Discussion: most significant aircraft in history

JMORG · Post by **JMORG** » Wed Oct 05, 2016 8:10 pm

We had a discussion at work today about the most important important aircraft in history in terms of a "technological leap forward". Obviously people said Concorde but I argued otherwise...
What does everyone else think?[/url]

tom_tom_go · Post by **tom_tom_go** » Wed Oct 05, 2016 8:30 pm

Hard one this as you did not define what the technological leap should be (does it improve better range, speed, etc).

But, my humble opinion has to be the Nazi Horten Ho 299.

A flying wing with stealth ability in the 1940's, terrifying as it was amazing...

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Wed Oct 05, 2016 8:32 pm

Wasn't the Wright Bros. 'Kittyhawk' the first flying machine which proved manned flight possible?
Surely that should be a contender?

JMORG · Post by **JMORG** » Wed Oct 05, 2016 8:43 pm

There wasn't a specific area, it was simply in general; introducing the most technology and changing aircraft design for the better...

tom_tom_go · Post by **tom_tom_go** » Wed Oct 05, 2016 8:56 pm

There was flight before 'Kittyhawk' if you read into the topic but Americans always have to be the best and claim they did it first.

It's not as if they managed to put a man on the moon by themselves after all...

MVL Bridges · Post by **MVL Bridges** » Wed Oct 05, 2016 8:57 pm

My money is on the Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow. A superb leap forward in technological terms and an appalling total disaster in human terms. If only ....

Michael

tom_tom_go · Post by **tom_tom_go** » Wed Oct 05, 2016 9:07 pm

You got me thinking now so will throw the TSR-2 into the mix!

JMORG · Post by **JMORG** » Wed Oct 05, 2016 9:10 pm

I think it's great how no one has said Concorde (yet)

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Wed Oct 05, 2016 9:28 pm

How about the Space Shuttle?

JMORG · Post by **JMORG** » Wed Oct 05, 2016 9:40 pm

Probably the most original! Although it's barely capable as a glider (having the drag coefficient of a small building).
My initial suggestion at work was the B-29 Superfortress due to having: First pressurised cabin(s)
First fully automatic fire control system
First full remote control defence system
As well as other small details considered a "first"
Not bad considering it was contemporary with small traditional wooden aircraft.
And obviously the first nuclear capable aircraft, but we won't discuss that bit further...

Big Jim · Post by **Big Jim** » Wed Oct 05, 2016 10:50 pm

DC3 dakota, longest serving passenger/freight aircraft?
Or de Havilland comet. First jet airliner albeit with some interesting problems.

MDLR · Post by **MDLR** » Thu Oct 06, 2016 12:04 am

I'm very surprised that nobody has mentioned the Spitfire and Hurricane - these two aircraft could be said to have changed the course of history - another way of being "significant", maybe?

andymctractor · Post by **andymctractor** » Thu Oct 06, 2016 8:39 am

I assume the size of the leap forward is more important than the starting point. With this in mind I suggest the Aussie boomerang. It didn't have an R+D budget or engineers to make it but it used the rules of Physics to catch food in places where food wasn't easy to come by.

sjnovis · Post by **sjnovis** » Thu Oct 06, 2016 10:05 am

Glister E28 was the first British jet engined aircraft, perhaps more importantly housed Frank Whittles jet engine, this he developed with very little backing and with many around him thinking he was wasting his time.

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Thu Oct 06, 2016 10:42 am

Thunderbird 2..... This is a model Forum after all.

Crayfish · Post by **Crayfish** » Thu Oct 06, 2016 3:28 pm

I'd also go for the de Havilland comet mentioned above. Pressurised cabins really did revolutionise air travel.

Johnnie2sheds · Post by **Johnnie2sheds** » Sun Oct 09, 2016 11:09 pm

For me, it has to be the DC1, DC2, DC3/C47 family of aircraft.

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