CBK's and "Iconic Aircraft"

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MerlinJones

CBK's and "Iconic Aircraft"

Post by MerlinJones »

From the "What iconic aircraft have you never built?" thread, there was a question as to what, exactly, coulkd be considered an "iconic" aircraft.
James suggested that it would be something a "man on the street" would recognise and that includes neither us, nor the average Millomite or Barrovian!

I do think it might be good to have a reasonably robust list of what we consider to be iconic and then, perhaps, to suggest the best CBK/s to build of it.

We had the 100 kits To Build Before You Die theme of CBK's and this is of a similar bent. However, rather than be based upon the actual kits, our starting point for this one is a list of iconic aircraft.

Off the top of my head, I'd suggest;

Wright Flyer
Bleriot XI
Sopwith Camel or Pup
Fokker DR1
Zeppelin
"Southern Cross"
Tiger Moth
Ryan "Spirit Of St. Louis"
Spitfire
Hurricane
"Messerscmitt" (Bf.109)
"Zero"
Mustang
"Flying Fortress"
Lancaster
Canberra
Hawker Hunter
Sabre
MiG-15
EE Lightning
B-52
Vulcan
Harrier
Mirage
U-2
Foxbat
Seaking
Tornado
Tomcat
Typhoon

I've deliberately tried to keep names basic and I accept that different nations will have different ideas as to what is iconic.
Rather than try to pick a top ten, I'd suggest a bigger list of, say, 100.

NOTE that this is NOT a theme for Scale Model World, or for any other planned display.

Regards,
Bruce

Regards,
Bruce
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Re: CBK's and "Iconic Aircraft"

Post by Brickie »

There are two possible criteria here - what the proverbial Man On The Clapham Omnibus might have heard of (I say heard of, rather than "recognise" quite deliberately), but also game-changers. The man in the street might not have heard of the Me262, for example, but it's an incredibly important and influential design.

I don't disagree with any on your list, with the possible exception of "Southern Cross", which I had to go and look up but accept its importance, but I might also add

- the Fokker Eindecker for being the first "true" fighter aircraft.
- The Fokker D.VII, the only weapon specifically restricted by name in the Treaty of Versailles.
- One of the various marks of Imperial Airways flying-boats that shrank the world in the 30s.
- The Dragon Rapide, the first true mass-produced airliner which proved the economic viability of the concept.
- The DH Mosquito. It's had at least two films ("Mosquito Squadron", "633 Squadron")...
- The BAe Comet, symbol of British inventiveness (and hubris) after WW2
- The Douglas DC-3 "Dakota", still running after 60+ years and as pretty as ever it was
- The Boeing 707 and 747, which truly democratised air travel by bringing prices down and volumes up.
- Concorde: surely if anything deserves the label "iconic" it's this.
- F-117 Nighthawk, "The Stealth Fighter", as seen in a hundred Hollywood movies (whether appropriate or not)
- B-2 Spirit, "The Stealth Bomber", as seen in a hundred more hollywood movies (likewise)
- Bell V-22 Osprey - because of its unique looks, a movie favourite.
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Re: CBK's and "Iconic Aircraft"

Post by JamesPerrin »

.. and rapidly we have a list of planes that I expect most people have no idea what there are. Just because they may have been seen in a movie or some news footage doesn't make them iconic. Possible exception is Top Gun which is an iconic movie and then only the F-14. It is not an easy task though unless someone feels like doing a poll on the streets?

Too be honest most people from the UK will get no further than Spitfire, Lancaster and Concorde. Also remember that an iconic a/c may depend on you country of origin and your age.

Here's mine, with a UK slant, even then I've starred only the most likely candidates.

Wright Flyer
Sopwith Camel
Fokker Triplane*
Tiger Moth
Hurricane*
Spitfire*
Mosquito*
Wellington
Lancaster*
Bf109*
Fw190*
Stuka*
He111 "Heinkel"
Mustang*
Corsair
"Flying Fortress"*
"Super Fortress*
F86 Sabre
MIG-15
Mash helicopter*
Comet
Boeing 707
Hughy*
B-52
Hunter
Vulcan*
Lightning*
Blackbird
F-4 Phantom
F-14*
F-16
"The Red Arrows"* as long as it's red people don't distinguish between the Hawk and the Gnat
Concorde*
747*
A380 "super jumbo"
Tornado*
Typhoon*
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Re: CBK's and "Iconic Aircraft"

Post by Brickie »

I will definitely fight the Sopwith Camel's corner, given its associations with Biggles. In fact, about the only WW1 aircraft people can name would be the Sopwith Camel and the Fokker Triplane (cos, y'know, "Fokker". Sounds rude.)

Likewise, I reckon B-52s are quite well known in the general public.
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Re: CBK's and "Iconic Aircraft"

Post by Brickie »

JamesPerrin wrote:unless someone feels like doing a poll on the streets?
We could ask our SWMBOs as a first port of call?
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Re: CBK's and "Iconic Aircraft"

Post by JamesPerrin »

Brews wrote:Strange list in parts there, James.

The Fw 190 is not an iconic aircraft, IMHO. And you know how much I like it. The Jug, otoh, if you want a radial that the average Joe might recognize ... or I'd have thought that the Fairey Swordfish might rate a mention seeing as the RN Historic flight uses one.

I don't see the point of the asterisk. Make a decision - it's either on your list or it isn't. Merlin suggested a list of 100, so ...
My point is I don't think there are a hundred and the list is quite small signified by the *. Of course we can list a load of a/c my their iconic-ness and then take the top hundred - maybe that's what we are doing.
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MerlinJones

Re: CBK's and "Iconic Aircraft"

Post by MerlinJones »

Brickie wrote:We could ask our SWMBOs as a first port of call?
Good idea...
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Re: CBK's and "Iconic Aircraft"

Post by SJPONeill »

Iconic does not equal famous, landmark or just well-known.

