There's actually no other option, other 2 planes than made the list are based on the Tomcat 😍, and not only it's a Hollywood Star, it's also an Anime Star because VF-1 Valkyrie, and VF-0 Phoenix from Macross (and Robotech) are heavily based on the Tomcat, and the newer VF-25 Messiah it's like a Tomcat had a baby with a Flanker
F86 is way prettier than the F22 and certainly way more effective (in its' time) than the way overrated Su27. I am a Phantom II fan, but it's not an exceptionally pretty plane.
The Draken was particularly singed out by the LWF Mafia, when they studied existing in service aircraft, as having low wing loading and a good P/W Ratio, in researching the critical performance parameters, and objectives for the YF-16.
Sweden has a couple overlooked beauties that were way ahead of their time and absolutely gorgeous: the J35 Draken and the J37 Viggen, in their forest green "Splinter" camouflage pattern of course!
If you ask the SR-71 crew that had a bit of engine trouble over the Baltic sea. 29th of June 1987. I think a JA-37. at least was the most beautifull aircraft in the world.
the entire rest of the world was overlooked completely 😂 a certain amount of US patriotic bias is natural from a USN vet, but maybe the title should be "most beautiful US military jets"...
Yeah, I thought it harsh it was on the ugly list - but it was categorised as 'v-bomber' group - with a photo of the Victor tanker...... which yeah, was ugly as hell !!! Surprised the Nimrod didn't make that ugly list too !!!
You left out the F-86. It became a multi-role airplane and was used y 28 countries. Almost 10,000 were built in five different countries - U.S. Australia, Canada, Italy and Japan. Operationally, it proved itself in several conflicts all over the world. And, it is a beautiful airplane.
Amen ... such a complicated platform and extra points for her 3 man "ejection pod" with it's own "Guillotine" to truncate it's "Fly by Hard Wire" controls ... and she continued to serve the Aussies for 2 decades; we had several crashed units we spliced back together with Forward/Aft sections at GDFW.
My first permanent duty station out of avionics tech school was Mountain Home AFB, home to the F111F's. I followed the F111A's out of Nellis over to Korat, Thailand. When I returned stateside, the F's went to England I transferred to NM for the new F15A. I've always had a place in my heart for the beautiful old bird, and it's great to see others can see the beauty through the nick names.
The first airshow I went to, and the first fast jets I ever saw live, was a tight formation of three F-111's that went overhead at low level. Imagine that? There was no warning, but I heard just in time to spin around and see them approaching. The F-14 is an amazing aircraft, looks more threatening, but the F-111 with wings swept back (like these three) was pure & simple sci-fi. Spaceships!
N. Vietnamese called her "Silent Death" as she could go Mach at 100ft off the deck ... top speed 1,674 (Mach 2.2) with her TTR (analogue Terrain Tracking Radar). Impressive no doubt.@@johnlacey155
@@sandgrownun66 I'm puttin' a word in for the de Havilland Sea Vixen - mad as a frox of bogs and twice as lovely! Actually - can I change my mind and vote for Thunderbird III ..
I'm not so sure about it being left to the side: It gave enough of an impression to Shōji Kawamori (during his research into Test Flight settings that resulted in the background story of Macross Plus in 1995) that he made the YF-21, which it's Fighter-Mode has a striking similarity to the RL YF-23...
While I don’t think that the Phantom II is a classic beauty, it has a brutal appeal. A rhinoceros is only evolutionarily threatened by a perverse appeal to poachers, fueled by odd Asian medical practices. It’s a brute when not put up against poachers and their firepower. So is an A-6 and a hippo. Rethinking this, the F-4 is a bit like a tyrannosaurus in animal terms.
@@tonyennis1787The Germans called it the Eisenschwein, Fliegender Ziegelstein, and the Luftverteidigungsdiesel. US nicknames were also rarely flattering. She's not a good looking plane, but she put in some work.
All things of beauty, but where is the F-4D? When I was at “East Camp”, NAS Atsugi, Japan in 1961, we Marines flew the delta winged F-4D. They used to take off, suck the gear and stay right on the runway till its end and then yank the stick back. She would ride the afterburner straight up till she was gone, out of sight. Seriously loud and absolutely beautiful!
F-104 - the only plane to intercept a Constellation-class Starship (although it was too fragile to survive a tractor beam). At an air show in Kalamazoo in the early 80s, I saw both a F-14 and F-15 on the tarmac and it confirmed my opinions from making 1/64th scale models - the F-15 was a beauty, but the F-14 looked like a beautiful beast that looked angry just sitting still. One of the reasons the F-14 is still my favorite. If you get anywhere near to Kalamazoo (Michigan), make sure to visit the Air Zoo (Kalamazoo Air Museum) and see a SR-71B (the two-seater) and the F-14A flown by “Snort” Snodgrass over Baghdad (he was also the pilot to deliver the plane to the Air Zoo). They also have a number of Grumman Cats, and are currently restoring a Wildcat that was recovered from Lake Michigan.
I detest the F-104. And remember the only notable accomplishment of that Starfighter pilot who intercepted the Enterprise, was his kid would turn-out to be a notable person. Of course, they completely scrambled the future by going backward in time so who knows?
Aahhhh...I think you meant to type '....intercepted a CONSTITUTION Class Starship...'. But, like someone else mentioned, when they went back in time & scrambled stuff's ...maybe that got scrambled also! Still, your comment had me laughing out loud with you! Loved it!!
@@skaldlouiscyphre2453 There is also 1/144, 1/35th (helicopters mostly), 1/32nd and even a handful of 1/24th scale plastic models. Then there are those which are part of scale model warship kits. And then of course you have some older kits which were designed at whatever scale would fit the box.
@@charlesmartin1121 Fair enough. Pretty sure the 1/35 scale choppers are meant to mix well with 1/35 scale armour. I just want fighter planes that will mix well with my cars, so they need to be 1/64.
Glad to see that 2 of the 3 jets that I flew, the F16 and F4, made your list. I knew my other jet, the A10, would not make your list but after reading some of the comments I could tell a lot of soldiers and Marines thought it was a great looking machine.
@@jeffhanson9244 OK. I was thinking that you might have been one of the pilots that I knew in the mid to late 80s. I was WCS/INS at England AFB (the Flying Tigers) and specialized in calibrating the HUD on the A-10 and could make the GAU-8 hit a gnat's behind at 1000 yards (I had more patience than the rest of the shop and my name was on the "Yellow Tags".) When it came time for Red Flag or deployment, I was always in high demand and very busy. (I helped win many a case of beer on Range Days for the smarter pilots that actually took the time to read the Yellow Tags.) After that, I was Integrated Avionics at Spangdahlem AFB in Germany, with the F-16s and F-4s together in the Wild Weasel Teams. I got to know a few pilots that flew both while there. Both assignments were pretty neat and all the aircraft I ever worked on had "Teeth" (which was pretty cool, too). Take care and thanks! Have a great day!
Completely agree with others - what happened to the F-86 Sabre? Multiple countries used it, it fought in several wars, it shot down MiG's with guns AND missiles, and is still an airshow favorite. Bonus points: Many pilots describe it as the best jet they've flown. Extra bonus points: Snort flew the F-86.
@@Airman_SosaVF-84 Jolly Rogers had the most beautiful Livery back in the Days when they had the High Viz paint scheme on the A. Just look at them in the Movie Final Countdown. You just can't beat that.
I can't fathom how F-8, F-86 didn't at least make honorable mention. And what about B-47? Sure, it has the general layout of that freight train of ugly awesomeness, the B-52. But with its slim lines and bubble canopy it's beautifully graceful and elegant.
