Aircraft of the Cold War Two global superpowers face off in a test of wills, words and production capabilities (with a few other nations thrown in for good measure).
1
Aerospatiale / British Aerospace Concorde One of the great aviation stories to come out of a post-Cold War world, the British and French-made Concorde stands as the only supersonic passenger transport ever designed and flown on a regular basis. The system offered upp...
1969
2
Aerospatiale / Eurocopter AS 332 Super Puma / AS 532 Cougar The Super Puma was developed by French-based Aerospatiale (formerly Sud Aviation) form the successful AS 330 Puma series of medium-lift utility helicopters. The newer Super Puma design was essentially a base Puma with an impr...
1982
3
Aerospatiale / Eurocopter AS350 / AS355 / Astar The AS350 was originally designed to replace the aging Sud Aviation / Aerospatiale Alouette II light utility helicopter series. The AS350 appeared first under the Aerospatiale brand label but is now known under the Eurocopter...
Aerospatiale SA 316 / SA 319 Alouette III The Aérospatiale Alouette III, is French for Skylark having a single-engine and to be used as a light utility helicopter and was developed by Sud Aviation and manufactured by Aérospatiale of France. The first version of the A...
1960
6
Aerospatiale SA 341 / SA 342 Gazelle A popular light reconnaissance and attack helicopter for export order, the Aerospatiale Gazelle systems are a common site all over the world. Operating in the multirole mode, the system has the capabilities to undergo duties ...
Antonov An-24 (Coke) The An-24 "Coke" was yet another in the long line of military transport aircraft produced during the Cold War by the Antonov bureau. The An-24 differed from earlier Antonov products in that it was designed and built to strict...
1962
10
Atlas (Denel) Cheetah The Denel (formally Atlas) Cheetah came about through a need by the South African Air Force to update / replace its series of aging fighters while its bordering neighbors were receiving updated Soviet Bloc aircraft. Unfortuna...
1987
11
Avro Anson The Avro Anson was a militarized version of the commercial passenger transport Avro 652. The Anson itself was produced to fulfill Specification 18/35 brought about by the British Air Ministry and originally intended for use a...
1936
12
Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck The Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck is an often overlooked indigenous Canadian aircraft design that performed admirably well throughout a bulk of the Cold War years. The system, partnered with America in the NORAD program, was char...
1952
13
Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow The Avro CF-105 "Arrow" appeared at a time when the Soviet Union was consistently developing higher-flying and longer range bombers capable of nuclear strikes virtually anywhere within reach. As a result, the Arrow was develo...
1958
14
Avro Shackleton The Avro Shackleton was derived from the Avro Lincoln bomber (the Lincoln itself designed from the Avro Lancaster), a four-engine aircraft appearing too late to see action in World War 2. The Shackleton featured a similar (th...
1951
15
Avro Vulcan The Avro Vulcan formed the second point on the triangle in the British "V-Bombers" collection - a series of three high-altitude, long range, nuclear-capable systems developed during the Cold War from a post-World War 2 Britis...
1956
16
BAC TSR-2 Much in the vain of the North American XB-70 Valkyrie system for the United States, the TSR-2 was to be England’s super Cold War bomber. The system was to provide the United Kingdom with a supersonic low-level bomber capable ...
1959
17
BAe Sea Harrier The arrival of the land-based Hawker Siddeley Harrier revolutionized the British military approach upon its inception into RAF service in 1969. The system allowed for vertical take-offs and landings by providing the hovering ...
1978
18
Bell AH-1 HueyCobra / Cobra (Bell 209) Based on the private venture Bell 209 helicopter, the AH-1 Cobra series of helicopters is many a military's primary light attack helicopter. As early as the 1950's Bell corporation was experimenting with armed versions in the...
1967
19
Bell OH-58 Kiowa The Bell OH-58D Kiowa Warrior was a further development of the successful Bell OH-58 Kiowa. Intended to be fielded alongside the Apache Longbow and provide scouting and observation capabilities in an offensive support capacit...
1969
20
Bell P-59 Airacomet The Bell-produced P-59 Airacomet series is one of those aircraft that becomes more of a study in American jet pioneering than anything else. The aircraft itself was a very average to below average performer, even when compare...
1942
21
Bell UH-1 Iroquois (Huey) The UH-1 Iroquois "Huey" became an important part of American military actions beginning in 1960 and expanding throughout the latter part of the Cold War years. The ubiquitous system became synonymous with the American effort...
1959
22
Bell X-1 The Bell X-1 was an advanced technology demonstrator that became the first aircraft in the history of aviation to break the speed of sound. Specifically designed to be airdropped from a B-29 Superfortress, the X-1 would then ...
1947
23
Bell X-5 The X-5 was a developmental prototype model aircraft produced by the Bell Aircraft company of the United States of America. X-5 development was initiated through the capture of a German Messerschmitt fighter design (powered b...
