[bt_dooftlook]

Other beautiful planes:

B-25 Mitchell
A-12/SR-71 “Blackbird” (brilliant engineering)
XB-70 “Valkyrie” (incredible engineering for a plane now 50 years old)
B-52 (amazing that some of these planes were built before their pilot’s fathers were born)

Honorable mention: The Avro “Lancaster” (ugly as sin, but the only plane able to carry the “Tallboy” and “Grand Slam” bombs, which dramatically shortened the war in Europe)

[jmacusa]

I've often compared how it was that the generation of Americans flying the ‘’heavies’ as the four engine planes were called, gave the bombers names that I think reflected the some what still new and brash nation we were. ‘’Flying Fortress’’, ‘’Liberator’’ the B-26 Martin ‘’Marauder’’ while the Brits who typically named their bombers after the designers who conceived them. Very nice, upscale , genteel sounding names like ‘’The Handley Paige’’, the “Wellington’’, the “Bristol Blenheim’’ names that said , "I say old boy, I'm coming 'round tonight to bomb you, say 8ish. Do be home, there's a good chap''.

[Windflier]

Other beautiful planes: B-52...

Oh man, there's just something about the drooping stance of that beast that speaks to me. Next to the iconic B-17, it's one of my favorite war birds.