The Five Worst Fighter Aircraft of All Time

Stacks of Republic F-84F and F-84G Thunderstreaks at Davis-Monthan AFB awaiting scrapping in November, 1958 (U.S. Air Force Photo)

The Five Worst Fighter Aircraft of All Time -- Robert Farley, National Interest

Over the last century of military aviation, several fighters have earned the nickname “flying coffin.” Military aviation inherently pushes up against the limits of technology and human endurance, particularly where fighter and pursuit aviation is concerned. Flying a fighter is remarkably dangerous, even when no one is trying to shoot you down.

Engineering a capable fighter plane is also a struggle. Relatively small changes in engine, armament, and airframe design can transform a clunker into an elite fighting machine; many of the best fighters in history were initially viewed askance by their pilots. But elite status rarely lasts for long, especially in World War I and World War II. Fighters that dominated the sky in one year become “flying coffins” as technology and tactics move forward.

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My Comment: Only five? (There is a list of dishonorable mentions at the end of the post).