What would you choose to have a flight in, and why?

[SVX]

I don't often start threads, but after watching that truly brilliant documentary (Jet! When Britain Ruled the Skies, on BBC 4); I thought I'd pose this question to the aviation aficionados here on BP&T:

If you could have a flight in any type either as PAX or pilot, which would you choose?

Because there are so many wonderful aircraft out there, I think that we can choose a Military and Commercial type, feel free to post pics as well

Military:

English Electric Lightning T.5 - PAX obviously, but until recently it was my nearly achievable dream. I also think that the Lightning is one of the most brutally beautiful aircraft ever built.


Commercial:

I've thought long and hard, but I think I would've liked to have had a flight in the Tupolev Tu-144, probably over Concorde, as it would've been something that not many people from the West could ever have experienced.



Over to you

[SVX]

Eric Mc said:

Quote said:

Space Shuttle
ME 262
HondaJet

Agree with the Space Shutle - but a decidedly dodgy proposition - and now completely impossible.

I also wonder what would've happened if the Buran programme had come to fruition.

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kiteless said:

Apart from the fact that they are impossibly beautiful, I've always wanted a flight in a VC-10.

The VC-10 flypast at RIAT this year was wonderful - the sound of 4 Conways is truly lovely.




Sorry for the crappy shot

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LHRFlightman said:

Saturn V.

PAX or pilot ?

[SVX]

Zaxxon said:

DH Hornet, the most potent looking sportscar of the sky.

That's one evil looking warbird...

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XB70 said:

Military:
The XB70



Civilian:
Concorde

Great username - epic aircraft

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petrolsniffer said:

Why?

One is the fastest propeller driven aircraft in the world and a cold war icon.

The other just a marvel of british engieering and another cold war icon.

Bravo Sir! The Bear is an amazing piece of kit.

[SVX]

Does anyone know what happened to the Buccaneers from TC? Are they still airworthy?

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pacman1 said:

ooh, I just remembered another one..

Two seat, almost concordesque, simply sublime, and with full military power..



To quote Wolfman, 'this gives me a hard on'

If you're going to do something...

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Zaxxon said:

cookie118 said:

It's interesting how Russia and the US have gone different ways.

It's more interesting how the USSR's designs were incredibly similar to those from the west.

Whilst they are very similar designs, the Tupolev is a lot larger than the B1-B, and as mentioned has a lot more capability. It'd be interesting to really know who was spying on who during the cold war.

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Zaxxon said:

There have been many similarities between Russian aeroplanes and Western. With the Russian aeroplanes flying several years after the original western design.

Comet - TU-104
Concorde -TU-144
TU-160 - B1
Buran - Shuttle
AN124 - Galaxy
T-50 - F22

Although China seems to be even worse.

IIRC Tu-144 flew before Concorde (1968 versus 1969).
Buran was a far superior design to the Orbiter (specifically around their thermal protection design), but sadly the Russians ran out of cash.

As I posted earlier, I think that the obvious spying and subsequent use of the stolen designs was very much a two-way street. In any case, I wish that there was more innovation in aircraft development today

[SVX]

b14 said:

SVX said:

Buran was a far superior design to the Orbiter (specifically around their thermal protection design), but sadly the Russians ran out of cash.

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2007/11/rare-photos-of-russian-buran-space.html

Check out the cockpit shots from Buran - not something I'd like to go to space in!

Thanks for the interesting link - actually it doesn't look too bad (for a prototype), interesting that they went for CRT monitors and analogue instrumentation, as compared to digital displays of the Shuttle.