I can't argue with this list. These aircraft defined my life. I'm an engineer today because "cold war baby" who grew up on army bases watching many of these planes in air shows, movies and tv shows. The F-4, A-4, and F-14-15-16 are the model kits I grew up building. Love it!
On my Bedroom wall/shelf I had at various times models I built. the ...B-25 Mitchell ....the P-51D (clear skin with moving parts) , the XB-70 , the X-15 ( installed 2 joined D-cell model rocket engines and launched it at the beach) The SR-71 (again model rocket engines in the wings and a launch at a local school) P-38, F-100 saber and the F-4 Phantom, Not a plane was the Saturn 5 rocket with a tiny LEM you could dock the Command Module to and pull it out. The space ship from Land of the Giants TV Show and lastly the Lunar transport in 2001: A Space Odyssey. I'm sure there were more but time since 1973 has faded them from my memory.
The B-1 Lancer turned out to be one of the best, most reliable, and capable platforms created. It is supersonic and carries a greater bomb load than a B-52. Plus, it is supersonic at treetop level as that what it was designed for. It is one of the fastest aircraft at low altitude there are. An absolutely gorgeous aircraft.
What about the Handley Page Victor? Something futuristic and Alien about it from a head on view. A design that was laid down in the early 1950's that still looks incredibly modern 70 years on. Climb to 20,000 ft in 2 mins and 40,000 in 8 mins. Pretty cool for a heavy bomber. So cool.
I always thought of the Tu-160 like an Orc...a uglier copy of the B-1 Elf. The B-1's first flight was Dec 1974 while the Soviet copy first flew in 1981...8 years before the USSR collapsed.
@@nutmaster2563 Well duh, of course they're different planes. "Only thing similar is how they look": What? They're both swept wing jet powered aircraft specifically designed to be a bomber. The "similarity" is basically what I said, the Tupolov is a copy of the Rockwell, thus the Orc to Elf LOTR reference,. the Orc being hideous compared to the fair Elf. The copying by the USSR was due to the fact that the B-1 was designed, built and first flew several years before the Tu-160.
The Turkey has my vote. I was a plane handler on the Big E. Fly 3. 1985-89 Thank you Mr. Carrol for your dedication in what you do. Its always a little reminder to "keep a heads up".
Top 9 all American!? theres 200 countries in the world, how can the top 9 all be american, what about the Rafale or the Tornado or the Harrier or the Gripen
You forget that USA 🇺🇸 is the greatest richest mightiest country (actually wannabe empire) and basically the centre of the universe. What do you mean, hubris? Does not the Good Book say “Yea verily, pride cometh before the fall.” Watch this space.
Tbh I'm a litte disappointed the list is so focused on American aircraft. I mean if you're making a list of "most beautiful" jets I just don't see why there's a Phantom or a B-58 but not a MiG-29 or a Saab J35. I mean beauty is based on anyone's opinion and I guess mine is not the only one that counts. But this video makes it feel like an aircraft can only be beautiful if there's an American flag on it.
I always thought that the Saab Draken was a really cool and beautiful looking jet fighter. Also glad that the F-4 Phantom made the list. I hear of lots of people saying that the Phantom is ugly looking, but it always looked beautiful to me.
The Mirage IIIC was the Brigitte Bardot of the 60th's damn what sexy lines in that bare metal finish. The IAF made that jet really famous during the Six-Day War of 1967 a lot of nations wanted the Mirage IIIC
Fond memories of assembling models for several of these planes back when I was a kid. The Hustler, in particular. Loved the way that thing looked hanging over my bed. Great list but there are so many others.
Well… the #1 is no shocker. But I agree. Nice to see the Vigilante make an honorable mention. In terms of beauty and appearing fast on the ground and in the air, it has few equals.
For every one of these gorgeous machines I think, “Ooh, that’s SO beautiful!”, and then the next image comes up and I think, “Ooh, THAT’S so beautiful!”, then up comes the next image…Yep, every one of them are works of aesthetic art. But I gotta say, the Scooter and Phantom have a special place in my heart. Thanks, OpsO! 🤙🏼
Nice to see 2 aircraft my father worked on with Kelly Johnson at the Skunk Works. He was the principal wing designer on the F104 and SR71. Interesting note: all recy birds were designate RS. However, President Johnson misspoke during the announcement calling the Blackbird SR71. Presidents are never wrong thus the naming change.
I saw an F-106 at the Chicago Lake Front, Air and Water show and he did a knife edge pass then lit the afterburners, pulled straight up doing aileron rolls out of sight. The crowd jumped to their feet and roared.
The me 262s looks really depend on what angle you look at it from the side angle is sleek and slim while from above the fuselage looks like a fat whale
I've always thought the B-58 Hustler was a beautiful plane. My father told me a story about how he saw one have to land without the landing gear down when he was stationed at an airbase on Guam in the Vietnam War. The crew called-in ahead of time to let them know they were coming in without gear. He said the pilots did a great job at really slowing it down and gently landing, but boy, when it touched the runway on top of those engines, sparks were flying all over the place and soon flames were just bursting out. The fire crews were waiting for it and put the fires out as soon as they could and got the air crew out. What a sight to see.
@@smark1180 I can understand that there may be a record somewhere where incidents like this would be recorded, and I can understand this incident may or may not be on the record for whatever reason, but, no, I'm not "misremembering" anything.
@@countryclub1113 Jay Miller's B-58 book is the definitive source of information. It discusses landing gear issues and accidents without any mention of a belly landing anywhere, not even in the section on B-58 accidents. I would be very interested in the details of the alleged Guam belly landing if available.
My wife's late father- US Navy Captain and pilot - flew a couple of the honorable mentions, as pilot and CO - the A-4 Skyhawk and the RA-C5 Vigilante. He said the Vigilante was tough to land but also tough to get lined up to fly off the carrier. If folks weren't careful, the spindly front landing gear would simply snap off. Proud of his service flying Starfighters, Crusaders, Demons, Skyhawks and Vigilantes. Proud of his unit getting personally decorated by President Kennedy in person for their/his recon flights with VFP-62 during the Cuban Missle Crisis. RIP.
The Vigi was deadly around the carrier but a really great looking aircraft. A-4 Skyhawk was almost perfect. Easy to fly, easy to land, small and hard to detect by the bad guys.
You need to look up how many kills by the Tomcat with the Irainan airforce and by the way..the US NAVY had 4 kills against Libya 2 of which were by my Squadron in August of 81.
@@pike100I think the F-18 would probably be a lot higher on most people's lists if the F-14 didn't exist and or the F-18 didn't replace the F-14. The F-14 unfortunately set the bar way too high as far as aesthetics goes, so any plane that comes after it will always look bad by comparison.
I pegged it before you began that the Tom Cat would come in at number 1. I'm surprised that the B-47 didn't make the list. I was a kid when my dad was stationed at Sedalia AFB (now Whitman AFB) which had been reactivated after WW II. When we arrived there in the 1950's the B-25 was the operational bomber at the time. Then came the day when the B-47's replaced all of the B-25's. It was a sight to remember. First all of the B-25's took off and then all of the B-47's landed. It was like an entire fleet of UFO's invaded Earth. Large crowds lined the edge of the runway (things like that were allowed back then), the noise of the 4 jet engines were deafening. There was a huge ceremony with a band playing. Once all of the B-47s had landed and parked, then one took off using JATO (Jet Assist Takeoff) rocket bottles. It looked like a huge Si-Fi fighter with its swept wings and bubble canopy rocketing into the sky. Although the B-47 never flew combat missions, it should get bonus points for accidentally dropping a Mark 15 nuclear bomb on Mars Bluff, SC in February 1958. In those days simulated alert missions flew with nuclear bombs on board but the trigger to detonate them were removed and kept in a separate location on the B-47 and could be installed by the navigator/bombardier in flight in case of a war. The bomb landed on a playhouse a father had built for his daughters injuring 9 people including the daughters who were play nearby. The conventional explosives in the bomb did detonate creating a crater 70 feet wide and 35 feet deep. The families of the victims sued the Air Force and received $54,000 dollars (about $600,000 in today's value). My dad flew both the B-47 and B-52, so I am a bit biased. BTW, the nickname for the B-52 was The BUFF. which people think stood for "Big Ugly Fat Fella", only the last F never actually stood for "Fella" It stood for "F**ker" among the crews even to this day. Those were the glory days.
