Top 10 most significant aircraft

[robert41]

Iam looking for your opinion on the 10 most significant/influential powered aircraft in history. From pioneering to personal to commercial to military aircraft. Those aircraft that changed the way we live. Hard to pick just 10, but Iam working on my list.

[OBIO]

In no particular order:

The Wright Flyer...it was the first powered aircraft

Piper J-3 Cub....lots and lots of pilots got their wings in this plane

Cessna C172...possibly the plane that gave birth to more licensed pilots than any other

Boeing 247...first truly modern passenger liner

Douglas DC-3...the first truly modern passenger line to be a HUGE HUGE success

Boeing 747....possibly the most successful jetliner of all time

Lockheed C-130 Hurcules....been in production for over a half a century, longest production run of any aircraft I think

McDonald Douglas F-4 Phantom....50 years of military use world wide...name another fighter jet that has that longevity...I thought NOT!

Lockheed L-10 Electra....in my mind the most visually stunning aircraft ever built, and the plane with the most mystery surrounding it as Emelia disappeared while flying one (not like in the movie, in which a Lockheed L-12 Electra Junior was used).

de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver...the bush flying work horse of choice...STOL, heavy payloads and a radial engine....what could be better?

OBIO

[Wing_Z]

Concorde presumably would make that list...
The Wright Flyer can't not be, that leaves just eight.

[Naki]

Your list isnt bad Obio but I just commented elsewhere the list wil be biased depending on where you live.

If you are Russian presumably this list might include an IL-10, Yak-3, An-2, Mil Mi-8, Mig-15 and 21.

If you were a Kiwi then the list might include a 504K, Electra 10, Fletcher, Tiger Moth, DC-8, DC-10, 737, Viscount, Bell 47 and a DC-3 (that has to be on any list)

Not sure whether a Beaver would make my list.

Heres my quick attempt:

1. DC-3 (the formation airliner for many airlines around the world and main transport aircraft in ww2)
2. Cessna 172 (from the 50s onwards most pilots had hours in one of these)
3. Spitfire (most important Britrish figher and true Icon)
4. 747 (made travelling cheaper for the masses)
5. 707 (introduced jet tarevel to many - yes I know there were earlier ones but this really got Boeing going and ws a lot mpore widely used)
6. J-3 Cub (as per Obios list)
7. Mig-21 (gave many airforces all over the world a cheap supersonic fighter and was produced in huge numbers and still in servivce in many airforces)
8. Bell Huey (very popular military helicopter and in most air forces inventory)
9. C-130 (as per Obios list)
10. Eindecker (first proper fighter produced in numbers)

[CG_1976]

Were there is a beaver, there most certainly not far be its bigger brother the Twotter Dhc-6.

[wiltzei]

C172, as for the reasons stated above. And upkeep costs are pretty reasonable for private pilots (as far as I know).

DC-3, as for the reasons stated above.

de Havilland Comet, some tragic lessons learned from this plane lead to success of

B707 / B747, which brought cheap jet travel to masses

Concorde, which didn´t require people onboard to wear overalls while cruising supersonic. Symbolizes (or symbolized, which is sad) mankind's will to move forwards.

AF1, symbolizes (arguably) the most influental institution's reach on Earth.

DC-9, placing engines near the empennage -> better short field capabilities -> more passengers -> affordable short range flights.

SR-71, technological marvelpiece of engineering. Stealth properties & Mach 3.5+, in the sixties. Many tricks from developing & operating this plane have probably found their way to never planes.

Avro Lancaster, dropped 2/3 of total bomb tonnage in effort to stop Third Reich.

P-47, practically the only capable long-range escort for bombers until the P-51D. Also seriously hindered supply lines etc.

[TopDollar]

Wright Flyer - First heavier than air aircraft. The most famous plane which "started it all."

Bleriot No. VII - The first "modern aircraft," which featured a fully
cantilevered wing, forward mounted tractor engine, fully skinned fuselage, tail mounted
stabilizers, a standard vertical stabilizer and rudder. The Bleriot Biplane later provided the iconic Biplane look of World War I.

Taylor E-2 Cub - The aircraft which brought flying to the private sector. The model T of aviation per se. Still a very popular design and forefather of the Piper J-3.

Focke-Wulf Fw-61 - Being the first functional helicopter, the Fw-61 set the stage for all future rotor-craft.

Messerschmitt Me-262 - Not the first jet aircraft, but possibly the most significant of the first generation as it became an inspiration for its swept wing design.

