Mike, you look every bit the dashing sailplane pilot in that ending image. For me it is the F-106 but of the planes I have flown it is the T-34 Mentor. Perfect control harmony, good power, slick looking and a military cockpit. You can even fly it with the canopy open. That is followed closely by the 235 Piper Pawnee that I flew when I towed gliders. Both planes did the same thing...they made me smile....even laugh when I flew them.
Great video! Mike, Scott Crossfield was the first pilot to fly faster than Mach 2 on Nov 20, 1953 in the Douglas D-558-II. The US Air Force started a series of tests with the X-1A, which the test pilot of the series, Chuck Yeager, named "Operation NACA Weep". These culminated on 12 December 1953, when Yeager achieved an altitude of 74,700 feet (22,800 m) and a new airspeed record of Mach 2.44. I would also nominate Cmdr. Eric “Winkle” Brown RN as the greatest test pilot of all time with 487 different types of aircraft flown! His favorite jet was the F-86 and favorite prop was the DeHavilland DH-103 Hornet.
Knew I was going to hear about this, and technically, Crossfield flew the Skyrocket to Mach 2.005. In their long-standing rivalry, Yeager always said Scottie was the first to fly AT Mach 2, while he was the first to fly FASTER than Mach 2. I'm sure your comment won't be the last on this topic, and thanks for watching!
I agree about Eric "Winkle" Brown: his record of different types flown excludes sub-variants, so it is arguably a much, much, bigger number, and his record of carrier landings (2407) will probably never be broken.
Wonderful video and full of fascinating memories and information. You are so fortunate to have meet so many amazing individuals and got to hear from them first hand their stories. Oh for having an iphone back then, priceless. Thank you and take care.
UPT back in 1988, my class had an academic instructor that began every class with “a reading from the book of Chuck” (YEAGER, an autobiography, still have my copy from 1985). Good times! I enjoyed flying all the aircraft I was assigned. Although, my 1.2 hours in the front cockpit of a family model TPS F-16 ranks up there (payback sortie for all of the QF-4E Phantom sorties I instructed/flew with the TPS students). An hour of self-study in their CFT, 15 minutes reviewing CAPS with my TPS IP and we were off into the wild blue over EDW (after the crew chief walked me thru engine start & flight control checks). Easy to fly, turn & burn, stalls & falls, landings…every pilot needs an F-16 in their hangar. My favorite would be the T-38A/AT-38B Talon.
Well Mike, not much of a u-tube subscriber, but this video put me on your list. My first one. Our discussions over the PW J75 and the century series has convinced me to watch other videos of yours. All of them well done, and not just by an "armchair expert" I have pleasantly discovered. Nice job, you are the real deal. I was president of an EAA chapter in Ohio for years and was blessed with meeting many of the top pilots of the airshow circuits during that time. At one such airshow co- sponsored by our club and M.A.P.S (AKR/CANTON) John Glenn was one of our guests. Being aware of his F-8 record, it was the start of a long conversation (at least 30 min! in a busy airshow)...he was SO not bored talking flying, and PWA with me, even after all that time. I finally felt I was hogging his time.... but really.....talking flying w/John Glenn in person! I'm still smile as I remember this....A favorite memory of mine too. Dale Snodgrass was the F-14 demo pilot for years and we talked flying PW TF30's vs the GE 404s (?) In the D. He had a GE stick in AB during a show at CLE and had to shut it down and make a single engine landing in front of 250k people. Just another day for those guys. My favorite was the "six" also (as a kid.) They were based at Westover and intercepted Soviet Bears flying down the coast. Sometime sonic booming my house (about 20 miles away) during times of tried realations. CT. has lots of defence contracters all pretty close together. We felt the stress of the cold war and didn't mind the jets streaking over in the wee hours...It was a BIG powerfull, fast airplane and very manuverable with the range to out last the Phantoms it practiced with. My heart now favors the F-15. STILL a lovely, powerfull, sexy looking machine after all this time. As a pilot, my favorite was flying a friends SF-260. Yank and bank, twist and dive.....a mini fighter. Anyway, keep up the good work. Really enjoyed this one Mike.
The engines in the F-14B, and D were F110-GE-129s, not F404s. The F404 only produced 16,000 lbs of thrust in afterburner, and was developed for the F/A-18 Hornet.
