Fab 5

After witnessing the meme started by NRAhab, then Tam, then AD and finally from Parallax Adjustment ; well, I just had to put my foot in. The hard part is thinking of only 5 a/c, and 5 that no one else has- no matter how cool. One of my areas of personal interest is the Soviet War Machine, but I must limit the influence. Hrmmm.

I'm going to limit myself to jet powered a/c, and I guess I'll start with throwing the previous sentence out the window! Besides, this is my favorite aircraft, not the most important or world war changing or anything. AD already cornered the cool connection/story angle.

5) The TU-22M "Backfire". I love the two-tone Soviet Naval Aviation scheme, the sleek, predator look.


4) BAE/McD&D Harrier Family I had the distinct pleasure of flying the USMC simulator for this aircraft in a previous life. Not to use too many buzzwords, but it introduced a paradigm shift in aviation. Maggie showed us they worked as air-to-air combat aircraft.


Dang, this is hard deciding on only 5!

3) The ME-262. First real fightin' jet. 'Nuff said- even if it is a Kraut plane.


2) SAAB JAS-39 Gripen I'm been obsessing about this aircraft for since high school. Followed the slow developement via Aviation Week & Space Technology through the '80's and '90's.


1) Sukhoi SU-34 "Fullback" I had no previous knowledge of this aircraft before I saw the prototype when my previously mentioned previous life took me to the Paris Air Show in 1995. I've loved this ugly beast ever since.




Maybe we should do tanks/armor next?