1951
24
Blackburn / Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer The Blackburn Buccaneer was a highly-respected low-level carrier-borne strike aircraft utilized by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy. The Buccaneer featured a crew of two seated in tandem, an internal weapons bay to comp...
1962
25
Blackburn Firebrand The Blackburn Firebrand was a carried-based strike fighter aircraft developed by Blackburn Aircraft of the United Kingdom. She was a design of G.E. Petty and went on to live a troubled development before reaching operation st...
1945
26
Boeing / McDonnell Douglas / Hughes AH-64 Apache / Apache Longbow Originally a Hughes-based design, the YAH-64 faced off against a Bell YAH-63 system in the United States Army's search for an advanced attack helicopter. The system was to field the latest in technology, maneuverability and b...
1984
27
Boeing / McDonnell Douglas / Northrop F/A-18 Hornet The F/A-18 Hornet is a twin-engine carrier-based attack fighter currently in frontline service with a variety of forces worldwide. Derived from the failed YF-17 Cobra attempt at a new USAF lightweight fighter (the F-17 lost o...
1983
28
Boeing B-29 Superfortress B-29 Superfortress status is often relegated to the aircraft that dropped the atomic bombs (“Fat Man” and “Little Boy”) on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end the war in the Pacific for the Allies. The fact that there were in fact ...
1943
29
Boeing B-47 Stratojet The swept-wing B-47 produced by Boeing was a milestone in bomber design in many ways. The system pioneered the traditional bomber layout found on many of todays systems and offered up capabilities unheard of before then. As a...
1947
30
Boeing B-50 Superfortress Though looking every bit the identical twin of the World War Two-era B-29 Superfortress (also produced by Boeing), the B-50 incorporated enough new elements to deem it an all new aircraft - retaining just 25 percent of the B-...
1948
31
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress The B-52 has been the preeminent American heavy bomber of the last 54 years. The massive aircraft served throughout the heightened periods of the Cold War as a nuclear deterrent, as a dedicated bomber and reconnaissance platf...
1955
32
Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter A post-war design, Boeing developed the C-97 as the Model 367 - a military transport based on the success of the design of the B-29 Superfortress.
The Model 777 Stratocruiser was the civilian transport version of the Model...
1944
33
Boeing CH-46 Sea Knight The CH-46 Sea Knight is similar in design and role to the CH-47 Chinook series of transport helicopters. Both offer up unobstructed access to the aircraft by keeping engine components mounted above the design. Both also utili...
1964
34
Boeing CH-47 Chinook The Chinook series of medium-lift helicopters has been a mainstay utility service system for the US Army (among others) for decades since its design and inception. The series featured the highly identifiable twin-tandem rotor...
Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker The KC-135 Stratotanker proved to be a monumental product for the Boeing corporation in more ways than one, firstly solidifying its position as the premiere airliner manufacturer throughout the world and secondly offering the...
1956
37
Boeing L-15 Scout The L-15 Scout was a light and small observation liaison aircraft produced in limited numbers by the Boeing Aircraft Company following World War 2 - only twelve of the type were produced with the United States Army becoming i...
Breguet Br.1050 Alize (Tradewind) The Breguet Br.1050 "Alize" (meaning "tradewind") was a French production aircraft suitable for carrier-based anti-submarine warfare (ASW) tactics. The system was fielded in limited quantity throughout the Cold War and proved...
Cessna A-37 Dragonfly The Cessna A-37 Dragonfly was born out of a need for close-support aircraft to assist in the Vietnam War. As such, the T-37 jet trainer was converted for the role and became the A-37 series of aircraft. The system would go on...
Convair B-36 Peacemaker If developed a few years sooner and the B-36 could have very well taken part in the Second World War. The initial designed was put forth from a United States Army Air Corps requirement for a large intercontinental bomber capa...
1947
48
Convair B-58 Hustler The delta-wing Convair B-58 Hustler was the first United States Air Force supersonic operational bomber. The system was designed to be capable of high-altitude flight, which was a popular design concept during the early years...
1960
49
Convair F-102 Delta Dagger The F-102 Delta Dagger was a prototypical American aircraft design in the years following the Korean War, particularly doing away with the smooth lines and straight wing features commonplace in the years following World War T...
1958
50
Convair F-106 Delta Dart The Convair F-106 Delta Dart began its production life as a direct successor to the interim F-102 Delta Dagger (detailed elsewhere on this site). Like the F-102 before it, the F-106 was designed to meet and "greet" high-flyin...
1959
51
Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando The United States Air Force utilized the C-46 Commando series as their primary transport workhorse in the Pacific Theater of War during the Second World War. The system was initiated to replace the Douglas series of DC-3 tran...
1942
52
Curtiss-Wright XP-87 / XF-87 Nighthawk The XF-87 was a failed proposal attempted by the Curtiss-Wright aircraft design bureau to meet an Air Force requirement for the world's first dedicated radar interceptor aircraft crewed by two personnel and operating under je...