Yupp that's right...110. Couldn't remember off top of my head...that's why the (?)!!!! It was/is a good motor, Pilots could fly the plane not the motors. Thanks
A wonderful and informative presentation as always Mr Machat! Some surprises to say the least. What an honor it must have been to work with and meet General Yeager and John Glenn! Two of my childhood heroes! Never been in a sail plane, but I would almost give a limb to be able to ride in one wit you at the stick! Anyway, as always God bless you and yours and thanks again for everything you do! Take care always Sir!
👍👍 A double thumbs-up! It would be interesting to go a step further and explore the personal planes of famous pilots; Tony LeVier=Monocoupe, John Glenn=Beech Baron, Gordon and Trudy Cooper=Bonanza, etc. Didn't Fitz have a Fairchild 24 out at Mojave?
In 1999 I chaperoned Convair test pilot Beryl Erickson and his wife around the aviation museums in DC - maybe not surprisingly his favorite aircraft was the B-58 Hustler.
My favorite aircraft are as follows: For WW-2 it's the Corsair, and Mustang for fighters. For bombers, the Mitchell, and the Invader. For trainers, there's only one WW-2 type that is my favorite: the AT-6 Texan. Now, for modern day, my favorites are all fighters: F-14 Tomcat, F-16 Viper, F-22 Raptor, and the A-10 Hawg.
Mike, Awesome…. Very well done. I have flown roughly 270 different planes up to this point in my life as a pilot. My three favorite planes I piloted…. Easy, Transport category ..747! What a simple plane. Fast, Iconic and just super easy to fly! Fighter…….F-16A-ADF. Why? It was the most nimble 16! Just point the nose. Props, My 1966 Twin Comanche. Why, it’s just perfect! Handles better than most twins and affordable and fast. I choose the twin Comanche (Twinkie) over non revenue travel with my airline for vacation. You have the greatest aviation channel ! Thanks!
I once eavesdropped on a bull session with LeVier and Scott Crossfield at Northrop's Hawthorne airport during a 1987 open house. It was great fun just listening to the "hangar flying". (Yeager was there, too, but everyone seemed to be avoiding him.) I also met Tex Johnston at Boeing's 75th anniversary celebration in 1991 at Boeing Field in Seattle. Now that was a fun conversation!
The L-13 was the first aircraft I got to 'fly'. It was on my 18th birthday and my parents footed the bill for a flight. The pilot let me take control. I'd had enough time in the simulators that I generally knew what I was doing, but pretty excited to be finally doing it. That 'seat-of-the-pants' feel is amazing.
Awesome video as always! I just picked up a book about and as told by Joe Foss, 1st edition from '43.... Will be feeling the wings of history when it arrives....😎
What a great bunch of pilots. So much history between them all, thanks to them. Mike, a big "thank you" for you for keeping so much aviation history alive for future generations.
I enjoy your videos as much as your illustrations in my aviation books. My favorite - prop or jet? Prop - the DC-3. Jet? The one-off Boeing 367-80, the progenitor of my beloved Boeing 707, an airplane that took me around the world as a very young boy.
A terrific topic. Well done. Just remember that Jack Broughton and the 355th TFW were stationed at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, not at Korat RTAFB.
great thanks, i flew Blaniks30 years ago and despite being adventurous and ham fisted the blanik always behaved gracefully. an absolute miracle as my instructor briefed me on all the controls then said try ir out, figure it out. I stalled it a few times often by over banking it never even tried to drop a wing, totally docile yet highly responsive some of my best memories, especially being formatted by a falcon which demonstrated just how much better it flew. watching it change the curvature of its wings was mindblowing
A most enjoyable presentation of the favorite flying machines of these ten superb aviators. And, your own favorites. Incredible photos too. Outstanding work as always Mike.
Great video and thoroughly enjoyed! One of your top 10 best. Being a previous Long Islander, I’m a 50/50 brat for Republic and Grumman. Maybe some Grumman love in the future? 😊
Thanks Jerry, and yes, I'm planning an East Coast aircraft manufacturer video with lots of good Grumman products. Yeager, Hoover, and Everest all chose the F-86 (at 05:00).
My dad flew P51Ds / P47s in WW2 and never flew again after the war until the 1970s with Cessnas. But I’m sure he would have said the P51 was his favourite. He would also talk about the Pitts Special alot also
My dad flew B-47's with the 443rd out of March Field in California and just loved that bomber and still talks like it was yesterday. One of his favorite things was taking ground personal up and getting down on the deck flying across the Mojave Desert 🏜 while they sat crammed into the nose looking out and it was nothing but grins from ear to ear when they landed.
