# Your picks for the most famous planes



## Antimatter (Feb 16, 2008)

I wanted to do a theme of models for famous planes. What would be your picks? So far I have the Spirit of St. Louis, Wright Bros. plane and Bell X-1. What others would you suggest that are out there to build?


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## steve123 (Feb 9, 2009)

That's almost a personal question/decision. I love all aircraft..

It's your shelf, which ones do _you _love?

My shelves have E-Boats,Missiles,Funny cars. Tanks, and Aircraft, lots of aircraft....lol


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## Antimatter (Feb 16, 2008)

steve123 said:


> That's almost a personal question/decision. I love all aircraft..
> 
> It's your shelf, which ones do _you _love?
> 
> My shelves have E-Boats,Missiles,Funny cars. Tanks, and Aircraft, lots of aircraft....lol


What I need is ideas of aircraft that fell into the history of flight.


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## steve123 (Feb 9, 2009)

If you insist...I do seem to have a pretty extensive aviation library...lol


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## hedorah59 (Nov 24, 2008)

Hmmmmm.... Spruce Goose is famous, maybe the X-15... I'll have to think some more. You can do military planes like the Memphis Bell or the Enola Gay as well.


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## scotpens (Sep 6, 2003)

hedorah59 said:


> Hmmmmm.... Spruce Goose is famous, maybe the X-15... I'll have to think some more. You can do military planes like the Memphis Bell or the Enola Gay as well.


Any list of historic aircraft would certainly include famous racing planes like the Gee Bee and the Supermarine Schneider Trophy winners. And the Spitfire, of course. And famous firsts like the Messerschmitt ME-262, and . . . WHO did you say is gay?


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## alex1485 (Feb 13, 2009)

what about the Antonov An225?


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## scotpens (Sep 6, 2003)

alex1485 said:


> what about the Antonov An225?


Antonov was gay?


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## surfsup (Apr 19, 2009)

OK Here is a list of Famous Aircraft:-

Adolf Galland's ME-109
Memphis Belle B-17
Spruce Goose
Avro Lancaster G for Gorge
Tommy Maguire's P-38 
Enola Gay B-29
Flak Bait B-26
Douglas Bader's Spitfire
Bell X-1
Wright Brothers Flyer
Amelia Erhard's Lockheed Electa
Spirit of St Louis.
Guy Powers SR-71 Blackbird


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

This really isn't answerable by a buncha hobby guys surfing hobby bboards, and I doubt even published aviation experts would agree on a definitive list. Best to go find a nice generic book on the subject.

I'll give it a shot and probably leave out a lot:
(in roughly chronological order)

Wright flyer
Wright Model B (fitst military aircraft)
Fokker Eindecker (first prop-synchronized machine gun)
Sopwith Pup, Camel and Triplane
Fokker Dr.1, D VII and D VIII
SPAD XIII
Curtiss Jenny
Spirit of St Louis
Hawker Fury
Boeing P-26
Beachcraft Staggerwing
Piper Cub
Nakajima "Nate"
Curtiss P-40
Messerschmitt Bf-109
Junker Ju 52
Douglas C-47
Nakajima "Kate"
Grumman Wildcat
Mitsubishi Zero
Hawker Hurricane
Junkers Ju 87 Stuka
Supermarine Spitfire
Junkers Ju 88, Dornier Do 17, Heinkel He 111
Focke Wulf 190
Lockheed P-38
North American P-51
Republic P-47
Boeing B-17
Consolidated B-24
Boeing B-29
Kawasaki Ki-45 "Nick"
Messerschmitt Me-262
Lockheed P-80/F-80
Republic F-84
North American F-86
MiG-15
N.A. F-100
Lockheed F-104
Republic F-105
Convair F-106
Cessna 150
McDonnel-Douglas F-4 Phantom II
MiG-21
Convair B-36
Boeing B-47
Boeing B-52
Grumman F-14
North American F-15
General Dynamics F-16
Northrop F/A-18
Rockwell B-1
Northrop B-2
Lockheed F-22

And that leaves out important steps in the 1930s I can't think of without checking references, and I'm concentrating on military developments while leaving out important civil aviation developments like the DH Comet, Boeing 707, 747, Burt Rutan's genius work, etc, etc...


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## modelgeek (Jul 14, 2005)

Great list John!


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## MightyMax (Jan 21, 2000)

Antimatter said:


> I wanted to do a theme of models for famous planes. What would be your picks? So far I have the Spirit of St. Louis, Wright Bros. plane and Bell X-1. What others would you suggest that are out there to build?


 
Wiley Posts' Winnie Mae

All of Al Williams' Gulfhawks


Max Bryant


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## Steve244 (Jul 22, 2001)

steve123 said:


> If you insist...I do seem to have a pretty extensive aviation library...lol


Hungry Jack breakfast demo kit? What in god's name are you up to?


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## HAT1701D (Mar 18, 2000)

Can't forget the XB-70 Valkyrie...............Or the B-58 Hustler...or the............

Here we go...the list is very dependant upon the individual. BUT most definently, the XB-70 should be on the list.

