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Speaking of pretty things in flight...

No, not Wonder Woman or Supergirl.

Just an Eagle.

An F-15 Eagle fighter flies over the Joint Pacific Alaskan Range Complex during Red Flag-Alaska on Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, April 29, 2009. Red Flag is a Pacific Air Forces-directed field training exercise for U.S. and coalition forces flown under simulated air-combat conditions. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Christopher Boitz
An F-15 Eagle fighter flies over the Joint Pacific Alaskan Range Complex during Red Flag-Alaska on Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, April 29, 2009. Red Flag is a Pacific Air Forces-directed field training exercise for U.S. and coalition forces flown under simulated air-combat conditions. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Christopher Boitz

Given the discussion we had in the comments on this post, this seemed appropriate.

6 Comments

You know... I think Combat Camera has to be the best enlisted job in the USAF.
 
Not to diss the Viper (an excellent craft itself), but there's something truly elegant about a stripped-down, F-15C Eagle. The aircraft seems to emanate the same vitality as the classic 1968 muscle cars, such as the Camaro, GTO, Charger, or Super Bee.

Continuing in that vein, the F-22 looks more like -alas- a 2006 GTO.

Earlier examples of elegant design should include the Spitfire, Mustang (-D model), and FW-190A; not to mention the classic Mitsubishi model Zero.

 
Don't forget the F-4 (E model) Phantom.  America's proof to the world that with enough power, a brick can fly.
 
What...no love for the F4U Corsair?
 
The F-4U was even before my time LOL
 
kirk: my bad! Truly an excellent choice for the elegance division!

In fact, there's a healthy category of fighter aircraft who mostly saw action in the Pacific, vice Atlantic/European theatre. The Corsair demonstrated great speed, maneuverability, excellent load-carrying ability, and the reliability of a radial engine. One wonders what the Luftwaffe would have made of it... :)