Bell X-1 - The aircraft which proved to the world that supersonic flight was indeed possible. Was the turning point for another generation of aircraft.

Cessna 172 - Being the most successful mass produced light aircraft certainly qualifies the C172 as significant.

Boeing 707 - Considered to be the first commercially successful jet airliner, the 707 decreased the size of the world by a factor of 2.

Concorde - Being the only airliner to reach supersonic speeds, the Concorde was in a class of it's own.

Lockheed A-12 - Arguably the single greatest feat of engineering in the history of aviation. First flying in 1962, the Blackbird was, and still is, ahead of it's time. The habu has yet to see any comparable counterparts.

[Cratermaker]

Okay, I'll play (I'm taking a "changed the landscape" slant):

1) Boeing 314 (commercial travel)
2) Cessna 172 (private planes)
3) Mig-15 (zomg! The ruskies are way more advanced than we thought!)
4) Wright Flyer (obvious)
5) Spitfire (should be obvious)
6) DC-3(commercial travel)
7) Predator Drone (hey, you didn't say manned!)
8) Sikorsky VS-300 (birth of modern heli)
9) Hydrogen filled dirigibles (pretty much killed off lighter than air travel)
10) WhiteKnightTwo (ok, time will tell... but I can hope, can't I? :)

[norab]

my list


The Wright Flyer for obvious reasons
The Sikorski "Ilya Muromets' for proving that large airliners and heavy bombers could be built
The NC-4 flying boats for proving that trans-ocean flights could be practical, not novelties
The Ryan NYP "Spirit of Saint Louis" for generating broad public support for aviation
The Vought-Sikorsky VS-300 for establishing the design elements needed for a practical helicopter
The DC-3 for making airline travel a practice rather then a novelty
The Bf-109 for being the most produced fighter of all time with the longest time in production
The Heinkel He-178 for proving that jet powered aircraft were possible
The Boeing 707 for making jet airliners practical
The X-15 for opening up the possibilities of high speed flight

[demorier]

Lots of good choices there but I still can't see and I don't have a real candidate for smaller STOL type aircraft for multiple type use. Maybe a Catalina but not on land.

[Mathias]

1. Wright Flyer
2. Junkers F13, the world's first all metall true passenger plane.
3. DC-3
4. Messerschmitt Bf108, mother of all low wing GA planes, competitive up until today.
5. Messerschmitt Bf109, most produced fighter of all times.
6. Fw190A through Ta152, arguably the best piston fighter of WWII.
7. de Havilland DH 106, first jet passenger plane (well, not the first, that was the GDR's BB.152, but the first in regular service)
8. C172, everybody knows it. :-)
9. and 10. F104 Starfighter and F4 Phantom, passed by my house regularly when I was a kid and as such apply to the OP's intro "Those aircraft that changed the way we live" in a very personell way to me. :-)

[Dain Arns]

No offense, but you guys are just repeating the same aircraft over and over.
While many are popular and successful at their primary missions, not many there are actually significant.

No one has mentioned the Curtiss Golden Flyer for example.
Significant because it didn't use wing warping like the Wright Flyer.
It used Ailerons set between the equal length biplane wings.
These would later transition to the wing itself.
The Wrights were so upset they sued Curtiss over this, claiming it infringed on their patents regarding wing warping.

Significant because this simple design change led to almost all aircraft using the same set of control surfaces for over a century now.
Rudder, Elevator, and Ailerons. The 3 main control surfaces for any fixed wing. ;)

[Dain Arns]

How about adding the Bell X-1 to the list?
Simply significant because it was the first plane to successfully break the sound barrier on October 14th, 1947.

EDIT: my apologies to you TopDollar. You had it in your list already.

[Dain Arns]

I'll throw in one more, and then shut up. :icon_lol:
North American X-15.
First airplane to transition from atmospheric flight to space and back.

[kilo delta]

If I may be so bold as to add a few from this side of the pond...

D.H.Comet...World's first Jet Airliner

H.S.Trident...made the world's first automated approach and landing

H.S. P1127/Harrier.... for obvious reasons

Me 262 Schwalbe...World's first jet fighter

Concorde...World's first supersonic airliner (Tu-144 wasn't in commercial service until ~2 years after the Concorde)

[Bone]

So far no one has said B-52. Operational since the early fifties. Modified with successive technologies from each era, and is still useful and significant. War fighting strategies and technologies were developed and perfected with the B-52. Slated to be in the force until at least 2030. Participated in numerous conflicts, and was the backbone of the Strategic Air Command during the entire Cold War. The Mothership of extremely high performance and history making test vehicles. Has been flown by guys who's Dad's and Grandfather's flew it...and for all I know there's a 23 year old AF pilot flying it now who is the fourth generation to fly it (If he isn't flying it now, he will be). There's just so many pivotal things this plane has been involved in and WILL be involved in, it could never be left out.

