Top 10 All Time Fighters

[Mini D]

Wow... it's like a massive frenzy here. I don't even know where to start.

Replicant,

You're wrong with your dates, unless you're thinking that there is only one Eurofighter and that's what they first flew. It's similar to saying that technically, the F-22 is an F-15 and it first flew in 74. The Eurofighter 2000 is what is being touted as having supercruise ability. It's PROTOTYPE first flew in 1994, 4 years after the F-22 PROTOTYPE flew. The F-22 first rolled off of the assembly liine in 1997, one year BEFORE assembly of the Eurofighter being discussed was even started. Dang man... get it straight.

Gsholz,

Play the technicalities game all you want. It doesn't dispell the fact that you haven't made a single point in this thread other than to try to nitpick because you really don't have anything else to add. The EF2000 sucks ass. You know it, the people that made the list know it and the rest of the world knows it. Time to get on with life.

[spitfiremkv]

The French Rafale can take on the F22 and the Eurfighter. At the same time.

[Replicant]

Originally posted by Mini D


Replicant,

You're wrong with your dates, unless you're thinking that there is only one Eurofighter and that's what they first flew. It's similar to saying that technically, the F-22 is an F-15 and it first flew in 74. The Eurofighter 2000 is what is being touted as having supercruise ability. It's PROTOTYPE first flew in 1994, 4 years after the F-22 PROTOTYPE flew. The F-22 first rolled off of the assembly liine in 1997, one year BEFORE assembly of the Eurofighter being discussed was even started. Dang man... get it straight.
 

No, the Eurofighter prototype flew in 1986 (flew at Farnborough airshow) and the development aircraft (still being flown) flew in 1994.  Let's say I work with EF so I think I know (we have pictures of 'First Flight, Manching, 27 March 1994' around the office).

[Mini D]

Sigh.

From here:

The insistence of the British and Spanish on a multirole capability was important to the machine's survival. The fall of the Soviet Union greatly changed the nature of the challenge faced by European nations from a hostile Communist monolith to the east, to unpredictable brushfire conflicts that could spring up almost anywhere. A multirole Eurofighter fit the new challenges well.

* In the end, after a great deal of frustration and bitter feelings, Germany stayed in the group. The fighter was redefined somewhat to decrease costs in principle, with some high-budget elements made optional, but the general belief was that the whole squabble had led to a more expensive aircraft and the "savings" were merely political smoke-and-mirrors.

The redefined aircraft was redesignated the "Eurofighter EF2000" as a means of glossing over the fact that the original plan envisioned that it would already be in production by 1992. The delays were painful to the Italians, who desperately needed a replacement for their Starfighters, and as an interim solution they leased 24 Tornado F.3 interceptors from the Panavia group.

The dust settled and work on the prototypes went ahead. The first prototype Eurofighter, designated "DA1", finally flew on 27 March 1994. That prototype was built by DASA, wore Luftwaffe markings, and was flown by German pilot Peter Weger from an airfield at Manching, Germany. There were no doubt some who questioned the justice of letting the Germans have the honor of the first flight, all the more so because the German government continued to short-change the program, not committing to proper funding until 1995, and continuing to waffle for two more years after that.

You are thinking that the Eurofighter was a single project. That simply is not the case. The 86 flight was a plane that is not related to the 2000 other than concept. The 94 flight was of the FIRST EF2000 PROTOTYPE. This is 4 years after the FIRST F-22 PROTOTYPE flew. Production of the EF2000 STARTED IN 1998. This is 1 year after th THE FIRST PRODUCTION F-22 ROLLED OFF OF THE PRODUCTION LINE.

Dammit man.

[Nod]

Nuh uh......mines bigger

[FUNKED1]

CBG X 1000

[Replicant]

Originally posted by Mini D
Sigh.

From here:

You are thinking that the Eurofighter was a single project. That simply is not the case. The 86 flight was a plane that is not related to the 2000 other than concept. The 94 flight was of the FIRST EF2000 PROTOTYPE. This is 4 years after the FIRST F-22 PROTOTYPE flew. Production of the EF2000 STARTED IN 1998. This is 1 year after th THE FIRST PRODUCTION F-22 ROLLED OFF OF THE PRODUCTION LINE.

Dammit man.

Sigh... from the same website "The first true F-22 prototype, more imaginatively designated the "Raptor", was rolled out at the Lockheed Martin plant at Marietta, Georgia, on 9 April 1997. There were numerous problems with the prototype, including software problems and fuel leaks, and first flight was delayed to 7 September 1997. The second prototype first flew on 29 June 1998. By late 2001, there were eight F-22s flying. " http://www.faqs.org/docs/air/avf22.html

Dammit girl!  That's funny as hell!

[Mini D]

That was the first production plane off of the production line replicant. The YF-22 flew in 1990.  Surely you know this... right?

Maybe you should stop by Boeing's site and see for yourself? The fact that they had to make changes to the production line is neither here nor there. I'm sure this is the same with the first EF2000's that rolled off the line after production started in 1998 and why any new fighter takes 5-10 years to make it from production to active duty squadron status.

[bunch]

Fokker EI, II & III ruled the skies only for that period of time in which there was no competition.  The Airco/deHavilland DH-2 was the 1st dominant fighter plane.  The Fokker was mort like the 1st air to air gun platform

[Replicant]

Wait a minute, you quoted a website and you're not happy now it says F-22 prototype flew in 1997?

Have a look at http://www.eurofighter.com as well.  The Development Aircraft are still flying, they're simply testing different components.  They are still called 'Eurofighter'!  The Eurofighter was based on the EAP.  In any case, I will ask at work on Tuesday and confirm first flight of Eurofighter!

[Mini D]

Actually, you're misquoting the website.

"the first TRUE prototype".

read it a bit more and see exactly what they're saying replicant. Stop being ignorant. The first production aircraft had obvious issues. It took 4 years to iron out those PRODUCTION ISSUES.

I quoted one of many that explain the first prototype EF2000 flew in 1994 with production starting in 1998. You find me one more that calls the 1997 Raptor a "prototype"... even with the caveat.

[Elyeh]

The Aircraft were rated as follows

1. Kill Ratio
2. Fear Factor
3. Innovation
4. Sevice lenght
5. Production ratings  (Ease of production, Engine preformance,
                                    Armament, Aerodynamics, Cost)

[bunch]

based on categories 1 & 3  the P-61 should be way up the list

[Rino]

Originally posted by Mini D
The F-22 is revolutionary with it's ability to supercruise. Combat experience or not, that makes the list.

I don't agree with the Camel being on the list... I don't recall it being anything near dominating in WWI. It was, however, manufacturable. I see it's presence on par with putting a Soviet T-34 on the list of best tanks. It deserves to be there, but it's manufacturability was it's greatest asset. It seems there were other WWI aircraft that were far better.

The F-4 is another oddity on the list. The only thing remarkable about it was that it was used by all branches of the U.S. millitary. It did everything OK, but nothing great. It's weapons system was innadequate given the poor reliability of the missiles in high temperature/hummidity environments at the time and the fact that it didn't have a canon. Hell... I'd rank the A-4 skyraider above the F-4.

I do think the F-15C should be ranked 1st though. Maybe it could slip to #2 if someone were to actually shoot one down.

     The F-4E I worked on most certainly did have a cannon.  Real
fast one too.

[Tumor]

The Raptor has a bigger winkie than the Eurofighter.