What is your favourite name of fighter plane?

Question

Any era... 1930s to current day.

Not asking for which is the totally most powerful/manouverable.... but which you think has a name which invokes a sense of forboding/fear into any potential enemy.

DJ... I gave you a thumbs-up for at least thinking about it and contributing an answer... but personally I think "Euro-fighter" is one of the weakest, plain, uninspired names ever to be bestowed on any fighter plane. :p

Answer 1

The SB2C Helldiver.

Answer 2

Well I've always wanted to fly in a Boeing 747 but never had the chance. I have a really good selection of favourite planes. I'm really stuck in between the F-35 Stealth II and the A-10 Thunderbolt II I have to go with the A-10 because I just LOVE the way it looks. It's so darn sexy and when you hear that GAU 8 cannon rip through the air, you'll fall in love.

Answer 3

several nicknames were applied to some American planes in WWII by the Japanese - The "Whistling Death", and the " Fork-tailed Devil ".... namely the Corsair and the dual-engine, dual-tail P-38 Lightning. Personally, since the ENEMY gave them those names, I'd say those were the most feared in the old war theater. The Whistling Death, with it's supercharger whistle, probably inspired more fear in Japanese fighters than any other, as the Corsair was used in more versatile roles than the P-38 was, which was a high-altitude cover fighter. Still, they both had fearsome reputations with the Japanese.

Answer 4

HORNET
The canted tail planes make it look like a giant insect when it's coming at you. Few know that this was Northrop design.
It started life as the YF-17 and lost out to the F-16 in a fly-off competition. The design was resurrected for the Navy and went on to be the very successful F-18 Hornet.

Answer 5

Although the Spitfire was the glory girl of the Battle of Britain, the aircraft that won it was the Hurricane designed by Sydney Camm of Hawker. So for me it's the mighty Hurricane.
The Hurricane is a beautiful little aircraft and was a much better gun platform that the 'Spit'. There are two pristine examples of this lovely bird kept flying by RAF's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight based at RAF Coningsby, Lincoln.

Answer 6

The Valkyrie is My Personal Favorite Name For a Fighter Aircraft, But I Would say Su-37 Terminator best fit the aircraft Profile, Because other then look pretty that aircraft can truly Live up to it Name.

Answer 7

Actually murcia The name spitfire was conjoured up by the air ministry. RJ Mitchell himself wanted to call it the Supermarine Shrew.
His comment on first hearing the name Spitfire was "just the sort of bloody silly name they would call it"
As to what name of aircraft aircraft struck the most fear in a pilot of any era, would be during the first world war. The name? Fokker Eindeckker.

Answer 8

My personal favorite name is the Douglas "Devastator", not a fighter though, but still...

Coming second will be the Martin "Marauder".

Interestingly the Fighter names are less scary! (Eagle, Hornet, Fighting Falcon, Tomcat, ..)

PS: The Eurofighter is officially named the "Typhoon" and that ought to be scary.
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Add Ons: Murcia, R.J Mitchell never named her Spitfire and he was not favoring that name. Besides he didnt have a daughter either (See link below)

No offense, but doesnt "Spitfire" sound a bit girlish? The name sounds menacing, but it just means a rebellious girl or a woman. The Spit's later version "Spiteful" sounds more malicious. (Just an opinion on the name, folks, all respects for the magnificent fighter)

Answer 9

F-4 Phantom II

Answer 10

The Vickers Vildebeest. It was so ugly that the name just seemed to fit. I'm guessing that the enemy would die laughing just watching a squadron of the things approaching slowly from over the horizon.