The B-52 has outlived them all. You can't say "C-130" either, because that airplane is still being built. It's different. Remarkable, but different.

[grumpos]

I would add;

Bleriot monoplane. showed that the wright designs, though good, were essentially a dead end design.

Vickers Vimy for showing the possibilities of long distance flight.

DC-2, rather than the DC-3.

Hawker Hurricane for serving in more places than any other fighter in WW2, and for being in the right place at the right time. Had the Hurricane not been available the world may well have been a very different place.

MiG 15. the first modern jet fighter

The paper designs of the German aviation industry during WW2. They didn't fly, yet led to a large proportion of the world's jet aircraft in the post-war years

Balsa wood aircraft powered by a rubber band. Taught millions basic aerodynamic principles.

[aeromed202]

I'll cheat a bit here and mention that the folks at Air&Space posed and answered this very question. Even they had to admit to a measure of hand wringing and personal bias. I can dig out the issue if anyone wants but can say that probably one list is as good as another, depends on who is doing the listing. I think the challenge is keeping it to 10. I quit at 20 something.

[robert41]

Some very good aircraft in this post. I have seen the articles from Air@Space also Smithsonian and many others. I agree and disagree with some of these. My list, still tryng to narrow it down.

[Matt Wynn]

1. De Havilland Type 98 (Those that know me understand this one...)
2. RF-4/F-4E Phantom II (Memories of my Childhood in Greece, made me love aviation)
3. F-104 (Same Reason as Above)
4. A-7/TA-7 (Yup same as above again)
5. Dassault Mirage 2000 (Theres a pattern here..... ^)
6. Spitfire (<< so good a favourite drink is named after it)
7. De Havilland Comet (THE FIRST Commercial Jet Airliner)
8. Boeing/Vertol CH-47 (takes me in, and brings me out of battle!)
9. Avro Lancaster (Another true British icon...)
10. EE/BAC Lightning (Yes it could get up high 87,800ft to be precise ;), and was Britains first Mach 2.0 aircraft, Overtook concorde on Intercept trials, conc was already supersonic if i recall )

about lightning:

http://www.lightning.org.uk/archive/0410.php

The Lightning that once overtook Concorde was described as 'the best of the best' by Flt Lt Mike Hale at the roll-out ceremony for XR749 at Teeside Airport on September 28th 1995. Now an instructor with 56 Sqn at Coningsby, Mike flew 80 sorties in XR749 after the aircraft was allocated to 11 Squadron at Binbrook. He has a particular affection for the aircraft: "The Lightning was an exceptional aircraft in every respect, but XR749 was one of the best of the best. It is probably the best aircraft that I will ever have had the privilege to fly. Because of her tail code BM, she was known as 'Big Mother', although the tail code changed to BO for her last few months on 11 before joining the LTF in January 1985. She was a very hot ship, even for a Lightning. She remained my aircraft for all her time on 11 Sqn despite my being entitled to an F6 as I moved up the squadron pecking order. I invariably asked for her to be allocated to me for the major exercises such as MALLET BLOW, OSEX, and ELDER FOREST despite her being a short range F3 - there were invariably plenty of tankers about!"

His memories include the time in April 1984, during a squadron exchange at Binbrook, when he and XR749 participated in unofficial time-to-height and acceleration trials against F-104 Starfighters from Aalborg. The Lightnings won all races easily, with the exception of the low level supersonic acceleration, which was a dead-heat. This is not surprising when the records show that the year before on one sortie XR749 accelerated to Mach 2.3 (1500 mph) in September 1983.

It was also in 1984, during a major NATO exercise that he intercepted an American U-2 at 66,000 ft, a height which they had previously considered safe from interception. Shortly before this intercept, he flew a zoom climb to 88,000 ft and, later that year, he was able to sustain FL550 while flying subsonic. Life was not entirely without problems, however, as in a three month period his No 2 engine seized in flight and its replacement failed during a take-off when intake panelling on the inside of the aircraft became detached and was sucked into the engine.

