Im starting planning on a painting ive had in my head since i was about 13 and it involves a representation of the history of flight. So my question to you guys is. In your opinion, what is the most iconic aircraft for each era? i.e dawn of flight, ww2, supersonic and modern.
Id be keen to know what your opinions on this are.
Thanks heaps in advance guys.
Mike
hmmm, I think the wright flyer, a sopwhith camel, a yellowing something, p-51, f-86, f-4, f-14/16/15/18, f-22/35
I like fighters, so those would be my choices
OWL
If you meanto use a mix of civilian and military, and keep it to US Aviation efforts, then probably the Wright Flyer, then a JN-4D, DH 4 Mail plane*,* the Spirit of St. Louis , P-6E, Ford Tri-motor or China Clipper, Beech Staggerwing, P-40, DC-3/C-47, B-17/B-24, P-51, F-80, B-36, Bell X-1, DC-4, F-86, B-58, B-52, F-104, Boeing 707, SR-71, F-4, Boeing 747, C-130, Space Shuttle, B1-B, F-15, B-2, F-22, Boeing 757, C-5/C-17, something like that…
Basically, you’re wanting to take something iconic from each decade of the 20th Century, right?
not each decade, more each era. like the dawn of flight, which would be the wright flyer. Then something from ww2 like a mustang or a spitfire or something, then the supersonic age, so like the Bell X-1 or something, then the modern era, like the Sr-71 or something. i kinda wanna limit it to 4 or 5 aircraft at the absolute maximum or its going to become very crowded
wasn’t the SR-71 from the 60’s? Its not a very modern plane. its retired already!
OWL
double post. weird…
OWL
British: Sopwith Camel, Felixstowe, Supermarine S.6, Hawker Hurricane, Gloster Meteor, Comet Airliner, EE Lightning, Avro Vulcan
Italian: Fiat Gr.32, SM 79,
German: DR1, D7, Hansa Brandenburg, Zeppelin, Me 109, Ju-87, Fw-190,
Russia: IL-2
I’d find a space for:
British: Spitfire, Mosquito, Lancaster, Canberra
Russian: Mig 15
Just a few thougts (the “ages” are a bit arbitrary):
“dawn of aviation” the wright flyer
WWI either a Camel or a Foker Dr-1 (preferbly the red baron)
Inter war: Spirit of st. Louis (runners up could be JN-4, Fokker F-VII, Junker J-13)
WWII (very difficult) Spitfire, Me-109, P-51, B-17, C-47…etc.
Early jet powered age: F-86, MiG-15 or Boeing 707
Cold war: MiG-21, F-4, F-104, Mirage, BAC Lightning
Modern: F-16, 747, Su-27
Now and future: F-22, 787, A380
Famous planes missed:
F-15, F-14, U-2 : to little countries who operate it
Comet, Viscount, F-27: civil is always a bit less iconic/inspiring
C-130 Hercules: it should be in there but for which “age”?
Helicopters, such as the UH-1, Mi-8
GA planes: Cessna 172, An-2, Beech Bonanza
Just a few off the top of my head
WWI:
Sopwith Camel, Fokker D.VII, Spad 13, Nieuport 17
Interwar:
Hawker Fury, Supermarine S.6
WWII:
Avro Lancaster, Hawker Hurricane, DC-3, B-29, P-51 Mustang, BF-109, P-40 Warhawk, DeHavilland Mosquito, Spitfire
Cold War: (1950-1990)
F-86 Sabre, MiG-15, F-4 Phantom, MiG-21, Dassault Mirage III, EE Lightning, EE Canberra, U-2, SR-71Blackbird, F-104 Starfighter, B-52 Stratofortress, Tupolev Tu-95 Bear, F-14 Tomcat, UH-1 Huey, Harrier,
Post Cold War: (1990- ) Most of these started service before 1990, but I consider them moden as they are still going strong today.
F-16 Viper, F-15 Eagle, Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker, Mil Mi-24 Hind,
Timeless icons: More representative of accomplishments than eras
Boeing 707 (Truly brough air travel to the masses)
Concord (To think it could exist in the civilian world!)