Douglas F-4D Skyray: the most beautiful batwing you never heard of; with the F7U Cutlass in a very close second for the most beautiful "Nifty Fifties" USN aircraft!
I was fortunate to be in the Civil Air Patrol as a young teenager. And we were taken onto the tarmac and allowed to look into the cockpit of a Blue Angels F-4 Phantom. Incredible for a 14 year old, a memory I'll never forget. Some may call it brick. But the F-4 is muscular and beautiful to me. I'm very happy to see the F-4 (and the F-104) on your Top-10.
The two planes that I saw flying in air shows as a kid, that just blew me away, we’re the Vulcan and the Blackbird. The Blackbird was like a flying black hole and the Vulcan in its camo paint scheme was like a camouflaged bat. Beautiful airplanes.
Mooch, I'm not surprised the F-14 was number one. I would picked the F-106 which I flew in the 70's. 😊 But seriously the B-2 and B-21 should have made the list as a group given their radical design, technological content, and operational impact since Desert Storm.
Certainly not on this list. it gets a zero for operational performance. By the time the airplane was operational the mission was obsolete. 106s never went to war, never fired a shot in anger, had zero utility beyond that of strategic air defense. Totally useless.
Do the numbers any way you want. The SR-71 is a piece of absolute visual art that can do M3+. It's the SR-71..... Daylight......''whatever." BTW the F1-11 always looked better than the F-14 and did a lot more actual real work.
Loved the video. Tomcat and Eagle are my favourites too. Absolutely beast-looking. I was low-key hoping Su-30 would make the list. It's a beautiful bird. And big.
What?!?! You’re a navy man and you didn’t put down the RA-5C or F-8?!?! And the most gorgeous aircraft assembled in the history of aviation, the plane I worked on. The absolutely fabulous P-3 Orion! And you included Air Force planes!!! -- Haha! I’m just kidding of course. Great list! I actually love Air Force’s B-1 Bomber. The RA-5C is my number one fav Navy plane for looks.
The B-58 had a 20mm cannon in the tail. And if you're wondering, the B-58 flies at 2,000 knots while the muzzle velocity if the 20mm is 3,000 knots. So, if you were standing beneath a B-58 as it was flying north at speed and it fired off the tail gun, the cannon shells would end up travelling south from your position at 1,000 knots.
The English Electric Lightning should be somewhere on the list even just an honourable mention. At Air shows in the mid 1970’s the sight of a full RAF Sqn of 9 jets (111 Sqn and 23 Sqn at RAF Leuchars in Scotland come to mind) doing full afterburner takeoffs followed by an immediate 4g rotation at 280kts into a 25deg climb at 50,000 FPM was truly awesome. It could totally outperform the F104 and was built for the exact same mission! 40,000ft 2.5 mins after brake release was the norm!! Thanks Ward for a great channel!
Totally outperform? I don't think so. Pilot's had to call bingo fuel while they started the second engine 🙂. F-104 was more multi-role. And the Lightening is not really a beauty (which is subjective). Btw: there is an excellent flight sim called Jet Pilot. You could fly F-104, Lightnings, and MiG-21. All in different variants and with quite a lot of gameplay and decent flight models. Very old sim from the era of DI Tornado.
The F-104s climb rate was only surpassed by a purpose "tuned" F-15. That doesn't mean the Lightning wasn't any good, no Sir, she was a monster ! But a beauty she's certainly not.
What is remarkable is how old some of these jets are. Tomcat, Eagle, Falcon, all in use or close to it, and are about 50 years old. Phantom is still formidable and it first flew in 1958. And the venerable B-52 (first flight 1952) is still going strong and is mighty.
It seems that the channel participants have short-range memory. Otherwise it cannot be explained that in the consideration of pure beauty, they left out a classic, almost unsurpassed in this aspect. Sabre F-86!!
Mooch,I love your channel, and most of the aircraft that made the Top 10. But in this case, I feel that a recount is in order! The F-86 Sabre is shockingly MIA! My Dad guarded US air in Korea from late 1950-1953, and loved watching fully loaded Sabres doing JATO takeoffs. They are gorgeous on the ground and in the air!
I kind of wonder why the F105 wasn't mentioned even in the honorable mentioned area. That beast was gorgeous in the air and looked more than good on the ramp.
I know its not the common opinion but I think the Tomcat looks gorgeous with the swing wings deployed forward too. It looks like an osprey swooping to catch a fish
Re: the SR-71 landing at NAS Oceana and the traffic jam, I lived in that little spit of land between Norfolk NOB and NAS Oceana when that beast came in. Probably the prettiest sight I've ever seen with my own eyes, and we both know how pretty night flight ops on a carrier can be, especially somewhere up north when the Lights come out. I honestly think that gorgeous Blackbird paralleling the road there might be more memorable, if not prettier. But yeah. Tomcat. Had to be. Long live the Starfighters and the Diamondbacks! (I was USS America ship's company 88-92, flight deck lighting.)
Hmm.... was shocked the B-2 Flying Wing didn't even make the honorable mentions list... though my 2 other favorites, the SR-71 and the F-14 were at the top! Good one, Ward! Keep these comparison videos coming... you could do a comparison of fighters from WWI... WWII & include other Flying war machines like copters, etc!
Also we need a sequel: Top 10 most beautiful non-American aicraft. Presumably overwhelmingly US audience obviously chose "their guys" in this, so let's do another one, barring any vehicle made in the US. I reckon that one would be much more interesting.
The J35 Draken should always be in the top 5 of most beautiful jets. I have no problem with the F-14 in the #1 spot but the Draken definitely should be on any serious list.
As always Ward, this was great. It’s incredible that something so lethal can also be so beautiful, but they are exquisite and a tribute to the brilliant minds that first sketched them and the brave pilots who tested them. They are Highly functional works of art. I’m a little surprised that there was no mention of Germanys ME 262. It was thankfully too little too late, but what a beautiful and incredibly futuristic air machine. Our guys were given a terrifying peek into the future and probably could not believe it when these things screamed by.
Okay Admiral. As a former Vigilante wrench I’ve got to take issue with the placement of the RA 5C. Accessing those J79’s was a colossal pain in the a$$, it’s still one of the most beautiful airplanes ever. It’s up there with B 17 and the Corsair😊
I was stationed on Okinawa from 1978 to 1981 and got to watch it takeoff dozens of times and at night with FULL afterburner which it was so impressive!!!
Here's my list (in no particular order): F-11F (looks like what a jet fighter ought to look like), RA-5, XB-70, U-2, Vulcan, F-8U, F-14, and finally, one that I doubt made anyone's list: the S-3 (I'm biased, because I did in-service engineering on it as a Navy civilian engineer for about 20 years).
@@pike100 It may look flimsy because of the wing flex. However, it's a brilliant design and the wings flex because it is built light so it can perform the mission. It is like a large sailplane with a jet engine and a large fuel fraction.
