Iconic aircraft
The machines people come to see
The aircraft that define the display circuit and the museum hall. Each feature keeps to widely documented history, avoids disputed figures, and ends with spotter's notes for recognising the type in the air or on static. Part of World Aviation, an independent airshow and aviation hub.
Supermarine Spitfire
How to recognise the Supermarine Spitfire, the elliptical-winged, Merlin-powered British fighter of the Battle of Britain and a beloved warbird still flown at displays today.
Read featureConcorde
The story and spotter's notes for Concorde, the Anglo-French supersonic airliner with the droop nose and slender delta wing that crossed the Atlantic in half the usual time before retiring in 2003.
Read featureLockheed SR-71 Blackbird
A feature on the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, the titanium high-altitude reconnaissance jet from Skunk Works that is widely regarded as the fastest air-breathing crewed aircraft ever flown.
Read featureBoeing 747
Why the Boeing 747 became the Queen of the Skies, from its humped upper deck and four engines to how enthusiasts still spot one at cargo hubs and museums today.
Read featureLockheed Martin F-22 Raptor
A feature on the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, the stealth air-superiority fighter whose thrust-vectoring, high-alpha display steals modern airshows, and how to recognise it.
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