Okay, we did the prettiest plane built…and we did the ugliest plane built a while back. Let’s get philosophical.
What was the most influencial plane built in the Western Hemisphere?
Eastern?..
Happy New Year all…
I’d say that The Bonney Gull was probably quite influential in the west in that it’s first, last, and fatal flight may have prevented others from repeating such silliness… [:p]
The East… hmmm… hafta think on that one…
Fade to Black…
Western Hemi: Charles Lindbergh’s NYP-11 that he used to fly across the Atlantic in 1927. This was the first non-stop flight between New York and Paris. The $25,000 prize money he earned was intended to advance the knowledge and acceptance of aircraft and travel by air. This succeeded beyond the wildest dreams of those who established the prize. The number of certified pilots, aircraft, aircraft manufacturers and airports skyrocketed in the next few years after Lindbergh’s flight.
This was also the basic purpose behind the $10 million offered for the first civilian craft to fly into space twice within a few days. This was recently won by Burt Rutan’s Space Ship One. SS-1 could very well do the same for space travel in near futures. [alien]
The most influential plane built in the Western Hemisphere would HAVE to be the Wright Flyer, for proving that it could be done.
The most influential plane from the Eastern Hemisphere is the Ta-183, for it’s strong influence on the MiG-15, which itself influenced the design of many other aircraft.
It should be the C-47/DC-3. It brought the world together as an airliner and it helped save democracy. In the East, it would probably be the MiG 21.
DC-3/C-47. It was the first “modern airliner” and supplied every front during WWII and still fly’s all over the world to this day. Eastern…Ummmmmmm…don’t know 
Hmmm there are alot of the “most” so I will choose one. The XB-70 Valkrye which scared the russians enough to make the Mig-25 Foxbat that scared us enough to make the F-15 Eagle
Any plane flown by a Barnstormer. Many of the pilots of yore were influenced by that one magic moment.
The Western Aircraft…
Curtiss Jenny…“Probuilder” is right all the Barnstormers efforts made us an Aviation Nation.
The Piper Cub. Wow, where is it not used? And who can’t fly it?
In many ways there is no difference between the two…it put’s the power and joy of flight into the common man’s hands.
In the East…
Well if you would kindly grant me Germany being the east then how about Otto Lillienthal’s glider designs. I think they were up 20 years before the boys from Ohio figured out how to get an engine on one…
Influential in what ways?
In civil circles, I’ll make it a tie between the DC-3 and DeHavilland Beaver for Western builds. Don’t really know enough about Eastern civil stuff to make a vote there.
In military circles, Vickers Wellington for the West. She was all there was for bombers at the outbreak of WWII for the allied side and really almost obsolete. What did she influence? The “never say die” attitude that kept the European allies from giving up in the early part of the war. She gave them something to hit back with and keep up enough precious morale to see the development of better birds like the Halifax and Lancaster as worthwhile efforts.
For the East, gotta be the MiG-21, for sheer numbers, longevity and upgradability over the years. Despite the existence of MiG-29s and MiG-31s, when someone says “MiG”, more often than not, its the image of a 21 that pops into folks minds as the “classic” MiG. Now THATS influence!
The XP-38, which unleashed Kelly Johnson, who impacted the entire Western world, culminating with the SR-71.
The MiG 15, which unleashed a fear/respect for Soviet aviation, which culminated in the development of aircraft in both hemispheres, which otherwise may never have been built.
Steve