The "Pictures of the World's Coolest Aircraft" Thread

[Kramerman]

aww... poor MIG...

[Kramerman]

some one posted that exploding plane and this one on another thread, but i think its ok for me to borrow them...

Here is an F-18 Hornet. Its inferior to the F-14 in both looks and performence, in my opinion, but none-the less its has largely replaced the much larger and more expensive F-14 Tomcat.

[Daz]

Suhoj Su-27

[BeBMan]

This one is cool

http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/URG/xf5u.html

[Menlas]

Ok, not really an aircraft but still impressive

The russian Ekranoplane ("Caspian Monster") :




And a nice one of the french Rafale :

[Paul Hanson]

A bit lacking on the European plane front here, so let's even the balance out a bit with the Tornado IDS.

[yavoon]

as far as I know the f22 has vectored thrust, the f23 did not. and that was the selling point.

[Zylka]

The Ekranoplane is hilarious. Are those pre landing rocket artillery tubes up top???

[Arrian]

The Spitfire & Mustang were both awesome combinations of looks and utility.

The ME-262 was pretty cool lookin' too, I think. No links, me lazy.

-Arrian

[Garth Vader]

Whacky German planes

He162


Me163


And the 262 as requested

[Chemical Ollie]

Suggestion for German tag line: Built by rocket scientists!

[Chemical Ollie]

Here's the plane that ruled the skies over the Baltic Sea in the 50's. It was used in bombing raids by Swedish UN troops in the Kongo war 1962. That's the only time the Swedish Airforce has been used in lethal action.

After the WWII, SAAB designed a fighter aircraft with swept wings and built around the license-built Ghost engine (RM 2, 2.270 kp). Due to the large cross section of the engine, the aircraft was from the beginning was nicknamed ”Flygande tunnan (the Flying Barrel”).

SAAB 29 was developed primarily as a fighter-interceptor aircraft, but versions for reconnaissance and attack were also produced. Totally 661 SAAB 29 were built.

The A 29B was the fighter version J 29B modified for attack missions. In addition to the built-in four 20 mm automatic cannons with 180 rounds each, also armour-piercing rockets (several alternatives) and napalm bombs could be carried, the latter instead of drop fuel tanks.

[Eli]

Everyone say it's ugly, but that's how true war planes need to look. Not like sleek and shining F-22s, but like real flying monsters ready to blow things up at every moment.

[Az]

actually, "slick and shiny" servs a very important purpose.

It helps to shoot down green flying monsters.


Oh, and that's a great photo of the Me-163 "Deathtrap"

[GePap]

Scary looking fellow:



A German classics:





And the fastest interceptor ever:



Anothe Sukhoi pic: beautiful planes and never dainty:



And why can't I find any decent pics of the Il-2 Stormavik?