HAT1701D


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## steve123 (Feb 9, 2009)

Steve244: well, there was this pancake waitresss see? Anyway, I'm trying to impress this girl. And I gets this idea see?
Steve


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## alex1485 (Feb 13, 2009)

scotpens said:


> Antonov was gay?


its still the biggest plane ever made.


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## steve123 (Feb 9, 2009)

How could they copy a plane that big?....lol What was the source of the "Idea"?...I'm kidding, back then the Russians actually thought up some of their own ideas... back.. then. Tick,...tock...


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## alex1485 (Feb 13, 2009)

to carry the buran space shuttle....


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## aric (Jun 23, 2009)

Hawker Hurricane. 

It won the battle of Britain, battle of France, defense of Malta, destroyed the artillery at El Alamein and carried out the air defense of Russia while the spitfire got all the good press,


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## Antimatter (Feb 16, 2008)

John P said:


> This really isn't answerable by a buncha hobby guys surfing hobby bboards, and I doubt even published aviation experts would agree on a definitive list. Best to go find a nice generic book on the subject.
> 
> I'll give it a shot and probably leave out a lot:
> (in roughly chronological order)
> ...


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

But I _did _leave out a lot that I just didn't happen to think of. The B-58 and XB-70 _should _be there. And a lot of others.


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## steve123 (Feb 9, 2009)

Alex, My buddies at Lockheed used to call the AN124 the Galacski
and the Buran was a copy too....


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## alex1485 (Feb 13, 2009)

steve123 said:


> Alex, My buddies at Lockheed used to call the AN124 the Galacski
> and the Buran was a copy too....


Ya but did our Space Shuttle ever fly without pilots?


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Not on purpose.


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## alex1485 (Feb 13, 2009)

i didn't mean that


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## alex1485 (Feb 13, 2009)

what about that plane that flew non stop on 1 tank of gas?


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## scotpens (Sep 6, 2003)

Pidg said:


> Learjet 23 ---- First purpose built turbojet powered bizjet


And still one of the most beautiful aircraft ever built.










alex1485 said:


> what about that plane that flew non stop on 1 tank of gas?


In 1986, Burt Rutan's Voyager flew nonstop around the globe without refueling.


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## RMC (Aug 11, 2004)

dont forget these planes too

Douglas Skystreak D558-1
Convair Sea Dart
Culver cadet


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## Medic17 (Jul 25, 2010)

Great List John P...but lets give the Gruman hell/wildcats some love, and The Duantless, and TBF.... Now I am happy!


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## Y3a (Jan 18, 2001)

How about Johnny Livingstons Clipped wing Monocoupe? The first racing plane with fairings to reduce Drag? How about the Gee-Bee R1/R2? How about A-12/SR71/SR71a? Northrops Flying Wings, or his Alpha and Gamma?


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## irishtrek (Sep 17, 2005)

B-17
B-24
B-25
B-29
F-4 Phantom II
F-16 XL, delta winged version
P-51
P-40
P-38
All Lockheed blackbirds


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## Seaview (Feb 18, 2004)

I'm surprised at you guys; none of your lists includes one of the most easily identifiable and famous aircraft of the 20th century; The Junkers 87 STUKA. :dude:


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## Tone (Jan 21, 2006)

The DC-3 is at the TOP of my list ! ! ! ! !


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## MadCap Romanian (Oct 29, 2005)

Anyone mention the Romanian I.A.R 80 and 81? It shot down more Mustangs and Lightnings than any other plane in the 2nd WW.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Famous Planes is really difficult because what constitutes famous? There are also a lot of things like national pride, etc. that influence choices. Someone in the UK will probably pick something like the Sopwith Camel, Avro 500K, Spitfire, Gloster Whittle, Meteor, Canberra, etc. Someone in Germany will say the Fokker Triplane, Messerschmitt 109, etc. You get the picture. 

I would pick these:

Wright Flyer (first controlled, powered manned flight)
Richthofens Fokker Dr. I (recognizable around the world)
Vickers Vimey (first plane to cross the Atlantic)
Mitsubishi Zero (to the general public any Japanese fighter from WW2 is a Zero)
P-40 from the AVG (again very recongizable world wide and important in the War)
B-29 (greatest WW2 Bomber and plane that carried the A Bombs)
Messerschmitt 262 (first operational jet fighter)
Bell X-1 First plane to break the sound barrier
Douglas Skyray (early operational tailless delta wing jet)
F-111 (first? in service variable geometry jet)
Hawker Harrier (VTOL Jet)
F117 Nighthawk (first operational Stealth jet)

You can see where I am going here. A lot of firsts.

It doesn't mean the Spitfire or Corsair aren't great but they are just one of many very similar successful World War II fighters. basically the same as the P-40 which is on the list. Same with a lot of other jets. Its not that the XYZ isnt good but its an improvement over existing planes. Much like the X-15 is not so novel compared to the X-1 which came first.


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## alfaslot1 (May 27, 2005)

Douglas Skyraiders of any type would top my list.


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