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  • If Looks Can Kill

    Okay.. to know WAB members' taste and preference on military hardware beauty

    oops i was trying to make a poll, but looks like it messed up
    okay here are the choices

    A : If Russian military equipment could kill from looks alone, they would have won the Cold War

    B : Hell no! The Yanks are the better looker!

    C : Europa, Ze Germans engineering and effiency, le French aesthetics and beauty, Italian pizza Wha..?

    D : Chinese numbers and emerging military prowess

    Make your vote :D
    Last edited by paintgun; 15 Feb 10,, 08:14.

  • #2
    The Brits made the best looking aeroplanes by far before Sandys ruined their independent aerospace industry. With birds like the Spit, the Hunter, the Victor and the Lightning whose gonna even try to compete in the military beauty contest with that country?
    "There is no such thing as society" - Margaret Thatcher

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Aussiegunner View Post
      The Brits made the best looking aeroplanes by far before Sandys ruined their independent aerospace industry. With birds like the Spit, the Hunter, the Victor and the Lightning whose gonna even try to compete in the military beauty contest with that country?
      Don't forget me and Tankie....OK just me then:))

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      • #4
        Originally posted by Aussiegunner View Post
        The Brits made the best looking aeroplanes by far before Sandys ruined their independent aerospace industry. With birds like the Spit, the Hunter, the Victor and the Lightning whose gonna even try to compete in the military beauty contest with that country?
        The V bombers definitely looked ultra cool...even now.

        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_bombers

        If only these bombers were still around today. They sure beats the B-52 in the looks department.
        Last edited by gunnut; 15 Feb 10,, 19:26.
        "Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.

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        • #5
          Take many of the Yanks military hardware. Then go look at the Russians hardware of the past. The reverse engineering is very plain to see.;)
          Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

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          • #6
            For WW II, the MEANEST LOOKING TANK of all time was the German Tiger Mk VI. Yes, there were other tanks that may have been at least just as efficient, but the Tiger MK VI had that "meanest bully on the block" look.

            Also for WW II, the German Junkers 87 Stuka Dive Bomber was the deadliest looking airplane of the war. No, it wasn't much of a fighter plane but it was a good dive bomber and tank buster. That shark nose with the big air scoop below along with the inverted gull wings always made it look it was meant to be very nasty.

            For WW II fighter planes you can't beat the P-38 Lightning and the P-51 Mustang for looks. Yes, I know our British board members want to see the Spitfire in there. Yes, it was a very good looking airplane, but overall by the end of the war the Mustang was the champ. I think it must have been that air scoop under the belly that gave it that superior look.

            For today, the F-22 Raptor even looks like it WANTS to fly.

            WW II bombers is a toss up of nostalgia between the B-17 Flying Fortress and the sleak looking B-29 Super Fortress. Ironically the B-24 Liberator outnumbered the B-17 bombers over Europe, but looked more like it was meant to be a cargo plane than a warplane.

            For today, the B-2 Spirit with its bat-like look takes the cake. I know the B-52 has an extraordinarily long service life, but it still only looks like a metal tube with wings.

            However, my favorite medium bomber of all time is the B-25 Mitchell. I don't think there is any argument there as for looks, efficiency, versatility and (as said by many pilots) very forgiving.

            For WW II submarines, you can't beat the Type IX German U-boat as a fearful looking warship when on the surface and even thinking of one being submerged and within torpedo range gave a ship's lookout the shakes. Today's submarines are huge and awsome, but they really don't have that sinister look.

            For WW II Battleships, it's hard to say which one was the deadliest looking. The German Bismarck class were beautiful as well as the American South Dakota class, North Carolina class and Iowa class. Even the Yamato class had that "I mean business" look. The French BB Jean Bart really didn't look that business-like until after the war when she was totally repaired with a lot of improvements and modifications.

            For WW II Cruisers, I think most of the American 8-inch gun Cruisers had that "Don't mess with me" look like the Fast classes of American Battleships. Today's Cruisers are just overgrown Destroyers with very vunerable aluminum superstructure.