1948
53
Dassault Etendard The base Dassault-produced Etendard (meaning "Standard") was a private venture that was initially greeted without much fervor. When the French Navy came looking for a lightweight carrier-capable platform, the Etendard series ...
1958
54
Dassault Mirage F1 The Dassault Mirage F1 series was designed to replace the successful Dassault Mirage III series. With a host of new features added to this new aircraft, the Mirage F1 would be a substantial upgrade to the whole Mirage family ...
1973
55
Dassault Mirage III Though now outclassed by the latest in Next Generation aircraft, the Mirage III - for a time - was the best European fighter in operation. The delta-wing system, a design proving quite capable early pioneering developments, o...
1956
56
Dassault Mirage IIIV The Mirage IIIV was designed to a NATO requirement for a supersonic VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) fighter aircraft. The Mirage IIIV was a further development of the successful Mirage III fighter series but featured a s...
1965
57
Dassault Mystere / Super Mystere The Dassault-produced Mystere series of turbojet aircraft appeared just when the French nation was in the rebuilding stages following World War Two. The owner of Dassault, himself a captive of one of the many German concentra...
1955
58
Dassault Super Etendard (Standard) The Dassault Super Etendard ("Standard") was a further development of the base Etendard platform that performed well in service with the French Navy. The system saw deliveries start from the late 1970's onward and by the end ...
1978
59
Dassault-Breguet Mirage 2000 The Mirage 2000 was developed as a replacement for previous versions of the Mirage airframe platform. This new version incorporated many design, engineering and production elements learned from the post-war years of aircraft ...
1979
60
de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou The Caribou series proved to be such an effective battlefield transport aircraft that more than a few were pressed into service as captured C-7's in the hands of the North Vietnamese. The type continues to serve in limited nu...
1959
61
de Havilland D.H.103 Hornet / Sea Hornet From the outset, the de Havilland D.H.103 "Hornet" was designed to a British requirement of a twin-engine, long-range fighter-bomber capable of operations in the Far East. With the specification having been drawn up by 1943, ...
1946
62
de Havilland D.H.110 Sea Vixen In the 1950's, the de Havilland production of the Sea Vixen became the Royal Navy's first swept wing fighter design and Britain's first all-missile aircraft. The Sea Vixen was selected to replace the Sea Venom and became a fo...
1958
63
de Havilland DH.100 Vampire The de Havilland-produced jet fighter holds two key distinctions in the history of aviation. Firstly, the system was the first jet-powered aircraft to successfully land on a movie aircraft carrier (the Sea Vampire) and second...
Douglas A-1 Skyraider The mammoth Skyraider series would have been a major player in the Second World War if it were designed and produced a few years earlier than it had. Regardless, the system would prove itself quite a capable close-support air...
1946
66
Douglas A-4 Skyhawk The A-4 Skyhawk (nicknamed "Heinemann's Hot Rod" and the "Scooter") came about as a private venture when the Douglas corporation was seeking to replace the aging AD Skyraider (A-1 Skyraider) piston-engine aircraft. The succes...
1956
67
Douglas B-26K Counter Invader / A-26A Nimrod The B-26K Counter Invader was based on a highly modified World War Two-era A-26 Invader aircraft. What set the Counter Invader apart from it's predecessor was that the Counter Invader was featured without any turret systems, ...
1948
68
Douglas B-66 Destroyer The Douglas-produced B-66 Destroyer was a light bomber designed by Ed Heinemann to replace the aging A-26 Invader in service with the United States Strategic Air Command (SAC). Based highly on the existing United States Navy ...
1956
69
Douglas C-124 Globemaster II With the close of World War 2 and the accompanying Berlin Airlift, the United States military saw a need to replace its aged C-74 "Globemaster I" systems with a newer and more capable platform. The C-124 was put forth as a pr...
Douglas F3D / F-10 Skyknight The Douglas F3D series of aircraft holds several distinctions in the world of aviation history and in the circle of United States military aviation. To start off, the F3D became the world's first jet-powered carrier-based nig...
1950
73
Douglas F4D Skyray / F-6 Skyray The F4D Skyray (affectionately nicknamed the "Ford" for its "F", "Four" and "D" used in the designation) stemmed from a 1947 United States Navy requirement to field a competitive Mach 1-capable, high-altitude interceptor. Not...
English Electric / BAC Lightning The English Electric Lightning was an impressive engineering feat for the British people. She was the first (and only) Mach 2-capable platform ever developed for the island nation and itself the fastest British fighter of all...
1960
77
English Electric Canberra / Martin B-57 The British-produced Canberra was originally conceived of as a high-altitude, high-level nuclear-capable medium bomber. The fuselage features would be dominated by a large rounded-wing structure housing two turbojet engines. ...
1951
78
Fairchild AC-119 Shadow / Stinger The AC-119 series was a modified "G" model of the successful C-119 "Flying Boxcar" transport aircraft. The AC-119's would see service throughout the Vietnam War fulfilling a dual-role capability based on model type.
"Shado...
