Most Beautiful Aircraft Ever Built

[challenger_II]

The most beautiful airplane ever built was the 747 that hauled me out of Korea, after being stuck there for two years!

 

[BJC]

The most beautiful airplane ever built was the 747 that hauled me out of Korea, after being stuck there for two years!

Big discussion this am at coffee about the 747. The 6 or 7 airline drivers here all lauded the handling and performance of the 747. Best ever, according to them.


BJC

 

[geraldmorrissey]

Back in the early 90's JAL asked Boeing to develop a 747 variant with fixed gear for short runs to islands around Japan. Taking out the retracts saved 3,000 lbs that could increase seating capasity. No gallies, no lavs just seats. Buddy of mine worked on it, he was on the team that designed the worlds biggest wheel pants. In the end JAL backed out and the worlds most beautiful airliner wasn't turned into the ugliest.
Gerry

 

[AJLiberatore]

View attachment 108079View attachment 108080

And they're both English

Did anyone notice the "YASA" as in YASA Motors on the new Racer?

I have had the pleasure of meeting some of their team at the EVTechExpo here in MI and their were hints of an Av project before they could talk about it.

BTW...
The Solid State Battery Players are lining up with Auto Manufacturers. VW w/ Quantumscape, Ford BMW Hyundai with Solid Power, and GM with Solid Energy Systems SES to name a few. Gen-Av will perhaps benefit, QS has mentioned interest from that sector and immic Solid Power and SES has had no-mil UAV's tested with their batteries per press releases.

Beautiful planes with E power enabled by the Solid State battery Revolution that is coming, perhaps that is a thread for somewhere around 2026-2027....

 

[Ried]

Need a flight picture of the previously mentioned DH88.

 

[BJC]

Need a flight picture of the previously mentioned DH88.

That is a beautiful airplane. Saw it at Sun n Fun about 25 years ago.

Thank you Tom Wathen.


BJC

 

[Little Scrapper]

Always thought the DC-3 and the Stinson Reliant were beautiful. Hard to walk by either one without stopping and admiring them.

 

[EzyBuildWing]

Propeller-driven with over 5,000 HP twin gas-turbines installed...... this "Thunderscreech" airplane from Republic in 1955 was the loudest aircraft ever built........
Also one of the best looking futuristic propeller-aircraft of all time......ever......
Like something out of science-fiction....... hats off to the boys at Republic......
Take a look at the incredible animations in the vid:

 

[cblink.007]

Bell XV-15. Progenitor to the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey.

 

[BJC]

Bell XV-15. Progenitor to the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey.

Proof positive that the adage, “There is someone (or airplane) for everyone” is true.


BJC

 

[Tiger Tim]

Big discussion this am at coffee about the 747.

The 747 is iconic and just special somehow. I don’t know if I’ll ever see a passenger version fly again but at work we used to stop what we were doing when we saw one on short final and pick up again after we watched it land.

I’ve tried not to chase tin in my flying career but if the company I fly for got 747s I don’t think I’d care what the pay or schedule were, I’d try to bid onto it.

 

[Appowner]

Most beautiful would suggest there is also an ugliest airplane out there. But I have yet to see an ugly airplane. They all have their charms IMHO.

 

[BJC]

Most beautiful would suggest there is also an ugliest airplane out there. But I have yet to see an ugly airplane. They all have their charms IMHO.

Yup, some are, like a pet, so ugly that they are cute,

A former neighbor, and restorer of the first Pitts S-1S,
https://flic.kr/p/wGRnxh had an ugly Pug. Really ugly. He would put it in a shopping basket at the box stores, and every woman in the store would stop to pet the Pug and and talk to him.

Probably works with some airplanes at fly-ins, too.


BJC

 

[Dan Thomas]

Yup, some are, like a pet, so ugly that they are cute,

Probably works with some airplanes at fly-ins, too.

Yup. The Dormoy Bathtub:



I saw one of those at Arlington in the 1970s. There was another homebuilt, the Replogle Slug, that was even uglier. I can't find a picture of it.

As far as certified aircraft, the Transavia Airtruk must be the ugliest.



I think it might have been posted in this thread a while back.

 

[cblink.007]

Howabout this quaint little thing... the Starr Bumble Bee II? Not sure if ugly or pretty...but understandably curious!

 

[cblink.007]

Proof positive that the adage, “There is someone (or airplane) for everyone” is true.


BJC

I've made a great career out of those crazy tilt-rotors!

 

[syclone]

 

[Rhino]

I've made a great career out of those crazy tilt-rotors!

Our aircraft were more conventional, but some said what we did with them was kinda crazy.

 

[Riggerrob]

Dear Dan Thomas,
Were you referring to the Replogle Gold Bug N68642, which sort of looked like a tri-motor version of the Skybaby ultralight?

 

[BJC]

Dear Dan Thomas,
Were you referring to the Replogle Gold Bug N68642, which sort of looked like a tri-motor version of the Skybaby ultralight?

When I saw it, at Rockford or early Oshkosh, it had the VW. As soon as Merle landed, he got out and used a can of spray paint to touch-up the paint job.


BJC