Concorde- Best Looking Aircraft Ever??
OK, I know there have been umpteen threads re Concorde, and although I'm firmly in the "lets keep her flying" or more plausible "at least keep the preserved examples in the UK" camps, lets forget the politics for a minute.Lets just look at the remarkable, aesthetically perfect piece of craftsmanship she is - surely the most gorgous machine thats ever flown??
Or is she??
Here are a few examples that I would rank as "good lookers", at least for the decade they were produced in and taking the merits of technology available.What do you think?
I think its hard to find a really good looking biplane- too many strings and things sticking out etc.Perhaps between 1903-1919 the Albatross DV ranks up there? a soft curving fuselage and bird like wings.
1920-1930 Hawker Fury /Nimrod - surely the epitomy of biplane elelgance.
1930-1940 Gotta be the Spitfire? a later series merlin engined one , say a mk9 with full span wings and the smaller , rounded fin.
1940-1950 Lockheed Constellation? perhaps only the podgy radial engines spoiling the otherwise perfrect contours.
1950-1960 Mmmm, a lot of jets around and so streamlining is more prolific producing better shapes. Hunter?? - still the tops for me as a perfect jet fighter shape!!
1960-1970 Saab Draken ? Boeing 707, Vigilante? Fairey Delta, TSR2?
1970-1980 Mirage III/V/2000/F1?, Hawk
1990-2000 Stealth technology with all those weird angles and shapes but I suppose there is a certain menacing grace about the F117 and B2 in the air.
I know there are loads out there, but from memory these stick out in my mind - How about you??