1945
79
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar Fairchild Corporation produced a winner in the post-war world with the introduction of the C-119 "Flying Boxcar". The Boxcar was derived from the C-82 "Packet" transport - looking ever more like the identical to the final C-1...
1947
80
Fairchild C-123 Provider The C-123 Provider was a four engine military transport aircraft utilized to good effect in the Vietnam War. Design of the aircraft was of particular note in that the system was powered by both conventional propellers and by ...
1952
81
Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog) The uniquely-designed A-10 Thunderbolt II (its namesake derived from the World War II piston-engine fighter/bomber - the P-47 Thunderbolt) was specifically developed as a close-support anti-tank killing machine. The A-10 woul...
FMA IA-58 Pucara (Fortress) The impressive-looking, two-seat IA-58 Pucara (meaning "Fortress") was produced by the Fabrica Militar de Aviones of Argentina. The aircraft was classified as a counter-insurgency ground-attack system capable of rough-field o...
1975
85
Folland / Hawker-Siddeley Gnat The Folland Gnat was a swept-wing, jet-powered fighter of British origins appearing in the middle of the 1950's. Designed as a light-weight, cost-effective aircraft with impressive performance specifications, the diminutive G...
1959
86
Fouga CM.170 Magister It's easy to lose track of French military prowess following World War 2 but the Fouga Magister was a product of the years that followed. Developed towards closing years of the 1940's, the Magister became a principle jet-powe...
1956
87
General Dynamics / Grumman EF-111 Raven The EF-111 Raven was developed from a United States Air Force need for an Electronic Warfare Aircraft (EWA) to replace its aging fleet of EB-66 platforms. The EF-111 was born directly from the airframe of the existing F-111 A...
1981
88
General Dynamics / Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon The F-16 Fighting Falcon can officially go down as one of the most successful aircraft designs of the Cold War. The system was designed in a head-to-head competition with the Northrop YF-17 Cobra and successfully defeated it ...
1979
89
General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark The General Dynamics F-111 "Aardvark" was purposely-designed as a variable geometry "swing wing" platform from the outset. The variable swing-wing philosophy would allow the aircraft to utilize three pre-determined geometric ...
1967
90
General Dynamics F-16XL Though appearing very much like the F-16 Fighting Falcon base model, the F-16XL was designed as a very different aircraft. The F-16XL was a conversion model development designed to study the effects of laminar airflow at supe...
1982
91
Gloster / Armstrong Whitworth Meteor The Gloster Meteor became Britain's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. It reached operational status in the latter years of World War 2 and saw limited action in the conflict though it never faced off against any...
1944
92
Gloster Javelin The Gloster Javelin was the first twin-engine delta-wing jet fighter design to take up service with any one air force. The system would also become the United Kingdoms first all-weather day or night fighter and the very final...
1956
93
Grumman / Northrop Grumman C-2 Greyhound The Grumman C-2 Greyhound was developed from the successful Grumman E-2 Hawkeye. Whereas the latter was a dedicated carrier-based Airborne Early Warning platform, the Greyhound was evolved into a carrier-based transport featu...
1967
94
Grumman A-6 Intruder The Grumman A-6 Intruder series of strike aircraft was designed to a United States Navy specification drawn up covering an attack aircraft capable carrying and delivering large payloads over distance and in any weather. The i...
1968
95
Grumman E-2 Hawkeye The E-2 Hawkeye series serves carrier battle groups (principally in the United States Navy) and is called upon as an all-weather airborne command and control battle space management system. The Hawkeye became operational in 1...
1964
96
Grumman F11F / F-11 Tiger The Grumman-produced F11F Tiger was designed at about the time the Grumman Cougar was already close to production. The program goal of the Tiger series was to produce a highly-capable daytime fighter with exceptional dogfight...
1957
97
Grumman F-14 Tomcat The Grumman F-14 Tomcat-series of variable-geometry wing carrier-capable interceptors is one of the true living success stories of Cold War aircraft design. The system was popularized by the Hollywood motion picture "Top Gun"...
1974
98
Grumman F6F Hellcat The F6F Hellcat was the successor to - and a logical evolution of – the capable F4F Wildcat series of carrier-borne aircraft fielded by the United States Navy in the Pacific Theater of World War 2. In the conflict, the Hellca...
1943
99
Grumman F7F Tigercat The F7F Tigercat was another carrier-borne aircraft development in Grumman's long line of "cat" named fighters. The system was originally designed as a twin-engine fighter for use off of the decks of US Navy Midway-class airc...
1944
100
Grumman F8F Bearcat In many ways, the Grumman F8F Bearcat was the pinnacle of United States piston-engine fighter design. The aircraft arrived within the waning months of World War 2, missing combat action in all theaters altogether, but still m...
1945
101
Grumman F9F Cougar The F9F Cougar was a direct and further development of the F9F Panther (detailed elsewhere on this site. The similarities between the two were limited to just the forward fuselage of the Panther being used in the Cougar desig...
