Top Ten Fighter Planes - Rank 6 to 10 ~ SKY BEAUTIES

Rank 6 – F 86 Sabre Year 1949

The F86 was the final production model of a North American Aviation design for a swept-wing day fighter which could also double as a dive-bomber or escort fighter. The F-86 was built in large numbers by the US and saw extensive action in the Korean War, where it was pitted against the slightly superior MiG-15.
The F-86 started out life as when two prototype XP-86s were contracted in late 1944, but large scale production did not begin until after WWII.
The first XP-86 prototype flew on 1 October 1947, powered by a 3,750-pound thrust G.E. J35 engine. It was re-engined with a more powerful G.E. J47 turbojet the following spring and was re-designated the YP-86A. With a more powerful engine top speed and ceiling of the new fighter increased significantly and the rate of climb almost doubled.
The F-86A was fitted with a T-4E-1 ejection seat, with a manually jettisoned canopy, plus a self-destruct charge to keep it from falling into enemy hands. The F-86A also had a stores pylon under each wing that could each carry a 782 liter (206.5 US gallons) drop tank or a 450 kilogram (1,000 pound) bomb.
Four zero-length stub rocket launchers could be installed under each wing, with each launcher carrying two 12.7 centimeters (5 inches) “High Velocity Air Rockets (HVARs)” for a total of 16 rockets.
Unfortunately, without the drop tanks, the combat radius fell from about 530 kilometers (330 miles) to 80 kilometers (50 miles). In effect, the only armament of the F-86A was its machine guns, and so in the beginning it was not very useful for close support.
The first production model was initially designated the P-86A, but became the legendary F-86A in June 1948. When the new fighter entered US Air Force service in 1949 it gained the name, the “Sabre”.
Its success led to an extended production run of over 7,800 aircraft between 1946 and 1956, in the
United States, Japan and Italy. The upgraded Canadair Sabre added another 1,815 airframes, while the CAC CA-27 Avon Sabre saw a production run of 112. It was by far the most-produced Western jet fighter, with total production of all variants at 9,860 units.

Specifications

Engine General Electric J47-GE-17B
Range 870 km
Weight 9,136 kg
Top speed 1,107 km/h
Dimensions Length: 12.27 m, Height: 4.57 m, Wingspan, 11.92 m

Rank 7 – Harrier Jump Jet (AV-8B Harrier II) Year 1985

British designed military jet aircraft capable of Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing (V/STOL) via thrust vectoring.
The Harrier family is the only truly successful design of this type from the many that arose in the 1960s.
The Harrier family is made up of four main versions:

Hawker Siddeley Harrier – 1st generation Harrier, also known as the AV-8A Harrier.
British Aerospace Sea Harrier – Maritime strike/air defense fighter aircraft.
Boeing/BAE Systems AV-8B Harrier II – 2nd generation Harrier.
BAE Systems/Boeing Harrier II – British variant of the 2nd generation Harrier.

The Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.1/GR.3 and the AV-8A were the first operational close-support and reconnaissance attack aircrafts with Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing (V/STOL) capabilities.
These were developed directly from the Hawker P.1127 prototype which began after British aircraft manufacturer, Hawker Aircraft, came up with a design for a plane that could meet the current NATO specification for a “Light Tactical Support Fighter”.
The original P.1127 prototype made its first flight in 1960, the RAF ordered a modified version of the P.1127/Kestral in 1966, which became known as the Harrier GR.1.
The Harrier was extensively redeveloped by McDonnell Douglas and British Aerospace, leading to the AV-8B Harrier II and Harrier GR5/GR7/GR9,
The United States Marine Corps makes heavy use of its AV-8B and has developed into a number of sub-variants featuring upgraded systems, software, avionics and structural changes throughout.
While the Harrier is one of the most flexible aircraft ever made, the level of understanding and skill needed to pilot it is considerable.
Thanks to thrust vector and reaction control system, the Harrier is capable of forward flight as well as VTOL and STOL maneuvers; however this requires the skills and understanding associated with helicopters.
The four engine nozzle thrust vectors can be set between zero degrees (horizontal) and 98 degrees (down and slightly forwards), this allows the aircraft to take off and land vertically.
Despite the difficulties in piloting the aircraft, the AV-8B is a capable fighter armed with cannons and several varieties of air-to-air missiles. The AV-8B also doubles as great strike support, able to carry a large amount of stores on its six underwing hardpoints.
The Harrier AV-8B II is used currently by three nations; US, Spain and Italy. Briton’s RAF and Navy, also use its version of the Harrier II.