I never heard of the F-16 referred to as "Viper". In the mid-80s, we jokingly called them "Lawn Darts" in our Integrated Avionics shop in Germany. (Spangdahlem, F-16/F-4 Wild Weasel Teams.) Early Fly-by-Wire technology and single engine configuration led to the nickname. (They had some turbine problems for a bit, and I got volunteered to help pick up the pieces on a mountainside, once.) They seem to have gotten all of the bugs worked out since then. It was funny (but extremely loud) to watch the Wild Weasel teams at take-off. The F-16 was already airborne 1/4 way down the runway but staying on the wing of the F-4, that would be still on the ground until around 2/3 way down the runway before the wheels even came off the ground. The huge ravens would even line the fence to watch. In the eye of the beholder, to pinned down ground troops, the A-10, AC-130 and the Apache Attack helicopter would probably rank as the top three most beautiful aircraft in the universe. (My dad would probably add the Cobra to the list.) That was a cool video. Thanks!
I am surprised the F-86 Sabre was not in the list. I always thought it was a sleek and beautiful fighter jet. You did have two of my favs, the B-58 and the F-101. Well done!
#1 Tomcat? There's more than a little home field advantage in this stadium... :)
Don’t deny the science!
AMERICA’S NAVY!🇺🇸
Beauty is in the eye of the AWACS.
Science !!
There's actually no other option, other 2 planes than made the list are based on the Tomcat 😍, and not only it's a Hollywood Star, it's also an Anime Star because VF-1 Valkyrie, and VF-0 Phoenix from Macross (and Robotech) are heavily based on the Tomcat, and the newer VF-25 Messiah it's like a Tomcat had a baby with a Flanker
Well, I am shocked that the F-86 Sabre didn't even get a mention.
Yep, thought the same. Also the P-80-ShootingStar could be mentioned😬 but the F-14 is No1 for sure ❤️
Which is why this list is WRONG! It should have been number 1.
F86 is way prettier than the F22 and certainly way more effective (in its' time) than the way overrated Su27. I am a Phantom II fan, but it's not an exceptionally pretty plane.
I was going to say the same thing.
Me too!
I might be biased but the sleek futuristic look of the SAAB j35 Draken makes it one of the coolest looking fighters ever produced.
70 years later this thing is still looks futuristic
I second that and raise you the Viggen.
The Draken was particularly singed out by the LWF Mafia, when they studied existing in service aircraft, as having low wing loading and a good P/W Ratio, in researching the critical performance parameters, and objectives for the YF-16.
J35 Should be top two… maybe even nr. 1
A couple of planes I miss: Rafale, Tornado, F-35, Saab Draken, Saab Viggen, Su-34, Mig-25. Thanks for the great video !
ooo, Su-34 . My goodness, that thing is to military aviation what Cindy Crawford was to 1980'2 super Models
F-35 is as ugly as sin on Wings; all three versions.
Sorry, But the Mig-25 looks like a tank.
Only US jets..I want to rememeber the Me 262..
The MiG-25??? That is the biggest POS to ever fly, and barely at that. Plus it looks awkward as hell likely because it is.
Missing: RAFALE. Beauty plus combat experience.
You totally missed it.
Rafale is a really top Beuty
Sweden has a couple overlooked beauties that were way ahead of their time and absolutely gorgeous: the J35 Draken and the J37 Viggen, in their forest green "Splinter" camouflage pattern of course!
Draken is my personal favorite!
How about the Dracon that was painted up in Miller beer colors many years ago don’t know whatever happened to that aircraft
Very overlooked.
If you ask the SR-71 crew that had a bit of engine trouble over the Baltic sea. 29th of June 1987. I think a JA-37. at least was the most beautifull aircraft in the world.
the entire rest of the world was overlooked completely 😂 a certain amount of US patriotic bias is natural from a USN vet, but maybe the title should be "most beautiful US military jets"...
Time 1:56 I was predicting the F-14 would rank number one. Just a hunch.
...science.
Yes, I was thinking the same. Funny how the F-14 RIO put his plane #1. 😉
@stevewages maybe had his thumb on the scales? nah, it won fair and square. the list had to include the F-15, though.
@@stevewagesCom’on… can’t argue with those shoulders on the Tomcat.
If anyone was surprised the F-14 made the top spot on Ward's list...I would be surprised.
And rightfully so,
Had to chuckle at the Vulcan placing on both lists xD
I flew wing on a Vulcan near Edwards AFB some years ago. Beautiful machine. I was in an RF-8G -- no film, no pics.
Yeah, I thought it harsh it was on the ugly list - but it was categorised as 'v-bomber' group - with a photo of the Victor tanker...... which yeah, was ugly as hell !!! Surprised the Nimrod didn't make that ugly list too !!!
@@nickholden3976 Nimrod AEW3 concept. Google it. Glad we went with AWACS.
You left out the F-86. It became a multi-role airplane and was used y 28 countries. Almost 10,000 were built in five different countries - U.S. Australia, Canada, Italy and Japan. Operationally, it proved itself in several conflicts all over the world. And, it is a beautiful airplane.
Together with the WW2 prop-Fighter the P-51, the ineffable beauty of BOTH the P-51 'Mustang,' & the Korean War F-86 SabreJet is obvious.
the f-86 is probably one of the most effective jets made
Hmmm, italy and japan…. Wait , what happened to germa-
on my list too
The F-8 Crusader always had a pretty cool look. And the nickname “the last gunfighter” was pretty awesome
While a very cool plane the f8 is ugly haha😂
THE F-111 was quite beautiful as well, especially with wings swept back.
Amen ... such a complicated platform and extra points for her 3 man "ejection pod" with it's own "Guillotine" to truncate it's "Fly by Hard Wire" controls ... and she continued to serve the Aussies for 2 decades; we had several crashed units we spliced back together with Forward/Aft sections at GDFW.
F-111 definitely deserves an honerable mention
My first permanent duty station out of avionics tech school was Mountain Home AFB, home to the F111F's. I followed the F111A's out of Nellis over to Korat, Thailand. When I returned stateside, the F's went to England I transferred to NM for the new F15A. I've always had a place in my heart for the beautiful old bird, and it's great to see others can see the beauty through the nick names.
The first airshow I went to, and the first fast jets I ever saw live, was a tight formation of three F-111's that went overhead at low level. Imagine that? There was no warning, but I heard just in time to spin around and see them approaching. The F-14 is an amazing aircraft, looks more threatening, but the F-111 with wings swept back (like these three) was pure & simple sci-fi. Spaceships!
N. Vietnamese called her "Silent Death" as she could go Mach at 100ft off the deck ... top speed 1,674 (Mach 2.2) with her TTR (analogue Terrain Tracking Radar). Impressive no doubt.@@johnlacey155
The Hawker Hunter me. Probably one the most beautiful planes ever made, not just jets.
Correct. Nothing looks as good as the Hunter. Too many sharp angles on the others.
@@sandgrownun66 I'm puttin' a word in for the de Havilland Sea Vixen - mad as a frox of bogs and twice as lovely!
Actually - can I change my mind and vote for Thunderbird III ..
@@XXSkunkWorksXX The Sea Vixen is a mice looking aeroplane. But could a twin boom-tailed design ever make the top spot?
Bravo! I came here to vote for the Hunter
The YF-23 should have been in the honorable mentions. It has the beauty and performance, but was left on the side line
You are so right, the prettiest jet to ever fly. Although, it would have gotten a zero for service.
Absolutely. YF-23 is the only plane that makes the F-22 look slow and boring by comparison.