1952
102
Grumman F9F Panther The Grumman F9F Panther series saw extensive combat in the Korean War for the United States Navy, accounting for over 78,000 combat sorties. The system was primarily utilized as a close-support strike aircraft but could hold ...
1950
103
Grumman HU-16 Albatross The Grumman HU-16 Albatross platform made appearances all across the globe with United States military forces, rescuing downed US airmen in need. The system was an amphibious platform, allowing for operation from land and / o...
1949
104
Grumman OV-1 Mohawk Development of the OV-1 Mohawk platform stemmed from a joint requirement fielded by both the United States Army and the United States Marine Corps for a "battlefield surveillance aircraft" displaying rugged and versatile qual...
Grumman X-29 The Grumman X-29 aircraft was a developmental technology demonstrator appearing in the latter years of the Cold War. The design was of a most unique shape - made notable by the forward-swept wings - and was the first aircraft...
1982
108
HAL HF-24 Marut The Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd HF-24 Marut was the first Indian attempt at an indigenous aircraft design since separating from British rule. The Marut - or "Spirit of the Tempest" - was the first design that was produced for t...
1962
109
Handley Page Victor The Handley Page Victor formed the last part of the RAF's "V-Bomber" triangle also consisting of the Vickers Valliant and the Avro Vulcan. All three would make up the British strategic nuclear strike arm (given life through t...
Hawker Hunter The Hawker Hunter was the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy jet fighter of choice for decades since its inception, becoming the longest serving British jet-powered fighter of her time. Outwardly, the Hunter was of a most convent...
1956
112
Hawker Sea Fury / Fury The Hawker Sea Fury was developed out Hawker's Typhoon and Tempest aircraft designs utilized by Britain during World War 2. Though not without their limitations, the Typhoon and Tempest platforms had substantial inherent bene...
1945
113
Hawker Siddeley Harrier / AV-8A The subsonic British Harrier "jump jet" became the world's first practical VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft after the perfection of its vectored thrust turbofan engine. While other aircraft manufacturers of the t...
1969
114
IAI Kfir / F-21A The Kfir (translated to "Lion Cub") was a semi-indigenous Israeli fighter development designed to fulfill an IAF (Israeli Air Force) requirement for a ground strike fighter. While Israel had purchased and was awaiting deliver...
IAR 80 / IAR 81 When first unveiled in 1938, the Romanian-produced I.A.R. 80 (IAR = Industria Aeronautica Romana) piston engine, single-seat fighter was a promising performer even when compared to her contemporaries. The aircraft served with...
1941
117
Ilyushin IL-10 The Ilyushin IL-10 was a follow-up design to the classic IL-2 "Shturmovik", an armored ground attack aircraft that won the air war for the Soviets in the East Front of World War 2. Visually similar to its predecessor, the new...
1944
118
Ilyushin IL-28 (Beagle) The Ilyushin IL-28 (codenamed "Beagle" by NATO) holds many distinctions in the annals of aviation history - some combat related and others more political. The IL-28 became the first jet-powered bomber in service with the Sovi...
Lavochkin La-11 (Fang) The Lavochkin La-11 was designed from the successful Lavochkin La-9 series of piston engine fighters with the difference being that the La-11 was to be a long-range bomber escort. The system was under development in the closi...
1947
122
Lavochkin La-9 (Fritz) The Lavochkin La-9 series (codename “Fritz” by NATO) was a direct development of the Lavochkin La-126 prototype. In essence, the La-9 represented the La-7 but with all-metal construction as opposed to wood used in the with mo...
1946
123
Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne The AH-56 Cheyenne was Lockheed's first and only foray into development of a production helicopter. In many respects, however, the Cheyenne was neither a true helicopter nor was it a true airplane - in many ways that today's...
1967
124
Lockheed C-141 Starlifter The C-141 Starlifter appeared in 1965 - interestingly enough without a prototype preceding its inception - and became the workhorse transport aircraft for the United States Air Force. The aircraft was developed to a Military ...
1965
125
Lockheed C-5 Galaxy At one time the Lockheed-built C-5 Galaxy was the largest aircraft ever produced, being able to field a compliment of 350 troops, 10 LAV-type systems, 5 Humvee vehicles, 2 M1 Abrams main battle tanks or a single CH-47 Chinook...
1970
126
Lockheed C-69 Constellation The Lockheed Constellation series of aircraft was a successful design that initially began as a militarized transport, appearing in limited numbers towards the end of World War two, that gained more fame in the civilian trans...
1945
127
Lockheed F-104 Starfighter The Lockheed F-104 was in many ways an engineering marvel whose legacy suffered terribly due to several internal and external circumstances, so much so, in fact, that the aircraft was dubbed the unflattering name of "Widowmak...
1958
128
Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk (Stealth Fighter) Aptly-named, the Lockheed-produced F-117 Nighthawk became the world’s first operational stealth aircraft in the world. Conceived of and developed from the late 1970’s, the Nighthawk was the subject of much speculation before ...
