
Two of the most popular questions, at least for pilots and other students of aviation history, are: What are the top 10 planes of all time, and which one’s the greatest of them all?
Seems impossible, but we think we did it. Here’s how.
We started with a group of really great airplanes, which automatically turned into cross section of airplane types.
Then we narrowed things down even more by asking if there was a top dog among them. Usually, surprisingly, there was. That one made the list.
We think you’ll agree with at least two-thirds of our picks.
After our Top 10 Planes Of All Time, we present 25 others that a lot of you will argue belong on the main list. In many cases, you’d have a strong argument. Enjoy!
North American F-86
The fighter jet that arguably set the standard for all fighters to follow, the swept-wing Sabre wasn’t supersonic, but it was fast and maneuverable, though its early forays into aerial combat put it up against another plane that deserves equal billing as a pioneer, the Soviet-developed MiG 15. Both planes were quickly obsoleted by superior technology, which built upon their basic designs.
Photo courtesy of Flickr User Tomas del Coro