Best and most recognizable planes ever built
 

OK I apologize if there is already a thread on this. In your opinion what are the most recognizable and made the biggest contribution planes ever built.

1. The Boeing 747
2. The Boeing 737 - at any one time there is always a 737 flying somewhere. A truly ubiquitous plane.
3. The SR71 Blackbird =-semi -stealth exceedingly fast - a beautiful plane
4. The Concord - made supersonic travel available for many.
5. The B-29 Super-Stratofortress -ended WW11 and dropped the atomic bombs -place in history guaranteed.

I would also add the F-14 Tomcat and the Lancaster bomber of WWII

What is your opinion?

I'd take 1,3 and 4 from your list. There's a lot of planes in the sky with the same basic size and shape of the 737, though the 73 has definitely by far made the biggest contribution to commercial air travel. Really the only thing that visually differentiates it for me is the flattened engine cowl.

As for #5, damn kids don't remember those planes. They may recognize it, but can't name it. Maybe replace it with the F-14.

Douglas. DC. 3.

Space shuttle - unmistakable shape, even if it only acts as a plane/flying brick momentarily

Most recognizable? I'd agree with 1, 3, and 4.

F-14? most 'kids' haven't seen Top Gun. (unless there was an F-14 broomstick in harry potter ;) )

Agree with number 1. Regarding number 2, I think the 737's grandparent, the 707, is even more recognizable just because it's been around longer. Moreover, the Douglas DC-8 and DC-9 series were equally recognizable.

Agree with Wally Bird: the Douglas DC-3 still is one of the most recognizable planes on earth.

Best and most recognizable planes ever built
 

F-14 and 747 for sure.

747 with that unique upper deck.

I agree with removing the 737, not distinctive enough.

In terms of aesthetics, I'd add:
the P-38 Lightening, the X-15, and the Soviet Ekranoplan. And a +1 to the SR-71.

Recognizeable, I'd add the B2, the B-52, the F-4 Phantom and the An-225.

My personal likes include the F-104B Starfighter, the P-40 Warhawk (w/Flying Tigers livery which I still think AA should have used) and the A-10 (fugly but I like it).

Best and most recognizable planes ever built
 

A380 has to be in that list?!

I'd say that about 90% of the public would be able to identify the 747 and Concorde. Most other planes tend to look similar from a distance.

Definitely. #1 is surely a tie between B747 and A380.

More than just one.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/art...wonder-204505/

And those numbers are five years out of date. I believe the total sales are now over 8,000 and I have heard that at any one time more than 1,500 737s are in the air, seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

If a plane was unsuccessful and stayed rare, it is not "recognizable", because few have seen it. If it was successful, it made a contribution - but if it inspired close copies then it is not "recognizable" either.

Boeing 747 is a plane which is obviously both recognizable and has made a contribution. No one copied the hump - itself copied from Carvair, but that is a propeller plane.

Now, looking at other planes with appreciable contribution, either themselves or via copies:

Boeing 707 - copied by DC-8 and Convair 880/990. Is DC-8 immediately recognizable?

Boeing 737 - copied by A320 and others, as pointed out.

Boeing 727 - a copy of Hawker-Siddeley Trident. As is Tu-154.

Douglas DC-9/MD-80/-90/B717/ARJ21 - copies of BAC 1-11. As are Fokker 28/100/70, and Tu-134, and CRJ.

Airbus 300/310 - copied by Boeing 767

DC-10/MD-11 - should be fairly "recognizable". No copies, and Tristar is different enough.

Concorde - little contribution, with just 14 frames in service. And how readily is it distinguished from Tu-144? Yes, stand different on ground, Concorde´s smooth ogive wing, Tu-144´s canards... but considering how few airports see Concorde regularly, how many people would immediately recognize Tu-144 as something different from Concorde?