Thanks for sharing! Tex Johnson's roll of a ✈707 Boeing jetliner 🛫 at the 1955 Seafair race was a big surprise to Boeing. After he did the roll he was called into the President of Boeing office Paul Allen and ask why he did it. He told Allen "I'm selling airplanes and it's safe to roll a 707". Allen told him "maybe but don't do it again". Love the channel 💖 Cheers 🍺🍺👮♂
Great video...Well done. I didn't get no notification from RUclips just to let you know. As a seven year old who got to see this plane fly, I gotta go with the XB-70-1. I also enjoyed watching Bob Hoover at airshows.
With you on the Blanik, I wish there were some new ones available as they are pretty much all out of fatigue life on the right-hand side of the Atlantic now. It's a lovely thing to fly in good lift conditions. I'm not sure I have a single favourite as it's so much to do with the purpose of the flight on any given day, but I've probably had more fun in a lightweight 90hp PA-18-95 and a Yak-52 as anything else.
Mike, you are one of a mere handful of content creators on RUclips that I seek out, watch the moment I see your name. Your reports are personal, utterly free of aggrandizement and always fascinating. Thank you so much for your excellent work here.
Great video Mike! I too love the Blanik sail plane. I flew a L-13 out of Hempstead, Texas back in the mid 80’s. I was at the point of solo then moved away. Then life happened. 🤠👍
Watching these videos of yours reminds me of when I was 12 and my dad would take me with him to his hobby shop. When I wasn't building models, I would look through all of the books on this fighter, or that bomber. I loved reading about them and looking at all the pictures and diagrams. My dad also gave me some very large hardback books from The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. I still have 'Milestones of Flight'. It's on my bookshelf in the living room.
Excellent Mike, Great way to start the day! Hearing pilots' favorite aircraft reminded me of my early years living under the approach to Maxwell AFB during the late fifties. A lot of T-33, F-86, F-100 traffic over our heads. Including a F-100 Thunderbird belly landing in the field behind the house (pilot walked away)! This episode brought a lot of those great memories back. Thanks!
Good catch! Technically, Crossfield flew the Skyrocket to Mach 2.005 on November 20, 1953, and Yeager made the Mach 2.44 flight in the X-1A three weeks later. With the standing nrivalry between the Air Force and NACA/NASA, Yeager liked to claim that yes, Scottie flew to Mach 2, but he was the first pilot to fly FASTER than Mach 2. Thanks for watching!
@@celebratingaviationwithmik9782 Sure- you may , or may not , know of this video. It is from 1980 and features both men. I have watched it for many years now, decades, and still find it informative and entertaining.. Well worth watching, hoping this link works. best to you- ruclips.net/video/07nZxVxX8n4/видео.html
Thanks Koji, and posting Monday morning is a new video on painting the P-51 Mustang. I'm showing some cars as well, noting they were named after the airplane!
Great subject! One question, I thought Scott Crossfield was the first to break mach 2 in the D-558? Perhaps I mis-heard something in the dialog. Also as a side note, I remember Michael Collins in his autobiography saying the F-104 was his favorite.
@@tomsvircev1716 No problem Tom, and I knew I was going to get flak on this. It reflected the lifelong blood-fued between Yeager (USAF) and Scottie (NACA). Thanks for watching!
I personally think one of the greatest pilots is Eric `Winkle' Brown. Although I completely understand that this list is pilots you've actually met. Great pilots all.
'Should've included Northrop Flying Wing test pilot Max Stanley who was famously quoted as saying the PiperJ-3 Cub was his favorite aircraft because "it can only slightly kill you!" Thanks for watching.
When you made this you forgot to title it as the top ten "AMERICAN" pilots 😂😂😂 How about the German pilot, with hundreds of kills, that shot down 11 enemy in a morning? That is cool but the real interesting part is that he was shot down while achieving this. He shot down 6 planes, got shot down and was driven back to his base, got a new plane, returned to the area and engaged and shot down a further 5 planes. Now that's a real record and not just a jockey in a fast plane that cracked a record any other test pilot could have achieved. I know, if it's American it must be best 😂😂😂😂
Those names were my picks for the "top-ten" favorite pilots I've personally worked with on projects who told me their favorite airplanes, not a Top-Ten best pilots list. Have already had comments about not including Great Britain's Winkle Brown, but I never had the honor of working with him on a project. Thanks for watching.