C-130 Hercules (When the last Raptor goes to the boneyard, the pilot will be flown home in a Herc!),
Cessna 172 (How many pilots got their first taste of flight in one?)
DeHavilland DHC-2 Beaver (The stuff of bush flying legends)
NA Texan/Harvard (No explanation required!)
Of course, it’s all very subjective and open to debate.
Flyer
Camel
Tri-motor
Spitfire
FW-190
B-29
Mig-15
B707
F-4
SR-71 or XB-70
Concorde
B747
Mig 29
F-22
A400
upnorth wrote the following post on Friday, September 24, 2010:
"C-130 Hercules (When the last Raptor goes to the boneyard, the pilot will be flown home in a Herc!)"
You got that right!
My choices would be divided amongst civil and military:
from old to new–
Kitty Hawk
Fokker Tri-plane
edit: You could consider googling the U.S.S. Macon. A Navy lighter-than-air dirigible (blimp) that was basically a flying aircraft carrier. Not just an experiment, but a commissioned air ship that had the capability of launching and recovering aircraft while underway.
4: The X-1 for breaking the sound barrier and surviving.
Another choice could be a bell 47 helicopter, or H-13 Sioux, which changed the way wounded were evacuated during the Korean war.
In the Cold war era, either the SR-71, or the plane that was developed to counter it, the Mig-25 Foxbat. Both could do 3 things really well- 1: fly high and fast. 2: fly high and fast. 3: fly high and fast.
And you cant forget one bird which is in the Book of records to stay: The Space Shuttle. Before you hammer me, the Space Shuttle is listed by NASA as a manned aircraft when returning home, and holds the world speed and altitude record to this day. It re-enters the atmosphere at an average speed of Mach 25!
Thats my 2 cents worth.[t$t]
True story, Owl but, even in retirement there is nothing flying anywhere that can even come close to the SR-71’s performance…
Ray
oh, yes the Blackbird is a truly awesome plane–but My point is that ii is not “modern” and no longer flies as part of military opperations…i wish I could have seen it fly
OWL
Dawn of flight - Wright Flyer
WW1 - Camel, Fokker
Interwar - DH4, Jenny, Spirit of St Louis
WW2 - Hurricane, Zero, Me262
Post War/Korea - P-80, F-86, Mig 15, F102, X-1
Cold War/Vietnam - Vulcan, F4, Mig17, Mig-21, F-111, F-14, F16XL
Gulf War 1/2- Tornado, A-10, F-15, F-117, F-18
my list if I were to do the same thing. I would want aircraft that represent milestones in flight, not just popular models.
Ahhhhhhh I didn’t think anyone was going to mention the Mitsubishi A6M Zero till cb1 did!
For the Second World War I’d tend to go with either a Spit, P-51, or B-17 but still the German Bf-109 was the most produced aircraft in history with the Soviet Il-2 as number two.
And for the Cold War the MiG-21 is the most produced jet in history.
At least I think I heard that years ago, someone please correct me if I’m wrong here.
WWII, you really can’t go wrong with a spitfire, P-40, P-51, Zero, and BF-109.
Modern jets: Tomcats definitely, SR-71, B-2, F-117 just off the top of my head. There is really no right or wrong answer to this question though.
If you’re going to include the Bell X-1, I’d suggest the North American X-15A-2, be included.
It held all speed and altitude records until broken by the space shuttle. She outflew the SR-71 at mach 6.7 and reached near earth orbit. At least one of her pilots was awarded astronaut wings.
I’d go Wright flyer, Spirit of St. Louis, P-51D (or some comparable bird), X-1, X-15A-2, Space Shuttle, Concord and something like the A300 Airbus.
-Fred
also forgot, the DC-9 series. One of he most successful and popular airliners. Still flying today as the B-717
You guys are awesome. so many aircraft i never would have thought of. This is going to take alot of thinking and planning. Keep posting your ideas guys. Although im seeing a pattern emerge id like to get a few more ideas in there.
Once i get a prelim sketch going ill post it and see what you guys think. Could be a few weeks away yet.