In April 1985, British Airways were trialling a Concorde up and down the North Sea. When they offered it as a target to NATO fighters, Mike and his team spent the night before in the hangar polishing XR749 which he borrowed from the LTF for the occasion, and the next day overhauled Concorde at 57,000 ft and travelling at Mach 2.2 by flying a stern conversion intercept. "Everyone had a bash - F-15s, F-16s, F-14s, Mirages, F-104s - but only the Lightning managed to overhaul Concorde from behind".

[strega13]

DC-9, placing engines near the empennage -> better short field capabilities -> more passengers -> affordable short range flights.



the very successful sud aviation carvelle established this type of aft mounted engine configuration about 10 years before the DC9.

[grumpos]

Nobody putting in a vote for the space shuttle?

[Cratermaker]

Nobody putting in a vote for the space shuttle?
I guess I always thought of it as a rocket on the way up and a glider on the way down. Never really thought about it before.

If a craft is powered by rocket through the atmosphere, what makes it an airplane or just a rocket? Use of aerodynamic control surfaces while using rocket thrust? Use of aerodynamic lift?

[Snuffy]

Was there something I missed that regulated this discussion to single seaters?

Probably if we want to examine the most significant contribution to the world as we know it today, there is no way that we as a community can down play the significance of at least 3 aircraft that totally effected the way history went.

The Boeing B-17, The Consolidated B-24, and the Boeing B-29. If not for these aircraft produced in the numbers they were produced in and the job they did in their use, the world could possibly be a different place today.

[Bjoern]

Any aircraft that made a "first". Or were commercially successful.


And since this is, as usually, a highly subjective matter, my list isn't surprising:

01) Do-228
02) Do-328
03) Do-328
04) Do-328
05) Do-328
06) Do-328
07) Do-328
08) Do-328
09) Do-328
10) 737

[Bone]

Any aircraft that made a "first". Or were commercially successful.


And since this is, as usually, a highly subjective matter, my list isn't surprising:

01) Do-228
02) Do-328
03) Do-328
04) Do-328
05) Do-328
06) Do-328
07) Do-328
08) Do-328
09) Do-328
10) 737

LOL. Where's the DC-8? Did you two break up??

[hurricane3]

Of course with a screen name like mine you would except me to agree with grumpos,and list the Hawker Hurricane as the most important fighter of WWII.
I know the Hurri wasn't as good as others and seldom was matched egually ,but it's rugged construction, and turning ability brought a lot of pilots home who other wise would'nt have made it ,and according to Francis K Mason (probley the leading expert on the subject) in Wings of Fame Vol. 2 ,quote "In terms of victories over enemy aircraft alone,it is undoubtedly the most successful of all British fighters."
As grumpos said ,the world might be a very different place if not for the Hurricane.It was there when it was needed.:salute:

[huub vink]

There are quite a lot of good suggestions in this thread. However it leaves me with a question. For instance what has been more important for the development of aviation; the first use of a concept which shows an idea works or the first time this new idea is applied in a successful aircraft.

For instance somebody named the Me-262 Schwalbe in this list, however wasn't the Heinkel He-178 which was the first "full jet" more important for the development of aviation.

It is more or less the same with the "Wright brothers". Their flight in December 1903 is generally seen as the start of aviation. However the Englishman John Stringfellow already made powered "heavier than air" aircrafts in 1848 and the first successful manned powered flight in history was most probably already done in 1874 by the Frenchman Félix du Temple de la Croix.

Personally I think the Dh.106 Comet was more important for the development of jet powered airliners than the Caravelle. However how many Europeans didn't make their first trip in a jet powered airliner in a Caravelle? Therefore the Caravelle perhaps not that important for the development of aircrafts, but very important for the development of aviation in general.



So based on my vision above my list might contain some less well known aircrafts.....

John Stringfellow's Ariel, the first motorised plane
Fokker Eindecker combined an aircraft fully with guns
Fokker F.VII first real succesful commercial airliner
Heinkel He-178 first full jet
Bell X-1 learned us much about flying supersonic
Vickers Vimy first aircraft capable to cross an Ocean non-stop (June 1919).
Junkers J1 Blechesel (Metal sheet donkey) first practical all metal fighter aircraft.
Dewoitine 510 the turning point in the development of fighters
Messerschmitt Bf109 the first of the modern fighters
Macchi MC.202/MC.205 best looking aircraft ever made
Do you disagree? Of course if I had to make another list in 5 minutes it would already look different ;)

Cheers,
Huub

[Willy]

A lot of very good answers. Rather than renaming 9 other aircraft that have continually made the lists, I'd just add the Boeing 307 Stratoliner. First commercial pressurized airliner that allowed travel above the weather. Just before the US entered WWII, the US government forced Boeing to cease production at 10 built in order to concentrate on the B-17 which shared wings, engines and tail surfaces with the B307. Then "requisitioned" the Stratoliners as C-75s for wartime transport use. Before the government stepped in, the Pan Am Stratoliners were shortening travel in the Caribbean while the TWA ones were setting new standards in transcontinental air travel. As C-75s, the Stratoliners pioneered regular land plane flights across the Atlantic transporting VIPs and critical cargo.

