The Best Fighter Jet Ever!

I know I have posted something on the Avro Arrow before, but it must be a few years ago now. In any case, I am pleased to see that one of the most important things Canada ever contributed (at least to that point in history), is finally getting some coverage. Please take a look at this piece on the BBC website, and feel free to discuss. I would be especially interested to know the perspective of military aeroplane geeks, and if they had been aware of the Arrow before.

Ladies and gentlemen, I remind of the remarkable piece of 1950s technology that was the Avro Arrow.

I am pleased to see that one of the most important things Canada ever contributed (at least to that point in history), is finally getting some coverage.

Don’t forget the kilted yaksmen.

Yep aware of it, and it’s murky history. I’d say the equivalent in the UK is either the TSR-2 or the decision to try to replace a whole bunch of airplanes with the F111..

Even back in the 50’s and 60’s airplanes were too expensive, the technology was moving too fast, and the manufacturers were shady and often neck deep in political shenanigans.

Surely the best – the last jet that handled like a proper plane according to one of my old instructors

Homesick angel…

the canberra might have a tad of trouble in a “fight” could try dropping bombs on the other plane from above i guess 😉

funnily enough US military Public Information films about the century fighters development have recently been cropping up on my utube feed.

This is a proper jet fighter

The aircraft is designed to be able to fly with one engine, one half of the tail, one elevator, and half of a wing missing

This for the win.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackburn_Buccaneer

That’s a fantastic picture Flashy 👍

coolest name with a brutal look there is only one !

to infinity and beyond !!

Flashy you do realise that Lightning ran out of fuel 2 seconds after that photo was taken dont you?!😁

Always loved these things

You have confused “best” with “your favourite” 😃
The objective best being the slightly-boring-but-dependable F15, 100+ kills no combat losses due to enemy fire.
Still looks cool though! Definitely what I picture when I think “jet fighter”.

The Avro Arrow specifically must be one of the worst ever, surely 😂

That’s a fantastic picture Flashy 👍

+1

The objective best being the slightly-boring-but-dependable F15

Uh, https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2020/06/16/lakenheath-f-15-pilot-kill…

Tragic, not the first to go down during training though & won’t be the last (same goes for any plane)

Flashy you do realise that Lightning ran out of fuel 2 seconds after that photo was taken dont you?!😁

That much power and noise doesn’t come easy!

There’s a self-storage place just opened up near my house that has a life-sized Lightning hanging from the roof in some kind of lobby area. Presumably it’s a model – it looks kind of cool but I don’t quite see what the point of it is!

OK I know its not a jet but…   I read over and over a series of books as a kid based on this:

I can’t for the life of me remember the (fictional) book series… but I’ve loved the Mosquito ever since.

This is my boyhood favourite.

This is a proper jet fighter

The aircraft is designed to be able to fly with one engine, one half of the tail, one elevator, and half of a wing missing

Except it’s not really a fighter. It’s a close air support, forward air control, and ground-attack aircraft designed for hitting armour with extreme prejudice.
That not to say it couldn’t take on a fighter, but certainly not in a dogfight – one technique was to dive into a convenient valley or use ground clutter, do a fast wing-over turn and fly head-on towards the opposing fighter and give a couple of quick bursts with the cannon. Cue rapid disincentive to continue the attack…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_Republic_A-10_Thunderbolt_II

F-16 for the win. Far more beautiful plane than that F-15.

And let us not forget was the star of Top Gun rival, Iron Eagle.

Got to be the F-15 with a 104-0 kill ratio.

As one Israeli pilot said “Before the F-15 all I remember is hard missions and missing comrades. After the F-15 all I remember is victory and glory”

F-16 for the win. Far more beautiful plane than that F-15.

Very effective aircraft, developed as an air-superiority fighter, then turned into a multi-rôle aircraft. Still in service after 46 years, 26 different operators and new upgrades are still being turned out, although it’s no longer in production.

Sorry but are we all forgetting that sepecat jaguars had missiles ON TOP of the wings?

Thats school boy rule number one adding more weapons makes it cooler.

Also did they not bolt a gun on to hawks and call it a fighter?

F-16 for the win. Far more beautiful plane than that F-15.

The F16 is indeed a stunning looking aircraft, definitely one of the nicest looking.

You may mock but while not *technically* a fighter (long range air defence interceptor), the Tornado F3 looked amazing. That massive tail, the swing wing and the aggressive stance.

