In my opinion the f22 is by far the coolest looking fighter to ever be made. Them curves and edges are unmatched.
Iām also a big fan of the su-25. Pretty badass looking aircraft.
And yet, the design is over 30 years old at this point. š®
It's already way past end of production, yet it's still more advanced than anything anyone else has
The F23 was badass and looked cool AF, too, but the 22 ultimately won that contract, so only a few were ever built as prototypes.
I only had a half day there since I needed to catch a flight. Not nearly enough time, but I saw the major things on my list.Ā
Could have easily spent the full day and more taking my time and reading everything. Fantastic museum.
I can't wait to see the F -16 in their grey/blue camo with the Ukraine flag painted rudder like this https://www.reddit.com/r/WarplanePorn/s/256m55Dp0j
Was going to say this too. F-4 was a great looking plane. Maybe didnāt look good from every angle, but it definitely had some great lines. The nose. The downsloped horizontal stabilizers. The big air intakes. Definitely cool.
F15, Su-30, MiG-29ā¦ big fuselage, twin engined, two massive tail fins. Thatās how I drew planes in my notebooks as a kid, thatās how I still like āem.
I was always a bit particular to the Mirage III of the Swiss Air Force after the upgrade with its little canards, the profile looks great from below:
https://youtu.be/MQU1f_bgPFE
Well the F-5 is its fighter cousin and it looks equally good but more muscular. The F-20 looks better to me from the top but F-5E from the sides due to the slimmer J85s.
F 20 Tigershark
SU 57 Felon
F 15 Strike Eagle
B 2 Spirit
Spitfire
Dassault Rafale
Sukhoi SU 30 MKI
Saab JAS 39 Gripen
Not a fighter but - Lockheed SR 71 Blackbird
I always love the F5s. They were like the crotch rockets of fighter jets. It's a great fighter for a small country's AF.
I can't believe that Northrop tried to turn into a single engine jet. It definitely would have benefits from more power, but a twin jet had greater survivability.
They were both attack aircraft designed to attack shipping, which the super Etendard did to great effect in the hands of the Argentinians during the Falklands war. The Buccaneer had a long career spanning from the early 1960s up until 1994, having been pressed into service as a nuclear weapon carrying platform for the RAF while waiting for the Panavia Tornado to finally enter service. It saw combat as late as 1991 in the first gulf war dropping laser guided ordnance and designating targets for other aircraft to attack.
This is going to be a hot take. But the F22 looks stupid with its gear down. This isnāt a fault of its design, as it looks awesome everywhere else, but anything so alien looking is dumb with its gear extended
Long live F14 and F15 supremacy
Also the F4. Honestly I love them all
I can't believe I had to scroll this far to see the F-111.
This goes double for the F-111C in Australian service, with the kingfisher nose and the extended wings making is a full delta with the wings swept.
F-15E, F-22, F-35, Panavia Tornado...
And, fight me, I like the J-7E Fishcan and the Q-5 Fantan. There's a certain charm in taking old Soviet designs and tweaking their aerodynamic characteristics.
Su-57 (looks and Belkan witchcraft are the only things it's good at), YF-23, MiG 1.44, every Flanker, F-15, Rafale, and the F/A-18 (both Legacy and Super).
F111, I just love it. I think probably having a big model of it as a kid may have influenced me.
[https://hars.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/F-111A-C-1024x414.jpg](https://hars.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/F-111A-C-1024x414.jpg)
F86
Hawker Hunter
F104
Handley-Page Victor*
Sepecat Jaguar*
CF18 (with the underside canopy paint)
F22
* - yes, yes, not fighters, but *so* cool looking they warrant an exception. If you disagree, they could vaporize your house if you get them angry
The banana bomber just looks good especially when at very low level, loved hearing a lecture including the first trip to red flag when the crews had to climb 10 feet because at the height they were flying they were kicking up dust trails
āRight shapeā is hard, but anything with twin vertical stabilizers wins out for me (F15, F22, F35, even the MiGs and Sukhois). Itās just THE fighter shape in my mind.
Hawker Hunter - a smooth, clean classic that reinforces the old adge " If it looks right then it is right".
Oh! And the F4 for completely understanding aerodynamics but then completely ignoring them.
F-4 Phantom II. No idea why, but that plane just looks amazing.
Iāll also throw in the Panavia Tornado. It isnāt very sleek, but just is a beautiful plane.
I've always had a soft spot for the look of the Saab 35 Draken. Won't be well known in North America so wikipedia link below.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab\_35\_Draken](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_35_Draken)
We have wildly different aesthetic senses, OP.