[grumpos]

If a craft is powered by rocket through the atmosphere, what makes it an airplane or just a rocket? Use of aerodynamic control surfaces while using rocket thrust? Use of aerodynamic lift?

Its capable of powered flight so should be considered in my book. I think that it deserves a place in any top ten.

[Cratermaker]

Yeah, it definitely can be. It is a powered aircraft with a big a** drop tank and big a** JATO units!

[Bjoern]

LOL. Where's the DC-8? Did you two break up??

I never said I loved her. An affair maybe... ;)

[MaddogK]

Hmm, no mention of the Hindenburg- last of the great airships, and one of the last to be filled with hydrogen.
No migs (mig-15) ? First really successful jet fighter.
No F-22 ? One of the fastest 'supercruise' capable aircraft ever designed.

...how interesting.

[Cratermaker]

...
3) Mig-15 (zomg! The ruskies are way more advanced than we thought!)
...
9) Hydrogen filled dirigibles (pretty much killed off lighter than air travel)

:applause:

[HouseHobbit]

This will be easy, since all the top ten aircraft, of course are from the US..

1)The Wright Flyer...it was the first 3 axis control aircraft aircraft
as the french said in the news papers of the day "We Have been Beaten" ca.1908

2) B52, fifty years of service and counting

3) B-29 most advanced bomber of WW2

4) P-51 best prop fighter of WW2

5) Douglas DC-3 first truly dependable airliner

6) F-86 first Great jet fighter; 10 to 1 kills against the Mig 15

7) SR-71 first mach 3+ spy aircraft

8)Piper Cub many could afford them (Cheap personal aircraft)

9)F-22 the best modern fighter to date

10) 747 for opening the sky to millions of travellers

As expected we the Americans gave controlled flight to the world in 1903..
and have not given up our lead, yet to anyone..

Like it or not; The USA is and will stay the Leader in aviation

Off to hide before the Others see this..:jump:

[stuartcox]

As expected we the Americans gave controlled flight to the world in 1903..
and have not given up our lead, yet to anyone..
Like it or not; The USA is and will stay the Leader in aviation.
Off to hide before the Others see this..:jump:

Nice to see you laughing over your own comment...
I certainly did!

[Allen]

The Wright Flyer, First powerd heaver than air craft.

Curtiss Golden Flyer, It used Ailerons.

Douglas DC-2/DC-3, First dependable airliner opening air traval to the masses.

Heinkel He-178, First aircraft to fly under turbojet power.

Focke-Wulf Fw-61, First fully-controllable helicopter.

V-2/A4, First long-range ballistic missile and first human artifact to achieve sub-orbital spaceflight. It was the progenitor of all modern rockets.

Bell X-1, First plane to successfully break the sound barrier.

de Havilland Comet, First commercial jet airliner to reach production.

H.S. P1127/Harrier, First VTOL fighter.

Have Blue/F-117, First aircraft designed around stealth technology.

[robert41]

Many thanks for all your responses. Some aircraft I did not know about, and has changed my opinions about what was/is significant. For now, Iam researching further. Might take awhile to come up with a top 10 list.

[centuryseries]

This will be easy, since all the top ten aircraft, of course are from the US..
7) SR-71 first mach 3+ spy aircraft

As expected we the Americans gave controlled flight to the world in 1903..
and have not given up our lead, yet to anyone..

Obviously you're forgetting that the A-12 was the predecessor to the SR-71 and flew operational recon sorties over Vietnam before the SR-71 and flew just that little bit faster and higher.......

You've also forgotten that us British gave the World the Harrier not to mention the jet engine and combined with France the Concorde - the US never managed that.

I didn't see anyone mention the eternal solar powered plane that recently flew non-stop for 14 days.

[TeaSea]

I've been watching this thread and find it most interesting, but I'd have to now challenge the concept a bit and ask for a definition....

What criterion would one use to determine the "most significant".

