Good Morning Everyone;

As I am typing this, my 1 yr old daughter is asleep on my couch and I am here watching MILITARY CHANNEL on TV and watching some program about the A-4, and thought I'd ask you all a question.

With my addiction to military aircraft, I want to ask you all, "What is your pick for the Top 10 Aircraft" they do not have to be military, they can be civilian as well.

Here is my TOP TEN list;

1.) F-117A Stealth Fighter

2.) A-10 Thunderbolt

3.) B-52 Stratofortress

4.) Tu-95 Bear

5.) Avro Vulcan

6.) F-4 Phantom

7.) Eurofighter Typhoon

8.) SAAB JAS 39 Gripen

9.) V-22 Osprey

10.) C-130 Hercules

The Aircraft Owners and Pilot's Association (AOPA) did this Top Ten Aircraft List about last year or so, querying members. (I am an AOPA member-44 years!). No list would be complete without the Wright Flyer of 1903 (that started it all with FIRST manned powered flight) and the Ryan NYP-Lindbergh's solo un-refueled ride New York to Paris in 1927.

Some people tend to center their choices on their particular interest-for example, Dan Johnson, the LSA guru picked that LSA twin-The Air Cam- that the National Geographic Society commissioned to study and lead bird migrations. To each his own.

Your picks of only military aircraft are certainly biased, ignoring the monumental start of powered flight. Many would select the Piper J-3C CUB, who most ordinary folks of a certain vintage associate most with general aviation when thinking of light aircraft.

I supported the Rutan Voyager, First Around the World Nonstop, Non-refueled Flight-A record that can NEVER be broken piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager in December 1986. Over my adjacent desk is a framed photo of Voyager in flight near Edwards AFB signed by Dick and Jeana with Dick's personal hach. Voyager would also have to be on my list.

In no particular order

English Electric Lightning

Lockheed L049 Constellation

Gloster Meteor

Douglas DC3

Vickers Supermarine Spitfire

Hawker Tempest

Beech 18

Hawker Hart

De Havilland Hornet

Handley Page Victor

10?!?!?!? All I get is 10??!?!?? How do you narrow it down to 10??? There were so many planes that were so important for the history of aviation that it is really difficult. I agree with the J-3 as important, but how about the thousands of pilots trained in the Cessna 150/152 series or the PA28s?

I tried to stick just to U.S. aircraft (not that I don't recognize such great military machines as the Spitfire, Hurricane, Sea Fury, Me.109, FW190, etc) and found it really hard to think about. Some of the most significant civilian birds:

North American/Ryan Navion

Beech Bonanza

Lockheed Constellation

Lockheed L1011 TriStar

DC3 and its many permutations in the military

The Boeing 247

Beech 17

Beech 18

Boeing 707

Boeing 727

How about the SR-71 for a very significant bird!

When I think of attack aircraft, I end up with

Douglas Invader

Douglas Skyraider

Douglas Dauntless

Douglas Skyhawk

Cessna Dragonfly

Fairchild-Republic Thunderbolt II

Bombers

B-17, B-25, B-29, B-36, B-47, B-52, B-1, but don't forget the PBY Catalina

but very significant in the development of the B-2 was the B-35 and B-49

Transports (not counting the C-47 which was included with DC3)

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Douglas C-124 Globemaster II

Lockheed C-130

Boeing KC-135

Lockheed C-141

Lockheed C-5

Trainers would have to include

AT-6/SNJ Texan

Stearmans (PT-13/PT-17/PT-18/N2S)

North American T-28

Lockheed T-33

Northrop T-38

My real problem is deciding about fighters, since so many made history for various reasons. I just can't get near 10 there

Curtiss P-6

Boeing P-12

Boeing P-26

Lockheed P-38

Curtiss P-40

Republic P-47

North American P-51

Northrop P-61

Lockheed P-80

Republic F-84

North American F-86

North American F-100

Republic F-105

Convair F-106

McDonnell F-4

Vought F-8

Grumman F-14

McDonnell-Douglas F-15

Grumman F4F Wildcat (incl GM built)

Grumman F6F Hellcat

Grumman F7F Tigercat

Grumman F8F Bearcat

Vought F4U Corsair (and FG models)

I'm with Glenn on this one

How do you pick a top ten ????

it could be any from this list

Supermarine Spitfire

North American P-51D Mustang

McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom

Gloster Meteor

De Havilland Mosquito

BAC TSR 2

Avro Vulcan

Hawker Hurricane

Avro Lancaster

Boeing B17

Douglas DC-3/C-47

BAC Concorde

Vickers Viscount

Lockheed T-33A

Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress

Hawker Siddeley HS.121 Trident

English Electric Lightning

BAe Harrier

English Electric Canberra

and anything else with wings and an engine or two or three or four etc, etc, etc

2 years later

Top ten? Want/wish to fly? Have flown? Just to look at? Historically significant?

Have flown:

1. Beechcraft 18's all models and modifications.

2. Douglas DC-3/C-47 and variants.

3. Lockheed B-34/PV-2 and variants.

4. Lockheed L18 and modifications (Lear Star, Howard 250 etc.).

5. North American B-25.

6. Lockheed T-33.

7. North American P-51.

8. Stearman PT-17(220, 300 & 450 HP).

9. North American T-28C.

10. Beechcraft T-34

Just to look at:

1. Lockheed 1649

2. Beechcraft D-17S

3. Cessna 195

4. Ryan STA

5. Consolidated PBY-5A

6. Piper J-3 Cub

I'll fill in the rest when I find time!