Specifications

Engine 1 Rolls-Royce F402-RR-408
Range 1,000 km
Weight 10,410 kg
Top speed 1,000 km/h
Dimensions Length: 14.11 m, Height: 3.6 m, Wingspan, 9.24 m

Rank 8 – Mitsubishi Zero-Sen (A6M2) Year 1937

The Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero-Sen, a single-seat monoplane fighter conceived as a replacement for the Mitsubishi A5M, was the most famous Japanese plane of World War Two.
Manufactured by Mitsubishi Jukogyo & Nakajima, It was the first shipboard fighter capable of surpassing land-based aircraft was famous for its ability to outmaneuver other aircraft such as the
Brewster F2A Buffaloes, Curtiss P-40s and Grumman F4F Wildcats.
Because of the A6Ms exceptional range and performance, it was used in almost every military engagement in the Pacific, until the end of the war.
The Zero- Sen was armed with two 20-mm type 99 cannon, two 7.7mm type 97 machine guns, and possessed the incredible range of 1930 miles using a centerline drop tank.
The unveiling of the A6M2 came as a complete surprise to US forces even though Claire Chennault, the author of ‘The Role of Defensive Pursuit,’ and leader of the Flying Tigers had warned the USAAF about the dangers of Japanese air power.
Once the effectiveness and maneuverability became clear, Chennault was said to have constantly reminded his pilots, ‘Never try to turn with a Zero. Always get above the enemy and try to hit him with the first pass.’
It was only when US Navy PBY Catalina retrieved an almost perfectly intact A6M2, shot down during Pearl Harbor, were the short comings of the aircraft discovered.
The main failing of the A6M2, 3, and 5 fighter aircraft were the lack of armor for the pilot and its fuel tanks were not self sealing and once breached the aircraft was lost.
The consequent testing and of this unmatchable aircraft lead the American aircraft manufacturer Grumman, to lighten the Grumman F4F Wildcat, and install a larger engine on the Grumman F6F Hellcat.
An up until the introduction of the P-38 Lightning, the F6F Hellcat, and the F4U Corsair the A6M Zero remained the premier fighter aircraft in the Pacific.

Specifications

Engine 1 Nakajima NK1C Sakae 12
Range 3,107 km
Weight 1,680 kg
Top speed 533.5 km/h
Dimensions Length: 9.06 m, Height: 3.05 m, Wingspan, 12 m

Rank 9 – DR 1 Fokker Triplane Year 1917

The most famous airplane of World War One, Fokker Dr.1 Triplane was designed by Reinhold Platz and built by Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. The DR 1 took its first flight on 5th July 1917 and saw widespread service in the spring of 1918.
Many say the aircraft was inspired by Sopwith Triplane however others claim “Reinhold had not even seen the Sopwith before he began designing the DR 1.”
After testing a prototype known as V.3, which suffered from severe wing vibration, Reinhold redesigned the next prototype, the V.4, with hollow struts between the wings. The final design, which came to be known as the DR1, also had improvements to the ailerons and elevators.
The Fokker Dr 1 had one open cockpit, which could hold one pilot and the airframe was made out of steel tubing covered in aircraft doped canvas.
The Dr 1 came equipped with two machine guns which had an intercepting gear that was designed to fire bullets through the propeller arc without hitting the blades.
The DR 1 was a smaller, more maneuverable plane compared to others of World War One; but it was not as fast as most others at that time.
It was in this plane that the most celebrated World War One pilot, Manfred, von Richthofen “The Red Baron”was reported to have made the last of his 80 confirmed victories.
Only 320 Fokker Dr 1’s were made in World War One, so no Fokker Dr 1 is still around today, there are only replicas.

Specifications

Engine LeRhône type J
Range 298 km
Weight 405 kg
Top speed 185 km/h
Dimensions Length: 5.77 m, Height: 2.95 m, Wingspan, 7.19 m

Rank 10 – F117 Stealth Fighter Year 1983

The F-117A Nighthawk Stealth Fighter, a single seat, twin engine aircraft developed by Lockheed Martin, was the first aircraft designed to exploit low-observable stealth technology. Development began in 1978 with a contract awarded to Lockheed’s Advanced Development Project know as the “Skunk Works,” in Burbank, Calif.
The first flight took place in 1981 but the aircraft remain a Military secret until 1988. The US Air Force had a total of 59 Nighthawks before retirement, starting in 2006 through to 2008, slowly removed the aircraft from the skies (read our previous post on the Retirement of The F-117 Nighthawk).
Also known as the Frisbee and the Wobblin’ Goblin, the Nighthawk, only used in night-time missions (hence the name), is unstable in flight but also highly maneuverable and almost invisible to radar.
The aircraft, powered by two low-bypass F404-GE-F1D2 turbofan engines from General Electric, is mainly constructed of aluminum, areas of the engine and exhaust systems consist of titanium.
The surfaces and edge profiles are optimized to reflect hostile radar into narrow beam signals, directed away from the enemy radar detector. All the doors and opening panels on the aircraft have saw-toothed forward and trailing edges to reflect radar.
Almost all the outer surface is coated with a Radar-Absorbent Material (RAM), even the rectangular air intakes on both sides of the fuselage are covered by gratings coated with RAM.
The aircraft does not rely on radar for navigation or targeting, instead the aircraft is equipped with Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) and a Downward-Looking Infrared (DLIR) with laser designator, supplied by Raytheon.
The fly-by-wire is supplied by BAE Systems Aircraft Controls. This system replaces manual control of the single seat aircraft, which is resumed by the pilot for weapon delivery.
The aircraft can carry a range of tactical fighter ordnance including; BLU-109B low-level laser-guided bomb, GBU-10 and GBU-27 laser-guided bomb units, Raytheon AGM-65 Maverick and Raytheon AGM-88 HARM air-to-surface missiles.
The F-117 Nighthawk has been in operational service in many missions including; Operation Just Cause, in Panama; during Operation Desert Storm, in Kosovo; in Afghanistan and during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
F-117’s are now being replaced in the USAF by the more effective F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lighting II.