Mike, you look every bit the dashing sailplane pilot in that ending image. For me it is the F-106 but of the planes I have flown it is the T-34 Mentor. Perfect control harmony, good power, slick looking and a military cockpit. You can even fly it with the canopy open. That is followed closely by the 235 Piper Pawnee that I flew when I towed gliders. Both planes did the same thing...they made me smile....even laugh when I flew them.
F-106 is my favorite too, having been an avionic tech on it. Such an elegant design!
Perfect! A real pilot's perspective. Thanks Max.
@@celebratingaviationwithmik9782 love that pic of you with the Fouga Magister...Love that plane
@@celebratingaviationwithmik9782 did you fly tge Fouga?
Obviously the one thing all these airplanes have in common are that they’re all drop dead gorgeous and awesome!
Great video! Mike, Scott Crossfield was the first pilot to fly faster than Mach 2 on Nov 20, 1953 in the Douglas D-558-II. The US Air Force started a series of tests with the X-1A, which the test pilot of the series, Chuck Yeager, named "Operation NACA Weep". These culminated on 12 December 1953, when Yeager achieved an altitude of 74,700 feet (22,800 m) and a new airspeed record of Mach 2.44.
I would also nominate Cmdr. Eric “Winkle” Brown RN as the greatest test pilot of all time with 487 different types of aircraft flown! His favorite jet was the F-86 and favorite prop was the DeHavilland DH-103 Hornet.
Thank you. You beat me to it.
Knew I was going to hear about this, and technically, Crossfield flew the Skyrocket to Mach 2.005. In their long-standing rivalry, Yeager always said Scottie was the first to fly AT Mach 2, while he was the first to fly FASTER than Mach 2. I'm sure your comment won't be the last on this topic, and thanks for watching!
I agree about Eric "Winkle" Brown: his record of different types flown excludes sub-variants, so it is arguably a much, much, bigger number, and his record of carrier landings (2407) will probably never be broken.
Some surprises, for sure.
But who could argue with any of these guys?
It is on my bucket list to someday fly along in a (replica of a) WW1 era biplane.
Wonderful video and full of fascinating memories and information. You are so fortunate to have meet so many amazing individuals and got to hear from them first hand their stories. Oh for having an iphone back then, priceless. Thank you and take care.
UPT back in 1988, my class had an academic instructor that began every class with “a reading from the book of Chuck” (YEAGER, an autobiography, still have my copy from 1985). Good times! I enjoyed flying all the aircraft I was assigned. Although, my 1.2 hours in the front cockpit of a family model TPS F-16 ranks up there (payback sortie for all of the QF-4E Phantom sorties I instructed/flew with the TPS students). An hour of self-study in their CFT, 15 minutes reviewing CAPS with my TPS IP and we were off into the wild blue over EDW (after the crew chief walked me thru engine start & flight control checks). Easy to fly, turn & burn, stalls & falls, landings…every pilot needs an F-16 in their hangar. My favorite would be the T-38A/AT-38B Talon.
I also have a copy of General Yeager's book.
Well Mike, not much of a u-tube subscriber, but this video put me on your list. My first one. Our discussions over the PW J75 and the century series has convinced me to watch other videos of yours. All of them well done, and not just by an "armchair expert" I have pleasantly discovered. Nice job, you are the real deal. I was president of an EAA chapter in Ohio for years and was blessed with meeting many of the top pilots of the airshow circuits during that time. At one such airshow co- sponsored by our club and M.A.P.S (AKR/CANTON) John Glenn was one of our guests. Being aware of his F-8 record, it was the start of a long conversation (at least 30 min! in a busy airshow)...he was SO not bored talking flying, and PWA with me, even after all that time. I finally felt I was hogging his time.... but really.....talking flying w/John Glenn in person! I'm still smile as I remember this....A favorite memory of mine too. Dale Snodgrass was the F-14 demo pilot for years and we talked flying PW TF30's vs the GE 404s (?) In the D. He had a GE stick in AB during a show at CLE and had to shut it down and make a single engine landing in front of 250k people. Just another day for those guys. My favorite was the "six" also (as a kid.) They were based at Westover and intercepted Soviet Bears flying down the coast. Sometime sonic booming my house (about 20 miles away) during times of tried realations. CT. has lots of defence contracters all pretty close together. We felt the stress of the cold war and didn't mind the jets streaking over in the wee hours...It was a BIG powerfull, fast airplane and very manuverable with the range to out last the Phantoms it practiced with. My heart now favors the F-15. STILL a lovely, powerfull, sexy looking machine after all this time. As a pilot, my favorite was flying a friends SF-260. Yank and bank, twist and dive.....a mini fighter. Anyway, keep up the good work. Really enjoyed this one Mike.