I think James is on the right track here in that the list is probably less than 100 aircraft...

I'd suggest that few, if any jet fighters, other than perhaps the 262 and Harrier would make the grade, and of jet bombers, only the Vulcan and B-52...of modern airliners, probably only Concorde and 747 are really iconic...

Of helicopters, the 'MASH' Bell 47 and UH-1 Huey...Wrught Flyer definitely and Fokker Triplane - all the rest of the early aircraft are just names...definitely Spitfire from WW2 and probably B-17, C-47, Tante Ju and Zero (any Japanese radial fighter painted white with meatballs?)...fencing-sitting on the Tiger Moth...

Of 'teams', just two: the Blue and the Red...

Of kinda aircraft, the Space Shuttle...

Of whiffers, TB-2 and the Eagle Transporter are contenders (based on SWMBO test)...
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MerlinJones

Re: CBK's and "Iconic Aircraft"

Post by MerlinJones »

Following my SWMBO test, we have, (in order of delivery);

Spitfire
Tiger Moth
Jumbo Jet
Jump Jet...the Hawker Harrier
Fairey Delta (The Beloved was quite smitten when we went to Cosford)
Lancaster
Wellington (Both had grandfathers in them)
Concorde
Boeing 707
That Stealth Bomber...like a manta
Fokker fokker fokker...you know? The Red Baron's one.
Oooooh...Focke Wulf 190!
That boat plane with the nice bottom and all that nice woodwork....pussy pussy pussy Catalina!
The Red Arrows
Phantom
Messerschmitt...it's got a number....Me109!
Stuka
Vulcan


(Long Pause)

B-52's

...And finally, that one with Mel Gibson in it, where they all kept going out and not coming back...no, no...where only half of them come back and that one does...Sally Bell...Flying something...Fortress....Memphis Belle.

Not a bad collection for a girl, although she has been influenced by Cosford, a couple of local airshows and my own modelling subjects.

Regards,
Bruce
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Re: CBK's and "Iconic Aircraft"

Post by SJPONeill »

Good effort from Mrs MJ!!!

Apart from the Fairey Delta (is it shiny?), I'd agree with everything on her list...
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Re: CBK's and "Iconic Aircraft"

Post by Brickie »

My Mrs - who is politely completely uninterested in planes of any sort, produced.

Spitfire.
Sopwith Camel.
Fokker Dr. 1 (She actually said Dr. 1 - she's got a big Lego one)
Stuka
Lancaster.
Hurricane.
Harrier
"Messerschmitt"
Boeing 747.
Concorde

Edit: On showing her the other suggestions in the thread, she recognised several other names including

- "Stealth bomber/fighter"
- "The plane from Top Gun"
- Flying Fortress
- Huey (her knowledge of the Huey is based entirely on a joke about them in Short Circuit)
- "The Red Arrows"
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Re: CBK's and "Iconic Aircraft"

Post by JohnRatzenberger »

As with any cultural icon, I have a national slant to this ...

Wright Flyer
Sopwith Camel, Fokker Triplane (Snoopy made 'em famous to all)
... Possibles: SPAD, Nieuport, Albatros (but with two s's)
"Barnstormer" (Jenny, Moth & their ilk after WW1)
"Messerschmitt", "Stuka", "Zero" (and maybe a "Heinkel" or "Dornier")
Spitfire, Lancaster
Mustang, Flying Fortress
DC-3 / C-47
B707, B727, B747, DC-9, DC-10, L-1011 (after that they all look alike)
Concorde
... Possibles: Constellation, Electra, Comet
Ford Tri-Motor
"Clipper" (meaning the big flying boats)
Piper Cub, Cessna 172
"Stealth Bomber"
"Mash helicopter", "Huey" (possible "Cobra" or maybe "Gunship")


Side note: My "iconic aircraft" of WW1 is actually the DH-9. Back in the late 50's I got Owen Thetford's "Aircraft of the 1914-1918 War" - the cover picture is a DH-9 trying to escape a flock of Albatri. That has stuck with me ever since. 99-44/100% of the people in the world wouldn't know a DH-9 and the other .56% would be modelers thinking of the 'Ninak' instead.
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Re: CBK's and "Iconic Aircraft"

Post by bromo »

Spitfire
Mosquito
Lancaster
Messerschmitt
B17
B52
Stealth Bomber
Lincoln
Tornado
Sea Hawk
Dakota
Lightning
Harrier
Phantom
Superfortress
Hercules
Concorde
Airbus A380
Thats the swmbo list not bad for this time of night
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Post by DH-Drover »

Starting with SWMBO. Spitfire, G for George (Lancaster in AWM) and that trainer that shot down a Zero (Wirraway). Oh and Smithys three sngined thing, er Southern Cross and the Enola Gai.

Me. Spitfire, Hurricane, Lancaster, Wellington, Sunderland, Bf109, Swordfish, F-27, Tiger Moth, Avia 109G (I've forgotten the correct designation). Concord(e), Comet, Mosquito.
From an Australian view. DC-3, 4, 6, Wirraway, Boomerang, th DH Biplane transports, Avro 504 Dyak, the afore listed WWII a/c as well as the Mustang. B707, 747 and the Sandringham Catalina. Bristol Sycamore, Huey, and "Elvis". Camel, Dr I. Almost forgot Lincoln Mk30 and 31

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Re: CBK's and "Iconic Aircraft"

Post by SJPONeill »

Not sure how the Lincoln could be iconic - the Shack that grew from it perhaps - but unless someone's SWMBO (which appears to be the accepted unit of measure) has mentioned a 'Lancaster that took an ugly pill...maybe the whole bottle...'...
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