Poll: best looking GA prop plane of all time?

Tony,

With all due respect, there were some pretty odd-looking open cockpit
biplanes; a few come to mind: The Briston Fighter, Loehning OA-1A,
Martin MB-2 and Douglas O-38. Nevertheless, most are truly attractive,
although the Beech 17 is in a class by itself.

All the best,
Rick

wrote:
Hadn't known that about the props on the DH88. (Sort of ties in with
the seeming proclivity of British engineers to make things as complex
as possible g.)

you have to put the thing in its context: this aircraft was
designed in the early 30s; wasn't this aircraft the first to have
variable pitch props and retractable gear at the time? this
thing was ahead of its time by a very long shot...

--Sylvain

Thomas,

Most Cessnas so ugly? What are your thoughts on the AW, BW, DC-6 and
Airmaster? Or the T-50, 177, 195, 210, 310, 402, 421, 425, 441 and
650?

Yeah, when they went to struts on some of them in 1945, esthetics did
suffer, but it saved a lot of weight.

Warmest regards,
Rick

Of course. Best looking plane of all time: Spitfire. Best looking GA plane:
DH88.

All the twin deHavillands were gorgeous, sometimes in a kind of
alternative-universe ancient-science fiction manner. Consider the DH84
Dragon. And it all leads to the Mosquito.

Wasn't it Geoffrey deHavilland who said "If it looks right, it is right?"

How about the ugliest GA airplane of all time? I exclude military a/c so as
to disqualify interwar French bombers.

My nominee: Transavia Airtruck.

Seth

Seth

wrote in message
oups.com...
Sylvain,

DH 88. Sound of forehead slap. You're right, one of the sharpest
looking airplanes ever, although I would not care for its forward
visibility in three point attitude.

Cheers,
Rick

wrote in message
oups.com...
Tony,

With all due respect, there were some pretty odd-looking open cockpit
biplanes; a few come to mind: The Briston Fighter, Loehning OA-1A,
Martin MB-2 and Douglas O-38. Nevertheless, most are truly attractive,
although the Beech 17 is in a class by itself.

All the best,
Rick

Except the Beech 17 isn't an open cockpit.

wrote in message
ups.com...
Thomas,

Most Cessnas so ugly? What are your thoughts on the AW, BW, DC-6 and
Airmaster? Or the T-50, 177, 195, 210, 310, 402, 421, 425, 441 and
650?

Yeah, when they went to struts on some of them in 1945, esthetics did
suffer, but it saved a lot of weight.

Warmest regards,
Rick

The Airmaster is the best of the lot especially on floats. It makes the
Cardinal look like one of Cinderella's ugly sisters. Not to mention it is
one of the most efficient four place airplanes ever designed and built. The
AW was outstanding for it's day in looks and performance especially in light
of the fact it was designed by a guy with a fifth grade education.

I vote for the Cessna 195, although the Falco (preferably with the Nustrini
canopy), LoPresti's Fury before he changed the tail, and the P-51 Mustang
all are high on my list.

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)


"Seth Masia" wrote in message
...
Swift. Hands down.

"xerj" wrote in message
...
For me, it's the King Air.

Other opinions?

Oh, yeah, and at the very top of the list, Jim Wright's Hughes H-1 replica.
Without a doubt, the best looking airplane ever built.

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)


"Bob Chilcoat" wrote in message
...
I vote for the Cessna 195, although the Falco (preferably with the Nustrini
canopy), LoPresti's Fury before he changed the tail, and the P-51 Mustang
all are high on my list.

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)


"Seth Masia" wrote in message
...
Swift. Hands down.

"xerj" wrote in message
...
For me, it's the King Air.

Other opinions?

"Bob Chilcoat" wrote in message
...
Oh, yeah, and at the very top of the list, Jim Wright's Hughes H-1
replica.
Without a doubt, the best looking airplane ever built.

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)

I'll second that vote. Not only the design but the workmanship was also
outstanding.



"Bob Chilcoat" wrote in message
...
I vote for the Cessna 195, although the Falco (preferably with the
Nustrini
canopy), LoPresti's Fury before he changed the tail, and the P-51 Mustang
all are high on my list.

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)


"Seth Masia" wrote in message
...
Swift. Hands down.

"xerj" wrote in message
...
For me, it's the King Air.

Other opinions?

Haven't you seen a Piaggio P180? The King Air is ugly and so slow that
the radome should be in the rear so the airplane can avoid being run down
by thunderstorms.



Yeah, it ~is~ kind of homely, but that's what I like about it I think. It
has a sort of unpretentious quality.