1982
129
Lockheed F-94 Starfire The F-94 (nicknamed "Starfire" in the "C" model only) was developed from the successful twin-seat Lockheed trainer aircraft known as the T-33 Shooting Star, which in itself was based on the single-seat P-80 / F-80 Shooting St...
Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion The P-3 Orion aircraft is a product of Lockheed Martin, designed and accepted at a time when Lockheed could do little wrong in the way of earning government contracts. The P-3 was a direct requirement for a United States Navy...
1962
132
Lockheed Martin U-2 Dragon Lady The U-2 spyplane was a pivotal player during the peak years of the Cold War between the United States of America and the Soviet Union, charged with photographing key installations for the safety of the American homeland and i...
1955
133
Lockheed MC-130 Combat Talon I / II The MC-130 series is represented by the MC-130E Combat Talon I and the MC-130H Combat Talon II systems. Both utilize the hugely successful C-130 Hercules airframe and were designed specifically for use with special forces ope...
1966
134
Lockheed MQM-105 Aquila TADAR The MGM-105 Aquila (Eagle) TADAR (Target Acquisition, Designation and Aerial Reconnaissance) was the first United States Army attempt at securing a reusable Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) capable of conducting a range of missi...
1982
135
Lockheed P2V Neptune The P2V Neptune series of aircraft was one of the more successful post-war designs for America, with service that spanned decades for a handful of American-friendly countries. The system was designed by Lockheed Corporation f...
1947
136
Lockheed P-80 / F-80 Shooting Star The Lockheed P-80/F-80 Shooting Star is undoubtedly the world's most successful first generation jet-powered fighter. Appearing by the last few months of World War 2, the Shooting Star failed to undertake a single combat sort...
1945
137
Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird The sleek SR-71 Blackbird spyplane reached an all new plateau in supersonic high-level flight for the Lockheed Corporation. Developed from the YF-121-A interceptor program which spawned the A-12 program which in turn generate...
Lun Ekranoplan The Lun-class Ekranoplan floatplane was one of the most distinct designs to emerge from the Cold War. The aircraft was designed around the idea known as "wing-in-ground" effect, which basically allowed for an increased weight...
McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) / BAe Systems AV-8B Harrier II While the original Hawker Siddeley Harrier proved revolutionary for its time, and the follow-up BAe Systems Sea Harrier bettered the type's original design with the inclusion of radar and improvements in out-of-the-cockpit vi...
1985
143
McDonnell Douglas / Boeing F-15 Eagle For a time, the F-15 Eagle series was the pinnacle of American air superiority incorporating technolgy and design that produced a highly manuervable and performanced enhanced multi-role fighter platform. The F-15 was designed...
1974
144
McDonnell Douglas / Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle The F-15E "Strike Eagle" is a dual-role version of the highly successful base F-15 air superiority fighter. The Strike Eagle is intended to fulfill both roles of air-to-air superiority and ground strike with the capability to...
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II Arguably one of the finest combat fighters of the 20th Century, the McDonnell F-4 Phantom II series was produced in larger numbers since the end of World War 2 than any other Western fighter of the time. The Phantom II grew i...
1960
149
McDonnell Douglas F-4G Wild Weasel The F-4G represented the "Wild Weasel" off-shoot of the successful F-4 Phantom II line. Wild Weasel aircraft represented (and continue to do so) specially modified platforms utilized to hunt enemy air defense systems such as ...
1963
150
McDonnell F-101 Voodoo The McDonnell F-101 Voodoo was affectionately called the "One-oh-Wonder" and known moreso early on for its many record-setting achievements in the early years of use. The twin-engine fighter-bomber was a design that nearly w...
1957
151
McDonnell F2H Banshee The twin-engine, single-seat F2H Banshee was based on the successes that the McDonnell company found with the F1H Phantom series of jet aircraft. Even appearing similar to the aforementioned craft, the F2H Banshee was in fact...
1947
152
McDonnell F3H Demon The F3H Demon series of aircraft produced by McDonnell Aircraft was a further development of the company's expertise with carrier-based turbojet-powered aircraft. Ever since the arrival of the Japanese "Zero" to the war front...
1953
153
McDonnell FH-1 Phantom The FH-1 Phantom served with the United States Navy as their first jet-powered carrer-based aircraft up until 1950 and was in design as early as 1943. The system featured a straight wing design, twin Westinghouse engines, a c...
1948
154
McDonnell XF-85 Goblin The XF-85 Goblin was an attempt by the McDonnell bureau to realize the dream of a "parasite fighter" program that was actually feasible for use in a wartime environment. The basic theory revolving the parasite fighter was not...
1948
155
McDonnell XF-88 Voodoo World War 2 proved to American warplanners that the importance of escort fighters for their bombers could not be overstated. The value added by such systems as the P-51 Mustang, P-47 Thunderbolt and P-38 Lightning systems was...