The Avro story above is quite reminiscent of the doomed TSR2 story here in the UK.

Except it’s not really a fighter

I know, but it’s still cool as. My sister was obsessed with these to the extent that she befriended a pilot of one at  an airshow and made my dad show him round out local area

one of the most important things Canada ever contributed

superseded only by the American-Space-Shuttle-with-the-Canadian-Robot-Arm, Insulin and Celine Dion.

I imagine every EE Lighting pilot’s favourite plane was a Victor K2 as that was the only thing the RAF had that could let them do actual patrols rather than intercepts.

Got to love the Lightning, though. John Ward said he happened to glance at the instruments whilst climbing over East Anglia somewhere on dry power alone and realising he was supersonic.

If you want to boost your fix of low-level fast jet photography, check this article out, it’s a bit like the Mach Loop, but nowhere near as easy to get to!

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/33195/photographer-hikes-sequoia-national-forest-to-get-insane-shots-of-fighter-jets-blasting-by

Avro Aircraft, the Canadian airplane maker created after the war

er, say what now?

the TSR-2

IIRC a lot of the technology went into the jaguar and tornado, which were arguably far more focussed and successful projects than the TSR ever would have been, the TSR was chaos from the start, too many cooks, customers and politicians involved.

Flashy you do realise that Lightning ran out of fuel 2 seconds after that photo was taken dont you?

Not wanting to be the bearer of bad news, it’s not actually a photo, it’s a digital painting. It is cool tho!

https://www.artquid.com/artwork/543668/86508/interceptor.html

Going by your logic then @joshvegas the Nimrod should be considered. It had Sidewinders fitted at one point…. ‘largest fighter in the RAF’

he aircraft is designed to be able to fly with one engine, one half of the tail, one elevator, and half of a wing missing

Meh…the F15 has the flying on one wing thing covered….

The pilot landed this sucker after the wing had broken off in flight.

And the A10 isn’t a jet fighter…nor was the TSR2 and arguably the Bucaneer. The best fighter in terms of good old fashioned dog fighting is currently a toss up between the F22 and Eurofighter based on joint training encounters like the Red Flag events and from the feedback of pilots who have flown both.

My personal favourite is the F18. Saw one at an airshow once…it followed an SU27 after the typical Russian flight display containing all the usual crowd pleasers like the Cobra and the low and slow high alpha fly-by, tail slide and the high speed high-G turns. It always felt like the Western fighters always seemed to be holding back for some reason, but this F18 pilot didn’t. He hustled that thing around the sky and produced a display every bit as impressive as the SU27. Never seen a western fighter display like it since. And to my eye just looks the prettiest fighter, especially the E & F varients.

Half of these are not fighters…
I’d post up a Jaguar, but it was ground attack aircraft not fighter.

Second in coolness has to be a Sea Harrier…

Also did they not bolt a gun on to hawks and call it a fighter?

While the Hawk was designed as a trainer, it could be fitted with weapons pods for training, which means it becomes a light attack fighter.
Technically, there was a modified version of the Mustang with a RR turbine engine called the Maverick, used in Vietnam as a ground attack fighter, so sort of jet-powered.
Actually the Cavalier Turbo Mustang III/ Enforcer, sold to Piper for development, it was used for counter-insurgency work. Super-cool aircraft, a few civilian examples around on the air show circuit.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_PA-48_Enforcer

Always had a bit of a soft spot for the F16XL delta version myself.

F15-E Strike Eagle

Fighter/Interdictor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-VLQhep-FE

Fight your way in. Fight your way out.

Except it’s not really a fighter.

Lol! I recall an occasion in wales at low level where I’m in my humble Hawk, feeling chuffed that I’d ‘taken out’ a Tornado F3 (okay, I know that’s hardly impressive; my current airbus would out-turn the F3😂)…

I saw a glint as an F15 was manoeuvring on us, it’s turn-rate was staggering and it was clear we had no chance. I’d happily strap into an F15 against many other adversaries….. our little Hawk could turn well initially, but soon ran out of energy. This beast had the oomph to keep that unbelievable rate going all day long….until it ran out of fuel!

I have no idea why, but my favourite jet has always been the Phantom. I realise that it probably looks awfully ugly to everyone else, but I’ve always found it marvellous looking:

Phantom