The Most Glamourised Fighters Ever

The F-14 Tomcat, F-86 Sabre, P-38 Lightning, P-51 Mustang are highly glamourised fighters.

There are more out there but which ones?

I don't think there's been a fighter in history that was more glamourised, or more deserving, than the Spitfire. But what are you really trying to get at? Its a very vague question.

Of course by 'glamourised' you could also include every single newly discovered Soviet fighter since the MiG 15 first terrified the West, a great deal of glamourising went on there.

I'm going to say the MiG-25. That thing caused an unbelievable panic in the west. If I'm not mistaken, half the reason we even built the F-15 was to counter the MiG-25.

I would have to say the Blackbird. A plane that has beauty beyond comparison and the talent and myth of being invincible. That is glamour on a plane...

Here's one of my favourites.

Originally posted by waynos
I don't think there's been a fighter in history that was more glamorised, or more deserving, than the Spitfire.

I have to agree with that. The Spitfire has become less of an aeroplane, and more of an icon of bravery, of sacrifice, of victory against the odds. At least on one little island anyway.



The fact that it is a beautiful machine doesn't hurt either.

[edit on 24/4/06 by Implosion]

[edit on 24/4/06 by Implosion]

the plane that saved our country and the plane that rightly deserves the name "MIG killer."




[edit on 28-3-2006 by Mehran]

Implosion, thats right. In the UK at least the name 'Spitfire' is right up there with King Arthur and Robin Hood. I think this is quite hard for some overseas members to quite appreciate, after all, "its just a plane".

In a global sense this effect is obviously greatly lessened as others have their own icons but as the 'fighter that saved freedom' the Spitfire is hard to beat in the legend stakes.

Cold hard facts can be accurately used to dilute that myth (the contribution of the Hurricane, the role of America in taking that initial victory forward etc) but thats not what the thread is about.

Originally posted by waynos
Cold hard facts can be accurately used to dilute that myth (the contribution of the Hurricane, the role of America in taking that initial victory forward etc) but thats not what the thread is about.

We did take that inital role towards victory, but thats a whole nother thread I would be happy to participate in if you wish to start it

I would have to agree however from a legend standpoint the Spitfire is probably the best known and discussed fighter of its and any aviation era. In recent history, while its not really a "fighter" the F-117 esp in the post GWI era would be a modern version.

We did take that inital role towards victory, but thats a whole nother thread I would be happy to participate in if you wish to start it

But we'd just be agreeing with each other, wouldn't we

The Spitfire clearly, also the Harrier is pretty impressive.

Originally posted by waynos
But we'd just be agreeing with each other, wouldn't we

Be kind I have been up for 28 hours

The Harrier is an impressive a/c however, I don't know if I would describe it as legendary. WHile it has played its role esp in the Falklands etc, was its exploits enuf to change history in a signifigant way?

Now the B-17 or the Lancaster those would fall into the legendary category. You have to factor in more than performance for this type of comparison. THe psychological factor the Spitfire had during that era plays a huge role. People on the ground drew strength from seeing the planes in the air. On something simple as that legends can be born.

[edit on 3/28/06 by FredT]

Well turn your computer off and go to bed then you silly sod

Got to be the Spitfire or the P-51D... The Mustang was a legend...

I don't think the Mustang comes close to be honest.

After all if you show most 'non aviation people' a Mustang they are quite likely to think its a Spitfire, in fact show them any single engined piston fighter in RAF colours from WW2 and they are very likely indeed to say 'Spitfire'. Thats the effect of 'Glamour'. Its got nowt to do with how good they are, of course the P-51 was truly excellent, no question, but it was the Spitfire that became a national hero, to the general populace the Mustang was 'just another plane'.

Put another way; if you asked joe public in the UK what a 'P-51' was, it wouldn't register at all, they might not even know you mean a plane, but if you ask most Americans what a Spitfire is then the majority of them are quite likely to say at the very least 'a plane', and a majority will say 'a British plane from WW2'.

[edit on 28-3-2006 by waynos]

Thinking further about the above, it occurs to me that there are only three truly glamorous planes where the general public would recognise what you meant in a majority of cases without explanation; these are the Spitfire, Concorde and 'Jumbo Jet' (meaning the 747 of course, not the A380 ).

Originally posted by waynos
Thinking further about the above, it occurs to me that there are only three truly glamorous planes where the general public would recognise what you meant in a majority of cases without explanation; these are the Spitfire, Concorde and 'Jumbo Jet' (meaning the 747 of course, not the A380

).

I agree. Spitfire and Concorde have to be the best known - "Jumbo Jet" is up there also but it has also become something of a generic term, if you showed a random passer by a model of a Boeing 737 quite a few would probably say "Jumbo Jet". In the same way "Fighter plane" is a generic term, if we'd called the Eurofighter "Fighter plane" that wouldn't suddenly make it the most recognised. but Concorde is unmistakable and widely recognised.

Not just saying this becouse im a huge F-14 Tomcat Head but it will always be a plane that will impress the ladies!

It even made it to hollywood starring in 'Top Gun' with Tom Cruise.

The Lockheed Shooting Star was also a 1950s legend

if it wasn't for the B-17 flying fortess', i don't think the world would be the place it is today.

Suppose you are right there Waynos... but in my eyes it was the best plane during the ww2... and if we ask all those who are plane fanatics, I think that pretty many would put the Mustang in top ten... A top speed of 390mph... And isn't the degind nice...

Soon somebody is going to psot 390 mph... that isn't anything...