1948
156
Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe (Swallow) The Me 262 Schwalbe (or "Swallow") is a good case study in the "what if" category centering around poor production design and the bureaucracy inherent in a dictatorship like that of the Third Reich. With the unrealized capabi...
1944
157
Mikoyan MiG-27 (Flogger) The Mikoyan MiG-27 "Flogger" was derived from the successful MiG-23 "Flogger" interceptor and made into a dedicated ground attack aircraft. The swing-wing capabilities of the original Flogger lent itself well to the low-level...
1975
158
Mikoyan MiG-29 (Fulcrum) The Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum was and continues to be a highly prized and respected multirole fighter in service with Russia and a plethora of countries worldwide. The system has proven very robust, flexible and highly maneuvera...
1984
159
Mikoyan MiG-31 (Foxhound) The Mikoyan-produced MiG-31 was the culmination of work that began with the development of the MiG-25 Foxbat series of high-altitude, high-speed interceptors challenged with taking out the new generation of long-range high-al...
1979
160
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 (Fagot) The MiG-15 (codenamed "Fagot" by the United Nations in reference to a "hastily bundled pile of sticks") became the Soviet Union's first true turbojet-powered fighter design of consequence and the first swept-wing aircraft of ...
1949
161
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 (Fresco) / Chengdu J-5 As impressive as the later versions of the MiG-15 fighter were (detailed elsewhere on this site), the MiG-17 "Fresco" was a vastly improved development based on lessons learned in the formers design. With the MiG-15 represent...
1952
162
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 (Farmer) The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 "Farmer" was an entirely new aircraft design though it shared many external similarities with the existing MiG-15 and MiG-17 models. Building upon lessons learned on those former designs, the MiG-1...
1955
163
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (Fishbed) The MiG-21 was undoubtedly the most successful Cold War fighter in terms of reach, operating in over 50 air forces around the globe and seeing production well past the 10,000 example mark. The aircraft was developed with less...
1959
164
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 (Flogger) The Mach 2-capable MiG-23 "Flogger" became the first "swing-wing" fighter to enter service with the Soviet Union and went on to become a primary mount of the Soviet air services (replacing the range-limited MiG-21 "Fishbed") ...
1970
165
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 (Foxbat) The MiG-25 Foxbat was designed as a high-speed pure interceptor to combat the developing XB-70 Valkyrie American bomber capable of Mach 3. Though the Valkyrie never materialized for US war planners, the MiG-25 was kept in pro...
1972
166
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-9 (Fargo) The MiG-9 (NATO codename of "Fargo") was only the second attempt by the Soviet Union at designing and producing a viable jet-powered fighter platform. Design was undertaken by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Bureau and - though hardly a...
1946
167
Mil Mi-4 (Hound) The broad-reaching Mil Mi-4 series of helicopter (known to NATO as "Hound") first appeared in 1952 and was designed within the Soviet Union as a direct response to the American H-19 Chickasaw helicopter debuting in the Korean...
1953
168
Mil Mi-8 (Hip) Numbering well over 12,000 production examples, the Mil Mi-8 (NATO reporting name of "Hip") can be viewed as one of the most successful helicopter designs of all time. It has seen use as a passenger transport, troop transport...
Myasishchev M-50 / M-52 (Bounder) The M-50 and M-52 bombers were two prototype intercontinental supersonic strategic bombers proposed by the Soviet firm of Myasishchev as early as 1956. Though the project and its design is some fifty years old, very little in...
1959
171
North American / Boeing T-2 Buckeye The North American (now Boeing) T-2 Buckeye was responsible for the training of thousands of American naval aviators from 1959 onwards. The system was fielded as an intermediate budget trainer designed to give United States N...
1959
172
North American A-5 Vigilante The A-5 Vigilante bomber actually began as a private venture by the North American Aviation Company as early as 1953. This development centered around the design of an all-weather, high-level, long range bomber capable of car...
1961
173
North American AJ (A-2) Savage The AJ Savage series of aircraft was a product of the North American Aviation Company for the United States Navy following the Second World War. North American had already made a name for itself by this time with memorable Wo...
1949
174
North American B-45 Tornado Development of the XB-45 began in 1944 and continued into 1945, representing the later years of the Second World War. With reports that Germany had already succeeded in development of production-quality jet bomber designs, th...
1948
175
North American F-100 Super Sabre The North American F-100 Super Sabre was developed as the successor to the F-86 Sabre, another North American product. The F-86 Sabre proved a war winner for the Americans in the Korean War, tangling with the likes of the new...
1954
176
North American F-82 / P-82 Twin Mustang The F-82 Twin Mustang was a purposely-designed aircraft charged with the purpose of providing the United States Air Force with a potent long-range fighter escort while allowing the pilot a much needed break with the addition ...
1946
177
North American F-86 Sabre The F-86 Sabre was the product of the North American Aviation Company based in the United States of America. The aircraft served a pivotal role in the Korean War by winning back air superiority for the NATO allies, going toe-...
