10 best looking American Aeroplan’s
Here I am discussing about Best looking American Aeroplan‘s. The results were a mouthwatering array of beautiful machines, with a couple of big surprises. Do you agree with the choices? Any list like this is extremely subjective by nature and I tried to make some heartbreaking omissions to narrow it down to only ten (among them the gorgeous Staggering, F-106, P-38, Electra, B-1B, Vigilante and Constellation). Let me know in the comments section what else deserves a mention.
1. Grumman F-14 Tomcat:
Few other aircraft have been so successfully glamorized as the Grumman F-14 Tomcat was in the 1986 film Top Gun. Even before then, the aircraft had a dedicated following that appreciated its impressive size and muscular good looks, often further heightened by colorful unit markings, but after the movie, it became a superstar in its own right.
Aggressive shoulder-mounted air intakes, twin-vertical tail and variable geometry (or swing-wing) combine in generally massive proportions giving the F-14 Tomcat an appearance as formidable as the aircraft itself. Best looking American Aeroplan’s.
2. McDonnell XP-67 ‘Monbat’:
The Monbat was one of three distinctly odd designs submitted to meet R-40C, the other two being XP-54 which had a twin-boom rear fuselage and pusher propeller and the swept wing pusher Curtiss-Wright XP-55. The unusual shape of the Monbat derives from the concept of a blended wing, whereby the fuselage blends seamlessly into the wing.
The result of this blended wing was an aircraft of smooth and sleek appearance. The XP-67 (later dubbed ‘Monbat’) was cancelled, it appeared just as the jet age was dominating future fighter concepts, and was considered risky. Though unsuccessful, the attractive XP-67 was the first aircraft design from the McDonnell company which would later create such famous and successful designs as the F-4 Phantom II.
3. Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird:
According to pilot BC Thomas, “The aircraft was one of the first to employ stealth technology, thereby ensuring that the airplane was almost invisible to radar. Its speed and altitude also cloaked its presence. During this time of sparse reconnaissance satellite coverage over potential enemy targets, the SR-71 could sneak up, gather vital information, and leave the area without warning, and often without notice.”
With a top speed of over Mach 3.5 and the ability to reach altitudes sixteen miles, or 25,908 m (85,000 ft), above the Earth, the Blackbird was an astonishing machine in a league of its own. Even today, sixty years after its first flight, no jet is faster than the SR-71.
4. Northrop YF-23:
The massive V-tails of the F-23 are unconventional, as are the simple underwing air inlets for the engines. The combination of the unorthodox and the sleek gave the YF-23 a sinister look quite unlike anything else. Like the SR-71, the YF-23 has an exotic futuristic appearance that many observers found extremely exciting.
The YF-23 lost to the F-22 for several reasons, including the fact that the YF-23 would have likely been (even) more expensive than the F-22. The YF-23 design looked to have been more heavily optimized for radar stealth, and to achieve this, the wing design had been compromised; the result was a less efficient wing design.
5. North American XB-70 Valkyrie:
Angular and distinctly space-age in appearance, the Valkyrie was also vast – at 185 feet it was only 17 feet shorter than the Concorde. And it’s perhaps the most impressive aircraft ever flown. Boasting a top speed exceeding three times that of sound, and an all-up maximum weight exceeding half a million pounds (227,000kg) , the North American XB-70 bomber was an extraordinary machine.
Answering a 1954 requirement for a replacement for the B-52 bomber, which required an aircraft of strategic reach that could attack the Soviet Union, with nuclear weapons, with impunity. Slowly the requirement grew in ambition calling for a higher and higher top speed.
6. North American F-86 Sabre:
Over 9800 North American F-86 Sabres were manufactured serving with 31 air arms from the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe and Australia. On 18 May 1953, Jacqueline Cochran became the first female pilot to break the sound barrier, flying a Canadian-built F-86 Sabre Mk 3.
Key to the Sabre’s good looks, were its uncluttered lines combined with the brutal simplicity of its ‘mouth’ intake. Again, the combination of polished aluminum and a sleek low-drag shape created an aircraft of unquestionable beauty. And it was far more than a pretty face, no less test pilot than Eric ‘Winkle’ Brown, loved the Sabre, describing it as a ‘jet Spitfire.’
7. Ryan ST:
Whereas many of the aircraft on this list have predatory or menacing appearances, the plucky ST speaks of innocence and adventure. It first flew in June 1934 and soon proved itself a popular sport aircraft. The name ST stands for ‘Sport Trainer’.
Even in an era awash with beautiful aircraft, the ST stood as a machine of superlative beauty. The ST benefits from its timing, in 1934, the biplane-era was not over, and many of the characterful design features from this time were spilling into the next age of monoplanes.
8. North American P-51 Mustang:
Added to the visual appeal of the P-51’s was its often unpainted finish, revealing its glorious, polished aluminums skin. The bubble canopy of many Mustang models not only improved the view for the pilot but added a more modern look to the airplane.
The North American P-51 Mustang was far more than just beautiful, its ability to fly huge distances enabled it to escort US bombers over Germany and fight defending aircraft, massively increasing the bombers’ survivability, and doing much to diminish the Luftwaffe. The P-51 Mustang’s role in the Allied victory was extremely significant. Over 15,000 Mustangs were produced.
9. General Dynamics F-16XL:
Compared to a regular F-16 the ride was smoother at high speeds and – somewhat surprisingly – at low altitudes. The baseline F-16 was already the longest-range fighter in USAF, but the fuel load could now be increased by a hefty 82%. The F-16XL could carry twice the ordnance weight of the F-16 and deliver it 40% further.
The USAF wanted a fighter-bomber capable of deep air interdiction missions without fighter or jammer support. A design based on F-16XL was offered, eventually losing out to the F-15E. After various research for NASA in support of supersonic transport research, including sonic boom characteristics and engine noise, the XLs ceased flying in 1999.
10. Republic XF-12 Rainbow:
The Rainbow featured a radical turbo supercharger arrangement, where spent exhaust gases were channeled through a narrow oval jetpipe providing an extra 300 horsepower of thrust.
Though immensely capable, by the time the Rainbow had flown, the war had ended and the modified B-29s were performing the long-range reconnaissance mission. Additionally, the Rainbow was not a jet aircraft, and the jet engine was about to dominate high-speed flight. With a likely top speed over 460mph, it was, however, the fastest four-engine piston aircraft ever flown.