Greatest Fighters
 

Cant sleep, so its time for the military channel's lists of greatest wepons. They are talking about the greatest fighters.
Can someone tell me why the F-117 is still considered a fighter plane? Its really just a neat-o plane. Its more of a marvel of technology then anything else. It has no gun, cannot go supersonic, no air to air abilities, and carries two bombs? If anything, its like a concept car. Debuts cool technology that will hopefully be used in future models. Its stealth technologies are obsolete now with aircraft using smoother surfaces and not jagged sharp lines to deflect radar.

Before I was a car nut, I was a plane nut. What is your favorite fighter plane?

Outside of the F22, the F/A-18 Superhornets are hawt!!
I also like the clean and sleek lines of the F-86 Saber. Id love to have one if I was a multi billionare.

As far as the F-117 goes, the F designation was mainly added to keep it's true role a bit more hidden. Your right it isnt much of a fighter, it would be more realistic if it was called the F/A or just A. They were first used in Grenada, but didnt go public until Desert storm. EIther way it dosent matter much anymore as most of them are retired and in moth balls. I think a couple are still flying doing R&D work.

The Raptor is nice and so is the SuperBug, but I am into warbirds. I love the P-40's specifically the early models.

P-51D mustang

There is still an F-86 saber in Monroe Ny, they built it into a slide, pretty cool if you axe me.

Valkyrie.

F4 Phantom II. very intimidating looking plane.

Nothing is better than SR-71. :nod:

I beg to differ.

XB-70 FTW.

1. Looks like Concorde :lol: - no go.
2. The top speed of Vakyrie doesn't even match the cruising speed of the Blackbird.

But anyways different strokes for different folks. Neither of them are fighter planes though :lol:

I thought the XB was supposed to eclipse the speeds on the SR? That is, until they decided to blow up and all....

In 1966 XB-70 reached Mach 3.06 and flew at Mach 3 for 32 minutes...
Blackbirds cruising speed was Mach 3.2.

Ah, still looked cooler. ;)

I'd say the F-14. Only because it was used as a true interceptor. It can be armed with ground attack stuff but it's role was simply Air to Air.

If you prefer the look of Concorde, sure! :lol:

The Valkyrie was designed as a high speed bomber. The SR-71/A-12 was a recon aircraft. None of the Valkyries blew up. One is on display at the NMUSAF in Dayton OH, the other was destroyed during a a mid air collision with an F-104. The F-104 was flying a bit too close in formation and lost control because of a vortex coming off of the XB-70's wing.

Thats kind of like taking an F-body out of the junkyard and turning it into a jungle-gym...

F14 and F15 awesome jets
And the Phantom.

Like this?

http://english.boisestate.edu/lzaerr/images/axelo.jpg

I agree. When somebody says "fighter" I think F-14.

SR-71 is awesome but it's no fighter.


Anybody ever go to the Udvar-Hazy museum in Dulles, VA? Coooooool stuff there. Like an SR-71, and the Enola Gay.

MiG-35D

it's nice to be patriotic, but when there is better technology you have to acknowledge it.

I'm personally a bigger fan of SU-37 Terminator, that thing looks badass! :lol:

Fokker Eindecker

I was also into military planes and tanks and crap when i was younger. My favorite has always been the f8 crusader. In the few games ive played with it, it was also my favorite. And there pretty impressive in person too. Last of the gunfighters :)

SR-71 was supposed to be a fighter plane for the CIA.

SR-71 is a great plane, but not a fighter.

Mig 29 always looked cool to me, but the F14 and F15 were great fighter interceptors. I love the F14's long distance Pheonix air to air missle.

I also have a soft spot for the A-6...

Post 9 and 19 :lol:


It's still my favorite aircraft of all time! :mrgreen: