Beautiful planes

Hi,

for a change... the most beautiful planes ever built.

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In my opinion the DC3 is one of the nicest planes ever. I love its simple and clear line.

Design also dates from the time when you could recognise a plane at first sight  ;-)

Jan

Two of my favourites:

Boeing 777-300ER

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Airbus A340-600

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Boeing 747 all of them, I even love the SP. Airbus A340-500. Tupolev Tu-114.

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A330-300&Fokker 70

imo there are too much beautiful planes to show them all.

Just a few: D328,Fokker 70/100,757,737,747-400,A320,A330,A340-500/600,Jumbolinos,F28,A300,A310,777,MD11

If you want to see beautiful aviation photos then check this out.

Two of my favourites:

Boeing 777-300ER

Airbus A340-600

I do agree with the a346, though your picture is a smaller 340.

I also like the E170 very much. The BAe146 are quite beautiful as well.

Thanks for the hint! I have not seen it on the picture - but anyway, I would say the whole 340 family is beautiful... :-)

Beautiful planes. Hmmm, there are many - particularly if I rate not only looks but also sound...

First choice for the ultimate beauty would be an F-104G, Norm62 colors, JD+ markings:

(image source: Wikipedia)

Closely followed - for obvious reasons - the F-4F:

Picture shows the aircraft on its first flight fresh out of the paint shop with these colors - which at the same time was one of the very last flights of an F-4F ever...

(my own image)

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As for beautiful airliners, the following come to mind:

1. The 707, the -320B/C series in particular

707-327C, TMA of Lebanon, OD-AFY shortly after it was transfered into Lebanese register in Oct.'72 - previousely with Braniff. TMA adopted some design elements of the "Yellybean"-era which made this livery so striking - IMO at least.

(original image: unknown, slide scan)

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2. The 727

This is 727-235, N4730 of National Airlines, pre-completion at Renton. AFAIK, those "old" colors of National AL didn't make it into service on the 727-200 at all. I love the looks of those colors.

(original image: unknown, slide scan)

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3. The 747 - Classic of course

This is 747-123SF, OD-AGC of TMA of Lebanon. Great looking color scheme. The image shows the airframe in 1976, after it had been restored to airworthyness after crashlanding at Ellinikon, Dec.'75

(original image: unknown, slide scan)

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One last type out of the row:

The Bf109

Seen here is Bf109 G-4 "Rote 7" passing over Neuburg AB low and fast in June'11. I love the sound of its DB605 engine.

(my own image)

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I really like the design of the McDonnell Douglas MD-80... ;)

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...including the MD-90, Boeing 717 and DC-9.

My affection began after my first flight in an MD-87 of Iberia in 1991 and I started to collect information about these aircraft.

Tail of an MD-87 of Finnair. The airline operated three such aircraft:

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Aero Lloyd MD-83:

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Two MD-87-tails of JAS Japan Air System:

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Reno Air MD-90:

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JAS MD-90´s in the liveries developed by Akira Kurosawa:

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Rendering of the MD-95, later "Boeing 717"

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Impulse Airlines Boeing 717:

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DC-9-10/-20/-30/-40/-50:

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Regards!

Hi,

I only flew in an MD80 (could have been DC9) four times. Also in the early nineties. Back in those days, you only had to tell a stewardess that you would like to visit the cockpit and within minutes she'd be back. I remember the cockpit looked very old fashioned... big dials, sturdy switches and visible screws for easy removal. I thought only the 30 year old Morane Saulnier Rallye's in the flying club looked like that  :-)

Anyway, I liked the plane. Especially the aft stair is a neat feature. The only thing I am not particularly fond of is rear mounted engines and a high tail. I know it is a bit irrational, but I don't like the idea of a deep stall.

And AK, you may like the sound of a Bf109. But nothing beats the low rumble of a DC6.

Jan

...

And AK, you may like the sound of a Bf109. But nothing beats the low rumble of a DC6.

Jan

As always, it's in the eye (ear) of the beholder.

While I'm not a huge fan of the DC-6 (only saw a few of them on special cargo flights), I certainly do agree about the sound of its engines.

The R2800 radial indeed has an awesome sound (which radial piston doesn't?) and I've seen it hundreds of times, not on the DC-6, but on the CL-215.

While I wouldn't call it a beauty, the CL-215 is an awesome looking (and sounding) aircraft.

Here's CL-215, "1039" seen backtracking for runway 27 departure for the usual evening training flight during its 2011's fire season detachment at Samos:

5929155877_9c075a2555_b.jpg

Speaking about radial pistons, this one's also a beauty:

Hawker Seafury

Seen here is Christophe Jacquard performing with F-AZXJ at the Handweide in Sep.'11. Amazing sight and sound.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/an88hn]

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And one last one, no doubt you can either love or hate its looks:

The Ju-52/3m

Compared to the Sea Fury's Centaurus radial the Ju's BMW radials sound somewhat relaxed, still lovely though.

This is HB-HOS returning from a scenic flight, also Hahnweide'11.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/an865k]

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Hi,

the Tante Ju is a nice plane. Lufthansa has one that still flies. Every year the plane visits the region. Then for a couple of days she regularly flies over Brugge. Before I look up, I know it is her. She flies so slowly and graciously.

And the corrogated aluminium is fine. Citroën had a van that looked exactly the same  :-)

Jan

Hi,

and another beauty from the past... the Connie. I love the sleek line.

Back then you could tell planes apart from a distance. But that was before wind tunnels and computers decided how planes should look.

Iberia_Lockheed_L-1049G_Super_Constellat

Hi,

the Tante Ju is a nice plane. Lufthansa has one that still flies. Every year the plane visits the region. Then for a couple of days she regularly flies over Brugge. Before I look up, I know it is her. She flies so slowly and graciously.

And the corrogated aluminium is fine. Citroën had a van that looked exactly the same  :-)

Jan

I am lucky, "Tante Ju" is flying often over my region... And on Munich airport, there is another one open for visitors but not flying.

Hi,

the Tante Ju is a nice plane. Lufthansa has one that still flies. Every year the plane visits the region. Then for a couple of days she regularly flies over Brugge. Before I look up, I know it is her. She flies so slowly and graciously.

And the corrogated aluminium is fine. Citroën had a van that looked exactly the same  :-)

Jan

Then keep your fingers crossed that it'll be back to the skies soon.

A collapsed center spar was detected last season and it still is grounded for rather complex repairs. No date yet as to when it'll be back in service - but it will - that's at least what they say.

I really like the design of the McDonnell Douglas MD-80... ;)

...

Same here. The last airliner in western Europe with at least halfways decent sound.

Last operator to regularly visit my hometown airport (NUE that is) was Bulgarian Air Charter

Seen here is MD-82, LZ-LDP, just having landed un runway 28 on a nice summer evening in 2012. Originally I-DACP with Alitalia.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/cGnz1o]

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1 Like

Super-Conny!

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And the most beautiful I had the honor to fly with:

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Hi,

the Constellation is indeed beautiful.

The Dornier is also a nice bird. Probably the best looking modern turboprop.

But to be honest, I am happy to look at any plane  :-)

Jan

I really like the look of the IL 62 with it's 4 engine setup.

Rossiya_Ilyushin_Il-62M_CBR_Gilbert-1.jp

All jets withT-tail and rear-mounted engines is a looker for me. DC-9, 727, Fokker F-28, Fokker 100, Il-62, Vickers VC-10, CRJ, ERJ, Yak-42, Yak-40, Tu-134, Tu-154, HS Trident... ALL OF THEM.

DC-8-70 series and A-340-500/600 (basically, single deck quads with BIG engines) also looks good. 707-700 / KC-135R looks a bit stubby but its still on my beauty list.

I also love Tri-jets even if they dont have T-tail or rear mounted engines. DC-10, Tri-star came into mind.

I hate to say it but modern jets all look the same and made them look like machines more than something with a beating heart in it. If I have to choose between planes from the list above or 777/787/A330/A350, I am pretty sure which side Im gonna pick.