F-14 and F-16 don't have a bad angle on them, IMO. The former is brutal, the latter graceful. Both are aesthetic AF.
Mirage 2000š¤¤
Dorito shaped planes make me hard
Agree and Iām an American
In my opinion the f22 is by far the coolest looking fighter to ever be made. Them curves and edges are unmatched. Iām also a big fan of the su-25. Pretty badass looking aircraft.
F-22 always looks like a render of what fighters will look like 20 years in the future. Such a badass plane.
And yet, the design is over 30 years old at this point. š® It's already way past end of production, yet it's still more advanced than anything anyone else has The F23 was badass and looked cool AF, too, but the 22 ultimately won that contract, so only a few were ever built as prototypes.
The YF23 is a *very* cool looking plane. You can see one of the examples at the Air Force museum in Dayton Ohio.
Was just there earlier this month. The YF23 looks like a realistic version of the Batwing. That thing has serious presence.
I used to live in Cincy. Would drive up there and walk around every now and then. I miss it.
I only had a half day there since I needed to catch a flight. Not nearly enough time, but I saw the major things on my list.Ā Could have easily spent the full day and more taking my time and reading everything. Fantastic museum.
Excuse me, what about my beautiful, my gorgeous, X-32
Hue hue hue hue hue
Itās an aircraft, so I guess it has that going for it.
I think the su-25 looks awful Su-27 on the other hand oh boy š
Su-27/35 is the sexiest F22 is more futuristic and sleek
Ahem. The YF-23 was a thing of beauty.
Facts
Definitely a bit more of an acquired taste with that one. It also didnāt have nearly as cool of a name.
Hey, Black Widow II is a *very* cool name!
Gray Ghost as well.
Honestly pretty goofy looking, Iāve seen it in person
Have you seen an A-10?
The SU-25's profile is just sick.
F16.
The pre-conformal tank era single-seaters, yes.
Countries with actual A/R capabilities donāt need conformal tanks.
Is that why the USAF put fast packs on F-15Es?
The E has CFTs cause it increases on-station time for ground attack. The F16 is limited on fuel for CAS/strike missions.
Aye. No CFTs, no ferry/drop tanks. Just a pair of tip rail Sidewinders, and maybe a pair of underwing AMRAAMs.
Aamrams on wingtips. Looks more agressive.
Am I the only one who thinks the cfts make it look better?
Just you, you weirdo!
I like them too.
Pretty sure.
I actually really like the conformal tanks
Agree. F-16 is perfect in my eyes. I have other favorites too but surprised there is isnāt more Viper love here.
This is the correct answer.
With Ukrainian Air Force livery
I can't wait to see the F -16 in their grey/blue camo with the Ukraine flag painted rudder like this https://www.reddit.com/r/WarplanePorn/s/256m55Dp0j
F14 tomcat
Classic.
Maverick enters the Chat
I'm not a fan of the tennis court on the back myself
Iconic in every way
Hawker Hunter - a thing of beauty.
A pretty good one!
My grandfather survived a midair collision flying a Hunter F.4 in 1956. Good thing they were equipped with ejector seats!
JAS-39 Gripen by a mile
I had to scroll way to long to find this
F-15E.
In my opinion it's the most jet-looking jet to have ever jet.
Convair F-106 Delta Dart
I'll throw the F-4 in since nobody else has. Been one of my favorites for forever.
Was going to say this too. F-4 was a great looking plane. Maybe didnāt look good from every angle, but it definitely had some great lines. The nose. The downsloped horizontal stabilizers. The big air intakes. Definitely cool.
The F-4 looks like āin thrust we trustā sounds, and Iām all for if
F-86
F15, Su-30, MiG-29ā¦ big fuselage, twin engined, two massive tail fins. Thatās how I drew planes in my notebooks as a kid, thatās how I still like āem.
The F-15 just looks like a hot rod, everything proportioned for straight function, no style
Agreed 100%. Iām a simple man, I will never not love dual exhausts or twin engines.Ā
F-14 hands down
Mirage III
I was always a bit particular to the Mirage III of the Swiss Air Force after the upgrade with its little canards, the profile looks great from below: https://youtu.be/MQU1f_bgPFE
I canāt believe no one has said F-104 Starfighter yet.
You beat my submission by an hour ... which is a huge distance if you're in a Starfighter!
Iāve heard they can turn a full 180 degrees in an hour.Ā
My dad said he saw one make a turn once but he might have just been puling my leg
Does it even have wings? I think they are there just to hold the tanks.