The engines in the F-14B, and D were F110-GE-129s, not F404s. The F404 only produced 16,000 lbs of thrust in afterburner, and was developed for the F/A-18 Hornet.
Yupp that's right...110. Couldn't remember off top of my head...that's why the (?)!!!! It was/is a good motor, Pilots could fly the plane not the motors. Thanks
@@garyyoung4074 You're welcome.
@@garyyoung4074 You're welcome.
A wonderful and informative presentation as always Mr Machat! Some surprises to say the least. What an honor it must have been to work with and meet General Yeager and John Glenn! Two of my childhood heroes! Never been in a sail plane, but I would almost give a limb to be able to ride in one wit you at the stick! Anyway, as always God bless you and yours and thanks again for everything you do! Take care always Sir!
👍👍 A double thumbs-up! It would be interesting to go a step further and explore the personal planes of famous pilots; Tony LeVier=Monocoupe, John Glenn=Beech Baron, Gordon and Trudy Cooper=Bonanza, etc. Didn't Fitz have a Fairchild 24 out at Mojave?
In 1999 I chaperoned Convair test pilot Beryl Erickson and his wife around the aviation museums in DC - maybe not surprisingly his favorite aircraft was the B-58 Hustler.
I think that Neil Armstrong's favourite was the F8 Bearcat. Thanks for all your vids.
Great one....interesting to know what these great guys considered their favorite. Well worth the WAIT !
That was so much fun!
Lots of things I didn't know before.
And, Colonel Broughton is a hero of mine...it was great to see him mentioned.
My favorite aircraft are as follows: For WW-2 it's the Corsair, and Mustang for fighters. For bombers, the Mitchell, and the Invader. For trainers, there's only one WW-2 type that is my favorite: the AT-6 Texan. Now, for modern day, my favorites are all fighters: F-14 Tomcat, F-16 Viper, F-22 Raptor, and the A-10 Hawg.
C5a
Mike, Awesome…. Very well done.
I have flown roughly 270 different planes up to this point in my life as a pilot. My three favorite planes I piloted…. Easy, Transport category ..747! What a simple plane. Fast, Iconic and just super easy to fly! Fighter…….F-16A-ADF. Why? It was the most nimble 16! Just point the nose. Props, My 1966 Twin Comanche. Why, it’s just perfect! Handles better than most twins and affordable and fast. I choose the twin Comanche (Twinkie) over non revenue travel with my airline for vacation.
You have the greatest aviation channel ! Thanks!
I once eavesdropped on a bull session with LeVier and Scott Crossfield at Northrop's Hawthorne airport during a 1987 open house. It was great fun just listening to the "hangar flying". (Yeager was there, too, but everyone seemed to be avoiding him.) I also met Tex Johnston at Boeing's 75th anniversary celebration in 1991 at Boeing Field in Seattle. Now that was a fun conversation!
The L-13 was the first aircraft I got to 'fly'. It was on my 18th birthday and my parents footed the bill for a flight. The pilot let me take control. I'd had enough time in the simulators that I generally knew what I was doing, but pretty excited to be finally doing it. That 'seat-of-the-pants' feel is amazing.
Awesome video as always!
I just picked up a book about and as told by Joe Foss, 1st edition from '43....
Will be feeling the wings of history when it arrives....😎
I've never actually flown or rode in one, but if I had the money, I'd be real tempted to give a Stearman a try. 🤔
What a great bunch of pilots. So much history between them all, thanks to them. Mike, a big "thank you" for you for keeping so much aviation history alive for future generations.
I enjoy your videos as much as your illustrations in my aviation books. My favorite - prop or jet? Prop - the DC-3. Jet? The one-off Boeing 367-80, the progenitor of my beloved Boeing 707, an airplane that took me around the world as a very young boy.
