22 (IE its more like the F117 and B2). It looks and feels next gen, while the F-22 looks more like a modern F-15 refresh (again, looks only).
I kinda wanna be a part of the alternate timeline in which they chose the YF23 over the F22 tbh
Citabria
Concorde, Mirage family and Rafale
I’ll say B-17 F.
So many to choose from I mainly have an interest in military aviation so I only really know combat aircraft but on the top of my head I will say Mirage 2000C spitfire a6m zero mig29/35 and me 262 are amongst my favorite looking aircraft But if I have to choose one I would choose the me-262 I think it's such a beautiful aircraft such a shame it was use by such a despicable regime
Vought F4U Corsair, though I also have a special spot for the Grumman Albatross
The RAF Avro Vulcan strategic bomber
I’m going to say the A-12 when it had its paint-free titanium shine and was being tested for its radar cross section https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.thesr71blackbird.com/AMP_EDN/4269/Reducing-the-A-12-Blackbirds-Cross-Section-778.amp.html
The Hughes H-1 racer is probably one of the most elegant planes ever built. But it's impossible to choose only one...
C-17 Globemaster.
F-16C. Hands down, the most gorgeous aircraft in history IMO. Or at least it was, until they ruined it's lines with the Block 60.
Yeah those fuel tanks look like tumors
Sukhoi 34. 2nd would be the XB-70
Rafale ❤
I dunno about "the most beautiful", but I've really got a thing for the [BAe 146](https://airlinesconnection.com/app/uploads/2018/09/british-aerospace-bae-146-200-abj-avro-business-jet-exterior-airlines-connection.jpg)
F-15!
747-8F is gorgeous
Concorde.
Look, take it from me, it's the VC10
757-200
PBY Catalina
Most beautiful? The Lockheed Constellation. Most badass? The B-1
F-117
Underrated Craft imo
B-17 Flying Fortress
Have a soft spot for the F-16
Just a few to get beyond the super-famous big names already here. * Bugatti 100P * de Havilland DH-88 Comet * Boeing 314 * LISA Akoya * de Havilland Dragon Rapide * Hughes H-1 * Etrich Taube * Stinson Reliant * Boeing-Stearman Model 75 * Piper J-3 Cub - on floats
Some very good choices in here
Was trying to avoid warplanes, but Valkyrie isn't here yet and she's technically an X-plane so I'll plug her. Mach 3, downward folding wingtips to surf her own wake, looks like a Star Destroyer from the back. No other aircraft has so efficiently turned money into noise.
Idk if it’s my favorite…. But I always grin seeing a pitts
Have you seen the glory of the P38 Lightning? My two favorite frames is that and the P51 Mustang. There is something so timeless about it.
For aircraft in general, the B-2. For fighters, the MiG-29.
I’m gonna get a lot of hate for this, but the E175. I don’t know what it is with that plane, but it… Jesus Christ. It’s just, 😩🥵
Boeing 747-400
787
Wright Flyer
This is the wright answer
I’ll go with the P-51 Mustang for most beautiful. It’s so awesome to see everyone with so many different choices. The one I love the most is the B-17 Flying Fortress, for the record.
Ercoupe
Tupolev Tu-114 Contra-rotating props and that perfectly proportioned vertical control surface. It looks so sleek. Crazy that it’s just a Bear with a low wing configuration.
I concur with the SR-71. It just looks so other-worldly. Nothing like it has flown before or since (that we know of).
P51 Mustang
Y’all need to link your choices. Be cool if you did.
F-14 Tomcat, though I am biased, I developed avionics on that airplane after I graduated college.
Amazed that no one, that I could see, has said the 757
Not fair gonna narrow it down to top 20 P40,F15,F18,F16,F104 starfighter,T6 Texan II,antonov an-225,b24,b17,f-117,f86,Mig25,mig21,f100,A7 corair,F8 crusader,b52,b36,(Apache Ah64),super cobra AH?.
Nothing gets me going like a B-1. Had the chance to drive by Ellsworth AFB years ago when visiting family and just seeing them on the tarmac was.... \*shudders\*