Westland Lysander

[LCADolby]

If it didn't have forward firing guns I'd say yes, but it would render the Stork unused.

The balance would be a similar aircraft to the Stork so people choose preference between Allied and Axis, not capabilities.

[danny76]

Heck yeah they are.   Far better looking than any Brit equivalent.   Unless you count the Vulcan.  Ugly cockpit but the wing is nice.

Vulcan was the 52 Brit equivalent

Fairey made some stunning airframes, most of which were horribly plagiarised by the US.

Vampire was beautiful and you lose any kind of credibility as regards views of aircraft design when you class the English Electric Lightning as ugly.

[nrshida]

Aircraft ID 101:

Come on then Vraciu, show us your wares. What's the most good-looking aircraft in the world to your eyes? Got a feeling it's American 

The Lysander was a Teddy Petter design who had a very sound process. Recommend looking into some of his other design work.

If it didn't have forward firing guns I'd say yes, but it would render the Stork unused.

Bet you drive a VW don't you Dolby? 

 

[LCADolby]

There was a very pretty plane I snapped at Waddington a few years back.

[danny76]

oooh yes, and a Hunter next to it if I am not very much mistaken

[LCADolby]

oooh yes, and a Hunter next to it if I am not very much mistaken

Yes, she was a very pretty one too. I'll have to log back into Facebook to get that pic

[LCADolby]

[danny76]

Unfortunately she's the side by side which spoils the lines around the cockpit. There's a beauty as a gate guardian at RAF Cosford, and there are some stunning pics of the Hunters in action in Rhodesia in the 80's.

[Vraciu]

Vulcan was the 52 Brit equivalent

Fairey made some stunning airframes, most of which were horribly plagiarised by the US.

Vampire was beautiful and you lose any kind of credibility as regards views of aircraft design when you class the English Electric Lightning as ugly.

That thing is hideous. Mig-21 nose, stacked engines, crazy wings, and shoulder mounted ordnance.  Laughable.   Terrible six view, too.

[nrshida]

That thing is hideous. Mig-21 nose, stacked engines, crazy wings, and shoulder mounted ordnance.  Laughable.   Terrible six view, too.

You don't need a six view when you're going faster than everything else    No the Migs have the Lightening's nose, they copied the solution so did many others.

I myself don't think it was particularly attractive but it was incredible for its day, so many innovations. Virtual wing fences, the first supercruise aircraft. Once a middle eastern test pilot took off on full afterburner (against recommendation). They didn't hear from him for several minutes. There's a documentary about it somewhere...

Anyway interestingly the chief designer of the Lightening was also Teddy Petter the designer of the Lysander 



Anyway come on Vraciu, you've delayed long enough, cough up. Let's see your most beautiful aircraft or you're not allowed to post anymore.

It's a Brewster isn't it, a Brewster and you're embarrassed    One of my favourite comments ever heard at the furball lake by some anonymous furballer: 'The last time I shot a Brewster down, 25 clowns bailed out'. 

[Vraciu]

I like the F2G but not sure it is my favorite.....   I will have to ponder the question.


It ain't British.  That's for sure.


And you can't outrun a missile unless you're made of titanium....


Same designer, hence the ugliness.    Is the Lightning pregnant?

[Oldman731]

You don't need a six view when you're going faster than everything else 

Heh.  I believe that's the thought that resulted in so few 1939-41 planes sporting bubble canopies.

You may be the quickest now, but someone is going to catch up.

- oldman (a life observation)

[nrshida]

Heh.  I believe that's the thought that resulted in so few 1939-41 planes sporting bubble canopies.

Well it was an interceptor after all.

It ain't British.  That's for sure.

Well at least you are forthright about your prejudice.

And you can't outrun a missile unless you're made of titanium....

Titanium alloys are just another set of materials not missile repellant.

Same designer, hence the ugliness.    Is the Lightning pregnant?

Well as I say you can indeed belabour the ugliness motif, but dismissing the Lightning or Lysander as poor design work is unrealistic and just seems to be motivated by cultural bias. Both aircraft met and exceeded their design briefs. Just a few lines from Wikipedia about the Lightning:

'Immediately after takeoff, the nose would be lowered for rapid acceleration to 430 KIAS before initiating a climb, stabilising at 450 KIAS. This would yield a constant climb rate of approximately 20,000 ft/min... A Lightning flying at optimum climb profile would reach 36,000 ft in under three minutes'.

'The official ceiling of the Lightning was kept secret; low security RAF documents would often state 60,000+ ft. In September 1962, Fighter Command organised interception trials on Lockheed U-2As at heights of around 60,000-65,000 ft, which were temporarily based at RAF Upper Heyford to monitor Soviet nuclear tests. Climb techniques and flight profiles were developed to put the Lightning into a suitable attack position. To avoid risking the U-2, the Lightning was not permitted any closer than 5,000 ft and could not fly in front of the U-2. For the actual intercepts, four Lightning F1As conducted eighteen solo sorties. The sorties proved that, under GCI, successful intercepts could be made at up to 65,000 ft. Due to sensitivity, details of these flights were deliberately avoided in the pilot log books'.

'Brian Carroll compared the Lightning and the F-15C Eagle, having flown both aircraft, stating that: "Acceleration in both was impressive, you have all seen the Lightning leap away once brakes are released, the Eagle was almost as good'.


Another good design from Petter was the English Electric Canberra which the Americans built under license as the Martin B-57 and was only retired from service there in 1983. It was also noted for excellent performance and docile handling. So either Petter was an excellent designer or just very very lucky 

[Vraciu]

Well at least you are forthright about your prejudice.


Titanium alloys are just another set of materials not missile repellant.

-----------

(Wikipedia Quotations Deleted)  

It isn't prejudice, just truth.  The Brits build ugly planes.

Also, way to whiff on the titanium reference.    

[danny76]

It isn't prejudice, just truth.  The Brits build ugly planes.

Also, way to whiff on the titanium reference.    

Well thought out and erudite response