1949
178
North American FJ-1 Fury The North American FJ-1 Fury aircraft system appeared for a limited time with United States Naval air forces but was instrumental in the design of another North American classic warfighter - the F-86 Sabre. The FJ-1 Fury spaw...
1947
179
North American P-51 / F-51 Mustang The North American P-51 Mustang proved an invaluable addition to the Allied cause in the latter half of World War 2. The system was designed and flown in a matter of months and made such an impact that it could clearly be con...
1940
180
North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco The Bronco was developed through the United States Marine Corps Light Armed Reconnaissance Aircraft (LARA) program to provide the service branch with a multi-faceted performer that could handle armed reconnaissance and light ...
North American XB-70 Valkyrie The XB-70 Valkyrie was intended to be the USAF 'super bomber' for decades to come and was tabbed as the eventual successor to the B-52 Stratofortress in support of the United States Strategic Air Command. Developed with the l...
1964
185
North American YF-107 Ultra Sabre The YF-107 "Ultra Sabre" prototype represented the final foray into military aviation for the North American Aircraft Corporation. The company that was responsible for such memorable airframes as seen embodied by the P-51 Mus...
1957
186
Northrop F-20 Tigershark The F-20 Tigershark appeared on August 30th, 1982, as an "improved" version of the F-5E model in the Tiger II series. Visually, the F-20 shared many of the same qualities as the F-5 including its low-mounted monoplane wings, ...
1982
187
Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter / F-5 Tiger II The Northrop-produced F-5 Tiger series was intended as a low-cost, low-maintenance alternative for Allies of the United States during the Cold War years. The initial model was the F-5 "Freedom Fighter", which in turn spawned ...
1976
188
Northrop F-89 Scorpion The F-89 Scorpion offered up a solid ten years of service for the United States Air Force, charged with the defense of the upper North from Soviet bomber incursions during the Cold War. The F-89 was a large aircraft and desig...
1949
189
Northrop Grumman EA-6 Prowler The Prowler series of carrierbased aircraft are dedicated electronic warfare systems based on the Vietnam-era A-6 Intruder strike models. Since their introduction, the Prowler series has seen action up through the present Ame...
Northrop YF-17 (Cobra) The YF-17 Cobra was a Northrop Aviation creation through NASA to support further testing and research of aircraft at transonic speeds (meaning just underneath the speed of sound, or 700-780mph / 1,127-1,255kph). The YF-17 Cob...
1972
192
Panavia Tornado ADV The Panavia Tornado series of strike aircraft was developed through a consortium featuring the nations of Britain, Germany (West) and Italy. Each country would be responsible for the design and construction of a specialized p...
Republic F-105 Thunderchief The F-105 Thunderchief was a Cold War product of the Republic Aviation Corporation and became the company's last production aircraft before its merger with Fairchild. The platform was developed as a successor to the F-84 seri...
1958
195
Republic F-84 Thunderjet / Thunderstreak / Thunderflash The Republic F-84 Thunderjet appeared as an American post-war design and played a pivotal role in the early years that was the Cold War. The nimble little system provided many an Allied nation with a nuclear-capable deterrent...
1947
196
Republic P-47 / F-47 Thunderbolt While much of the romance of World War 2 dogfighting often heads in the direction of the USAAF's North American P-51 Mustang or the Vought F4U Corsair, the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt (affectionately nicknamed "the Jug" by her ...
1942
197
Republic XF-12 Rainbow The Republic XF-12 "Rainbow" was envisioned as the USAAF's new dedicated strategic reconnaissance platform in the latter years of World War 2, going head-to-head with Howard Hughe's XF-11 creation. Unfortunately for both, the...
1946
198
Rockwell XFV-12 The XFV-12 aircraft was a proposed Rockwell International design to a United States Navy requirement for a VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft system. Though a promising concept from the beginning, the XFV-12 was te...
1977
199
Saab J 21 The Saab 21 series of fighter aircraft was of a most unique design - in more ways then one. The system was drawn up to a 1941 response for an indigenous fighter aircraft intended to replace the outdated airframes Sweden was c...
1945
200
Saab J 29 Tunnan (Barrel) The Saab-produced J 29 Tunnan (meaning "barrel" due to its stubby-like barrel appearance) was the second jet-fighter design produced in Sweden following the Second World War. Following along with other nations at the time, Sw...
1949
201
Saab J 35 Draken (Dragon / Kite) The Saab J 35 Draken (translated in English to "Dragon" but carrying the meaning of "Kite" based on the aircraft's angular resemblance to a kite) was one of the more excellent aircraft designs to emerge from the Cold War. The...
1960
202
Saab JA 37 Viggen (Thunderbolt) The Saab Viggen proved to be yet another milestone in the indigenous design theories put forth by the nation of Sweden. The system was designed from the outset to be a battlefield friendly alternative to its opponent counterp...
1968
203
SEPECAT Jaguar The Jaguar became the first ever international aircraft joint development product when Britain and France expressed interest in a similar multi-role supersonic performer. The British were in the market for an advanced jet tra...