            For WW II Destroyers the Fletchers were the best looking design. For what we call Destroyers and Frigates today, I'm not very impressed though the Arleigh Burke class has some merit in looks.

            Then there were the PT boats. Dang, they could sh*t & git. I met one person who bought one after the war to convert it into a Cabin Cruiser/Fishing boat. The biggest problem he had was that even with using only one engine he still got speeding tickets from the harbor patrol for not staying under the 5 mph speed limit.

            Last but not least, American Aircraft Carriers were definitely "Top Shelf" in both looks and efficiency. Even today, our Nimitz class Carriers say "Don't Tread on Me".
            Able to leap tall tales in a single groan.

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            • #7
              I think there is something very elegant about the lines of the Eurofighter. Harkens back to the Mirages of yesteryear.
              In Iran people belive pepsi stands for pay each penny save israel. -urmomma158
              The Russian Navy is still a threat, but only to those unlucky enough to be Russian sailors.-highsea

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              • #8
                S.Spitfire, P-51, Tu-160, and most modern jet fighters are beautiful
                i usually find myself spending a minute or two looking at good photos

                BBs firing full broadsides are real awesome, shockwaves on sea surface and huge flash, firepower!

                but i find B-2 and F-117 quite icky
                and eurofighter is quite down on my list ;)

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by paintgun View Post

                  but i find B-2 and F-117 quite icky
                  and eurofighter is quite down on my list ;)
                  I disagree with you on the B-2. But fully agree on the F-117. It looks like some of the paper airplanes I used to make in elementary school. It has been said that the F-117 flies "in spite of itself". That's the old school theory that if you put a powerful enough engine on it, you can make a brick fly.

                  I forgot about the supersonic B-1. That is a marvelous machine. Got a real good close up look of one at a local air show here in Long Beach. GAWD that thing is BIG.

                  Then a few days later she took off and flew directly over my house -- twice. I'm like a kid out on the front lawn jumping up and down and waving at her.
                  Able to leap tall tales in a single groan.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by gunnut View Post
                    The V bombers definitely looked ultra cool...even now.

                    V bomber - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

                    If only these bombers were still around today. They sure beats the B-52 in the looks department.
                    Dude! Seriously? No bomber, IMO, including the B2, looks as cool as this baby!

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by RustyBattleship View Post
                      I disagree with you on the B-2. But fully agree on the F-117. It looks like some of the paper airplanes I used to make in elementary school. It has been said that the F-117 flies "in spite of itself". That's the old school theory that if you put a powerful enough engine on it, you can make a brick fly.

                      I forgot about the supersonic B-1. That is a marvelous machine. Got a real good close up look of one at a local air show here in Long Beach. GAWD that thing is BIG.

                      Then a few days later she took off and flew directly over my house -- twice. I'm like a kid out on the front lawn jumping up and down and waving at her.
                      Hadn't even read your post Rusty before I posted the above. With ya all the way buddy! The B1 rocks them all!:)

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by 7thsfsniper View Post
                        Dude! Seriously? No bomber, IMO, including the B2, looks as cool as this baby!
                        I agree with you. B-1 was and still is one graceful and beautiful looking jet. However, the V-bombers still look cool today, almost 60 years after their initial design.
                        "Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.

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                        • #13
                          The B-70! Looks like it could kill the Death Star.



                          It was designed to fold the wingtips down in cruise:

                          Last edited by Chogy; 16 Feb 10,, 14:45.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by gunnut View Post
                            I agree with you. B-1 was and still is one graceful and beautiful looking jet. However, the V-bombers still look cool today, almost 60 years after their initial design.
                            The XB-70s that Chogy posted where designed in the late 50s and testing in '64. The V bombers where cool but...;)

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Chogy View Post
                              The B-70! Looks like it could kill the Death Star.



                              It was designed to fold the wingtips down in cruise:

                              I totally forgot about the Valkyrie! Mach 3 cruise with a top out at mach 3.1. Awesome plane!

                              I wonder what would have been if it had seen service? Definitely beats them all in the flat out race!

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