Aircraft Bargin

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
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Inspired by a discussion in the ship forum, what’s the biggest aircraft bargin? I.E. what aircraft proved itself plus more, and is/was worth the cost?

I will start with the C-130. Designed as a cargo transport, turned into a gunship, search and rescue, and special warfare ops aircraft. Plus its over 50 yrs old and still active!

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The 707 airframe. The variants are almost as long as the Herky. KC-135, NKC-135, EC-135 for starters with tons of variants depending on engines on the airframe.

Definitely a venerable airframe that is still in frontline service today.

3

Obviously the B-2…[:P]

In all seriousness, I’d say the DC-3.

It’s been flying for 75 years and is STILL operational in parts of the world. I know it’s not the first, but it was THE commercial airliner that really helped civilian aviation get off the ground. It carried the Rangers to Normandy. Kept supplies flowing to the troops in Europe. Flew the Berlin Airlift. Got a gunship conversion as the AC-47.

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[dto:]

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For sheer longevity, yeah the DC-3/C-47 has to be at the top of the list. But it carried NO Rangers to Normandy. The WWII Rangers were legs and made their assaults overland or amphibious. Airborne Rangers did not come about until the Korean War.

Another contender has to be the B-52, From high flying Thermonuclear city killer of the 50s to todays nap of the earth, long loitering high capacity PGM platform and almost 50 years of front line combat service that is a hard record to beat

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Yep, completely my bad. Carried the 101st and 82nd into Normandy.

I’d put the B-52 up there as well. It’s done arguably the best job of any military aircraft ever built in terms of adapting to redefining roles and priorities.

I have a huge amount of love for any older aircraft that just keeps going because nobody can manage to design anything to do the job better. That would encompass the C-130, B-52, and A-10.

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C-130

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Gotta go with the DC-3 overall, but there are plenty of ‘honorable mention’ candidates. One I haven’t built (which is odd given my woodworker roots): the De Havilland DH-98 Mosquito AKA the ‘wooden wonder’.

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B-52, what fun would carpet bombing be without it?

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ARC LIGHT!

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Ah, yes the B-52 fits the bill. Over 50 yrs old with two aircraft designed to replace it, yet more active than its supposed replacements. Long live the BUFF!

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B747 - Flying for 44 years & still in production with nearly 7K built.

Sea King / SH-3/61 - Flying for 52 years or so & still regularly flying over my house in the worst of weather.

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[:D[ Way to go MajMike!

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I’ll throw in a bone for the Mirage III/V family (and its descendents).

  • Entered service in 1961, some remain in service today, 50 years later
  • performed Interceptor, strike, recon and training roles.
  • Operated on almost every continent
  • saw combat against itself on several occasions [:|]
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Good one with the Mirage Phil_H!

The Hawker Hunter didn’t do so bad either, nearly 2000 made, serving for 22 air arms & some private operators. It flew 60 years ago & is still in service with the Lebanese Air Force & It also managed to hold the world air speed record for a while.

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Another one to throw on the pile - the Piper Cub.

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Now that’s a great utilitarian plane. Just read an article in Air Classics mag, that these babies where launched and recovered on modified Victory ships, used for gun spotting. Amazing little birds!

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C-130 and the 707 series.

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I so want to tackle a Cub…but Bronco’s kit looks like a letdown.

Maybe Tamiya will come around and give the Cub the Storch treatment…