The most significant aircraft

[Piggies]

Apologies if this has been done before, but what do you think are the most significant RAF aircraft since 1945?

For me;

AT - C-130. No brainer
SH - CH-47. Likewise
Trainer - Chipmunk. Taught everyone for 40+ years
FJ - Tornado GR1/4. On ops without a break for over 20 years

Pip,pip!

[Baldeep Inminj]

AT - C130 - yeah, I would find that hard to argue with.
Rotary - No brainer as you say - it's the Wessex!!! SH in the Far east, Middle east, mainland and NI. SAR in the UK and Cyprus. The Royal Flight aircraft and the Queen mother's chariot of choice! The CH47 is a triumph of engineering over design. Why have we still not replaced the wessex as a do-everything Cab? Simple - we can't!
FJ - Got to be the lightning - world/class leading, even if only for a while.

Is the Vulcan a FJ? if so, then it is the winner, with the lightning 2nd.

Good thread

[Pontius Navigator]

Piggies, it has, apologies accepted.

[sharpend]

AT - VC10
Bomber - Canberra
Trainer - Chippie
Fighter - Hunter
Helo ?????
Maritime - Nimrod

[althenick]

AT - Britannia
Bomber - Buccaneer
Fighter - Lightning
AEW - Shackleton
Basic Trainer - Chippy
FJ Trainer - Gnat
Helo - SAR - Sea King
Helo - Combat - Chinook
MRA - Nimrod

[Lima Juliet]

Lancaster...

...joined in 1989, flew her for 50hrs during my 22 in the Regulars and it was after 1945

Here I am...

[stumpey]

I reckon it has to be the Slingsby T.21 Sedbergh glider.

Has to have introduced the most amount of people to flying for the lowest possible cost.

[Airborne Aircrew]

I'm stunned that a person calling himself "Sharpend" can't name a "Helo"...

The two entities of the RAF that can truly state that they are at the "sharp end" and in the most danger are the Raf Regiment and Support Helicopters. Certainly, on today's battlefield the jet jockeys are, comparatively, far from danger.

[Avitor]

'Comrade' Stalin had cause to note the existence of the V Fleet...Vulcan, Victor and the Valiant!

[Buster Hyman]

Could have been the TSR-1....

[Art Smass]

The HS-125 Dominie T.1 must have trained a fair few navs over the years

[SASless]

C-47 Dakota.....or its civilian version the DC-3.

They are still flying and earning a living! Octogenarians some of them!

[Harley Quinn]

SH= Bristol Belvedere for demonstrating to the British Army the usefulness of proper SH (and how not to design it).

[cats_five]

Originally Posted by stumpey

I reckon it has to be the Slingsby T.21 Sedbergh glider.

Has to have introduced the most amount of people to flying for the lowest possible cost.

LOL! But what about the T38 Grasshopper? Or doesn't that count as flying? I've seen one do a circuit after a winch lanch, though the hook position right under the nose is far from ideal.

I'd vote for the Harrier because of it's technical innovation and the new avenues that opened.

[Cows getting bigger]

JP3/5 did rather well.

[Sir George Cayley]

Anything from English Electric make the grade?

SGC

[sharpend]

PAH, I can name hundreds of helos; just not sure which is the best as I have never flown one. I learnt long ago not to pontificate on things I don't know much about

[Tashengurt]

Could we have managed without the Hercules for the last fifty odd years?

[Green Flash]

Bearing in mind the question - most SIGNIFICANT -then I'm with Tash on this one. Albert has got me and bazillions of others into, and much more importantly, out of, a whole load of places.

[air pig]

DH Mosquito, a truly remarkable multi role combat aircraft. Did everything including carrying passengers.