The NOT-so-best looking fighters of all time

[Lost Freeway]

The Supermarine Nighthawk.

It was supposed to take down zeppelins. Presumably, it did so by causing the Zeppelin crews to laugh so hard that they got distracted and crashed.

 

[Gunnarnz]

The Supermarine Nighthawk.

I think I'm going to be sick.

 

[100Fathoms]

Looks like something from the 60's camp classic " Those Magnificent Men and their Flying Machines . "

 

[joeferrito]

Looks like something from the 60's camp classic " Those Magnificent Men and their Flying Machines . "

I get the image of "Muttley! Do Something!!!"

 

[100Fathoms]

I get the image of "Muttley! Do Something!!!"

Yeah to bad a flying example wasn't preserved, it's as improbably cartoonish an RL Aircraft, as I have ever seen and would have been perfect as a prop for that movie, even as a " Hanger Queen " .

 

[Driftless]

At least Supermarine got to atone for their sins.... They repented their sin of the Nighthawk, and RJ Mitchell brought them redemption in time....

 

[The Director]

Saunders Roe SR1a jet seaplane fighter.

Dammit, I was just about to post that. Would post the Martin P6M SeaMaster, but for one that was a bomber and for two it never entered service.

 

[100Fathoms]

At least Supermarine got to atone for their sins.... They repented their sin of the Nighthawk, and RJ Mitchell brought them redemption in time....

Yeah I've been partial to the lines of Mitchell's S-6 series of seaplane racers, very sleek art deco like design motif, and blistering speed for that era. Of course the experience gained by the Supermarine team would serve a higher purpose in about half a decade.

 

[Driftless]

Looks like something from the 60's camp classic " Those Magnificent Men and their Flying Machines . "

You need the TMMITFM soundtrack to go with the plane (go to about the 25 sec mark)

Nighthawk is a great name for a fighter, but unfortunately not for this contraption.

 

[viewcode]

F-8 Crusader. Like somebody dropped a Corsair and couldn't put it back right

 

[viewcode]

catch the pigeon, catch the pigeon...

I really like your Supermarine Nighthawk. Let's post it again, so we can bask in its wingy glory

Mmmm...quadraplane wings and a biplane tail. When five lifting surfaces just isn't enough...

 

[Ming777]

F-8 Crusader. Like somebody dropped a Corsair and couldn't put it back right

Dem fighting words.

(Ironic considering the LTV A-7 Corsair was a shrunken, one-engine derivative of the Crusader)

 

[viewcode]

Dem fighting words.

(Ironic considering the LTV A-7 Corsair was a shrunken, one-engine derivative of the Crusader)

I know, but...god, look at it...

 

[Driftless]

I really like your Supermarine Nighthawk. Let's post it again, so we can bask in its wingy glory

Mmmm...quadraplane wings and a biplane tail. When five lifting surfaces just isn't enough...

I know it's like kicking a puppy, as that plane never harmed a soul (consciously anyway...) With eight bazillion spars and miles of bracing wire, acres of wing surface, and protruding what-nots, what was the level of drag on this bad-boy?

 

[Cryhavoc101]

I know it's like kicking a puppy, as that plane never harmed a soul (consciously anyway...) With eight bazillion spars and miles of bracing wire, acres of wing surface, and protruding what-nots, what was the level of drag on this bad-boy?

It is like an ugly puppy though - the more you look at it the more you start to love it a little more each time - and want to take it home - and talk to it in a soppy voice saying things like "Don't listen to the bad men" and "You might be Ugly but your mummy/daddy loves you".

 

[Alanith]

The Supermarine Nighthawk.

It was supposed to take down zeppelins. Presumably, it did so by causing the Zeppelin crews to laugh so hard that they got distracted and crashed.

Please tell me that's not the crew of this... technological terror lined up there for the photo. Lie to me if you have to.

 

[Errolwi]

Please tell me that's not the crew of this... technological terror lined up there for the photo. Lie to me if you have to.

It's not the crew, it's the design and build team, probably including one R.J.Mitchell!

 

[Alanith]

It's not the crew, it's the design and build team, probably including one R.J.Mitchell!

Ahh, I was wondering how on gods green earth anyone could call a craft with what look to be 11-12 crew members a "Fighter".

 

[Lawnchair Captain]

Ahh, I was wondering how on gods green earth anyone could call a craft with what look to be 11-12 crew members a "Fighter".

Maybe some of them were supposed to be the boarding party in charge of capturing the Zeppelin.

 

[Alanith]

Maybe some of them were supposed to be the boarding party in charge of capturing the Zeppelin.

No see, one is the Tea handler, probably the most important job on the aircraft, it'd be quite impossible to operate without him. Another is the aircraft commander's personal Dogsbody, then there's two midaircraftmen, a master at arms, a cook, a coxswain in charge of manually turning the rudder, a chandelier repairman for if flak damages the grand staircase, and finally a gurkha boarding party. Of a single Gurkha.