Ugliest Airplane?

[yud]

Having just herd what the “ugliest” airplane was from a show that proclaimed the De Havilland Comet an aviation classic (one presumes in the tradition of the Hindenburg ), and so I would like to see how their pick and some of mine picks stand up, for the Title of World’s Ugliest Airplane


Airbus beluga


DOUGLAS C-133A CARGO MASTER


 Lockheed F-117A Nighthawk


Fairchild Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II


North American Rockwell OV-10A Bronco


Tupolev Tu 144


McDonnellXF-85 Goblin

[Grant Lamontagne]

At the time, the F-4 Phantom II was considered ugly:



Initially it was a very sleek, beautiful aircraft until the wind tunnel testing cause the wings to be bent and dog toothed, and the pilots all insisting they still wanted guns on planes, the cockpit was extended to add a weapons systems officer, the intakes were redesigned and the body was given the "Coke bottle" contour.  The Phantom has had an illustrious career and proved itself time and again, but I can still imagine how depressed the initial designer was after seeing what happened to his initial, beautiful design!

Oh, and the A-10 isn't ugly either!   

Def

[AHB]

Gotta love that Goblin, the Platypus of the sky..    

[John]

I like all of them they look cute

[yud]

true Def another problem is that the F4 is one aerodynamic band aid after another

then there I also the expert opinion of Kelly Johnson that the title goes to the C-130

oh I added an other option

[american lockpicker]

I think that German rocket plane looks ugly. Its the one they made at the end of the war that killed more Germans than Allies.

[NutSAK]

I'm a little upset that you included the A-10 here.  She's a beauty.

[John]

I'm a little upset that you included the A-10 here.  She's a beauty.

I'm on your side    

  [edit] I should point out the A-10 tank buster is simply awesome   

[stressmaster5000]

I'm a little upset that you included the A-10 here.  She's a beauty.

I'm on your side    

  [edit] I should point out the A-10 tank buster is simply awesome   

+1 on the A-10 

[Bowman1911]

+2! I always thought it was mighty purdy!

[Black Rose]

I'm a little upset that you included the A-10 here.  She's a beauty.

I'm on your side    

  [edit] I should point out the A-10 tank buster is simply awesome   

Yep, that's one impressive plane.  I've seen them at air shows many times....that cannon is always great to hear.

[Smitty44]

Ugly is in the eye of the beholder,I never saw an aircraft that could fly as anything but a work of art,and I've seen and worked on a lot of them.
  &

[prime77]

Yep, that's one impressive plane.  I've seen them at air shows many times....that cannon is always great to hear.

+1  I saw it at a air show one time as well. Really cool plane and it performs it's function very well.

[Freudian Frog]

I like all of them they look cute

Ditto! As such I will withhold my vote.

[ringzero]

(Image removed from quote.)
McDonnellXF-85 Goblin

Love that little Goblin.

Very unusual design that was carried partially inside the fuselage of its mothership, a B-36 IIRC.

The pilot would climb from the B-36 down into the cockpit of the Goblin, then the Goblin would drop free of the B-36.

The Goblin would fly its mission of escort fighter for its mothership, then return and snuggle up into its recess in the fuselage.  The pilot could then climb back into the B-36, and IIRC, the Goblin could be refueled, rearmed, and readied for another mission.

.

[cgk]

I'm a little upset that you included the A-10 here.  She's a beauty.

I'm on your side    

  [edit] I should point out the A-10 tank buster is simply awesome   

+1 on the A-10 

Another A-10 fan here.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

I like pretty much all of those aircraft

Oddest award would go to the Bv141, and ugliest the Fw 189C which is a shame as the original 189 was quite beatiful

The P82 would be another candidate for ugliest too

[Grant Lamontagne]

The coolest thing about the A-10 is that the cannon was limited to very short bursts as the recoil would actually slow the plane significantly.  Now imagine you are on the wrong end of said cannon- there's no safe place to hide from that thing!

Def

[Tinnie]

The coolest thing about the A-10 is that the cannon was limited to very short bursts as the recoil would actually slow the plane significantly.  Now imagine you are on the wrong end of said cannon- there's no safe place to hide from that thing!

Def

A-10 fan here also!

Also the cannon was so large that they had to offset the front landing gear to the right side of the pilot!

[nuphoria]

I really want a Goblin for xmas now - I think it might fit on the drive 

[GraysonK]

I really want a Goblin for xmas now - I think it might fit on the drive 

I'm not sure I can help you get that one, hon. 

[AHB]

I really want a Goblin for xmas now - I think it might fit on the drive 

I'm not sure I can help you get that one, hon. 

Groupbuy..??     

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Thinking about it, most German night fighters looked less that nice with all the radar antenna's sticking out into the airstream 

[Swiss Man]

I'm a little upset that you included the A-10 here.  She's a beauty.

I'm on your side    

  [edit] I should point out the A-10 tank buster is simply awesome   

+1 on the A-10 

I love the A 10 the first time I saw one was while I was stationed in Korea. Been a fan ever since.

Here is an interesting pic for you.

[cgk]

Wow much bigger cannon than I thought.............I think Ive heard that before

[NutSAK]

Thinking about it, most German night fighters looked less that nice with all the radar antenna's sticking out into the airstream 

No doubt.  The Germans were good at weighing equipment down with antennas.  I guess the radio antennas didn't slow the tanks down too much though. 

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Thinking about it, most German night fighters looked less that nice with all the radar antenna's sticking out into the airstream 

No doubt.  The Germans were good at weighing equipment down with antennas.  I guess the radio antennas didn't slow the tanks down too much though. 

In there defence they did have Schrage Musik which was a boody brilliant idea, unless you happened to be sitting in a Lancaster or Halifax

[WhichDawg]

I would add the V-22 Osprey to the mix;

[Grant Lamontagne]

The Osprey is only ugly if you are expected to be in it while it's in motion- they have one of the highest crash/fatality rates of any aircraft.

Great concept, it's just a little problem with a minor irritant called physics....

Def

[yud]

I really want a Goblin for xmas now - I think it might fit on the drive 

I'm not sure I can help you get that one, hon. 

Groupbuy..??     

Slight problem A). you would also a B 36 which if that fits in your drive I would like to see it, and the peacemaker is not that good looking either, B). the Goblin never really worked

see now I like the V-22 Osprey

now I like the A-10, I just don't think she is all that good looking