That was great - some I knew - so I did not. I always like hearing Joe Engle talk about rolling the X-15!
A terrific topic. Well done. Just remember that Jack Broughton and the 355th TFW were stationed at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base, not at Korat RTAFB.
great thanks, i flew Blaniks30 years ago and despite being adventurous and ham fisted the blanik always behaved gracefully. an absolute miracle as my instructor briefed me on all the controls then said try ir out, figure it out. I stalled it a few times often by over banking it never even tried to drop a wing, totally docile yet highly responsive some of my best memories, especially being formatted by a falcon which demonstrated just how much better it flew. watching it change the curvature of its wings was mindblowing
Wonderful comment, thanks!
A most enjoyable presentation of the favorite flying machines of these ten superb aviators. And, your own favorites. Incredible photos too. Outstanding work as always Mike.
Great video and thoroughly enjoyed! One of your top 10 best. Being a previous Long Islander, I’m a 50/50 brat for Republic and Grumman. Maybe some Grumman love in the future? 😊
Did I miss Chuck Yeager’s favorite? Maybe all... ?
Thanks Jerry, and yes, I'm planning an East Coast aircraft manufacturer video with lots of good Grumman products. Yeager, Hoover, and Everest all chose the F-86 (at 05:00).
My dad flew P51Ds / P47s in WW2 and never flew again after the war until the 1970s with Cessnas. But I’m sure he would have said the P51 was his favourite. He would also talk about the Pitts Special alot also
My dad flew B-47's with the 443rd out of March Field in California and just loved that bomber and still talks like it was yesterday. One of his favorite things was taking ground personal up and getting down on the deck flying across the Mojave Desert 🏜 while they sat crammed into the nose looking out and it was nothing but grins from ear to ear when they landed.
gb
Always great, but especially enjoy presentations that highlight the history of noteworthy personalities. Thanks!
One more amazing video Mike! Very interesting to know the favorite aircraft of these aviation icons! Greetings from Brazil! 🇧🇷
Great video! Many surprises in the list of favorites, I love the comments on the F-16 . It's a nice little jet! That's awesome! 👍 😆
Best bang for the buck
Thanks putting in all the extra work making theses... and for all the (high quality) photos that many of us have never seen before!
Outstanding! Among so many things enjoyable in this video, I liked how you described the F-8 Crusader. Magnificent indeed!
Thanks for sharing! Tex Johnson's roll of a ✈707 Boeing jetliner 🛫 at the 1955 Seafair race was a big surprise to Boeing. After he did the roll he was called into the President of Boeing office Paul Allen and ask why he did it. He told Allen "I'm selling airplanes and it's safe to roll a 707". Allen told him "maybe but don't do it again". Love the channel 💖 Cheers 🍺🍺👮♂
That wasn't a 707, that aircraft was the 367-80, or "DASH-80".
@@johnosbourn4312 Tex Johnson called it a 707 ???? I think their are all the same family ?
@@Love_rainy_days The 707, and the KC/C-135 all trace their heritage back to the 367-80 prototype aircraft.
Great video...Well done. I didn't get no notification from RUclips just to let you know. As a seven year old who got to see this plane fly, I gotta go with the XB-70-1. I also enjoyed watching Bob Hoover at airshows.
Excellent . . Thanks
Since you came up with this subject I have not been able to come up with my favorite.
Another fascinating, and beautifully made, video. Thank you, Mike.
This was one of your best.
Many thanks!
With you on the Blanik, I wish there were some new ones available as they are pretty much all out of fatigue life on the right-hand side of the Atlantic now. It's a lovely thing to fly in good lift conditions. I'm not sure I have a single favourite as it's so much to do with the purpose of the flight on any given day, but I've probably had more fun in a lightweight 90hp PA-18-95 and a Yak-52 as anything else.
Another great video. Thanks!
Another great video and the photos and artwork are amazing. Great stuff.
Fun video Mike. Thanks
Mike, you are one of a mere handful of content creators on RUclips that I seek out, watch the moment I see your name. Your reports are personal, utterly free of aggrandizement and always fascinating. Thank you so much for your excellent work here.
Many thanks for the kind words, and comments like yours are what makes doing these programs worthwhile. Very much appreciated!
IMHO, my favorite was my Vans RV-6. Fly one and you will know what all airplane's controls should feel like.
Any RV-6 pilot I ever knew said that very same thing!
