Most Capable Fighter Aircraft Ever Produced

OK all, this question just came to me. I have no idea of the answer myself, so I wanted to put it before the ”pro’s”

Here it is:

Regardless of time in history, what was the most capable, successful fighter aircraft ever produced (by any nation) VERSUS ITS INTENDED ADVERSARY/ROLE? Or even a secondary adversary/role?


Post your answer, back it up with stats, stories, pics, etc.

Im no yankee fan but I just love the F-16...

Its simply an amazing aircraft..
I don't know what it was meant for and whether it was in response to something..

I'm no expert, but off the top pf my head I would say:

Hellcat vs the Zero

A10 vs. Tanks

SR71 vs. missles., interceptors, etc...

F15 vs. Russian fighters, it does have an undefeated record what I understand

US Stealth (F117, B2 & who knows what else) vs. the world's radar systems

F22 vs. any other fighter

TR3B vs. Gravity sorry I had to.

Probably the most capable would be the newer planes such as Raptor and JSF, but if u were to say most sucessful i would say F16 and all its upgraded version and the A10.. A10 is such a killing machine i love it..

After I made my last postIwas thinking about the best aircraft ever, and happened to find this:

www.exn.ca...

F-4 Phantomum yeah this is what i choose

Most capable? F-22 for sure,stealth,manouverability,and supercruise all in 1. I don't think I need to /can say more,it is proabably the best fighter today,and not much info is around about it.



Best design? MiG-21.

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Fishbed/Mongol

Role: interceptor, dual-role fighter, multi-role fighter

Builder: Mikoyan-Gurevich, Xian Aircraft (Shenyang, China)
Variants: MiG-21F (Fishbed-C), MiG-21PF (Fishbed-D), MiG-21PFS (Fishbed-E), MiG-21PFM (Fishbed-F), MiG-21M/S/R/RF (Fishbed-H), MiG-21PFMA/MF (Fishbed-J), MiG-21SMT/SMB (Fishbed-K), MiG-21bis-A (Fishbed-L), MiG-21bis-B (Fishbed-N), MiG-21U (Mongol-A), MiG-21US/UM (Mongol-B), MiG-21-93, J-7 (F-7), J-7 II (F-7B), J-7 III, F-7M, F-7P

Operators: Russia, Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Azerbiajan, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, China, Congo, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, East-Germany, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, Gunea , Hungary, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lybia, Madagascar, Mali, Mongolia, Mozambique, Niger, North Korea, North Yemen, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Vietnam, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe,and many others.


The MiG-21 was a clear-weather interceptor with two underwing pylons for air-to-air missiles and improved version featured a gun pod on the centre line. Because of its small size it has a limited fuel and weapon carrying equipment and therefor a limited action radius. It is a fast, relatively agile and has superb acceleration and rate of climb, making it a dangerous adversary for most aircraft in its time. The aircraft design features mid-mounted delta wings, a long tubular fuselage, swept back tail section and a round intake in the nose with a nose-cone and one turbojet. The aircraft was NATO codenamed Fishbed and was exported to China which started its own production, producing the J-7 types (F-7 for export)


Second generation Fishbeds were equipped with Jay Bird radar, internal cannon and two additional wing hardpoints for air-to-surface weapons, making it a dual-role fighter. There are also variants with dual controls and a tandem two-seat cockpit, used for training, these types have a designation starting with U and are NATO codenamed Mongol.


Over 15 variants were developed and more than 8000 aircraft were produced. Pakistan is still taking delivery of improved versions of the F-7, produced by China, to replace its ageing Chinese F-6 aircraft (basically an improved version of the MiG-19). The MiG-21-93 is one of the latest upgrades for the Fishbed, especially Indian MiG-21s are or will be upgraded to this version. Also IAI introduced an upgrade package, called the MiG-21-2000, Elbit refurbished and updated Romanian MiG-21s tot the MiG-21 Lancer standard. Most of todays operators would rather like to retire the aircraft instead of upgrading it, but they simply can not afford to buy new aircraft, because of enormous financial cut-backs since the end of the Cold War. Still most nations continue to fly the outdated variants because even the upgrade program is a too expensive option. Therefore safety issues arises and more and more aircraft are scrapped for spares.

Extremely cheap,very agile and manovuerable. Sure,it cannot stand up to a F-22 or Typhoon,but then it is probably the most sucessful design ever,the widest exported plane yet.

In terms of most capable, like saying which NFl star is the most capable meaning his has the greatest capacity to get the job done and even switch roles if need be. I would have to go with....C-130. It has so many variations to count and includes but is not limited to: Tanker, troop transport, mid air refueler, gunship, rescue, shot takeoff and unfinished runway operations, humanitarian aid, support platform and electronic warfare plus hurricane hunter. What other airframe has had so many different roles. There are others but i cant remember.

I thought long and hard about this one and as soon as C-130 came up, I knew it was most capable.

Train

Pretty close call between the Hawker Hurricane, P51 Mustang and the Bf109!

The teen series US fighters were all great.

The Flanker is awsome.

The B-52 is a beast. It will have been flying for nearly a hundred years by the time it is retired.

Bloody hell!!! which air forces use C-130's and B-52's as fighters

Very capable aircraft. Well the F14 would be one it is a excellent multi role fighter for a fighter which wasnt designed as one. Fw190 was excellent look the one of the best piston engined fighters was a direct descendant of it. F4 phantom was great. Flanker is looking good. As you can see it is hard to be sure

I guess the B52 and the C130 can be part of this. Lets say Combat oriented aircraft. What was the most capable/best at its intended role?

And BTW: The F22 cant really be included here as some have mentioned, it MAY end up here, but it hasnt done a thing yet.

The Navy's WW2 F6F Hellcat is credited with more air-to-air kills than any other aircraft the US has ever produced. Results matter, so I'd vote for the Hellcat.

That like saying that Erich Hartmann was the best pilot ever.

I would chose F-4 phantom. Used since vietnam, still good speed (mach 2.2), ability to use modern missiles, used as wild weasel, fighter, bomber, attack craft, carrier multi role aircraft. And module construction makes it very easy to upgrade. It iwas made in similar times as mig-21, but f-4 in newer versions can match almost all newer fighters in bvr combat, and its max load weight makes it even better in anti ground missions.

Originally posted by waynos
Bloody hell!!! which air forces use C-130's and B-52's as fighters

You just had to be a smart ass didn't you

[edit on 11-3-2005 by American Mad Man]

Originally posted by xmotex
The Navy's WW2 F6F Hellcat is credited with more air-to-air kills than any other aircraft the US has ever produced. Results matter, so I'd vote for the Hellcat.

If results is what you go by, it has to be the F-15

100+ kills
0 Killed in A2A combat

The C130 does everything else, I bet it would make a damn fine fighter!!

And BTW: The F22 cant really be included here as some have mentioned, it MAY end up here, but it hasnt done a thing yet.

Says you, hehe...