Is that based on a leap forward in technology, a significant impact upon aviation in general, a successful business platform, public perception?

I think everyone's answers might change a bit given a scope of the criteria used to evaluate one aircraft against another. Informally, I think that's what's happening in everyone's mind as they give the question some thought.

Also, I'd eliminate the Wright Flier from all lists. The category doesn't exist without it so it should not be compared within the category (flying machines). Rather, you'd compare the Wright Flier to another category of transport, such as a horse or a car.

[grumpos]

4) P-51 best prop fighter of WW2


Designed by a German. :173go1:

[TeaSea]

Yes, Edgar Schmued.

He left Germany.....became a U.S. Citizen.

Wonder why?

I'm sorry, that was tactless....he left Germany following WWI because of the economic and political situation, not necessarily driven out by later Nazi policies. However it's pretty clear that he was not pleased with what happened in his country of birth following his departure.

[robert41]

Exactly what you said TeaSea. "Is that based on a leap forward in technology, a significant impact upon aviation in general, a successful business platform, public perception?" All of this and more. There is no right answer. I was seeking opinions and have learned some things. For example, I think the Wright Flyer was significant not because it may or may not have been the first powered flight, but because it kicked off rapid development of aircraft in the early 20th century. Just my opinion.

[Allen]

Most in my list I find that "leap forward in technology and a significant impact upon aviation in general" go hand in hand.

[TeaSea]

Exactly what you said TeaSea. "Is that based on a leap forward in technology, a significant impact upon aviation in general, a successful business platform, public perception?" All of this and more. There is no right answer. I was seeking opinions and have learned some things. For example, I think the Wright Flyer was significant not because it may or may not have been the first powered flight, but because it kicked off rapid development of aircraft in the early 20th century. Just my opinion.


And a good opinion it is too.

My reference to the Wright Flyer is that in creating the entire category, it will inevitably be a #1 choice. That being the case, it's a null in terms of your question.

Note that I haven't posted a list....I'm still mulling it over, but most of mine would have already been mentioned at this point. Either that or I'm afraid of criticism....not sure just yet.

[TeaSea]

Most in my list I find that "leap forward in technology and a significant impact upon aviation in general" go hand in hand.


Clearly so, and I find myself agreeing with your list on that basis. Absolutely on the Curtiss Golden Flyer, something Curtiss is not often given credit for due to his death (he really died to young to ensure his legacy) and the fight over the patents with the Wrights (for those not aware of the history, the Wrights worked for years suing anyone who attempted to make any type of control for an airplane claiming that their wing warping technology included ailerons).

Some of the aircraft on the list are pretty obscure and frankly, failures (The Comet set back jet air travel in the short term). Still, I would agree that they go on that list.

Interesting though in your list that only the DC-3 would be recognizable to the general public.

Excellent thread.

[wiltzei]

Regarding the warping wing of the Wright Flyer, NASA has actually developed the concept further with an F/A-18 testbed. Wikipedia, X-53 Active Aeroelastic Wing (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-53_Active_Aeroelastic_Wing)

[Allen]

Clearly so, and I find myself agreeing with your list on that basis. Absolutely on the Curtiss Golden Flyer, something Curtiss is not often given credit for due to his death (he really died to young to ensure his legacy) and the fight over the patents with the Wrights (for those not aware of the history, the Wrights worked for years suing anyone who attempted to make any type of control for an airplane claiming that their wing warping technology included ailerons).

Some of the aircraft on the list are pretty obscure and frankly, failures (The Comet set back jet air travel in the short term). Still, I would agree that they go on that list.

Interesting though in your list that only the DC-3 would be recognizable to the general public.

Excellent thread.

The may Comet set back jet air travel in the short term but what we learned from it was a leap for jet air travel.

As for the DC-2/DC-3 the Ford Trimotor or Fokker F.VII may fit better in it place. There has to be some aircraft in the top ten that represents commercial airliner leaps of the 20's and 30s.

[empeck]

I'd add two Polish planes, maybe not top ten, but still very impresive.

RWD-5 the smallest aircraft that cross the Atlantic:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RWD-5

And RWD-9, mother of all high wing GA planes, could be competitive up until today, but not even one survived. And it was the best aircraft in Challenge '34 ;)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RWD-9

[norab]

Don't want to cause a fight but Curtiss did not invent ailerons, his supporters only convinced the public at large that he had, for brief reference see here.


http://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/Oldies-and-Oddities-Where-Do-Ailerons-Come-From.html