Great video Mike! I too love the Blanik sail plane. I flew a L-13 out of Hempstead, Texas back in the mid 80’s. I was at the point of solo then moved away. Then life happened. 🤠👍
Thank you for this video I really enjoyed this one
Glad you enjoyed it
Great history! Absolutely outstanding video!
My dad's blanik was his favorite airplane.
Very enjoyable thanks for sharing!
Been looking forward to this one, Mike. Thanks for this and all your other outstanding videos.
Watching these videos of yours reminds me of when I was 12 and my dad would take me with him to his hobby shop. When I wasn't building models, I would look through all of the books on this fighter, or that bomber. I loved reading about them and looking at all the pictures and diagrams. My dad also gave me some very large hardback books from The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. I still have 'Milestones of Flight'. It's on my bookshelf in the living room.
Excellent Mike, Great way to start the day! Hearing pilots' favorite aircraft reminded me of my early years living under the approach to Maxwell AFB during the late fifties. A lot of T-33, F-86, F-100 traffic over our heads. Including a F-100 Thunderbird belly landing in the field behind the house (pilot walked away)! This episode brought a lot of those great memories back. Thanks!
What a wonderful video. Thank you so much.
@11:17: Check out those flying boots.
Wow! Great insights into these legendary pilots. Interesting that two strategic bombers were on the list. Excellent video! Thank you.
about 2 mins into video, you state that Yeagar was first at mach 2. I thought that Scott Crossfield was ? no?
Good catch! Technically, Crossfield flew the Skyrocket to Mach 2.005 on November 20, 1953, and Yeager made the Mach 2.44 flight in the X-1A three weeks later. With the standing nrivalry between the Air Force and NACA/NASA, Yeager liked to claim that yes, Scottie flew to Mach 2, but he was the first pilot to fly FASTER than Mach 2. Thanks for watching!
@@celebratingaviationwithmik9782 Sure- you may , or may not , know of this video. It is from 1980 and features both men. I have watched it for many years now, decades, and still find it informative and entertaining.. Well worth watching, hoping this link works. best to you- ruclips.net/video/07nZxVxX8n4/видео.html
I thought that was your daughter! Nice video! I hope you are well.
Thanks Koji, and posting Monday morning is a new video on painting the P-51 Mustang. I'm showing some cars as well, noting they were named after the airplane!
So good. Funny to know what their favorites were :-)
Thanks for sharing 👍
what a great great video! thanks!
Thank you !!!
Been looking forward to this episode, and you did not disappoint! Thanks for your excellent presentations, Mike.
The best part of my day is seeing a new video from Mike!
Great video
Fascinating!
Great subject! One question, I thought Scott Crossfield was the first to break mach 2 in the D-558? Perhaps I mis-heard something in the dialog. Also as a side note, I remember Michael Collins in his autobiography saying the F-104 was his favorite.
Oops! I now see the whole mach 2 thing has been covered already. I personally give that one to Crossfield, not that my opinion means much! Lol!
@@tomsvircev1716 No problem Tom, and I knew I was going to get flak on this. It reflected the lifelong blood-fued between Yeager (USAF) and Scottie (NACA). Thanks for watching!
I personally think one of the greatest pilots is Eric `Winkle' Brown.
Although I completely understand that this list is pilots you've actually met. Great pilots all.
Agreed!
hmmmm none chose the Cub or the AT-6
'Should've included Northrop Flying Wing test pilot Max Stanley who was famously quoted as saying the PiperJ-3 Cub was his favorite aircraft because "it can only slightly kill you!" Thanks for watching.
When you made this you forgot to title it as the top ten "AMERICAN" pilots 😂😂😂
How about the German pilot, with hundreds of kills, that shot down 11 enemy in a morning? That is cool but the real interesting part is that he was shot down while achieving this. He shot down 6 planes, got shot down and was driven back to his base, got a new plane, returned to the area and engaged and shot down a further 5 planes. Now that's a real record and not just a jockey in a fast plane that cracked a record any other test pilot could have achieved.
I know, if it's American it must be best 😂😂😂😂
Those names were my picks for the "top-ten" favorite pilots I've personally worked with on projects who told me their favorite airplanes, not a Top-Ten best pilots list. Have already had comments about not including Great Britain's Winkle Brown, but I never had the honor of working with him on a project. Thanks for watching.
John Glenn's nick name was the Mug Mad Marine