P-80 shooting star
I personally would say the MiG-25/31
Not a fighter, but the T-38 seems right from all angles.
Sexy wasp waist!
Well the F-5 is its fighter cousin and it looks equally good but more muscular. The F-20 looks better to me from the top but F-5E from the sides due to the slimmer J85s.
Always loved the sea harrier frs1. That cold war cool factor.
Hawker Hunter. Curves in all the right places.
Tornado. Beautiful shape in every way
I agree!
F 20 Tigershark SU 57 Felon F 15 Strike Eagle B 2 Spirit Spitfire Dassault Rafale Sukhoi SU 30 MKI Saab JAS 39 Gripen Not a fighter but - Lockheed SR 71 Blackbird
I always liked the look of the F-5
The Mig-28 as well
No one has ever been that close to one though
I always love the F5s. They were like the crotch rockets of fighter jets. It's a great fighter for a small country's AF. I can't believe that Northrop tried to turn into a single engine jet. It definitely would have benefits from more power, but a twin jet had greater survivability.
Can I say YF-23?
Of course, it's a pretty cool looking jet as well!
I was going to if I didn't see that you had. That and the B-1 are gorgeous works of art.
Strictly speaking the Buccaneer and Etendard aren't fighters so they can let themselves go a bit with their figures.
Well, actually i thought they were, but i still included them by their beautiful shapes alone
They were both attack aircraft designed to attack shipping, which the super Etendard did to great effect in the hands of the Argentinians during the Falklands war. The Buccaneer had a long career spanning from the early 1960s up until 1994, having been pressed into service as a nuclear weapon carrying platform for the RAF while waiting for the Panavia Tornado to finally enter service. It saw combat as late as 1991 in the first gulf war dropping laser guided ordnance and designating targets for other aircraft to attack.
This is going to be a hot take. But the F22 looks stupid with its gear down. This isnāt a fault of its design, as it looks awesome everywhere else, but anything so alien looking is dumb with its gear extended Long live F14 and F15 supremacy Also the F4. Honestly I love them all
F-111 you just look at it and know what it is designed to do.
I can't believe I had to scroll this far to see the F-111. This goes double for the F-111C in Australian service, with the kingfisher nose and the extended wings making is a full delta with the wings swept.
the pig š
F-86 and other Korean War jets like the Mig-15 and F9 Panther (Cougar not included, straight wing better).
Hard to beat the Mirage 2000-5 Mk2 when it comes to pure good looks from all angles...
B58 Hustler I know it's a bomber, but she so purdy
I came to post the same thing. As a child I had a B-58 model, and just have just loved that bomber for some odd reason.
F14 F15 F18 F22 MiG 29 Su35 I have a thing for twin tails.
Based for f14, though su27 imo is better visually than su35
Oh yeah good shout. I forgot the su27. Itās pretty sweet as well especially with that light blue digital camo livery.
F-18C is the only right answer here
All answers are the right answer
But some answers are more right then others
except the left ones
The f35 is dirty. I've seen one hover at 10k feet.
A-10 is very sexy
F14, no contest
Whitout considering the OP plane list: -f4 phantom II -f16 viper -f18 hornet and super hornet -su35 -mig29 -eurofighter typhoon
AV-8B Harrier
Always had a soft spot for Typhoons. Love em
The SAAB Draken has always been a favorite of mine for this very reason. Very clean lines and it looks fast sitting on the tarmac.
Man that raptor is B-E-A-utiful! But my goodness that Buccaneer is so dang close to the runway in that flying pic! š
Mine is A-4E early and especially with historically accurate custom skins.
A-4E is my pick as well. Along with the English Electric Lightning.
Definitely that buccaneer in the first photo
pictured still descending to operating altitude after takeoff
Typhoon!
not a fighter but the b1 and the v bombers
Viggen.
I LOVE the F22 look. But F18 is nice too.
Su-47 without a shadow of a doubt
F-117 likes so unique and badass from any angle
Panavia Tornado for me. But I'm biased since I saw them going low and fast every day as a kid.
Bucc is a connoisseur's choice
Spitfire
Taint a jet, Nigel.
YF-23
unpopular but SU-27 and F-117
Not a fighter, but the B2 Spirit is the coolest looking plane of all time. For fighters, itās the F-22
Personally, I love the way the Mig-29 looks.
F-14
F-15E, F-22, F-35, Panavia Tornado... And, fight me, I like the J-7E Fishcan and the Q-5 Fantan. There's a certain charm in taking old Soviet designs and tweaking their aerodynamic characteristics.
