I think I'm going to model a plane. If anyone has a favourite plane that they think is the most beautiful of designs then let me know. I'm interested to hear.
I love most WW2 era planes. They're so... raw-mechanical (read: not technological) that I love the feel I get when I think about the brute human effort that'd go in to construct them. (This goes with anything from the 30s-50s).
B-36 Peacemaker. Its megalomane size fits the cold war perfectly, and the combination of propeller and jet engines is a nice balance between the old and the new. 10 engines!
There's also the NB-36, which had a nuclear reactor on board, but it looks uglier.
I've changed the replies that contained images of 1800 pixel or wide to be just the links to their images. I'm wondering if the image length has messed this thread up a bit.
The Concorde. I was entering a flight to the US via the outdoor stairs because they used a shuttle bus and one was parked right next to our flight. What an amazing sight. One of the most beautifully designed planes ever - and I was amazed how small it was.
Unfortunately I don't think the Concorde is very well suited for a model so you may want to stick with one of those military jets since they have more details.
Anything that can take off and land on a carrier, especially F-4 Phantom II
I'm working on PZL-130 TC-I Orlik, Polish turboprop trainer for Flight Simulator X, I like this plane too. Here's ingame shot, just after takeoff. Unfortunately FSX renderer isn't that good
This site is pretty bad-ass if you're looking for something unconventional: http://www.luft46.com/
Super-secret, cancelled, would-be ,Nazi experimental airplanes!
How awesome is that?! Secret "Amerika-bombers", boundary-pushing jet-planes like the Messerschmitt P.1101, which America basically copied as the Bell X-5 after they found the secret research base.
They did manage to get some of the crazy stuff built though..
Like the Mistel (mistletoe) project where they strapped BF109's and FW190's onto Ju88's converted into bombs that worked as an external powerplant as well. They were used against Russian factories and against some decoy ships, and mulberry habours in Normandy
Replies
[edit] a few nice ones - click
EDIT: That's the Super Guppy. What a fat ass.
Depends what type of plane you mean, most large planes are a bit dull to me, but i love some fighter jet designs, AV-8B harrier II being my favourite.
http://www.nasaimages.org/luna/servlet/detail/nasaNAS~5~5~22472~127029:HL-10-on-Lakebed-with-B-52-flyby
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Lifting_Bodies_on_Lakebed_-_GPN-2000-001945.jpg
forums must be acting a bit weird, sorry
For me, it's all about the warthog, baby!
There's also the NB-36, which had a nuclear reactor on board, but it looks uglier.
Oh, it's a big pretty white plane with red stripes, curtains in the windows and wheels and it looks like a big Tylenol.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handley_Page_Victor
That thing looks awesome!
http://media.moddb.com/images/groups/1/3/2044/YF-23.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/YF-23_left_view.jpg
One and only plane for me thanks, Supermarine Spitfire MkIIA. Perfect curves.
B-17.
Grumman Goose
F4 Corsair
Douglas A-20
Bristol Beaufighter
CAC Boomerang
DH Mosquito
Martin 187 Baltimore
PBY Coronado
Grumman XF5F Skyrocket
F-117 Nighthawk, so ridiculous that's it's cool
I was initially going to go for the classic Spitfire. Like you say Gilgamesh, lovely curves. Here are some of the other ones I was looking at:
- P38 Lightning http://www.kelleycows.com/images/p38.jpg
- Curtiss P-40 Warhawk (Mean!!) http://www.markkarvon.com/images/P-40 Warhawk Karvon 16x24 Print3 700.jpg
- Focke Wulf http://www.aviationartgallery.co.uk/Images/Large-Images/Focke-wulf-190d9.jpg
- BAE Hawk T1A http://www.avsim.com/pages/0908/Skysim/28. Hawk in cruise mode.jpg
- P-51 Mustang http://www.heritageflight.org/ACCmedia/Images/P-51-Mustang-Gunfighter.jpg
mmm.. choices, choices.
Unfortunately I don't think the Concorde is very well suited for a model so you may want to stick with one of those military jets since they have more details.
Hughes XF-11
F2G Super Corsair
Westland Wyrven
Lockheed Super Constellation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_arrow
1930's had a lot of great planes. Ended up modelling my own http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caudron_C.460 some years back.
(picture of side, found on internet)
I'm working on PZL-130 TC-I Orlik, Polish turboprop trainer for Flight Simulator X, I like this plane too. Here's ingame shot, just after takeoff. Unfortunately FSX renderer isn't that good
SE5A
Fokker Dr. I
Polikarpov I-16 Type 10
The very delicious "Gee Bee Sportster" is also a good one
Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Typhoon
Gloster Meteor Mk.III
Westland Whirlwind
Just to name a few
Yes!!
http://www.luft46.com/
Super-secret, cancelled, would-be ,Nazi experimental airplanes!
How awesome is that?! Secret "Amerika-bombers", boundary-pushing jet-planes like the Messerschmitt P.1101, which America basically copied as the Bell X-5 after they found the secret research base.
Man, this stuff is exciting
Like the Mistel (mistletoe) project where they strapped BF109's and FW190's onto Ju88's converted into bombs that worked as an external powerplant as well. They were used against Russian factories and against some decoy ships, and mulberry habours in Normandy
totally forgot about this plane.
I used to have a toy of it as a kid with the wings that go back and forth, was awesome.
GI Joe F-14? I remember having one. it was pure awesome
A-6 Intruder
F-4 Phantom II
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
BAE Hawk