I'm not so sure about it being left to the side: It gave enough of an impression to Shōji Kawamori (during his research into Test Flight settings that resulted in the background story of Macross Plus in 1995) that he made the YF-21, which it's Fighter-Mode has a striking similarity to the RL YF-23...
F111 too...
I was just about to say the same thing.
The F-86 Saber deserves a spot on the list.
*Sabre
The F-86 is iconically beautiful. No other jet is as elegant in appearance.
Not really - it looks a bit squat and ugly to me. Of that type of airframe layout, I would say the BAE lightning looked much cooler.
High on the list too id say
The Phantom got a 7 for beauty?! It's beautiful like a... rhinoceros! 🤣
the F-4 is gorgeous
While I don’t think that the Phantom II is a classic beauty, it has a brutal appeal. A rhinoceros is only evolutionarily threatened by a perverse appeal to poachers, fueled by odd Asian medical practices. It’s a brute when not put up against poachers and their firepower. So is an A-6 and a hippo.
Rethinking this, the F-4 is a bit like a tyrannosaurus in animal terms.
@@tonyennis1787The Germans called it the Eisenschwein, Fliegender Ziegelstein, and the Luftverteidigungsdiesel. US nicknames were also rarely flattering. She's not a good looking plane, but she put in some work.
The F-4 is a flying brick. Nothing looks good, cool, iconic, or heroic. It's the opposite of the F-15.
@@chrisoffutt8968 Those words must mean "gorgeous"
I literally started choking from laughing because I took a drink right when the F-14 showed up lol
All things of beauty, but where is the F-4D? When I was at “East Camp”, NAS Atsugi, Japan in 1961, we
Marines flew the delta winged F-4D. They used to take off, suck the gear and stay right on the runway till its end and then yank the stick back. She would ride the afterburner straight up till she was gone, out of sight. Seriously loud and absolutely beautiful!
@@bobdeeds3375 Does it look so strikingly different than the F-4 mentioned at 7:18?
Ward had his thumb on the scale.
I got fried shrimp through the nose.
@@lug01 I bet it didn't feel small lol
the JAS39C Gripen? Love the look of that sweede jet, plus the stol ability fits the sweedish needs perfectly
Fr one of the most beatiful jets
The Gripen is lean
El Saab Gripen NG es la versión mejorada y es igual de hermoso
Agreed. The Gripen (and the French Rafale, actually) are two absolutely gorgeous airframes.
It IS a very cool aircraft, and small size, is a property and attribute of Stealth, in and of itself.
F-104 - the only plane to intercept a Constellation-class Starship (although it was too fragile to survive a tractor beam). At an air show in Kalamazoo in the early 80s, I saw both a F-14 and F-15 on the tarmac and it confirmed my opinions from making 1/64th scale models - the F-15 was a beauty, but the F-14 looked like a beautiful beast that looked angry just sitting still. One of the reasons the F-14 is still my favorite. If you get anywhere near to Kalamazoo (Michigan), make sure to visit the Air Zoo (Kalamazoo Air Museum) and see a SR-71B (the two-seater) and the F-14A flown by “Snort” Snodgrass over Baghdad (he was also the pilot to deliver the plane to the Air Zoo). They also have a number of Grumman Cats, and are currently restoring a Wildcat that was recovered from Lake Michigan.
I detest the F-104. And remember the only notable accomplishment of that Starfighter pilot who intercepted the Enterprise, was his kid would turn-out to be a notable person. Of course, they completely scrambled the future by going backward in time so who knows?
Aahhhh...I think you meant to type '....intercepted a CONSTITUTION Class Starship...'.
But, like someone else mentioned, when they went back in time & scrambled stuff's ...maybe that got scrambled also!
Still, your comment had me laughing out loud with you! Loved it!!
Who makes 1:64 scale planes? I've only encountered 1:72 and 1:48 scale planes.
@@skaldlouiscyphre2453 There is also 1/144, 1/35th (helicopters mostly), 1/32nd and even a handful of 1/24th scale plastic models. Then there are those which are part of scale model warship kits. And then of course you have some older kits which were designed at whatever scale would fit the box.
@@charlesmartin1121 Fair enough. Pretty sure the 1/35 scale choppers are meant to mix well with 1/35 scale armour.
I just want fighter planes that will mix well with my cars, so they need to be 1/64.
Glad to see that 2 of the 3 jets that I flew, the F16 and F4, made your list. I knew my other jet, the A10, would not make your list but after reading some of the comments I could tell a lot of soldiers and Marines thought it was a great looking machine.
England AFB & Spangdahlem? Tigers & Weasels?
Myrtle Beach AFB in the A10, NDANG in Fargo in the F4 and F16.
@@jeffhanson9244 OK. I was thinking that you might have been one of the pilots that I knew in the mid to late 80s.
I was WCS/INS at England AFB (the Flying Tigers) and specialized in calibrating the HUD on the A-10 and could make the GAU-8 hit a gnat's behind at 1000 yards (I had more patience than the rest of the shop and my name was on the "Yellow Tags".) When it came time for Red Flag or deployment, I was always in high demand and very busy. (I helped win many a case of beer on Range Days for the smarter pilots that actually took the time to read the Yellow Tags.)
After that, I was Integrated Avionics at Spangdahlem AFB in Germany, with the F-16s and F-4s together in the Wild Weasel Teams. I got to know a few pilots that flew both while there.
Both assignments were pretty neat and all the aircraft I ever worked on had "Teeth" (which was pretty cool, too).
Take care and thanks! Have a great day!
The Hawker Hunter was the best looking jet.
ME-262 Swallow and the F-86 Sabre.....not even mentioned? Something is wrong! And I know it isn't a jet, but man, the P38 Lightning - what a beauty!
ME-262 would be a great addition to this list. 👍
You might as well include the Spitfire then, as Number 1 of all time.
Love the P38 and the P51 but the Spitfire is tops.
the Vulcan as an honorable mention makes me want a top 10 best sounding jets or aircraft
Completely agree with others - what happened to the F-86 Sabre? Multiple countries used it, it fought in several wars, it shot down MiG's with guns AND missiles, and is still an airshow favorite. Bonus points: Many pilots describe it as the best jet they've flown. Extra bonus points: Snort flew the F-86.
A tomcat with skull and crossbones is absolutely iconic.
Those Are The “Jolly Rogers”.
Nothing beats the Black Bunny
VF-103 "Jolly Rogers"
@@Airman_SosaVF-84 Jolly Rogers had the most beautiful Livery back in the Days when they had the High Viz paint scheme on the A. Just look at them in the Movie Final Countdown. You just can't beat that.
It’s boring
I can't fathom how F-8, F-86 didn't at least make honorable mention.
And what about B-47? Sure, it has the general layout of that freight train of ugly awesomeness, the B-52. But with its slim lines and bubble canopy it's beautifully graceful and elegant.
If we're going for ugly awesome, we need to add the A-10.
It's beautifully terrifying.
I can't argue with this list. These aircraft defined my life. I'm an engineer today because "cold war baby" who grew up on army bases watching many of these planes in air shows, movies and tv shows. The F-4, A-4, and F-14-15-16 are the model kits I grew up building. Love it!
I agree, but more with its operational score. Couldn't dogfight at a time when, surprise, guns turned out to still matter.
On my Bedroom wall/shelf I had at various times models I built. the ...B-25 Mitchell ....the P-51D (clear skin with moving parts) , the XB-70 , the X-15 ( installed 2 joined D-cell model rocket engines and launched it at the beach) The SR-71 (again model rocket engines in the wings and a launch at a local school) P-38, F-100 saber and the F-4 Phantom, Not a plane was the Saturn 5 rocket with a tiny LEM you could dock the Command Module to and pull it out. The space ship from Land of the Giants TV Show and lastly the Lunar transport in 2001: A Space Odyssey. I'm sure there were more but time since 1973 has faded them from my memory.
