Your favorite fighter jet or plane

[Resonator]

That would be the sr-71 blackbird, never seen one in person, she's a oldie now, but have they made a aircraft faster yet? And it's a spy jet not a fight jet !

Grew up looking at pictures and watching video's of the SR-71 Blackbird, my opinion by far one of the most outrageous planes ever built. No other aircraft could fly at a SUSTAINED Mach 3.2, and at 78,000+ feet.

Interesting history the aircraft was designed on paper with a slide rule (long before the computers of today) by a true genius named Kelly Johnson. He also designed the P-38 lightning, one of the most radically different fighter planes of it's day. He had a hand in some 40 different airplane designs for commercial and military purposes during his career. He also was a founding member of "Skunk Works", the secretive program that developed high tech aircraft from the cold war up to the stealth fighter age.

[Bruno of NH]

Skunk Works has a jet in the works that only makes a dull thud when it breaks the sound barrier.
That's a game changer 

[HemlockKing]

The heat friction from the speeds of Mach 3.3 caused the titanium to expand so much that it had to be built loose, on ground it would leak fuel, take off with 1/4 tanks and immediately refuel after getting into flight

[customsawyer]

I will say that when you are on the ground and a A-10 comes in supporting you, it is a mighty welcome sight. It will at that point become your favorite fixed wing bird. Another is the Apache and Cobra helicopters. Absolutely amazing what those two birds can do when supporting ground troops.  I have also always been impressed with the C-130. The places I have seen that bird land and pick us up is truly impressive, not to mention all the different applications they have for them.

[doc henderson]

we have a Cosmosphere Museum here in Hutchinson.  part of the college, but also World renowned.  



Cosmosphere | Hutchinson, Kansas

if we ever have and event here, it is a neat spot to see.

[Chuck White]

A friend of mine was a command Sgt major at ft drum NY. The a10s would do target practice there and he'd take me out so we could watch. Quite impressive.
My favorite jet is the f-4 phantom seconded by the prop driven A-1 sky raider.

I like the A-1 Sky Raider, I was a crew-chief on an A1 (tail number 555) when I was stationed in Thailand, back in 69-70.
Their primary mission was SAR (Search Air Rescue)!
I saw one come back after a mission with a hole up through the wing that 3 of us on a maintenance stand could stand inside of!
They're tough, and retired!

[dougtrr2]

My favorites would be the A10 and SR71 and the engineering behind them.
I liked the comment on one of the A10 videos:

"If you hear the Brrrrt, he wasn't aiming at you.

Doug in SW IA

[muggs]

How about the B-52 and arc light in VN. Also the cobra chopper.

[Corley5]

P 51 Mustang.

[realzed]

  

 I think the absolute coolest fighter plane I've ever seen was either the P51 Mustang, or the old Corsair prop planes.  We occasionally watched them do mock dogfights, and it is amazing to think about being in that kind of gun dogfight.  

I agree on the Corsair - it is in my humble opinion the best and neatest looking aircraft ever made!
All business yet so very unique looking and fast and deadly for it's time..
Both a beauty and a beast all rolled into one!
Ask the Japanese all about "Whistling Death" and what they thought about them.. 

[Tacotodd]

@realzed "Blacksheep Squadron" TV show as a kid, pappy boyington! I loved that show. OOH RAH! Flying Marines, airborne nightmares to the enemy hehehe!

[Dakota]

My favorite is also the SR-71.  As an Air Route Traffic Controller for the FAA, they flew into my air space from time to time.  They always came from the west at 100,000 ft. Plus.  Their altitude was classified, thus not shown on their computer tag.  We never knew how fast they were going because the computer couldn't lock on to them to get the speed.  If we needed to get their actual altitude because there was another one  operating  within one half of the United States, there was a code book available with that information.  We never talked to them, just monitored their flight. When they came from the West, and making a 180 degree turn to go back over the Pacific Ocean, they started their turn as soon as they crossed the coast line.  They were going so fast, they couldn't complete their turn until over  eastern Wyoming.

[GAB]

Does anyone know how many SR-71's were manufactured?
GAB

[Tacotodd]

GAB, I don't know.

 But I like this one  air_plane

[Resonator]

32 SR-71's were built, 12 were lost in accidents, and a few ended up on display or in museums after they were retired. None were ever shot down, standard procedure was for pilots to outrun missiles that were fired at them.

[K-Guy]

My favorite for looks has always been the P-38, i think if it had had a redesign(more powerful engines) in 1942 it could of out flown even the P51 but it had great firepower. Right Yamamoto??!!

But as a Canadian, my favorite will always be the Avro Arrow. It never went into serious production because Ike sold PM Diefenbaker a load of BS and sold us that turkey called the Bormac missile. Then all engineers moved to the US and put developments from it into the F-14, F-15, etc

[GAB]

32 SR-71's were built, 12 were lost in accidents, and a few ended up on display or in museums after they were retired. None were ever shot down, standard procedure was for pilots to outrun missiles that were fired at them.

Thanks,
GAB

[firefighter ontheside]

I've read about the Arrow @K-Guy .  That would have been a great matter of national pride that got "shot" down even though it apparently would have been a great plane.

[K-Guy]

I've heard some aviation experts say that they figured with upgrades it could of been a top fighter into the 90's.

[firefighter ontheside]

Have you all heard or read the story of Clint Eastwood crashing in an A-1 Skyraider when he was in the Army.

[HemlockKing]

32 SR-71's were built, 12 were lost in accidents, and a few ended up on display or in museums after they were retired. None were ever shot down, standard procedure was for pilots to outrun missiles that were fired at them.

And to add to that comment only 125 pilots were qualified to fly the SR-71 ever 

[Bruno of NH]

My favorite for looks has always been the P-38, i think if it had had a redesign(more powerful engines) in 1942 it could of out flown even the P51 but it had great firepower. Right Yamamoto??!!

But as a Canadian, my favorite will always be the Avro Arrow. It never went into serious production because Ike sold PM Diefenbaker a load of BS and sold us that turkey called the Bormac missile. Then all engineers moved to the US and put developments from it into the F-14, F-15, etc

It just read up about the Avro Arrow 
Boy Canada dropped the ball bad on the one .

[doc henderson]

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/the-day-clint-eastwood-almost-drowned-after-crashing-in-a-us-navy-skyraider-off-the-coast-of-northern-california/

[John357]

Messerchmitt 109 !!

[Raider Bill]

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/the-day-clint-eastwood-almost-drowned-after-crashing-in-a-us-navy-skyraider-off-the-coast-of-northern-california/

Think how much history would have changed if he hadn't  survived.