this pic got me thinking...I've refueled this bird many times when it was at Carswell. Now some 30 years later it's still in service and going strong and flying out of Barskdale. they sure built them to last.

They are looking to retire her in 2050. 100 years of service. Amazing bird.

How can someone possibly choose just one ‘best’ airplane? There are so many great ones and the BUFF absolutely makes my top 10.

Really hard to argue against the B-52. Some Iranians may be on the receiving end very soon.

they recently re-commissioned two from the boneyard. they just won't die.

I wish they could make a bomber out of the SR71. Like MC Hammer said " can't touch this"

I am very fond of the C-130.

Waiting for it.........

Hell of an airframe.

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't the last brand new B-52 come off the assembly line in 1964??

63.

I worked on the F22 for a while so maybe I’m a little biased... it’s stealth capability combined with the receive only radar makes it unseen to enemy aircraft and allows it to slip in and take them out. The bombers are awesome too, but to me there is something pretty cool about having an air to air fighter with the bells and whistles it has.

Being an Army veteran my vote goes to the A-10

Some might say the DC-3. They are still flying somewhere today.

SR 71

I get to watch them almost every week...

The best airplane is the one you can fly to do the mission.

Sometimes it is a SR-71, other times it is a C152.

This one is cool...

Lets not forget the great F-16.

Well respected, but a great one changes history.

Military
A-10 and B-52..... coolest but not best is still P-51

Commercial
single prop- piper cub, Cessana 172
Twin Cessna 320/340
Jet -Boeing 737

Let not forget the Enola Gay. The most important plane ever built. She put an end to all of the BS from those little, I guess I can call them people.

P-51 might me the sexiest of all!

Could you image making that run to Moscow and making that hard lobbying bomb turn.

Would be a thrill.