I’ve always loved fighters, but the B-1 does capture my heart!
the bone is awesome looking and in capability!
It’s like a BIG fighter❤
The B-1 Lancer turned out to be one of the best, most reliable, and capable platforms created. It is supersonic and carries a greater bomb load than a B-52. Plus, it is supersonic at treetop level as that what it was designed for. It is one of the fastest aircraft at low altitude there are. An absolutely gorgeous aircraft.
big thumbs up from me.
a really sexy plane. more beautiful than the sr-71 for my money.
Any plane with Lancer and Bone names is ok by me. And what girls wouldn't go for that. Well, real girls nowadays.
The B-58 Hustler has always been my favorite
Can't believe there was no mention of the JAS 39 Gripen. Easily one of the sexiest jets ever produced!
Especially for people with landing gear fetishes.
GRIPEN is at least top 3 IMS (In My Science. Not opinion).
👎🏻
Oh come on, it's not American, of course it won't get a mention here.
@@B-A-L Gripen likes only to the seller...it's like "I would like to be an Eurofighter, but I want to pay only an engine!"
What about the Handley Page Victor? Something futuristic and Alien about it from a head on view. A design that was laid down in the early 1950's that still looks incredibly modern 70 years on. Climb to 20,000 ft in 2 mins and 40,000 in 8 mins. Pretty cool for a heavy bomber. So cool.
The hawker Hunter is the obvious choice.
The hawker hunter just for looks and the Blackburn buccaneer as it’s my personal favourite
The Tupolev Tu-160 Swan should be on this list. Aptly named, it is a beautiful plane with a long history.
Damn, how can i forget the Swan?!
The Boneski.
I always thought of the Tu-160 like an Orc...a uglier copy of the B-1 Elf. The B-1's first flight was Dec 1974 while the Soviet copy first flew in 1981...8 years before the USSR collapsed.
@@red94mr28but they’re basically completely different planes. Only thing similar is how they look
@@nutmaster2563 Well duh, of course they're different planes. "Only thing similar is how they look": What? They're both swept wing jet powered aircraft specifically designed to be a bomber. The "similarity" is basically what I said, the Tupolov is a copy of the Rockwell, thus the Orc to Elf LOTR reference,. the Orc being hideous compared to the fair Elf. The copying by the USSR was due to the fact that the B-1 was designed, built and first flew several years before the Tu-160.
I was glad to see the B-58 Hustler. Such a cool 50’s design cold war aircraft.
Looked to be going 1350 MPH even standing still. Reeked of speed, from every angle. Stunning !
When I was 8 or 9 yrs old was visiting relatives near Dallas Tx. Heard a loud jet overhead, looked up and there was a B58. Will never forget it.
@@thomasbullen5239 very cool
The Turkey has my vote. I was a plane handler on the Big E. Fly 3. 1985-89 Thank you Mr. Carrol for your dedication in what you do. Its always a little reminder to "keep a heads up".
Top 9 all American!? theres 200 countries in the world, how can the top 9 all be american, what about the Rafale or the Tornado or the Harrier or the Gripen
You forget that USA 🇺🇸 is the greatest richest mightiest country (actually wannabe empire) and basically the centre of the universe. What do you mean, hubris? Does not the Good Book say “Yea verily, pride cometh before the fall.” Watch this space.
I love the Harrier and it was a phenomenal aircraft but it was almost as ugly as the F4. How did the F4 get on this list and not the F86?
Freedom first
@@stanburk7392I am suprised this entire comment section hasn't smited you down yet
@@awesometurtle2887
No doubt its coming.
Tbh I'm a litte disappointed the list is so focused on American aircraft. I mean if you're making a list of "most beautiful" jets I just don't see why there's a Phantom or a B-58 but not a MiG-29 or a Saab J35. I mean beauty is based on anyone's opinion and I guess mine is not the only one that counts. But this video makes it feel like an aircraft can only be beautiful if there's an American flag on it.
I always thought that the Saab Draken was a really cool and beautiful looking jet fighter. Also glad that the F-4 Phantom made the list. I hear of lots of people saying that the Phantom is ugly looking, but it always looked beautiful to me.
I love the Phantom, too!
The Mirage IIIC was the Brigitte Bardot of the 60th's damn what sexy lines in that bare metal finish. The IAF made that jet really famous during the Six-Day War of 1967 a lot of nations wanted the Mirage IIIC
Fond memories of assembling models for several of these planes back when I was a kid. The Hustler, in particular. Loved the way that thing looked hanging over my bed. Great list but there are so many others.
My last model was the F-14D.Decaled and painted.However lost it due to moving.
Well… the #1 is no shocker. But I agree. Nice to see the Vigilante make an honorable mention. In terms of beauty and appearing fast on the ground and in the air, it has few equals.
I always tell people, the A5 Vigilante had a lot of looks that the F14 acquired, e.g. the engine inlets, engine separation, and more
@@bobbycv64 Indeed. And there’s certainly some F-15 influence as well.
Mentions of "the fighter mafia" spark immediate inner monologue rants in LazerPig's voice
I'd have the Blackburn Buccaneer in the list. Gorgeous curves and repurposed during it's operational life as the risks shifted.
Oh boy that thing is ugly 😂
You missed the best of the best, THE F-8 Crusader.. "The sword of freedom is kept sharp by those who live on the edge."
Science or not, the fact that the F-86 Sabre didn't even get an honorable mention, but the Skyhawk did is just unbelievable.
For every one of these gorgeous machines I think, “Ooh, that’s SO beautiful!”, and then the next image comes up and I think, “Ooh, THAT’S so beautiful!”, then up comes the next image…Yep, every one of them are works of aesthetic art. But I gotta say, the Scooter and Phantom have a special place in my heart. Thanks, OpsO! 🤙🏼
Scooter?
@@pike100 “Scooter” was a nickname for the A-4 Skyhawk. 😊
Nice to see 2 aircraft my father worked on with Kelly Johnson at the Skunk Works. He was the principal wing designer on the F104 and SR71. Interesting note: all recy birds were designate RS. However, President Johnson misspoke during the announcement calling the Blackbird SR71. Presidents are never wrong thus the naming change.
I saw an F-106 at the Chicago Lake Front, Air and Water show and he did a knife edge pass then lit the afterburners, pulled straight up doing aileron rolls out of sight. The crowd jumped to their feet and roared.
Good list! As odd as it feels to say, the Me-262 is such a beautiful aircraft to me.
The me 262s looks really depend on what angle you look at it from the side angle is sleek and slim while from above the fuselage looks like a fat whale
The hawker Hunter had the best look.
The Hawker Hunter had the best look.
I've always thought the B-58 Hustler was a beautiful plane. My father told me a story about how he saw one have to land without the landing gear down when he was stationed at an airbase on Guam in the Vietnam War. The crew called-in ahead of time to let them know they were coming in without gear. He said the pilots did a great job at really slowing it down and gently landing, but boy, when it touched the runway on top of those engines, sparks were flying all over the place and soon flames were just bursting out. The fire crews were waiting for it and put the fires out as soon as they could and got the air crew out. What a sight to see.
@countryclub1113 I can't find any record of that.
@@smark1180 That's what he told me and my father isn't one to make up an incident like that.
@@countryclub1113 It's possible that you misremember the "story."
@@smark1180 I can understand that there may be a record somewhere where incidents like this would be recorded, and I can understand this incident may or may not be on the record for whatever reason, but, no, I'm not "misremembering" anything.
