What's your favourite fighter jet of all time?

[Rapine]

+1 to KDP for the A-10.

More jets...

An F4 Phantom:


A Panavia Tornado:



And a couple of really loud ones...

An F86 Sabre:


An F7:

[Darth Acervus]

Well, you see, somebody made this really large gun and didn't know what to do with it.  So somebody else made this really awesome plane around said gun....and the A-10 was born.  






The most phenomenal sound ever is the sound of a A-10 firing off that gun.    AWESOME!!!

A-10's used to fly over where I grew up regularly . Wasn't there something about it being a bulletproof bathtub that the pilot sat in ?

[For Tyeth]

You are correct Darth Acervus, the A-10 had a "Titanium Bathtub" similar to the cockpit cocoons seen nowadays in F1 race cars. It vastly improved the survivability of A-10 pilots. I am guessing you are in the Lincolnshire/Cambridgeshire area of the UK as I too had these awe inspiring machines flying over my home regularly.
If you guys like LOUD, then this next plane I saw at RAF Waddington's last airshow in 2014 will please. It is Sweden's Dragon, or rather the Saab J-35 DRAKEN!


And a YouTube video, credit to Simon Hutchinson for it!

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk5seflcWOE" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk5seflcWOE</a>

Hope you like!

[Corwyn VonBeck]

Wow.... very interesting shape there, looks about as airworthy as a brick! certainly flies well though!

[For Tyeth]

Wow.... very interesting shape there, looks about as airworthy as a brick! certainly flies well though!

Surprisingly so, but the shape of the wing and engine cowling/roots give the plane a "double-delta" which gives it fantastic lift and low speed ability while still having speed from the swept back wing sections. The Panavia Tornado and F-14 Tomcat achieved this too but have variable geometry (swing-wing) which requires heavy mechanisms.

[KraytDragonPearl]

Thanks for the point for the A-10.  I have had the opportunity several times to be around it and Its awe inspiring.  Would love to get in the cockpit

[Rapine]

Thanks for the point for the A-10.  I have had the opportunity several times to be around it and Its awe inspiring.  Would love to get in the cockpit

I know eh?  They are awesome machines.

I've only seen them fly a couple of times at airshows, but watched numerous videos. (It's a favourite to fly in my PS3 game too... )

That plane has been mentioned a lot on this thread, but doesn't really ever get shown - good pic too.

[Darth Acervus]

Have a point from me too KDP.
You reminded me of my childhood in a fantastic way. I think I was probably lucky to be on a major flight/training path back in the 80's . The A-10's were really a regular sight(in formation pairs as well if memory serves correct) along with other planes. But I always remember us pointing skyward & saying " There go the Tank Busters" when A-10's were above.

Thinking back it makes me wonder if they were deliberately buzzing trainees & gliders at the very nearby RAF Syerston - Royal Air Force 2 Flying Training School and Central Gliding School. ( you weren't that far off For Tyeth. Nottinghamshire, but still close to a lot of bases & former bases in Lincolnshire.)

&  point to FT for conforming as true, what sounded like the usual nonsence that I spout from time to time.

I still love planes

[KraytDragonPearl]

Thanks Acervus. 

I have to say that I have been blessed more than I deserve.  I have to say though that the A-10 will always be my favorite...its inception is probably the weirdest that I know of. 

[Faith Caine]

You've seen the rest

Now see the best



The F-14D Tomcat

[Jev Moldara]

You've seen the rest

Now see the best



The F-14D Tomcat

I'm sorry, but the F-15 begs to differ. Objectively speaking the F-15 was a better craft from the beginning. There's a reason why the F-15 is still in service while the F-14 isn't...

[Darth Logos]

I thought the F-15 was the Air Force equivalent of the F-14.


Personally I've always liked the P-38 Lightning, but it's not a jet.


But I find the lines of the F-22 Raptor to be highly appealing.




But to back up Jev,

If Starscream copied it, then it's a superior fighter.




But you have to admit the variable geometry wings are cool.

[Jev Moldara]

I thought the F-15 was the Air Force equivalent of the F-14.


Personally I've always liked the P-38 Lightning, but it's not a jet.


But I find the lines of the F-22 Raptor to be highly appealing.




But to back up Jev,

If Starscream copied it, then it's a superior fighter.




But you have to admit the variable geometry wings are cool.

It was the equivalent so far as an air superiority role was concerned. However, the F-14 was bigger, heavier, and more expensive to produce due to the variable geometry wings and the mechanisms to operate them properly. Coupled with the worst engine decision to ever be made (the Pratt & Whitney TF30), the early days of the F-14 were problematic, to say the least. Fully 28% of all early accidents were attributed to those bad engines. Once they were replaced with the General Electric F110 engines, things got better.

[Darth Logos]

So we look to the latter days to go "Ooh" and "Aah"

[Rapine]

"I have tone - taking the shot..."

"FOX ONE!!!"

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B8u_XzbSuQ" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B8u_XzbSuQ</a>