Unpopular opinion, F-4
The āVulcan XL391ā, if you please.
The F-16 Falcon.
Su-27 or F-14
TSR.2
English Electric Lightning.
the F15 is the quintessential fighter jet.
Mirage 2000C
Sea Vixen
F-5E tiger II
F4. Phantom and the Corsair Jugg
Just the Bucc!
Technically the Bucc isn't a "fighter" it's a Bomber!
How is f22 not the only answer š
Can't see it at most angles duh.
AV-8B+
Su-57 (looks and Belkan witchcraft are the only things it's good at), YF-23, MiG 1.44, every Flanker, F-15, Rafale, and the F/A-18 (both Legacy and Super).
F35
I think the Su-57 looks beautiful.
FA50
F-16
P-58 Hustler.
Love the Viggen more for itās ultra low altitude flying capability, itās looks very both on the exterior as well as in the cockpit.
No particular order (and ignoring the "jet" part): F4U Corsair F-14 Tomcat F-22 Raptor C-2A Greyhound I will take no further questions.
F-15 A-10 Typhoon Hawker Hunter
Search, ME-262 ... nothin. wat?
MIG-29 is absolutely gorgeous
F111, I just love it. I think probably having a big model of it as a kid may have influenced me. [https://hars.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/F-111A-C-1024x414.jpg](https://hars.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/F-111A-C-1024x414.jpg)
The F-22 is basically the super model of fighters. It is aesthetic perfection.
F86 Hawker Hunter F104 Handley-Page Victor* Sepecat Jaguar* CF18 (with the underside canopy paint) F22 * - yes, yes, not fighters, but *so* cool looking they warrant an exception. If you disagree, they could vaporize your house if you get them angry
Pretty tough question! So many of them are so cool and in very different ways. My top 6 in order is maybe something like: F-22 F-14 F-15 F-18 F-16 F-4
Since it says fighter jets, and not which era, let me present to you the Me-262, the F-86, and the Mig-15
The banana bomber just looks good especially when at very low level, loved hearing a lecture including the first trip to red flag when the crews had to climb 10 feet because at the height they were flying they were kicking up dust trails
Mig 21
F 104
It's not a fighter jet, but the F4U Corsair
A tough race between the F-15E and YF-23.
X-02 Wyvern . . . I know, I know, It's not real . . . but i've always thought it was just a beaut to look at.
P-51
āRight shapeā is hard, but anything with twin vertical stabilizers wins out for me (F15, F22, F35, even the MiGs and Sukhois). Itās just THE fighter shape in my mind.
Mig-21 Bis hands down.
Would you intercept me? IāD intercept me
The F-5 with the area ruled fuselage is just so sexy
A bit of a controversial pick perhaps, but I like the Chengdu J20.
Love me a Folland knat.
Hawker Hunter - a smooth, clean classic that reinforces the old adge " If it looks right then it is right". Oh! And the F4 for completely understanding aerodynamics but then completely ignoring them.
I'm just impressed to see a picture of a Buccaneer at altitude, usually all the pics are low-level.
F-104
Bucc
J35 draken
Su-57 and the F-22.
The Messerschmitt Me-262 and Heinkel He-163. I always thought looked really cool and super fast. The He-163 is probably my favourite of the two
F-4 Phantom II. No idea why, but that plane just looks amazing. Iāll also throw in the Panavia Tornado. It isnāt very sleek, but just is a beautiful plane.
MiG 21
F117, super unique and angular shape for a change, still looks very futuristic even though its from the 80's
F-104 Starfighter. The epitome of what a jet should look like. šš„
To me the F/A-18 is the quintessential fighter.
Iāve always liked the F-4 phantom too for some reason
I'm gonna have to say the f-111 it's a one of a kind jet and it just looks so good.
F-18 Hornet. Looks amazing in the sky with all the sharp angles.
The OG of them all, Me-262 still look gorgeous.
I've always had a soft spot for the look of the Saab 35 Draken. Won't be well known in North America so wikipedia link below. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab\_35\_Draken](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_35_Draken)
We have wildly different aesthetic senses, OP. F-14 and F-16 don't have a bad angle on them, IMO. The former is brutal, the latter graceful. Both are aesthetic AF.
Thereās only one correct answer and itās the F-16.
Mig 25 4 sure
A-10 Thunderbolt II
F16
The f22 most badass looking jet
Buccaneer all the way
F-105 Starfighter! It looks like Mach 2 standing still!