@@countryclub1113 Jay Miller's B-58 book is the definitive source of information. It discusses landing gear issues and accidents without any mention of a belly landing anywhere, not even in the section on B-58 accidents.
I would be very interested in the details of the alleged Guam belly landing if available.
Glad the Vigilante was mentioned. I worked on the on the RA5C Vigilante in RVAH 13 on the Forrestal in the late 60's.
My wife's late father- US Navy Captain and pilot - flew a couple of the honorable mentions, as pilot and CO - the A-4 Skyhawk and the RA-C5 Vigilante. He said the Vigilante was tough to land but also tough to get lined up to fly off the carrier. If folks weren't careful, the spindly front landing gear would simply snap off. Proud of his service flying Starfighters, Crusaders, Demons, Skyhawks and Vigilantes. Proud of his unit getting personally decorated by President Kennedy in person for their/his recon flights with VFP-62 during the Cuban Missle Crisis. RIP.
The Vigi was deadly around the carrier but a really great looking aircraft. A-4 Skyhawk was almost perfect. Easy to fly, easy to land, small and hard to detect by the bad guys.
The Vigilante, pure elegance.
C5 is interesting! Like an oversized f15
The quiet Chad F-15s with 32 kills in the Gulf looking at the Tom’s 1 kill lol
You need to look up how many kills by the Tomcat with the Irainan airforce and by the way..the US NAVY had 4 kills against Libya 2 of which were by my Squadron in August of 81.
Very good Top 10 including many of my favorite military aircrafts - except one - the F-18 Hornet.
I have always felt that the F-18 was unremarkable. Not saying that it wasn't attractive; it just never stood out to me.
@@pike100I think the F-18 would probably be a lot higher on most people's lists if the F-14 didn't exist and or the F-18 didn't replace the F-14.
The F-14 unfortunately set the bar way too high as far as aesthetics goes, so any plane that comes after it will always look bad by comparison.
Any chance you might do this list for prop driven aircraft?
Hawker Hunter - Still in use after 70 years and still a fabulous aircraft
I pegged it before you began that the Tom Cat would come in at number 1.
I'm surprised that the B-47 didn't make the list. I was a kid when my dad was stationed at Sedalia AFB (now Whitman AFB) which had been reactivated after WW II. When we arrived there in the 1950's the B-25 was the operational bomber at the time. Then came the day when the B-47's replaced all of the B-25's. It was a sight to remember. First all of the B-25's took off and then all of the B-47's landed. It was like an entire fleet of UFO's invaded Earth. Large crowds lined the edge of the runway (things like that were allowed back then), the noise of the 4 jet engines were deafening. There was a huge ceremony with a band playing. Once all of the B-47s had landed and parked, then one took off using JATO (Jet Assist Takeoff) rocket bottles. It looked like a huge Si-Fi fighter with its swept wings and bubble canopy rocketing into the sky.
Although the B-47 never flew combat missions, it should get bonus points for accidentally dropping a Mark 15 nuclear bomb on Mars Bluff, SC in February 1958. In those days simulated alert missions flew with nuclear bombs on board but the trigger to detonate them were removed and kept in a separate location on the B-47 and could be installed by the navigator/bombardier in flight in case of a war.
The bomb landed on a playhouse a father had built for his daughters injuring 9 people including the daughters who were play nearby. The conventional explosives in the bomb did detonate creating a crater 70 feet wide and 35 feet deep. The families of the victims sued the Air Force and received $54,000 dollars (about $600,000 in today's value).
My dad flew both the B-47 and B-52, so I am a bit biased.
BTW, the nickname for the B-52 was The BUFF. which people think stood for "Big Ugly Fat Fella", only the last F never actually stood for "Fella" It stood for "F**ker" among the crews even to this day.
Those were the glory days.
Douglas F-4D Skyray: the most beautiful batwing you never heard of; with the F7U Cutlass in a very close second for the most beautiful "Nifty Fifties" USN aircraft!
I'll give you those are good looking aircraft, I'm a little surprised none of the ww2 fighters made it
Avro Vulcan gets an honourable mention. You all need to go to Specsavers, should be in the top 3.
+ the Hunter not even anywhere
The Hunter had the best look of any jet.
The BAC TSR.2 was a beautiful looking design imo.
I was fortunate to be in the Civil Air Patrol as a young teenager. And we were taken onto the tarmac and allowed to look into the cockpit of a Blue Angels F-4 Phantom. Incredible for a 14 year old, a memory I'll never forget. Some may call it brick. But the F-4 is muscular and beautiful to me. I'm very happy to see the F-4 (and the F-104) on your Top-10.
My dad was a F-104 IP in the 60's AND an A-4D driver in 1960 (NEX). He also flew " Fast FAC" in the F-4. Quite proud of my dad
As well you should be 👍
Not even an honorable mention for the F86 Sabre? Wonder what it's Mooch score would be? SR-71 is #1 for me. Great vid, thanks for posting!
The two planes that I saw flying in air shows as a kid, that just blew me away, we’re the Vulcan and the Blackbird.
The Blackbird was like a flying black hole and the Vulcan in its camo paint scheme was like a camouflaged bat. Beautiful airplanes.
I had the same "black hole" experience with a B-2 on a sunny day. It was a hole in the sky; no details could be seen.
All of those are wonderful examples of beautiful aircraft. I've always had a soft spot for both the P-38 Lightning and the B-25 Mitchell.
Were they jets?
Oooh didn't see the jet caviat@sandgrownun66
I always liked the A-7 and F-8 too. I remember both while we were underway.
The F105 got no mention. This jet could have looks like something out of design studios of Pinin Farina. It also had some speed.
Mooch, I'm not surprised the F-14 was number one. I would picked the F-106 which I flew in the 70's. 😊
But seriously the B-2 and B-21 should have made the list as a group given their radical design, technological content, and operational impact since Desert Storm.
B-2 and B-21 are both definitely iconic in their styling. 👏
I hate those dam boomerang bombers there so ugly
The F-106 Delta Dart belongs on that list somewhere.
Certainly not on this list. it gets a zero for operational performance. By the time the airplane was operational the mission was obsolete. 106s never went to war, never fired a shot in anger, had zero utility beyond that of strategic air defense. Totally useless.
Do the numbers any way you want. The SR-71 is a piece of absolute visual art that can do M3+. It's the SR-71..... Daylight......''whatever."
BTW the F1-11 always looked better than the F-14 and did a lot more actual real work.
Loved the video. Tomcat and Eagle are my favourites too. Absolutely beast-looking.
I was low-key hoping Su-30 would make the list. It's a beautiful bird. And big.
Its basicly just an upgrade of the Su-27 Flanker.
I'm a big F100 fan but if I had to park it in my garage I would pick the F5 every time. Good job on the honorable mentions though. Many thanks 😊
F-5 never stood out to me. Cosmetically, I thinks it warrants placement in the 20 - 25 range.
The CF-105 Arrow should have been top of the list.
No, the Hawker Hunter, actually.
That's a cool jet! I'll have to read up on that one
The Saab Grippen is a very underrated fighter. It is a very sleek looking aircraft
I don't think the Gripen is underrated by anybody. Except the septics.
What?!?! You’re a navy man and you didn’t put down the RA-5C or F-8?!?! And the most gorgeous aircraft assembled in the history of aviation, the plane I worked on. The absolutely fabulous P-3 Orion! And you included Air Force planes!!!
--
Haha! I’m just kidding of course. Great list! I actually love Air Force’s B-1 Bomber. The RA-5C is my number one fav Navy plane for looks.
