Most influential airplanes?

[MarkB.]

Opinion time!

I was reading a model airplane magazine where a blue ribbon panel of experts voted for the 100 most influential flying machines of all time. Apparently, there was no criteria as to what defines influential because over half list were constructed in the 1936-1946 timeframe using more or less similar science and technique. I'd like to know what the blue ribbon panel here at AAFO thinks. On this hundredth anniversary of flight my nominees would be (in no particular order):

Wright 1905 Flyer
N.A. X-15
Travel-Aire Mystery Ship
Hawker Sea Fury
Lockheed A-11/SR-71
Hughes H-1 Racer
Douglas DC-3
Boeing 707
Bell X-1
MiG-25
Me-262
Supermarine S6B
Rockwell Space Shuttle
Bleriot Cross-channel
Lockheed C-130
Bell UH-1


What do you think?

[matt]

my choice isn't an airplane at all, it's a rocket.

the v-2 vengeance weapon. it in some way had something to do with every major space mission and accomplishment since it's creation. without the airplane we can't fly but without the rocket we couldn't go to the moon and mars.

[MarkB.]

most influential airplanes

matt

I agree with you! Over the last century we have seen some amazing things. So, I would add to my list the following rocketry notables:

German V-2
RKB/Energya R-7
Grumman Lunar Module
Polaris SLBM

[Howard]

the Concorde...

For my money it is the late great Concorde..

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: the Concorde...

Originally posted by Howard
For my money it is the late great Concorde..

I've gotta agree, that is one amazing airplane. Particularly, if you think about when it was designed!

What an era....

It produced both the Concorde and the SR-71 Blackbird!!

Will we *EVER* equal the performance of either?

Wayne
Coming to you from wonderfully spring-like Las Vegas!

[Reever]

Most influential aircraft in my oppinion is the Douglas DC-3.

That airplane made commercial flight a viable business. Commercial flight became an option for the traveling public because of the DC-3.

[Unregistered]

Silly Elbarto, Rockets are for kids.

One, two, three....is this thing on?

Seriously, If we were discusing rockets, I'd have to agree with Matt on the V-2. It became (after the war) "ze fazzer" for the most succesful programs with NASA thanks to Werner Von Braun. Nothing the Russians had could compare to it. Most people say Sputnik started the space race, I believe it started with the V-2.

As far as influential aircraft, the list really reflected the most important, not the most influential. There were a few missing from the list I thought should be added to those great planes.

The Curtis pusher,
Not only was it the first to land on a ship, but it was also the first air racer!

The Curtis Jenny,
With the end of WWI and the Barnstorming that followed, It introduced flying to many folks while most of America thought flying was too dangerous. Once word got out that people were buying rides from a farmers field and were living to tell about it, everyone wanted rides. It pretty much started the beginnings of general aviation.

The North American P-51D Mustang,
With it's long rang and great manuverability, it was able to escort the bombers all the way to the target during WWII, then fight with the best the world could throw at it, turning the tide towards ultimate victory for the allies.

The Piper J-3 Cub,
The Jenny of it's day. The Cub furthered the general aviation movement and trained a ton of pilots. The first popular affordable airplane for every backyard!

Cessna 172,
Built in greater numbers than any other airplane, The 172 has to be the most influential airplane of all time, if imitation is the greatist form of flattery. Hundreds of airplanes have followed the 172's basic layout. When you think of becoming a pilot, your pretty much thinking of learning to fly the 172 before anything else.

Boeing B-52,
Not to many designs will ever match the BUFF for it's longevity while still being an extremely effective weapon throughout it's service life.

Boeing 747,
The DC-3 started it all, but the 747 made it available to the common folks. The 747 started the Airline price wars making travel affordable to just about everyone.

Northrop T-38,
The first supersonic trainer has arguably trained more military pilots than any other design. It might one day rival the B-52 for longevity.

General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin F-16,
This multi role fighter has proved to be highly capable, and feared. It is THE fighter to have if your one of the US's allies.

Bell Jet Ranger,
It's not exactly my personal favorite (MD-500D for me) but it's hard to argue with the economical Ranger. It opened up the business helicopter market, and continues to be a major player.

Once again, sorry to be so long winded. I just wanted to add a few, and why I though they should be added.

Race 29

[Race 29]

Sorry about that, I thought I was already logged on.
It was indeed me

Race 29

[AlisoBob]

All great planes, rockets, and Heilo's mentioned.... But left out is the ME163 Komet....

The question was " Most influential airplanes? "

Tail-less, rocket powered, bubble canopy, swept wing with elevons, .85 mach, vectored thrust, among other firsts...

This too should be included in the list.

[hattend]

The RV series of homebuilts

It made flying affordable for the "everyman" again. Sheesh, a quarter of a million for a new 4 passenger plane from Cessna? Dang lawyers.

Don Hatten
Future RV-9a builder and flyer

[Unregistered]

I'd have to put the Convair 240/340/440 on the list somewhere. A modern version of the DC-3 that brought air travel to millions of people in hundreds of places that would have never accomodated a DC-4, let alone a 707. It was the first in an industry that is going great guns now with things like the Canadair and Embraer Regional Jets, ATR-72, Saab 340, etc.

Same for the 727 and DC-9, just a notch up the size spectrum. And I would argue that it was these, not the 747, that made travel available to the "common folks." I've got a half million miles over the past few years on 727s, MD-80s, 737s, 757s, and even an occasional L-1011 or 767, but I've never set foot on a 747, nor have millions of other business travellers who don't fly trans-oceanic.

The 747 removed the world's oceans as travel barriers, for sure, though.

WRT the Concorde, I'd put it on my list of "Greatest Airplanes," but influential? What did it influence? Its had no successor (yet, maybe never) and thus no real influence at all. I don't enjoy saying that, but thats how I see it.

Steve L.