Hush-Kit Top Ten: The Ten best-looking British aircraft
This list should be considered the objective and definitive guide to the ten best-looking British aircraft. All aircraft have been assessed using the Aesthomater to determine its exact beauty rating. We have left one vacant slot for you, dear reader, to fill. If you would like to vote for a particular British aircraft for inclusion in this list, please cast your vote at the poll at the base of the page. Please do not submit international aircraft (like Concorde).
After this you may want to read Dave Eagles telling you how to fly a Sea Fury.
10. Supermarine Southampton
9. Hawker Hunter
8. Hawker Sea Hawk
7. de Havilland DH.106 Comet
6. Westland Whirlwind
5. de Havilland DH.88 Comet
4. Vickers VC10
3. Bristol Britannia
2. Supermarine Spitfire
1. de Havilland DH.103 Hornet READER’S CHOICE
If you enjoyed this, have a look at the top ten French, Swedish, Australian, Soviet and German aeroplanes. Wanting Something a little more exotic? Try the top ten fictional aircraft.
DH Hornet, of course.
He’s got a point there. Hornet easily outshines Whirlwind.
Glouster meteor, but I’ll let you off because is looks like the Sea Hawk, Hunter and Whirlwind all mixed together 🙂
Early -Spitfire, but loved the Mosquito and what about a Hawker Typhoon
Later – Hunter…EE .Lightning, Supermarine Scimitar or the lovely Gloster Javelin
Airliner – VC10, (I’ve flown in this), Comets still look great
The chap showing Princess Margaret (“Oh God, where’s my next G&T?”) the workings of a Dan Dare-style rocket is W.E.W. “Teddy” Petter, genius British aircraft designer, responsible for the Whirlwind, Lysander, Canberra, Gnat, Lightning and quite a few others. Pearls before swine.
Make mine a Fairey FD2, please.
Do you know that Teddy Petters original desk is still at Warton. When Teddy left to got to Follands, Mr Beamont pinched it, so two generations of cool gentlemen have had their elbows on it!!
Good choices! Especially the DH88. I don’t see the Mosquito?
I was delighted to see that the DH Hornet made first place in your British beauty competition, since my late father, Denis Corrick, worked on that aircraft as a young designer. In 1950 he left DH for the Bloodhound missile project at the Bristol Aeroplane Company, and my family made many new friends among the engineers working in guided weapons and on the lovely Britannia. Several were keen private pilots and, like my father, members of the Bristol and Wessex Aeroplane Club and/or the Bristol Gliding Club. As a boy, it seemed to me that everyone in England must be an aviation enthusiast.
I’m glad you’re glad!
what an interesting story, why don’t you write about it for Hush-Kit?
I would suggest the DH91 a beautiful plane that would have been very successful except for WWII
Thanks for your response, and I’m glad you liked my comment! However, I don’t think I can write any more about it – it was too long ago and almost everyone has died… Regards, Martin
What? No de Havilland Albatross? I demand a recount…
A very good suggestion.
Both DH Dragonfly and Dragon Rapide should be listed!
Good idea! Though I’m not sure how to add things to the poll now.
No Victor? No comment! (Well apart from this one..)
Good suggestion.
Disappointed the Handley Page Victor wasn’t included on your list, I’ve always thought it’s beautiful, for a bomber.
Supermarine S6B. Especially from the side.
Yes! When I was little I used to have a picture book about planes and it had the S6B in. Very good-looking indeed.
The Vickers Viscount was one of the best looking passenger planes ever, can’t believe you left it out.
I’d specifically go for the Comet 3. also Tempest, DH91 Albatross, Victor. From an aeronautical engineering and technology viewpoint, I’d go for Concorde. For a bit of nostalgia – the Hawker High Speed Fury.
I know the De Havilland DH110 Sea Vixen was dangerous, but wasn’t it also beauiful? I think so, anyway. I have a bit of a fatal obsession with twin-boom aeroplanes…..
NO mention of the Blackburn Buccaneer?