A tough errand Ward. I'l throw in the still born BAC TSR-2 for honorable mention. The F-106 Delta Dart. And of course the 104 star fighter.
The B-58 had a 20mm cannon in the tail. And if you're wondering, the B-58 flies at 2,000 knots while the muzzle velocity if the 20mm is 3,000 knots.
So, if you were standing beneath a B-58 as it was flying north at speed and it fired off the tail gun, the cannon shells would end up travelling south from your position at 1,000 knots.
The English Electric Lightning should be somewhere on the list even just an honourable mention. At Air shows in the mid 1970’s the sight of a full RAF Sqn of 9 jets (111 Sqn and 23 Sqn at RAF Leuchars in Scotland come to mind) doing full afterburner takeoffs followed by an immediate 4g rotation at 280kts into a 25deg climb at 50,000 FPM was truly awesome. It could totally outperform the F104 and was built for the exact same mission! 40,000ft 2.5 mins after brake release was the norm!! Thanks Ward for a great channel!
Totally outperform? I don't think so. Pilot's had to call bingo fuel while they started the second engine 🙂.
F-104 was more multi-role. And the Lightening is not really a beauty (which is subjective).
Btw: there is an excellent flight sim called Jet Pilot. You could fly F-104, Lightnings, and MiG-21. All in different variants and with quite a lot of gameplay and decent flight models.
Very old sim from the era of DI Tornado.
The F-104s climb rate was only surpassed by a purpose "tuned" F-15.
That doesn't mean the Lightning wasn't any good, no Sir, she was a monster ! But a beauty she's certainly not.
It looks like a pregnant MiG-21 though..
Where do you think Thunderbird 1 was was inspired from? Absolute beauty of an aeroplane for a jet.
The Vulcan was a bomber, but that, the Lightning, F5, Vampire, F86, and the CF105 all have my vote.
Missing several gorgeous aircraft- English Electric Lightning and Canberra, Hawker Hunter, Handley Page Victor, MIG 21.
The Hunter is top.
F111 Was the best
What is remarkable is how old some of these jets are. Tomcat, Eagle, Falcon, all in use or close to it, and are about 50 years old. Phantom is still formidable and it first flew in 1958. And the venerable B-52 (first flight 1952) is still going strong and is mighty.
Imho nothing can ever beat the Flanker in pure aesthetics, but the Raptor is also a thing of beauty.
You forgot the Hawker Hunter.
It seems that the channel participants have short-range memory. Otherwise it cannot be explained that in the consideration of pure beauty, they left out a classic, almost unsurpassed in this aspect. Sabre F-86!!
Mooch,I love your channel, and most of the aircraft that made the Top 10.
But in this case, I feel that a recount is in order! The F-86 Sabre is shockingly MIA! My Dad guarded US air in Korea from late 1950-1953, and loved watching fully loaded Sabres doing JATO takeoffs.
They are gorgeous on the ground and in the air!
I kind of wonder why the F105 wasn't mentioned even in the honorable mentioned area. That beast was gorgeous in the air and looked more than good on the ramp.
I know its not the common opinion but I think the Tomcat looks gorgeous with the swing wings deployed forward too. It looks like an osprey swooping to catch a fish
Re: the SR-71 landing at NAS Oceana and the traffic jam, I lived in that little spit of land between Norfolk NOB and NAS Oceana when that beast came in. Probably the prettiest sight I've ever seen with my own eyes, and we both know how pretty night flight ops on a carrier can be, especially somewhere up north when the Lights come out. I honestly think that gorgeous Blackbird paralleling the road there might be more memorable, if not prettier.
But yeah. Tomcat. Had to be. Long live the Starfighters and the Diamondbacks! (I was USS America ship's company 88-92, flight deck lighting.)
Harrier is my fave, thought it would be on the list somewhere.
I find the Harrier to be damn ugly.
The Hawker Hunter is the best for looks.
Hmm.... was shocked the B-2 Flying Wing didn't even make the honorable mentions list... though my 2 other favorites, the SR-71 and the F-14 were at the top! Good one, Ward! Keep these comparison videos coming... you could do a comparison of fighters from WWI... WWII & include other Flying war machines like copters, etc!
As soon as you said it's not opinion, it's science, I knew the Tomcat had won. 😂 Great vid.
"Avro Vulcan, the bomber that nuked US twice" should have been the tag line imho.
Also we need a sequel: Top 10 most beautiful non-American aicraft. Presumably overwhelmingly US audience obviously chose "their guys" in this, so let's do another one, barring any vehicle made in the US. I reckon that one would be much more interesting.
TSR2, Vulcan, Fairey Delta.
The J35 Draken should always be in the top 5 of most beautiful jets. I have no problem with the F-14 in the #1 spot but the Draken definitely should be on any serious list.
As always Ward, this was great. It’s incredible that something so lethal can also be so beautiful, but they are exquisite and a tribute to the brilliant minds that first sketched them and the brave pilots who tested them. They are Highly functional works of art. I’m a little surprised that there was no mention of Germanys ME 262. It was thankfully too little too late, but what a beautiful and incredibly futuristic air machine. Our guys were given a terrifying peek into the future and probably could not believe it when these things screamed by.
The F4 was a looker if ya ask me.....and the F16 is soooo sweet😊
Well my pick is the amazing F-4 2.....Thanks Ward....
Shoe🇺🇸
Okay Admiral. As a former Vigilante wrench I’ve got to take issue with the placement of the RA 5C. Accessing those J79’s was a colossal pain in the a$$, it’s still one of the most beautiful airplanes ever. It’s up there with B 17 and the Corsair😊
I was stationed on Okinawa from 1978 to 1981 and got to watch it takeoff dozens of times and at night with FULL afterburner which it was so impressive!!!
Love this video! #1 and #2 are perfectly placed! Keep Mooching!
Don't forget the first jet fighter, the Messerschmitt Me-262, it would stop traffic anywhere in 1945.
Here's my list (in no particular order): F-11F (looks like what a jet fighter ought to look like), RA-5, XB-70, U-2, Vulcan, F-8U, F-14, and finally, one that I doubt made anyone's list: the S-3 (I'm biased, because I did in-service engineering on it as a Navy civilian engineer for about 20 years).
The U-2 is boring-looking and flimsy to boot.
@@pike100 It may look flimsy because of the wing flex. However, it's a brilliant design and the wings flex because it is built light so it can perform the mission. It is like a large sailplane with a jet engine and a large fuel fraction.
I never heard of the F-16 referred to as "Viper". In the mid-80s, we jokingly called them "Lawn Darts" in our Integrated Avionics shop in Germany. (Spangdahlem, F-16/F-4 Wild Weasel Teams.) Early Fly-by-Wire technology and single engine configuration led to the nickname. (They had some turbine problems for a bit, and I got volunteered to help pick up the pieces on a mountainside, once.) They seem to have gotten all of the bugs worked out since then.
It was funny (but extremely loud) to watch the Wild Weasel teams at take-off. The F-16 was already airborne 1/4 way down the runway but staying on the wing of the F-4, that would be still on the ground until around 2/3 way down the runway before the wheels even came off the ground. The huge ravens would even line the fence to watch.
In the eye of the beholder, to pinned down ground troops, the A-10, AC-130 and the Apache Attack helicopter would probably rank as the top three most beautiful aircraft in the universe. (My dad would probably add the Cobra to the list.)
That was a cool video. Thanks!
I think all the crashes led to the nickname
I am surprised the F-86 Sabre was not in the list. I always thought it was a sleek and beautiful fighter jet. You did have two of my favs, the B-58 and the F-101. Well done!