Ten Best Airplanes of All Time

I’ve always been fascinated with airplanes. Though I’ve only flown once in my life, I found the experience exhilarating and even spiritual, peering down upon the world at 30,000 feet, while skipping among billowy clouds. Just miles away, I saw another jet airliner traveling at the same altitude but in the opposite direction, and I thought, Wow, that’s fast!

This list is in no particular order because each airplane was a marvel of its own era and/or intended for a purpose whose value could be considered subjective. Please enjoy!

1. Wright Brothers’ Flyer 1

A list such as this must include the very first airplane. Produced and then flown by Wilbur and Orville Wright on December 17, 1903, their gossamer-winged aircraft made possible the first controllable and sustainable, heavier-than-air human flight. In order to accomplish such a feat, the Wright Brothers essentially built the whole contraption from scratch, other than the light-weight, fuel-injected engine, which was built by Charlie Taylor. This accomplishment is still astonishing, though, since the time was right, somebody else would have built it soon enough.

2. SR-71 Blackbird

The Blackbird was a Cold War era reconnaissance jet that could fly so high (85,000 feet) and so fast (over Mach 3) that the Russians or other enemies couldn’t shoot it down with surface-to-air missiles. Other aircraft could travel as fast for short periods, but the SR-71 could fly at top speed for an hour until its fuel ran out. Considered by many purists to be the finest aircraft ever made, the Blackbird was one of the first airplanes to utilize stealth technology; for instance, the cross-section of the airframe was minimized to reduce radar exposure and the whole body painted a very dark blue. The SR-71 carried no armament, just cameras and sensors, used for spying and, on occasion, scientific purposes. Hey, isn't it one of the sexiest things you've ever seen?

3. DC-3

The Douglas-Commerical-3 is perhaps the best transport aircraft ever built. Introduced in 1935, this tough, versatile, reliable, propeller-driven airplane was one of the first used in transcontinental flights across the US. The American military’s version of the DC-3, the C-47, was widely used during World War Two. Because the plane can be landed just about anywhere, many countries throughout the world still use DC-3s for freight transport, aerial spraying and commercial air traffic. Aviation buffs say, “The only replacement for a DC-3 is another DC-3.” This trusty aircraft may never be retired!

4. Messerschmitt-262

Nicknamed the “Swallow,” the ME-262 was the world’s first jet fighter. Used by Germany during World War Two, this formidable aircraft carried four 30 mm cannon, as well as rockets and bombs, giving it enough pop to down B-17s, P-51s and anything else the allied forces threw against it. Capable of speeds of over 500 mph, the Swallow was faster than anything flying by about 100 mph. The fighter’s major shortcoming was that the engines needed replacement after about 25 hours of flight. Unfortunately for Germany, its use came too late in the war to turn the tide.  

5. B-52 Stratofortress

Since it first went into service in 1955, the B-52 has been one of the most reliable and versatile strategic long-range bombers in the US arsenal, fighting in numerous wars and conflicts. Designed to carry conventional as well as nuclear weapons, the aircraft uses eight turbojet engines, can carry monstrous payloads and has a range of over 12,000 miles. Over the years, the B-52 has had numerous retrofits, including a deployment capability for cruise missiles and drones, which has extended its usefulness into the twenty-first century. Even supersonic bombers such as the B-1 have not replaced this mainstay.

6. F-117A Nighthawk

The Nighthawk was the first stealth fighter in the arsenal of the USAF. Developed in the early 1980s, the F-117 was virtually invisible to radar and carried laser-guided bombs and other guided munitions or “smart bombs.” The Nighthawk was particularly effective in the Persian Gulf War in 1991, flying over 1,300 sorties, and not a single one was shot down. However, one Nighthawk was shot down in the Kosovo War in 1999, the enemy using particularly long-wavelength radar to spot it. This stealth fighter was retired from service in 2008, superseded by more advanced stealth fighters such as the F-22.

7. Mitsubishi A6M Zero

Flown by the Imperial Japanese Naval Air Service, the Zero as the Allies called it, was the finest carrier-based aircraft in the world during the early years of World War Two. Because of its maneuverability, firepower and extra long-range, the Zero was considered one of the best “dogfighters.” It carried plenty of armament – two 20 mm cannon, two 7.7 mm machine guns and two 70 lb. bombs. Made of a “secret” aluminum alloy, the Zero was very light and agile, though shy on the armor. Eventually the Zero was outclassed by allied fighters such as the P-51 Mustang.

8. Messerschmitt Bf 109 (ME-109)

The ME-109 could be considered the German counterpart to the Japanese Zero, because it was Germany’s best fighter aircraft during World War Two, particularly in the early years; however, it remained formidable throughout the war, being reliable, fast and versatile, though it lacked range. Many different versions of the airplane were created, highlighting differences in armament, power train or structural characteristics. Perhaps the best was the 109F, which more than doubled the airplane’s range. Interestingly, more ME-109s were produced – nearly 34,000 – than any other fighter in history.  

9. X-15

Made for NASA, the USAF and the USN, the X-15 rocket plane flew for experimental purposes from the late 1950s to the late 1960s. This long, sleek craft was designed to fly to the threshold of space, some 50 to 70 miles in altitude, technically making the pilots astronauts. In fact, it was the world's first operational space plane. To attain such heights, the aircraft was launched from the underside of a B-52, and then fired its rocket, accelerating the craft to Mach 6.7 or about 4,500 mph. The X-15 flew almost 200 flights, and the data obtained helped the American space program. Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, flew the X-15 numerous times.

10. Concorde

Although the United States and the Soviet Union had planned to build a supersonic passenger airliner, only France and Britain’s Concorde was completed and went into regular service in 1976. The Concorde could cruise at Mach 2, or over 1,300 mph, and could fly nonstop from London to New York, giving it the longest range of any supersonic aircraft. The Concorde continued flying for 27 more years. But various problems ended its career. Always very expensive to operate, the plane’s avionics were analog and needed an upgrade and a fatal crash in 2000 belied is apparent invincibility. The Concorde flew for the final time in November 2003.

Of course, many other airplanes could appear on this list. If you have a favorite, please leave a comment and let me know what it is.