Yes, there's such a thing as a sexy plane.
Plane & Pilot magazine is asking as much in this month's issue. It lists a Top 10 of sexy civilian and military aircraft that has some no-brainers as well as some head-scratchers.
First, what exactly is a sexy plane? I think of sleek lines, a bit of menace and breakthrough technology.
The Plane & Pilot list has some great choices: the P-51, Corsair, Citation X, SR-71 and F-86 Sabre. And I'm thrilled the B-58 Hustler made the list. I saw a B-58 in person at an air museum on Tucson and was blown away by a craft that's both sleek and enormous.
;)
The famed Concorde, which was retired several years ago.But where's the Concorde? The ME-262? The DeHavilland Comet? Bonanza?
I realize lists are by nature limited and prime for discussion, so here are some arguments for a few changes:
- The Concorde may look like a cross between a penguin and stork but the mix of sleek lines, massive power and impact on
DeHavilland Cometlong-haul air travel deserves some props. It will be years before we see an airliner that rivals its speed. - The DeHavilland Comet certainly had a star-studded past, with a series of mysterious crashes killing its momentum as a popular airliner in the 1950s. But I'm a sucker for the design, which tucked four jet engines inside the wings. Very sleek and
Messerschmitt ME-262sexy, but I can understand why that death thing might cost it some points. - The ME-262 was the world's first truly dominant jet fighter but World War II ended before its impact against allied fighters like the P-51 could truly be measured. The huge engines are ungainly but the fuselage is menacing beyond belief. I've seen the renovated model at the Amithsonian Air & Space Museum on three different occasions and am always struck by the menacing way the fuselage and nose looks like a shark. The Germans brought us some amazing technology before and during World War II and the ME-262 is one of the best examples of how far ahead of the Allies they were on many fronts.
;)
;)
And given the recent attention to Burt Rutan's legendary innovation, I'm surprised he wasn't awarded an entry. Maybe the AD-1?